Why Druids are retarded; and why you should re(re)roll one

A new age is approaching. 3.1 will herald an age of unprecedented healer balance, resulting in some fun new compositions and a little bit less QQ.

I'm here to talk about turtle comps. Warlocks, Warriors, Druids, Death Knights, and Paladins will be the kings, and these classes will dominate. Warrior / Warlock / Druid will probably return to eminence.

Sadly, most Druid healer setups will be unprecedentedly skill-less. Currently, Druids are designed 100% to be a defensive class. Here's a fun little quote by Ghostcrawler, on March 11th:

We like the tree in PvP. We changed mechanics in LK such as the self-snare to make the tree more reasonable, but we don't think it's quite there yet. We imagined two different defensive styles -- the traditional hot and run approach or going into (or staying as) Tree of Life for a more stand-there-and-take-it tactic. The problem, we think, is that the tree isn't survivable enough now and the cost of shifting in and out of tree is a little high.

Cycloning (and sometimes rooting) is foolish, because it requires a very close range (like, in death grip range,) and it shifts you out of your only salvation in Wrath - tree form. Repeat after me: don't leave tree. Don't leave tree. Don't leave tree.

Further, kiting using travel form is entirely outdated. The reason? Desecration and Frost trap. Shifting and jumping doesn't even work half the time. Also, applying crippling from range, applying chains from range. Long range hamstrings are new to the game and make travel shifting slows useless as you fall more and more behind. Similarly, damage no longer requires melee range! Rogues and Warriors are the exception, but well would you look at that - they have ridiculously low representation on TR.

So travel form is useless. Cycloning and rooting is awkward and puts you behind. The solution is SITTING IN TREE FORM THE WHOLE GAME! and with this patch, it will be even better. Hell, ridiculously better. Just take a glance at the patch notes.

Druids: start the game out of stealth, in tree. Regrowth / Rejuve your whole team, and start blooming when damage comes. Stick a pillar, wear full PvE gear. You won't die (thanks to imp barkskin as well as over double the armor,) and SPAM HEALS THROUGH THAT DAMAGE! Think dispels will hurt your HoTs? Nope! Blooms now pop even when they're only partially dispelled. And for much higher numbers! Druids have the blessing of having some of the highest heals per second. Take advantage boys and girls, druids are paladins part two.

Just remember, if you're going to build a composition around a druid: you don't necessarily want a cleave. With no freedom and no dispels, you'll want classes that can both last forever and are unkitable. You could, however, still cleave with a Ret Paladin. I imagine there will be lots and lots of Druids teaming with Warlocks, Warlocks, Warlocks, Hunters, Rets, and secondarily Warriors and DKs.

I will not be playing druid anymore as long as I continue to play mage/rogue. In BC, I relied on the offensive power of druids to make up for lack of dispel and no fear. Priests are a blast, and I'm definitely enjoying the game a little bit more.

THANX FOR READING!!!!!!!!