Welcome to the Balance Druid guide for World of Warcraft the Burning Crusade. In this guide, you will learn about playing a Balance Druid in dungeons and raids. The guide includes Talents, Gems, Enchantments, Gameplay & Skill rotation tips.

Table of Contents

• Talents
• Gems
• Enchants
• Professions
• Raid Utility
• Rotation
• Consumables
• Stat Priority
• Pre-Raid BiS
• Best in Slot

Talents

Balance Druids may have mana issues in the beginning but they can deliver strong DPS while providing great raid utility. Some builds go for 5/5 Subtlety, but you have to check for yourself if that is needed. You won’t be dishing so much damage to take the aggro, especially if there are Warlocks, Mages, Hunters in the raid. Instead, we go for the maximum raid utility by taking Improved Faerie Fire and the mana efficiency of 3/3 Moonglow.


None of the builds take Force of Nature because they die easily and what’s even worse – are uncontrollable. You could use them while farming, or after a boss AoE if there is no chance that they will aggro anything else.

Gems

• Meta: Chaotic Skyfire Diamond
• Red: Potent Pyrestone or Runed Crimson Spinel
• Yellow: Potent Pyrestone or Veiled Pyrestone
• Blue: Glowing Shadowsong Amethyst (use Red / Yellow if socket bonus is not worth it)

Enchants

• Head – Glyph of Power
• Shoulder – Greater Inscription of the Orb or Greater Inscription of Discipline
• Cloak – Enchant Cloak - Spell Penetration
• Chest – Enchant Chest - Exceptional Stats
• Bracers – Enchant Bracer - Spellpower
• Gloves – Enchant Gloves - Major Spellpower or Enchant Gloves - Blasting
• Legs – Runic Spellthread
• Boots – Enchant Boots - Vitality or Enchant Boots - Boar's Speed
• Weapon – Enchant Weapon - Major Spellpower

Enchanters can also benefit from Enchant Ring - Spellpower on both of the Rings


Professions

Leatherworking lets you craft gear throughout your progression, with noticeable pre-raid gear like the Windhawk Armor set. Drums of Battle will increase your raid utility even further. Alchemy is another good option for Balance Druids. Considering the mana-issues and the number of consumables you’ll use – it will be a good investment to reduce the costs by crafting them yourself. Also, Sorcerer's Alchemist Stone is something worth considering.

Enchanting provides unique ring enchants for an extra 24 spell power combined and the ability to enchant armor.

Raid Utility
As mentioned, Moonkins provide both good DPS and a list of buffs and useful spells. Raid utility:

• Faerie Fire // Improved Faerie Fire
• Insect Swarm
• Innervate
• Rebirth (usable in battle)
• Moonkin Aura
• Mark of the Wild and Thorns

Rotation

Insect Swarm -> Moonfire -> spam Starfire Wrath can be used for maximum burst DPS, but it will leave you without mana quickly.

Spell Priority

• Insect Swarm
• Moonfire
• Starfire
• Wrath

Consumables

• Flask: Flask of Blinding Light
• Potion: Super Mana Potion, Haste Potion, Destruction Potion
• Healthstones
• Food: Blackened Basilisk or Crunchy Serpent
• Drums (LW): Drums of Battle
• Superior Wizard Oil or Brilliant Mana Oil

Stat Priority

• Spell Hit
• Spell Power & Spell Haste
• Spell Crit
• Intellect, Spirit, MP5

Overall spell hit cap is 16% (or 202 Spell Hit Rating), Balance of Power provides you 4%.
The last 12% (or 152 Spell Hit Rating) can be acquired from Gear, Gems, Enchants or other players – Heroic Presence and Totem of Wrath.

Pre-Raid Best in Slot

Slot	Item
Head	[Spellstrike Hood
Neck	[Pendant of Dominance
Shoulders	[Spaulders of the Torn-heart
Back	[Sethekk Oracle Cloak
Chest	[Windhawk Hauberk
Wrist	[Windhawk Bracers
Hands	[Gloves of the Deadwatcher
Waist	[Girdle of Ruination
Legs	[Spellstrike Pants
Feet	[Boots of Ethereal Manipulation
Main Hand	[Gladiator's Spellblade
Off Hand	[Talisman of Kalecgos
Idol	[Idol of the Avenger
Ring 1	[Ashyen's Gift
Ring 2	[Sparking Arcanite Ring
Trinket 1	[Darkmoon Card: Crusade
Trinket 2	[Icon of the Silver Crescent

Best in Slot