druid restoration healer wow

Restoration Druid PVE Guide – Cataclysm

Welcome to the PVE Restoration Druid Guide for World of Warcraft Cataclysm!

This guide will teach you how to play a Restoration Druid in a raid. It covers talents, glyphs, gems, enchantments, rotation, and gameplay tips.

Talents

This is the standard Restoration Druid talent build — note that it skips Nature’s Cure, which is generally not needed in larger raids but may be needed in 10-man raids.

Restoration Druid PvE Build cataclysm Talents and Glyphs

Glyphs

Prime Glyphs

Major Glyphs

Minor Glyphs

Gems

Gems are situational and depend on the build and equipment. They are used to reach the required stat caps.

Enchants

Stat Priority

You can stop adding Spirit once you feel comfortable with the mana regen you are getting in raids.

  • Intellect
  • Haste (to soft caps – 12.5% or 21.4%)
  • Spirit
  • Mastery
  • Critical Strike
  • Haste

Rotation & Gameplay

Rotation & Cooldowns

You’ll generally want to use your HoTs (Heals over time), but sometimes you’ll need to use direct heals, especially when refreshing Lifebloom on the tank. Also make sure you’re keeping Harmony up on yourself, which means casting a Direct Heal at least every 10 seconds.

Heals over Time

  • Use Rejuvenation to pre-HoT players before large amounts of damage come in, as a pre-requisite for Swiftmend, or to heal normally
  • Use Wild Growth on cooldown, whenever more than one player needs healing
  • Use Efflorescence to heal clumped players, or before a large amount of AoE damage comes in
  • Use Lifebloom on the tank, with 3 stacks — maintain with a direct heal

Direct Heals

  • Use Swiftmend on cooldown, on players grouped together
  • Use Nourish as a filler, or to refresh Lifebloom
  • Use Healing Touch on players in dire need of healing, or to refresh Lifebloom
  • Use Regrowth on players who are close to death, if no other instant cast spell is available

Cooldowns

  • Use Tree of Life as many times as possible, especially when lots of healing is required — use AoE heals while Tree of Life is active
  • Tranquility should also be used when a large amount of raid healing is required
  • Use Nature’s Swiftness on cooldown, ideally alongside Healing Touch
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