Mage Cleave 5-man: Balance Druid Hurricane and Moonkin talents (levels 40–60)

Theorycrafted before the WoW Forever beta (September 17, 2026). The group plan follows how cleave groups played in Classic, the talents use the pre-release WoW Forever trees on this site, and ability levels quoted from Classic may differ in Forever. Expect updates once the beta is testable.

The group at a glance

Mage Cleave for levels 40–60: a Protection Paladin, a Fire Mage, an Arcane Mage, a Balance Druid and a Holy Paladin.

Mage cleave is the high-level answer to the big open rooms of Maraudon, Blackrock Depths and Dire Maul. The Paladin gathers a large pull and holds it in Consecration, the Arcane Mage and the Fire Mage lock it in place with Frost Nova and burst it down with Arcane Explosion, Flamestrike and Blast Wave, and the Balance Druid adds Hurricane, roots and the Moonkin aura. The Holy Paladin heals through the damage and keeps every blessing up for an hour.

Role	Spec	Job in the pull
Tank	Protection Paladin	Gathers large pulls against a wall, holds them in Consecration and Holy Shield
DPS	Fire Mage	Flamestrike opener, Blast Wave and the second Frost Nova
DPS	Arcane Mage	Frost Nova, then Arcane Explosion in melee range of the pack
DPS	Balance Druid	Hurricane from range, Entangling Roots on runners, Moonkin aura
Healer	Holy Paladin	Heals the tank through big pulls, one-hour blessings, Holy Shock on splash damage

Every spec in the table links to its own guide with talents for that slot.

How the mage cleave plays

1. Gather and stop: the Protection Paladin pulls two or three packs, stops against a wall and drops Consecration. Nobody casts until the second Consecration tick.
2. Ranged opener: the Fire Mage casts Flamestrike on the pack and the Druid starts Hurricane from range. Both have threat reduction talents, so they open the pull while the Arcane Mage waits.
3. Nova and burst: when the pack is below 70% health the Arcane Mage walks in, casts Frost Nova and chains Arcane Explosion. The Fire Mage follows with Blast Wave and a second Frost Nova when the first one breaks.
4. Cooldowns in turns: Arcane Power and Presence of Mind on one big pull, Combustion and Hot Streak Pyroblasts on the next. The Paladin uses Templar’s Bulwark whenever both mages burst at once.
5. Roots for runners: mobs that break loose are the Druid’s job: Entangling Roots holds up to three targets with Overgrowth while the mages finish the rest.

Your job as Balance Druid

You add sustained area damage from range and clean up what breaks loose. Hurricane (Classic level 40) channels on the stacked pack while the mages burst, Moonkin Form gives the whole party 3% critical strike chance, and Overgrowth lets Entangling Roots hold up to three runners. Keep an eye on the healer: Innervate on the Holy Paladin saves a drinking break.

Pull by pull

• Moonkin Form before the pull, and stay inside 45 yards of the group for the aura.
• Hurricane on the Paladin after the Fire Mage’s Flamestrike lands.
• Stop channeling to root any mob that runs for the Arcane Mage.
• Moonfire and Starfire on the kill target; Eclipse from Wrath shortens Starfire on bosses.
• Innervate the Holy Paladin on the largest pull.

Mistakes that wipe the group

• Hurricane before the pack has stopped moving.
• Rooting a mob inside Arcane Explosion range: the damage breaks the roots.
• Leaving Moonkin Form to heal: the party loses its crit aura.

Talent order by level

One point per level from level 10. The talent tree above shows the finished level 60 build; use the level slider to see it at any level.

• Levels 10–14 · Improved Wrath 5/5 — Faster, cheaper Wrath for the levels before your area damage.
• Levels 15–16 · Nature’s Majesty 2/2 — +4% critical strike chance.
• Levels 17–18 · Nature’s Reach 2/2 — +20% Balance spell range and +4% hit.
• Levels 19–20 · Improved Moonfire 2/2 — +10% Moonfire damage and crit chance.
• Levels 21–23 · Moonglow 3/3 — 3% cheaper spells.
• Levels 24–26 · Improved Entangling Roots 3/3 — Roots deal more damage and survive more damage before breaking.
• Levels 27–31 · Vengeance 5/5 — Bigger Arcane and Nature critical strikes.
• Level 32 · Nature’s Grace 1/1 — Spell crits speed up your next casts.
• Levels 33–34 · Overgrowth 2/2 — Entangling Roots can hold 2 more targets at once: three runners stopped.
• Levels 35–39 · Moonfury 5/5 — +5% Arcane and Nature damage.
• Level 40 · Moonkin Form 1/1 — Party-wide +3% critical strike chance within 45 yards and much more armor: the reason a Balance Druid is in this group.
• Levels 41–45 · Nature’s Focus (Restoration) 5/5 — 70% chance that damage does not interrupt your Nature and Arcane casts; also opens the Restoration tree for Subtlety.
• Levels 46–47 · Subtlety (Restoration) 2/3 — Less threat from Nature and Arcane spells, so Hurricane does not pull the pack off the Paladin.
• Levels 48–52 · Improved Starfire 5/5 — Faster Starfire with a chance to stun: your boss nuke.
• Levels 53–55 · Eclipse 3/3 — Wrath shortens your next Starfires.
• Levels 56–60 · Balance of Nature 5/5 — Alternating Nature and Arcane spells raises the damage of the next one.

Dungeons by level

Every WoW Forever dungeon that overlaps levels 40–60. Dungeons marked New were added in WoW Forever; the rest are the original Classic dungeons.

Levels	Dungeon	Notes
34–40	Scarlet Monastery Library	Original Classic dungeon.
35–40	The Drowned City (New)	Trolls, naga and pirates off the Stranglethorn coast.
37–43	Scarlet Monastery Armory	Original Classic dungeon.
38–44	Razorfen Downs	Original Classic dungeon.
39–45	Scarlet Monastery Cathedral	Original Classic dungeon.
40–55	Krol’dok Stronghold (New)	New WoW Forever dungeon.
44–50	Uldaman	Original Classic dungeon.
45–51	Zul’Farrak	Original Classic dungeon.
48–53	Alcaz Prison (New)	New WoW Forever dungeon.
48–54	Maraudon	Original Classic dungeon.
52–58	Sunken Temple	Original Classic dungeon.
52–60	Blackrock Depths	Original Classic dungeon.
55–60	Dire Maul East	Original Classic dungeon.
55–60	Blackmaw Hold (New)	New WoW Forever dungeon.
57–60	Lower Blackrock Spire	Original Classic dungeon.
58–60	Dire Maul West	Original Classic dungeon.
58–60	Scholomance	Original Classic dungeon.
58–60	The Shapers Terrace (New)	New WoW Forever dungeon.
59–60	Stratholme (Undead)	Original Classic dungeon.
59–60	Stratholme (Live)	Original Classic dungeon.
59–60	Dire Maul North	Original Classic dungeon.

Krol’dok Stronghold (40–55) is the first place this group gets comfortable, and Zul’Farrak’s open courtyards suit its pulls well. From level 52 take the group to Blackrock Depths and Maraudon, then to Dire Maul East and Blackmaw Hold at 55. Large undead packs in Stratholme and Scholomance at 58–60 are ideal for Consecration and area damage, but check which mobs resist Fire before you pull a whole room.

Where the group struggles

• Fire-immune mobs in Blackrock Depths and Molten-themed areas cut the Fire Mage’s area damage. The Arcane Mage and the Druid carry those pulls.
• Arcane Explosion is point-blank: the Arcane Mage stands in melee range of the pack. Without a Frost Nova ready, that mage waits.
• Mana runs out after two back-to-back large pulls. Evocation, mana gems and the Holy Paladin’s Blessing of Wisdom help, but the whole group still drinks together.
• Casters at range do not walk into the fire. The Paladin breaks line of sight so they come to the pack.