Restoration Druid PvE guide: level 60 Wild Growth and Swiftmend raid healing build

Overview

Level 60 · Restoration Druid · Healer in dungeons and raids.

Classic Restoration Druids healed with downranked Healing Touch and Rejuvenation, and Innervate was their most valued tool. The WoW Forever Restoration tree adds a modern kit. Swiftmend consumes a heal over time for an instant heal, Wild Growth heals the target’s whole party over time, Improved Regrowth adds 50% crit chance to Regrowth, and Gift of the Earthmother lowers the global cooldown on Rejuvenation, Swiftmend and Wild Growth by 0.5 sec. The Balance half adds Genesis, which also boosts periodic healing.

Your job in the group

You keep heals over time rolling on the tanks and cover your party with Wild Growth. Raids usually give a Restoration Druid a tank or a melee group to watch, plus curse and poison removal duty, since druids have both Remove Curse and Abolish Poison. Your Innervate is a raid resource: offer it to the healer who needs it most. Rebirth is your other raid cooldown, so agree with the raid leader who gets it if a healer or tank dies.

Why play it

• Group healing: Wild Growth covers a whole party with one cast.
• Instant emergency heals: Swiftmend and Nature’s Swiftness.
• Healing while moving through Rejuvenation, Regrowth’s heal over time and Wild Growth.
• Raid utility: Innervate, Rebirth, Remove Curse and Abolish Poison.

Weak points

• Spiky tank damage: heals over time react slower than a big direct heal.
• Global cooldown pressure: many instant spells compete for the same global cooldown.
• Party-limited Wild Growth: it only heals the target’s party, so raid positioning matters.
• Unknown encounter design in Hyjal Summit and Barrow Deeps.

Level 60 talent build

Balance 10 / Feral Combat 0 / Restoration 41, all 51 points. The talent tree above shows the finished build.

Restoration (41)

• Nature’s Focus 5/5 — 70% chance that damage does not push back your heals.
• Naturalist 5/5 — 0.5 sec faster Healing Touch; the damage bonus is a small extra.
• Subtlety 3/3 — 30% less threat from your Nature spells, so heavy healing does not pull enemies.
• Reflection 3/3 — 51% of mana regeneration continues while casting: the key mana talent.
• Gift of Nature 5/5 — +10% to all your healing.
• Gift of the Earthmother 1/1 — A shorter global cooldown on Rejuvenation, Swiftmend and Wild Growth, so you can spread them faster.
• Tranquil Spirit 3/5 — Cheaper Healing Touch and Tranquility at 3/5.
• Improved Rejuvenation 3/3 — +15% Rejuvenation healing.
• Swiftmend 1/1 — An instant heal from an active Rejuvenation or Regrowth.
• Nature’s Swiftness 1/1 — One instant Healing Touch for emergencies.
• Living Spirit 3/3 — +15% Spirit for regeneration, and required for Wild Growth.
• Improved Tranquility 2/2 — Tranquility cooldown cut by 60% and no threat.
• Improved Regrowth 5/5 — +50% crit chance on Regrowth.
• Wild Growth 1/1 — A heal over time on the target and their party within 43 yards.

Balance (10)

• Genesis 5/5 — +5% periodic healing, which covers Rejuvenation, Regrowth’s heal over time and Wild Growth.
• Moonglow 3/3 — 3% cheaper spells.
• Nature’s Majesty 2/2 — +4% spell crit, which helps Regrowth’s direct heal.

Rotation and priority

1. Keep Rejuvenation on the tanks at all times; it also enables Swiftmend.
2. Cast Wild Growth on a party that takes group damage, on cooldown during heavy phases.
3. Use Regrowth for fast direct healing; Improved Regrowth makes its crits common.
4. Swiftmend a target that needs an instant heal, then reapply Rejuvenation.
5. Healing Touch is the efficient big heal between damage spikes; use lower ranks when mana is tight.
6. Nature’s Swiftness and Healing Touch are your emergency save on a tank.
7. Tranquility with Improved Tranquility is a group cooldown you can use far more often than in Classic.

Resources

Mana decides how long you can heal. Reflection, Living Spirit and Moonglow give regeneration and efficiency, and Innervate should go to whichever healer benefits most. Plan cooldowns in order: Swiftmend often, Wild Growth on cooldown in heavy phases, Nature’s Swiftness and Tranquility for spikes. Rebirth is the raid’s combat resurrection.

Stat priority

Healing power first, then mana regeneration and Spirit, which Reflection and Living Spirit make stronger for druids than for other healers. Intellect for a bigger mana pool next, then spell crit for Regrowth. Stamina only as needed to survive raid damage.

Gear and set bonuses

The Tier 1 Restoration set in the datamine is Grovekeeper Raiment: +10 Spirit at 2 pieces, a 10 sec shorter Barkskin cooldown at 3, up to 26 healing and 9 spell damage at 4, and a 3 sec shorter Swiftmend cooldown at 5. The item pieces are withheld. The Swiftmend bonus is the strongest for raid healing.

Consumables and professions

• Mana: Major Mana Potions, Demonic or Dark Runes, Mageblood Potion and Nightfin Soup, as in Classic.
• Healing power: Brilliant Mana Oil on your weapon and healing elixirs where available.
• Intellect and Spirit: Arcane Intellect from a mage, and food that adds Spirit if Forever offers it.
• Professions: Herbalism and Alchemy to supply your own potions; Tailoring or Leatherworking are gear alternatives.

Tips

• Ask for a group with your assigned tank so Wild Growth covers them.
• Keep Abolish Poison and Remove Curse on your bars; druids are often a raid’s curse removers.

Sources

Rotation, stat and matchup advice adapts these Classic 1.12 guides to the WoW Forever talent trees; talents, set bonuses and new abilities come from this site’s WoW Forever data.

• Icy Veins: Classic Restoration Druid Healer Guide
• Icy Veins: Classic Restoration Druid Healer Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
• Icy Veins: Classic Restoration Druid Healer Stat Priority
• Icy Veins: Classic Restoration Druid Healer Enchants and Consumables