Tree Theory

[robin_anadrith]

Somebody posted this on our guild forums:

I need help from the pro healer droods!
I'm going to be making a main spec healer drood and need help on a build. So far this is what I got and I'm all up on suggestions since I've never made one before.
tree spec attempt
I ended up writing quite a bit about my thoughts on tree healing, and I thought it

Comments

[stella_by_moor]

While some things are certainly a matter of personal preference (like the much-maligned pink text :D), your reply includes a few bits of advice that are counter to conventional tree-healing wisdom nowadays.

First off, this is a much more standard, cookie cutter resto spec. The haste soft cap drops to 735 if you pick up the 3 pts in Celestial Focus, which is handy until you can reach the 856 haste needed to soft cap haste without it. (Depending on how much your guildie is interested in numbers and theory, there's a lot more detail we can go into about what it means to be soft capped for haste and such, but not everyone is into The Maths, so I'll just leave it at that.)

Second, Natural Perfection and Imp Tranquility are not talents that trees typically get a lot of use out of in PvE healing. Natural Perfection is much more of a PvP talent and Tranquility just doesn't get used that much now that we have Wild Growth. (Honestly, Imp Tranq just needs to go away and I think Blizz knows it >.<) That isn't to say that there aren't times and

[stetnee]

This. I use that spec because I am nowhere near the haste cap. With the emphasis on haste now, we have to go a little deeper into balance to get a boost.

Except in heroics and some ten mans, we usually dont get put on tank duty, so I personally wouldn't even consider Glyph of Healing Touch. I just don't use it that often, and never without my Nature's Swiftness + Healing Touch macro. And what about Glyph of Rejuvenation? I really like it, considering how much I use Rejuv. And paired with the Rapid Rejuv and Swiftmend glyphs, I rarely have problems with people's low health.

I also rarely use Lifebloom, and I honestly don't get much use out of Tranq at all. I can count on less than one hand, probably, the number of times I've used it in the year+ I've been resto.

[starz_13]

I don't like that glyph because I generally try and keep my targets above 50% and when they are below it's either a) for a very short time or b) because they have to be that low and I don't want it to heal for more (aka Anub). There are better glyphs out there imo that will help your healing more than something that is very situational and not always good (Wild Growth is a must imo).

[stetnee]

Good point. Just personally, I've found I wasnt using WG a whole lot in raids because so many fights require ranged to spread out, or be constantly moving. And my (now ex-) guild was short on melee... so I had few situations where I could really utilize it, much less where I would need to effect a sixth person. I may be working it in more now that I'm pugging some more balanced groups.

[devilduckieee]

May I ask (since I've recently decided to try out this tree thing as my second talent tree) why Living Seed doesn't have talent points? Is there something wrong with it? I only ask because a lot of the "good healers" I've 'inspected' on my server have their Living Seed points maxed. I mean, I'll probably find the proper blog to explain it to me eventually, it's just easier to ask. ^_^

[starz_13]

It's a choice. I personally prefer Living Seed as I see Revitalize as something more meh and not really as good as something that will heal the target on a hit. The amount of mana etc. that it gives back is pretty negligible and not worth the points when you have something that will actually heal the target, like Living Seed.

[devilduckieee]

Thank you muchly. :)

[narcissus]

Revitalize is a significant source of mana restoration, and makes a non-neglible impact on warrior, dk, and rogue DPS. It is one of the most valuable benefits that a tree can bring to their entire raid, and is, imho, more important than 1-3% meter gains primarily on tanks.

[celticmyst08]

This. Our guild rogues beg me to keep the talent because they love it that much.

[starz_13]

I never got any mention when me and the other tree ditched it for Living Seed in the 18/0/53 build. I doubt anyone really noticed. So I guess I just don't see it as highly.

[narcissus]

Just because no one ran the math doesn't mean you're not missing a benefit.

[sunsmoon]

My guild only has two trees now (down from four). One is specced 1 point in Revitalize, I'm specced with it maxed out.

We cannot start a fight until I get the DKs full runic power (granted, they help with it). :/ If they are running low during a fight you can guarantee there will be at least one "Miyoh, where's my Runic Power!" over vent.

Not that that is a bad thing, mind you. More RP/Energy/Rage/Mana = more potential DPS.

[penguinsane]

Thanks for this comment. As someone who has a druid that's more seriously stepping into raid healing, I appreciate information like this!

[stella_by_moor]

There's nothing wrong with Living Seed! It's a nice boost to your direct heal spells. However, in order to pick up CF in the balance tree, you won't get to play with all the toys in the resto tree. The options for picking up Living Seed and still getting down to CF would be (a) drop Revitalize or (b) drop Empowered Touch and the one pt in Living Spirit. I would personally not take Living Seed over Revitalize, which brings significant regen for everyone you heal. If you don't see yourself doing a lot tank healing (i.e. no need for Nourish spam), you could go with option (b) and not take Empowered Touch.

[devilduckieee]

Thank you for this.
I love this community and all the information I'm getting out of it. ^_^

[sparkindarkness]

My druid ferals more than restos but I look at living seed the same as I look at my earthliving weapon procs on my shaman

It's nice... when it procs. But a heal that isn't reliable isn't something you can plan round. It may work better for resto druids with their hots anyway, but unless it's a tank, chances are the bonus heal (especially since it comes from a crit) is often going to be overheal. hey, it's nice, don't get me wrong - but a choice between that and a mana/energy/runic power boost to the raid? Nom nom yes please