World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Restoration Druid: PvP
How Restoration Druid fights other players in the open world: where it ranks on the PvP tier lists, and why.
Forecast. Rated from the client data and our research, before anyone has played it at this level on this build. Where the data stops, the write-up says what it assumed. Rated as of , build 1.60.1.70450.
Battlegrounds are not rated yet; builds, matchups and battleground roles are being written for this spec. Honor, ranks, gear and the battlegrounds themselves are on PvP in World of Warcraft: Forever.
Verdict
- At 60
- Ranked 21 of 28 on Open-World PvP
Heals, roots and the best sustain in the class, but almost no damage, so a fight against one player ends in a stalemate.
- While leveling
- Ranked 22 of 28 on Open-World PvP Leveling
Healing Touch, Rejuvenation and 
Regrowth from early levels keep it alive, but it has almost no damage and cannot finish a player. - Battlegrounds
- Not rated yet.
Profile
The rubric the lists score on, 1 to 5 on each line, with the weight each line carries. The class’s other specs are shown at 60 for comparison.
| Criterion | Weight | At 60 | While leveling | Balance | Feral Cat | Feral Bear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burst and kill pressure | 25 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Survival and escapes | 20 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Control | 15 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Fighting outnumbered | 15 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Choosing the fight | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Sustain between fights | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Group fights | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Weighted score | 2.80 | 2.45 | 2.70 | 3.00 | 3.25 |
Strengths and weaknesses
At 60
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
 Swiftmend and instant  Nature's Swiftness heals | Almost no damage |
| Best sustain in the class | No stun or interrupt |
 Entangling Roots and an instant root | Ranged openers only |
 Wild Growth,  Tranquility and  Rebirth for a group | Cannot hold an objective alone |
Why it ranks where it does on Open-World PvP
Restoration has no burst: 
Wrath, 
Starfire, 
Moonfire and Naturalist's +5% damage. Nature's Swiftness makes the next Nature spell instant, which can be a Healing Touch or an Entangling Roots. Control is Entangling Roots, that instant root and 
Nature's Grasp, with no stun or interrupt.
It survives with Swiftmend, instant Healing Touch, Regrowth, Wild Growth and 
Barkskin, and shifts break 
Polymorph and snares. Against two it heals and roots one, but cannot kill either. It engages only at range with Moonfire and Wrath, though 
Natural Shapeshifter makes 
Cat Form's 
Prowl and 
Dash cheaper. 
Reflection, 
Living Spirit and 
Innervate let it outlast any stalemate, and Wild Growth, Tranquility and Rebirth make it welcome in a group fight, though it cannot hold an objective alone.
It is not B because it cannot kill a player, so burst scores 1, and it has no stealth or speed worth the name to start a fight. 2.80 is 0.45 short of B.
While leveling
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Healing Touch, Rejuvenation and Regrowth early | Almost no damage |
| Reflection by 22 | Roots only until 30 |
| Best sustain in the class | Retreat is the plan against two |
| Rebirth at 20 and Tranquility at 30 | Ranged openers only |
Why it ranks where it does on Open-World PvP Leveling
Restoration has no burst on the way up: Wrath and Moonfire, with Naturalist adding 5% damage from 15 to 19. Control is Entangling Roots at 8 and Nature's Grasp at 10, with Nature's Swiftness only at 30 for an instant root or heal.
Healing Touch at 1, Rejuvenation at 4 and Regrowth at 12 give a strong self-heal early, with Reflection by 22 letting it regenerate while casting, and Swiftmend at 29. In a two-on-one it roots and heals, and retreat is the plan; 
Bear Form from 10 breaks slows. It opens with ranged Moonfire or Wrath, and Cat Form at 20 gives Prowl without Cat points. Its sustain is the best in the class but it is not reset in seconds, and Tranquility and Rebirth support a hub at 20 to 30.
It is not C because it cannot kill a player and its control is two roots until 30, so burst scores 1 and control, outnumbered and engage all score 2. 2.45 is 0.30 short of C.
Leveling timeline
The level each of Restoration’s PvP tools arrives. A talent shows at the earliest level a point can reach it; the Talented Legacy perk brings talents 5 levels sooner.
- Level 8 Entangling Roots
- Level 10 Nature's Grasp
- Level 14
Bash - Level 18
Faerie Fire - Level 24
Remove Curse - Level 25 Swiftmend (talent)
- Level 26 Dash,
Abolish Poison - Level 30
Travel Form, Nature's Swiftness (talent) - Level 36
Pounce - Level 40 Innervate
- Level 44 Barkskin
Races
The Druid’s races as Races PvP ranks them, best first.
Alliance
Night Elf: Shadowmeld, extra stealth and speed give the joint best mobility of any race, and 
Elune's Light is a crit burst, but it breaks nothing.
Skyborne (High Order): 
Wind Blessed gives steady haste, but High Order has no control break, no defensive and only a glide for mobility.
Horde
Tauren: 
War Stomp and 
Plainsrunning give the best mobility and 
Endurance adds health, but it breaks nothing and has the weakest burst.- Skyborne (Windshaper): Wind Blessed gives steady haste and
Skysight a 30 second sprint, but it has no control break and no defensive.
What we don’t know yet
At 60
Rated on assumptions:
- Everything at 60 is projected; nobody has played past the beta cap of 30.
- Wild Growth at 40 and Barkskin at 44 are past the cap and are projected from client data.
- Nature's Swiftness applying to Entangling Roots rests on client text and is untested.
- Diminishing returns on roots are not stated for Forever.
What would move it: Documented diminishing returns on roots, or evidence that a Resto Druid can finish a kill with Feral points.
While leveling
Rated on assumptions:
- Nature's Swiftness giving an instant root is untested.
- Wild Growth at 40 is past the beta cap of 30 and is projected.
- Swiftmend at 29 follows the own-tree order and is projected.
What would move it: Play past level 30 showing Nature's Swiftness roots and Swiftmend letting it win a fight against one player.