Versatility and balance are hallmark qualities of druids: they can be configured primarily to tank, heal, or deal damage. Because of their unique connection to the natural world, the druid class is only available to Night Elves and Tauren.

Because of how versatile a druid is, they can be tweaked for group play (usually involving healing or tanking roles) or for solo adventuring. They're the only class that can naturally fly on their own (the owl form is available at the later levels).

Since druids are so customizable, they're good as starter characters because they can switch roles easily. At the same time, their depth of customization makes them great characters for advanced players.

Customizing your druid

Investing talent points into a druid has considerable impact on the type of character they are, arguably more so than with other classes.

• Balance produces damage-dealing spellcasters. This is a good secondary tree for restoration druids as well.
• Feral Combat skills enhance your druid's proficiency in melee combat. If you're customizing a tank or a damage-dealing melee druid, most (if not all) of your talent points should be put into this tree.
• Restoration emphasizes healing. Mixing skill points between this tree and the Balance tree will most benefit healers.

Druids can't wear armor that's heavier than leather, which means that ONLY tank-spec'ed druids should be taking melee damage. This means that DPS casters should wait for other party members to build up threat against enemies before unleashing their spells.

Druids can shapeshift, too

Druids can become bears, cats, sea lions, moonkin, and owls. Each form is specifically geared toward some function: for example, bear and cat forms are effective for melee combat, while sea lion form makes maneuvering under water especially easy. These different forms are strong contributors toward the druid's versatility and adaptability, and make druids especially good choices for solo adventuring.

Melee-centric druids will make extensive use of their animal forms. DPS druids will attack in bear or cat form, and tanks will likely use their Moonkin form because of the considerable armor buff it provides.

Casters and healers won't be quite as reliant on the multiple forms as all of the druid's spells are only available when in normal form (Moonkin and "Tree of Life" forms reduce the number of available spells that can be immediately cast).

More druid resources

To learn more about various aspects of druid characters, check out the following links.

• WoW Wiki Druid Guide
• Shifting Perspectives (a druid blog)