Balance Druid DPS Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities — Dragonflight 10.0.7

Last updated on Mar 20, 2023 at 14:16 by Bora 86 comments
General Information

On this page, you will learn how to optimize the rotation of your Balance Druid in both single-target and multiple-target situations. We also have advanced sections about cooldowns, procs, etc. in order to minmax your DPS. All our content is updated for World of Warcraft — Dragonflight 10.0.7.

If you were looking for WotLK Classic content, please refer to our WotLK Classic Balance Druid rotation.

1.

Balance Druid Rotation Introduction

Balance Druid gameplay is a standard build and spend class with a predictable cadence to their rotation.

At the start of combat or with each use or proc of Celestial Alignment Icon Celestial Alignment / Incarnation: Chosen of Elune Icon Incarnation: Chosen of Elune, you choose between either Solar or Lunar Eclipse Icon Eclipse. To enter Solar Eclipse, you must cast two Starfire Icon Starfires, and to enter Lunar Eclipse, you need to cast two Wrath Icon Wrath.Currently, we prioritize Lunar Eclipse and Wrath Icon Wrath for all phases.

From there on, you build Astral Power using the appropriate filler. In Solar Eclipse Icon Eclipse, you cast Wrath Icon Wrath to gain Astral Power and, in Lunar Eclipse, you cast Starfire Icon Starfire. Each Eclipse lasts 15 seconds. Eclipse uptime is incredibly important and you should aim to be inside Eclipse as often as you can.

On single-target, you will use Starsurge Icon Starsurge, which costs 40 Astral Power. On multi-target, you want to be casting Starfall Icon Starfall which costs 50 Astral Power. Some spells reduce the cost of these abilities such as Rattle the Stars Icon Rattle the Stars and Elune's Guidance Icon Elune's Guidance.

Keep your DoTs up on all targets to activate your Mastery bonus. Use cooldowns optimally, either on cooldown or when there is a better moment.

In this guide, when we refer to our standard rotation or priority list, the priority below is what is being referred back to.

Use the buttons below to select how a talent changes your basic rotation:

Additionally, your rotation changes when you aquire the Balance Druid 4-piece:

  1. Apply or maintain your Moonfire Icon Moonfire and Sunfire Icon Sunfire. Reapply these DoTs when they have 30% remaining on their duration. The target should live for 6-seconds.
  2. Use Celestial Alignment Icon Celestial Alignment or Incarnation: Chosen of Elune Icon Incarnation: Chosen of Elune to put this spell on cooldown.During these cooldowns, cast Wrath Icon Wrath.
  3. Spend your Astral Power on Starsurge Icon Starsurge (single target) or Starfall Icon Starfall (multi-target).
  4. Cast Wrath Icon Wrath on single target and Starfire Icon Starfire on multi-target.
  5. Cast two Wrath Icon Wrath to enter Lunar Eclipse.

With Umbral Intensity Icon Umbral Intensity you can go into Solar Eclipse on single target only. This is only relevant on multi-target fights or dungeons.

1.1.

Balance Druid Opener

Below we will go over the Balance Druid Opening Rotation. This can also be used as a cooldown priority list. Please note that from max range, Wrath Icon Wrath has a 4-second travel time.

Use the buttons below to select how a talent changes your basic rotation:

Additionally, your rotation changes when you aquire the Balance Druid 4-piece:

  1. At 2 seconds on the pull timer, start pre-casting two Wrath Icon Wraths.
  2. Apply or maintain your Moonfire Icon Moonfire and Sunfire Icon Sunfire. Reapply these DoTs when they have 30% remaining on their duration.
  3. Use Celestial Alignment Icon Celestial Alignment or Incarnation: Chosen of Elune Icon Incarnation: Chosen of Elune.
  4. Drink your Potion
  5. Cast Starsurge Icon Starsurge on single target and Starfall Icon Starfall on multiple targets. Do not cap Astral Power.
  6. Cast Wrath Icon Wrath on single target and Starfire Icon Starfire on multi-target.

With Umbral Intensity Icon Umbral Intensity you can go into Solar Eclipse on single target only. This is only relevant on multi-target fights or dungeons.

2.

Optimizing Talent Choices

Balance Druid is more of a priority system rather than a hard set rotation. Making active decisions as to when you want to use each talent and what you want to focus on in each encounter can affect how you play. This section will dive into some things of note for several important talents.

2.1.

Primordial Arcanic Pulsar

Primordial Arcanic Pulsar Icon Primordial Arcanic Pulsar plays a largr role in the Balance Druid rotation and is not difficult to play around. You always want to proc Pulsar with Starfall Icon Starfall if you are not already in your cooldowns. You get a fully buffed Starfall instead of a weaker Starsurge Icon Starsurge.

Additionally, try to maximize Eclipses with 4-piece. Track Primordial Arcanic Pulsar Icon Primordial Arcanic Pulsar and spend Astral Power appropriately to get as many free and buffed spenders as possible.

2.2.

Umbral Embrace and Tier 29

Sometimes the monotony of casting Wrath Icon Wrath will be broken up by tier or Umbral Embrace Icon Umbral Embrace.

On single target, cast Starfire Icon Starfire if you have 2-stacks of Gathering Starstuff Icon Gathering Starstuff or Umbral Embrace Icon Umbral Embrace and will not cap Astral Power.

On multi target, cast Starfire Icon Starfire if you have 3 stacks of Gathering Starstuff Icon Gathering Starstuff or Umbral Embrace Icon Umbral Embrace and will not cap Astral Power.

2.3.

Rattle the Stars and Starlord

These two independent buffs both stack by using Starsurge Icon Starsurge or Starfall Icon Starfall. They have different stack amounts, different timers, and even different methods of timing out. Out of the two buffs, it is more important to prioritize good Starlord Icon Starlord uptime.

Get your first stack of Starlord Icon Starlord up immediately and then pivot into keeping up Rattle the Stars Icon Rattle the Stars. Weave filler spells and also generate Astral Power and try to maximize your 2-stack uptime after Starlord is up.

As you get to the end of your Starlord Icon Starlord cycle, max sure you get enough Astral Power for either Starfall Icon Starfall or Starsurge Icon Starsurge. You want to immediately recontinue the buff even at the cost of losing Rattle the Stars Icon Rattle the Stars.

2.4.

4-Piece Tier 29 and Starweaver

When casting free spells, there is an order of operations to ensure that you are casting the right thing at the right time. If you enter an Eclipse and get a Touch the Cosmos Icon Touch the Cosmos proc alongside a Starweaver Icon Starweaver proc, you always want to use your 4-piece proc first.

2.5.

Solstice, Balance of All Things, and Nature's Grace

Solstice Icon Solstice and Balance of All Things Icon Balance of All Things trigger their effects at the start of the Eclipse and Nature's Grace Icon Nature's Grace triggers at the end of each Eclipse. Here are some tips on how to play around with these talents:

  • Cast a Wrath Icon Wrath to finish as your current Eclipse ends. This lets you get immediately into the next Eclipse.
  • Solstice Icon Solstice generates a good amount of Astral Power at the start of an Eclipse. Try to go into each Eclipse with between 70 and 80 Astral Power to not overcap to excess Shooting Stars Icon Shooting Stars procs.
  • Balance of All Things Icon Balance of All Things does not need to be prioritized over other buffs such as Starlord Icon Starlord and Rattle the Stars Icon Rattle the Stars.
2.6.

Convoke the Spirits

Always try to overlap Convoke the Spirits Icon Convoke the Spirits with Celestial Alignment Icon Celestial Alignment / Incarnation: Chosen of Elune Icon Incarnation: Chosen of Elune as well as the buff from Balance of All Things Icon Balance of All Things.

Convoke the Spirits Icon Convoke the Spirits has a 45-yard range from the center of any targets hit box. This means for larger bosses, max range Convoke the Spirits may end up whiffing all Balance spells if you are too far away.

With Elune's Guidance Icon Elune's Guidance talented, melee Convoke the Spirits Icon Convoke the Spirits is less consistent than ranged Convoke. Avoid being in melee if possible or you are more likely to lose a Balance-specific catch. This is a minor point but something to avoid if possible.

If you are using Convoke the Spirits Icon Convoke the Spirits on multiple targets, cast Convoke before casting other Starfall Icon Starfalls to raise the chance that you will cast a free Starfall.

3.

Cooldown Usage for Balance Druids

Balance Druid has quite a few cooldown options in Dragonflight. The main cooldown that we refer to in this guide is Celestial Alignment Icon Celestial Alignment which can be upgraded by another talent called Incarnation: Chosen of Elune Icon Incarnation: Chosen of Elune. You often want to use these immediately every time they come off cooldown as you want to get as many usages as possible.

Cooldowns should be stacked together. If you can use Celestial Alignment Icon Celestial Alignment and other cooldowns such as Convoke the Spirits Icon Convoke the Spirits or Fury of Elune Icon Fury of Elune at the same time, it will make those other cooldowns stronger as well. These buttons are supposed to do the most damage per press compared to the spells you can always cast.

Some cooldowns come in the form of charge-based spells such as Wild Mushroom Icon Wild Mushroom and New Moon Icon New Moon. You should not let these cap their charges as that is the same as another spell being off cooldown and not being used. Keep their charges rolling even if it is not the most efficient use of your time.

4.

Changelog

  • 20 Mar. 2023: Updated some sections to maintain consistency. Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 24 Jan. 2023: Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 11 Dec. 2022: Updated for T29 Tier Set.
  • 28 Nov. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 15 Nov. 2022: Updated talent recommendations.
  • 25 Oct. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
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