Balance Druid DPS Spell List and Glossary — Midnight Pre-Patch (12.0)

If you are new to Balance, this is a great place to start to get an understanding of how the spec works. On this page we will discuss what abilities you have, what they are used for within the specialization, how they interact with each other and also with important cooldowns. If you already have experience with Balance and are comfortable with it in the current expansion, it is recommended you skip this section and move on to the rest of the guide.

Aside from using Mana, Balance Druids rely on generating Astral Power and then spending it on an important spell ( Starsurge). Maximizing Astral Power and using it efficiently is very important.

These are your core skills that are available regardless of talents and form the core gameplay of the specialization.

Eclipse is a spell which puts you into a 15-second buff window where which increases your Arcane or Nature damage depending on which Eclipse you entered. The Eclipse you enter coresponds to the last filler spell you cast.

Moonfire is an Arcane damage DoT that should always be active on the target. Generates Astral Power.

Sunfire is a Nature damage DoT that should also always be active on the target. When applied, the DoT is placed on the primary target as well as any other targets within 8 yards. Generates Astral Power. This is a talent but a mandatory one.

Starfall costs Astral Power to surround yourself with a wide-radius damaging aura for 8 seconds. This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs. Costs 50 Astral Power.

Wrath deals Nature damage to the target. Generates Astral Power.

Starfire deals Arcane damage to the target and any other enemies within 8 yards. Generates Astral Power.

Starsurge costs Astral Power to cast and deals damage to the target. This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs. Costs 40 Astral Power.

Dash activates Cat Form and increases your movement speed by 60% for 10 seconds. It has a 3-minute cooldown and is particularly useful for crossing large distances quickly.

There are several useful macros for the above spells on the macro page, which can greatly increase your quality of life.

There are two Hero Talent Trees, which alter the max level playstyle of the class somewhat. There are two Hero Talent Trees to choose from. Here are some of the major changes that affect your playstyle.

Boundless Moonlight and The Eternal Moon are the starting point and the capstone to the Elune's Chosen Tree. They affect both the Fury of Elune and New Moon talent by adding effects that increase their damage and Astral Power generation.

Lunation reduces the cooldown of Fury of Elune and New Moon when you cast an arcane spell like Moonfire or Starfire.

Dream Surge and Harmony of the Grove are the starting point and capstone to the Keeper of the Grove Tree. They add secondary buffs that deal damage or increase damage done while using Force of Nature.

Cenarius' Might increases Haste when you enter an Eclipse.

Solar Beam is the silencing ability for Balance Druids. It creates a zone of light around your target, which will silence all enemies inside for up to 8 seconds.

Force of Nature is a 1-minute cooldown that summons three Treants for 10 seconds, which taunt and attack enemies. Generates 20 Astral Power.

Warrior of Elune is a 45-second cooldown, which makes your next three Starfires instant and generate 40% more Astral Power.

Celestial Alignment is a 3-minute cooldown. For 15 seconds, you have 10% Haste and are granted the benefits of both Eclipse states.

Orbital Strike improves your Celestial Alignment. It reduces your cooldown to 2 minutes and performs a line cursor-targeted attack that deals damage and applies Stellar Flare. This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs.

Wild Mushroom is a 3-charge spell with a 30-second recharge rate. This places a mushroom at your target's feet, which explodes after 1-second. Generates up to 20 Astral Power. It applies a nature DoT and slows.

Incarnation: Chosen of Elune is an improved Celestial Alignment. This increases the duration to 20 seconds and also grants a 10% Critical Strike.

Convoke the Spirits is a 2-minute cooldown that casts 16 spells over a 4-second channel. Approximately 3/4 of the abilities cast will be Balance spells as long as you are in Moonkin Form.

Fury of Elune is a 1-minute cooldown that creates a beam that follows your target, dealing damage to the target and targets within 8 yards. This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs. Generates 40 Astral Power.

New Moon is a 3-charge spell with a 30-second recharge rate. This deals damage and generates ten Astral Power. Each cast empowers the damage of the next spell and doubles the Astral Power it generates. The third cast becomes Full Moon, which also cleaves units around your target. Then, the spell resets. This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs.

Shooting Stars has a chance to proc on DoT tick dealing damage. This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs. Generates Astral Power.

Solstice increases the proc rate of Shooting Stars by 200% in the first 6-seconds of Eclipse.

Aetherial Kindling increases the duration of Moonfire and Sunfire by 3-seconds every Starfall cast.

Meteor Storm makes your Starfall deal damage 100% faster.

Umbral Intensity increases the base damage of your filler spells when inside Eclipse.

Twin Moons increases the damage of Moonfire by 10% and makes each Moonfire hit one additional target.

Nature's Balance generates Astral Power over time and resets your Astral Power to 50 out of combat.

Wild Surges increases the Critical Strike Chance of filler spells by 12% and Critical Strikes generate more Astral Power.

Whirling Stars reduces the cooldown of Celestial Alignment and gives it 2-charges. Celestial Alignment's duration is reduced by 20%.

Nature's Grace reduces the cast time and increases the damage of your next two Wraths and Starfire after leaving Eclipse or entering combat.

Elune's Challenge reduces the cast time of your filler spells when you leave an Eclipse with little Astral Power until you enter your next Eclipse.

Touch of the Cosmos has a chance to make your next spender free when casting Wrath or Starfire in an Eclipse.

Meteorites deals random damage to targets inside your Starfall.

Hail of Stars grants Solstice when you cast a free spender.

Stellar Amplification debuffs the target when you hit them with Starsurge which increases the damage from Shooting Stars.

Cosmic Rapidity makes the DoTs that you cast deal damage faster.

Celestial Fire makes the DoTs that you cast deal more damage.

Astral Communion increases your maximum Astral Power and reduces the cost of your 1st spend when you enter Eclipse.

Starlord grants you 2% to 4% Haste for each Starfall and Starsurge. This buff stacks to three and lasts your entire Eclipse.

Sunseeker Mushroom gives Sunfire a chance to spawn a mushroom under the target which deals damage, slows, and generates Astral Power.

Crashing Star gives Shooting Stars a 15% chance to deal more damage and generate more Astral Power.

Soul of the Forest buffs your Eclipse bonuses. Solar Eclipse increases the Astral Power generated by Wrath. Lunar Eclipse increases the damage and Astral Power generated by Starfire for each target hit.

Sculpt the Stars reduces the cooldown of Eclipse.

Rattle the Stars increases the damage done of Starfall and Starsurge and reduces their cost.

Starweaver empowers your Starsurge and Starfall to have a chance to make the opposite spender free.

Orbit Breaker makes every 20th Shooting Stars proc call down a Full Moon dealing damage and generating Astral Power.

Sundered Firmament casts a weakened Fury of Elune on your target every other Eclipse.

Power of Goldrinn grants a chance to deal extra damage when Starsurge is cast.

Total Eclipse gives a chance to enter both Eclipses when you cast Eclipse.

Balance of All Things increases Critical Strike chance by 10% to 20% after you enter an Eclipse. This decays by 1% to 2% every 1-second.

Harmony of the Heavens increases your Eclipses bonuses when you cast Starfall and Starsurge. This buff stacks.

Denizen of the Dream gives your DoTs a chance to summon a Faerie Dragon, which deals damage for 30 seconds.

Elune's Guidance reduces the cost of Starsurge by 8 and Starfall by 10 Astral Power when affected by Incarnation: Chosen of Elune. Convoke the Spirits has its cooldown reduced to 1 minute, the spells cast reduced to 12, the cast time reduced to 2-seconds, and gives it a greater chance to cast a Full Moon.

Radiant Moonlight reduces the cooldown of Fury of Elune by 15 seconds or allows a second cast of Full Moon before resetting to New Moon.

Umbral Embrace gives your Wrath and Starfire a chance to increase the damage of your next generator and make it become Astral damage.

Lycara's Teachings grants 3% to 6% Mastery while in Moonkin Form.

Starlight Conduit increases Wrath, Starsurge, and Starfire damage.

Circle of the Heavens increases magic damage by 5%.

Lore of the Grove increases Moonfire and Sunfire damage as well as Rejuvenation and Wild Growth healing.

This is in the final tier of the Class tree; however, it is the only damage-boosting option available on that side.

Barkskin reduces the damage you take by 20% for 8-seconds.

Frenzied Regeneration heals you for 24% of your Health over 3-seconds. Used in Bear Form.

Renewal heals you for 30% of your maximum Health.

Heart of the Wild empowers your off-specialization spells for 45-seconds.

Wild Charge grants several movement options depending on your form. Most often, a disengage in Moonkin Form.

Stampeding Roar shifts you into Bear Form and increases nearby ally Movement Speed by 60% for 8-seconds.

Remove Corruption dispels Curses and Poisons.

Innervate is a buff you can place on an allied healer, which allows them to cast spells free of Mana cost for 12 seconds.

Soothe removes one enrage effect off your target. Druids are one of two classes that have this ability.

Rejuvenation places a heal over time on your target.

Wild Growth heals your target and five nearby allies over 7 seconds.

Typhoon can be used to push back mobs, possibly interrupting their casts or just allowing you to kite them.

Ursol's Vortex creates a circular zone that slows enemies and draws them back to the center once.

Mass Entanglement roots the target and all nearby targets for 30-seconds.

Mighty Bash stuns a target for 5 seconds. It requires you to be in the melee range of the target.

Incapacitating Roar disorients all enemies around you. Shifts you into Bear Form.