Balance Druid PvP Rotation and Playstyle — Midnight Season 1

Before talking about damage, it is important to note the impact a well-timed Cyclone can have on an arena match. Cyclones can be used offensively or defensively.

This is the most common way you will use Cyclone. This is simply using Cyclone on an enemy player so you can get pressure on one of their teammates. For example, you will normally use Cyclone on a healer after you using Mighty Bash or Maim for crowd control.

One of the best ways to use Cyclone is to use it on your kill target when they are at low health. Cyclone will prevent all healing done to the target. This should normally be done when your team is running out of damage and cannot secure a kill. You should try to follow up with a Cyclone on the enemy healer and continue focusing down your kill target.

Normally, Balance Druids will be the target of choice for most teams, but there are times when you are not. In these situations, you can use Cyclone on a DPS that is using their offensive cooldowns to stop their damage entirely. If they trinket, you can follow it up with a second Cyclone or Entangling Roots.

Before talking about the damage rotation, it is a good idea to understand how to generate Astral Power and what Eclipses are to help maximize your damage. Eclipse is a passive Balance Druids have. There are two different Eclipses that you can enter: Solar and Lunar. Here is how you can enter these Eclipses:

• Eclipse (Solar): to enter a Solar Eclipse, cast Wrath and you will be able to use that ability.
• Eclipse (Lunar): to enter a Lunar Eclipse, cast Starfire and you will be able to use that ability.

Astral Power is what is generated/consumed on Balance Druid damaging abilities. To generate Astral Power, maintain your DoTs, Moonfire and Sunfire. You can also generate it with Wrath and Starfire. If you want to deal additional damage and generate Astral Power, Force of Nature and Fury of Elune will both do that for you. To spend Astral Power, you will want to use Starsurge for single-target damage and Starfall if the enemy team is stacked.

With the addition of Ascendant Eclipses, every time you active an Eclipse, your next Wrath or Starfire is instant. This is an important passive to remember when you are constantly swapping to Eclipses. Your next 3 Starsurges or Starfalls will also deal 20% increased damage.

Have a plan for who you will be mainly using your crowd control on. Balance Druids have two powerful crowd-control abilities in the form of Mighty Bash and Cyclone that can be used to kill targets or the enemy healer. You can also use Mass Entanglement with Solar Beam to keep the healer silenced. Entangling Roots can also be used on melee DPS to slow them down.

Balance Druids do have access to some utility spells for their teammates: Hibernate, Remove Corruption and Soothe. Hibernate can be used on Druids that are in animal form or Hunter pets to stop their damage. Remove Corruption can be used to dispel curse spells like Hex or Agony. You can use Soothe to dispel Fury Warrior's enrage effects.

Use Prowl so you will not be focused immediately or so you can get an early Cyclone on the enemy healer.

The opener refers to your team's opening crowd control chain and damage done as soon as you get out of the gates. The main goal in the opener is to force your enemies to use their cooldowns.

As a Balance Druid, you can use Entangling Roots / Mass Entanglement with Solar Beam on the enemy healer. This will either make them trinket, or they will stay in crowd control.

This is the rotation you should use on your target at the beginning of the game.

1. Make sure you are in Moonkin Form.
   • Moonkin Form increases your damage and your armor.
   • You are also immune to Polymorph.
   • Single-target attacks against you have a chance to make your next Starfire instant.
2. Use Moonfire on all targets.
3. Use Sunfire on the kill target.
   • Note: Sunfire will be applied to all enemies within 8 yards of your target.
4. Start casting either Wrath or Starfire to enter an Eclipse.
   • This will start generating Astral Power, and you will enter an Eclipse.
   • During the first 6 seconds of an Eclipse, Shooting Stars fall 200% more often from the talent Solstice.
   • If you can cast, cast Wrath or Starfire, depending on the Eclipse. They have an increased chance to make Starsurge free from the talent Touch the Cosmos.
   • With the Ascendant Eclipses Apex Talent, your next Wrath or Starfire will be instant.
5. Use Starfire.
6. Use Starsurge to consume Astral Power.
   • Using Starsurge while in an Eclipse increases the damage you do while the Eclipse is active.
7. Use Starsurge when you get a Touch the Cosmos proc.
8. Cast Wrath to generate Astral Power.
   • If you get interrupted while casting Wrath, start casting Starfire.
9. Cast Starfire to generate Astral Power.
   • If you get interrupted while casting Starfire, start casting Wrath.
10. Use Starsurge when you have enough Astral Power so you do not waste any of it.
11. Use Starsurge when you get a Touch the Cosmos proc.

When you have the enemy healer in crowd control, and you are trying to kill an enemy, you use your burst damage.

1. Use Mass Entanglement + Solar Beam on the enemy healer.
2. Use Incarnation: Chosen of Elune.
3. Use Force of Nature. Force of Nature is crucial to have in your rotation for a few reasons:
   • Generates Astral Power.
   • It grants 3 charges of Dream Surge, causing your next Wrath or Starfire to explode on the target and nearby enemies. This happens if you are Keeper of the Grove.
   • The treants summoned will cast Moonfire on nearby targets. This happens if you are Keeper of the Grove.
   • Harmony of the Grove hero talent makes it so each treant from Force of Nature increases your spells damage while active. This happens if you are Keeper of the Grove.
4. Use Fury of Elune.
5. Ensure Moonfire is on as many targets as possible.
6. Use Sunfire on the kill target.
   • Note: Sunfire will be applied to all enemies within 8 yards of your target.
7. Use Starsurge when you have enough Astral Power.
8. Use Starsurge when you get a Touch the Cosmos proc.
9. For the remainder of Incarnation: Chosen of Elune:
   1. Maintain Moonfire and Sunfire.
   2. Generate Astral Power with Wrath or Starfire.
   3. Spend Astral Power on Starsurges.
10. Use Starsurge.
11. Use Starsurge.

Sustained damage is damage you do when your burst cooldowns are not available.

1. Make sure you are in Moonkin Form.
3. Moonkin Form increases your damage and your armor.
4. You are also immune to Polymorph.
5. Single-target attacks against you have a chance to make your next Starfire instant.
6. Maintain Moonfire on all targets.
7. Use Sunfire on the kill target.
   • Note: Sunfire will be applied to all enemies within 8 yards of your target.
8. Use Fury of Elune off cooldown.
   • Not only is the cooldown short and the damage is good, this will also generate Astral Power without having to cast any spells.
9. Cast either Wrath or Starfire to enter an Eclipse.
   • This will start generating Astral Power, and you will enter an Eclipse.
   • If you get interrupted while casting Wrath, start casting Starfire.
   • If you get interrupted while casting Starfire, start casting Wrath.
   • During the first 6 seconds of an Eclipse, Shooting Stars fall 200% more often from the talent Solstice.
   • If you can cast, cast Wrath or Starfire, depending on the Eclipse. They have an increased chance to make Starsurge free from the talent Touch the Cosmos.
   • With the Ascendant Eclipses Apex Talent, your next Wrath or Starfire will be instant.
10. Use Starsurge to consume Astral Power.
    • Using Starsurge while in an Eclipse increases the damage you do while the Eclipse is active.
11. Use Force of Nature. Force of Nature is crucial to have in your rotation for a few reasons:
    • Generates Astral Power.
    • It grants 3 charges of Dream Surge, causing your next Wrath or Starfire to explode on the target and nearby enemies. This happens if you are Keeper of the Grove.
    • The treants summoned will cast Moonfire on nearby targets. This happens if you are Keeper of the Grove.
    • Harmony of the Grove hero talent makes it so each treant from Force of Nature increases your spells damage while active. This happens if you are Keeper of the Grove.

If you want an explanation and suggestions on gear, read our gearing section here:

Bear Form is your primary defensive ability Druids have. When you see incoming damage on you, it is a good idea to use Bear Form. This is best used when the enemy has used their cooldowns, and your team is trying to stabilize your health.

Barkskin reduces all damage dealt to you by 20%. It is important to note that this can be used while stunned and in any of your forms. This should primarily be used if you are stuck in a stun and are not in Bear Form.

Cyclone is one of your team's best defensives if you are not being focused. Rotating Cyclone on the enemy DPS when a teammate is in trouble is crucial for extending the game long enough to get a kill.

Balance Druid mobility also helps with survivability. Tiger Dash / Dash and Stampeding Roar can be used when running after enemies or when you are in trouble. If you are not slowed or rooted, this is effective for kiting enemies.

Entangling Roots is a great ability when playing against melee. You can use this to help you or your teammates get distance between them and an enemy.