Feral Druid DPS Guide — Dragonflight 10.2
Welcome to our Feral Druid guide for World of Warcraft — Dragonflight 10.2. Here, you will learn how to play as a Feral Druid in both raids and Mythic+ dungeons: from the very beginning to maximizing your DPS.
If you were looking for WotLK Classic content, please refer to our WotLK Classic Feral DPS Druid guide.
Feral Druid Overview
Feral, the Melee DPS specialization for Druids, forms its core gameplay around a dual resource system of Energy and Combo Points and uses them to apply powerful Bleed DoT effects on targets. Alongside that, both are used in tandem to create a build-and-spend system that incorporates pooling for high-damage moments.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strong AoE both in cleave and uncapped scenarios
Can quickly switch between full AoE and priority damage when needed
Strong burst cooldowns for different situations
Gains resources and damage from low priority enemies dying
Powerful defensive toolkit
Good group utility and control options
Has to sacrifice a little bit to pick up AoE tools and vice versa
Reliant on cooldown timers and uptime to get full value
Raid utility is limited
Brings nothing unique as a melee, an often contested raid spot
Resource mis-management is very punishing
Dragonflight Changes for Druids
We are maintaining a list of changes for Druids, so you can see what changes with every patch of Dragonflight.
Feral Druid and Guide Changes in Patch 10.2
With the release of Patch 10.2 and Season 3, alongside the addition of new loot and the Tier Set bonus, Feral has also received some small tweaks to its talent tree. While the list is quite small, it does have an impact on build choices going forward.
Cat's Curiosity has been removed, and replaced with
Saber Jaws, a new high Energy cost
Ferocious Bite talent.
Apex Predator's Craving has had its proc chance increased in single-target, with a slowly reducing chance as new targets are added.
Ashamane's Guidance has been reworked for
Incarnation: Avatar of Ashamane, instead causing your
Rip and
Rake effect to each individually increase affected enemies damage taken from you by 3% each. This is active during the cooldown, and for 30 seconds after it fades.
Rampant Ferocity damage has been increased by 10%.
Innervate can now be cast while in
Cat Form.
While a lot of the changes being made in builds are influenced by the new
set bonus, for single-target, both Saber Jaws and
Apex Predator's Craving
have a large impact on the playstyle. This adds in a reactive proc with much
more value and frequency than previously and requires careful Energy management
to get the most out of the additional
Ferocious Bite bonus damage. All
of our pages have been updated to account for these changes, alongside new
Season 3 builds and recommendations ready for you to jump into the new
content.
Please have a browse and know that your feedback is welcome on our forum!
Leveling a Feral Druid
If you are interested in playing a Feral Druid but have yet to get one at max level, you can look at our leveling guide for pointers to help you along the way.
Adjusting once you hit max level to a new UI can also be quite difficult, especially with the number of things that Feral requires you to track. Therefore, we recommend looking at our Addons and Macro page to use these while leveling to get used to them to make the transition smoother.
Basics of Feral Druid Gameplay
Feral is one of the more complex specs to grasp due to relying on a dual
resource system that requires you to manage and pool them correctly at
different times. It has a slow passive resource in Energy that can be
converted into Combo Points via generator spells, such as Shred,
and then spent on finishing moves, such as
Ferocious Bite.
Alongside this, Feral also has Bleed mechanics that apply debuffs to your
target that require different resources - Rake needing Energy and
Rip needing Combo Points. This creates a spec that, on paper, seems
very busy with a lot to pay attention to but tends to play slower and more
measured. This puts more weight on your decision-making and foresight
than your snap gameplay. Once you grasp the concepts, however, it tends to
click into place and becomes a lot more fluid to manage; it just takes a
little practice!
It also has a very robust AoE toolkit that links together well, making
use of Primal Wrath to apply the
Rip effect to targets
around you and
Tear Open Wounds to activate these again when
cast repeatedly.
Rampant Ferocity and
Sabertooth also
keeps
Ferocious Bite relevant in AoE, and
Apex Predator's Craving
allows us to convert all of those active
Rips into more big
moments, creating a satisfying synergy between the entire toolkit.
If you have never played Feral before and are looking to learn the basics of what the spec has access to, we recommend looking through our Spell Summary first, as well as the Easy Mode page linked below too.
How to Gear Up as a Feral Druid
While we always recommend simming yourself for ideal results, we do provide a dedicated Feral gearing page that lists the Best in Slot items to look out for in the current season of Dragonflight.
Once you have started to gear, you should ideally have the appropriate consumables, gems, enchants, and more to go alongside your new items. We have a dedicated page for exactly this, as shown below, and the stats page, where you can find more information on our stat priority and any necessary changes you may need to make with consumables.
End-Game as a Feral Druid
Like all specs, Feral, when leveling, plays very differently at max level when progressing or doing end-game content. Therefore, we have dedicated pages for Mythic+ and PvP to cover the nuances of these content paths.
Improving as a Feral Druid
If you are looking for an answer to a specific question, often these are common queries many players have. We keep pages that cover the most frequently asked questions and also mistakes players tend to run into.
Viability of Feral Druid in the Current Patch
While Feral has been quite strong for the latter half of the Patch 10.1 cycle, Season 3 is adding in more reasons than ever to play one. The set bonus is a standout, adding an extra 30-second burst damage profile into your arsenal alongside an already powerful single-target spec getting better. Its AoE remains good and easy to fit in, though funnel is slightly weaker going forward. From a damage perspective, there are a lot of good reasons to consider Feral, and with a good defensive toolkit at its disposal as well I expect to see more of them in Patch 10.2.
On top of that, it also brings Mark of the Wild if you have no
other Druids,
Innervate can now be cast in
Cat Form
which is extremely welcome, and you have access to
Rebirth
to combat res in Mythic+.
Changelog
- 12 Nov. 2023 (Amirdrassil page): Page added.
- 10 Nov. 2023 (mythic+ page): Restructured and updated for Patch 10.2.
- 07 Nov. 2023 (gear page): Updated to remove Sporecloak recommendation, switched Toxic Thorn/Toxic Patch.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (FAQ page): Added note for Saber Jaws and reviewed for Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2, small adjustment to Energy section.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2, no changes pending Bloodmallet charts.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (addons page): Added Innervate macro for Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (enchants page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (stats page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (mythic+ page): Updated link to Mythic+ hub.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 10.2 and restructured the rotation tool.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (talents page): Updated for Patch 10.2 with new builds.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (spells page): Updated for Patch 10.2 talent changes.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (easy mode page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
- 06 Nov. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, added Trinket simulations.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (gear page): Restructured for Patch 10.1.7, information remains the same.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (enchants page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (stats page): Adjusted wording slightly to show Crit, Haste and Mastery all reach equality with gear.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, slight restructuring.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (mythic+ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, changed recommended build to a more Rake focused one.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (rotation page): Restructured for Patch 10.1.7.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (talents page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, small restructuring to some sections but same recommendations.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (spells page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
- 04 Sep. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.1.7.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (FAQ page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5, added note about Dire Fixation in AoE.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5, small wording adjustments.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5, no changes necessary.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 with megadungeon gear, and clarified crafting section.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (enchants page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5, small note about Gem alternatives.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (stats page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5, moved Haste and Mastery to equal.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 builds.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (mythic+ page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 and added Dire Fixation to build.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (rotation page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5, small tweaks and notes about Dire Fixation AoE.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (talents page): Re-added Hybrid build, reworded some segments and also highlighted importance of Dire Fixation.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (spells page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (easy mode page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 to include Dire Fixation.
- 10 Jul. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5.
- 25 May 2023 (gear page): Added section on Cataclysm Timewalking.
- 25 May 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Added Sarkareth tips.
- 09 May 2023 (gear page): Updated to account for Trinket changes.
- 09 May 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Updated with tips and builds for all bosses except Sarkareth.
- 09 May 2023 (this page): Updated to highlight boss tips and Gear updates.
- 01 May 2023 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1, small change to indicate Convoke parity.
- 01 May 2023 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 10.1 with new Berserk changes and Blootalons notes.
- 01 May 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1, no changes necessary.
- 01 May 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 10.1 and Season 2 release with new gear recommendations.
- 01 May 2023 (enchants page): Updated for Patch 10.1 for new enchants available.
- 01 May 2023 (stats page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.
- 01 May 2023 (Vault of the Incarnates page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.
- 01 May 2023 (mythic+ page): Updated for Patch 10.1, small build changes and added new Affix details.
- 01 May 2023 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 10.1 to include new Berserk changes and updated builds.
- 01 May 2023 (talents page): Updated for Patch 10.1 to include new Patch 10.1 changes and build options.
- 01 May 2023 (spells page): Updated for Patch 10.1 talent changes.
- 01 May 2023 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1, slightly updated build due to new talent options.
- 30 Apr. 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Page added ready for tips to follow after Season 2 launch.
- 29 Apr. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1, no changes necessary.
- 29 Apr. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.1 changes, added new highlight sections and expected performance.
- 24 Mar. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Primordial Gemstones hotfixes.
- 24 Mar. 2023 (enchants page): Updated for Primordial Stones hotfixes.
- 22 Mar. 2023 (gear page): Updated to account for Primordial Stone buffs.
- 22 Mar. 2023 (enchants page): Updated to account for Primordial Stones hotfix.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (Legendaries): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (how to improve page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 10.0.7 with Onyx Annulet recommendations.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (enchants page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (stats page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (Vault of the Incarnates page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (mythic+ page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (rotation page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (talents page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (spells page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 20 Mar. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (FAQ page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (gear page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (addons page): Added some additional mouseover and talent macros.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (enchants page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (stats page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (Vault of the Incarnates page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (mythic+ page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (talents page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (spells page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (easy mode page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 24 Jan. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (simulations page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (gear page): Updated for Dragonflight season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (addons page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (enchants page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (stats page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (Vault of the Incarnates page): Initial boss guides for pre-release.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (mythic+ page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (rotation page): Updated for Dragonflight season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (talents page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (spells page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 11 Dec. 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (FAQ page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (simulations page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (gear page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (addons page): Reviewed for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (enchants page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (stats page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (mythic+ page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (rotation page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (talents page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (spells page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (easy mode page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (Legendaries): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (Torghast): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (Covenants and Soulbinds): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (FAQ page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (how to improve page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (simulations page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (gear page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (addons page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (enchants page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (stats page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (Castle Nathria page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (Sanctum of Domination page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (Sepulcher of the First Ones page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (mythic+ page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (rotation page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (talents page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (spells page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (easy mode page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 25 Oct. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
- 20 Feb. 2022 (Patch 9.2 Analysis): Cleaned up ready for Patch 9.2 launch.
- 15 Jan. 2022 (Patch 9.2 Analysis): Page added with initial thoughts and information.
- 01 Nov. 2021 (Patch 9.1 Analysis): Reviewed and approved for Patch 9.1.5.
- 17 May 2021 (Patch 9.1 Analysis): Page created with initial information.
- 12 Oct. 2020 (Ny'alotha page): Page updated for the Shadowlands pre-patch.
- 08 Jul. 2019 (The Eternal Palace page): Page added.
- 24 Jun. 2019 (Uldir page): This page has been reviewed for the release of Patch 8.2 and no changes are necessary.
- 24 Jun. 2019 (Battle of Dazar'alor page): This page has been reviewed for the release of Patch 8.2 and no changes are necessary.
- 24 Jun. 2019 (Crucible of Storms page): This page has been reviewed for the release of Patch 8.2 and no changes are necessary.
- 03 May 2019 (Crucible of Storms page): Updated with notes for each boss.
- 15 Apr. 2019 (Crucible of Storms page): Guide added.
- 03 Feb. 2019 (Battle of Dazar'alor page): Page added.
- 10 Dec. 2018 (Uldir page): Updated for patch 8.1 with disclaimer about information being unclear currently.
- 04 Sep. 2018 (Uldir page): Updated for preliminary Uldir release.
- 11 Aug. 2018 (Uldir page): Page created (empty for now) in preparation for the eventual Uldir release.
More Druid Guides
Guides from Other Classes
This guide has been written by Wordup, a frequent theorycrafter involved in a number of class communities. He is also an experienced player who has been in the world top 100 since the days of Sunwell, currently raiding in Echoes. You can also follow him on Twitter.
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