I know that I’ve been a little light on tips for Druids here, and the reason is fairly simple.
Each week, I’m responsible for writing an article for the Shifting Perspectives column at WoW Insider. I take that fairly seriously, so I spend a considerable amount of time each week trying to put together a solid helpful article.
What I’ve noticed since I started doing this, is I’m more likely to spend twice as much time on one of the articles, and blow off steam here with everything else, including breaking news, chatter, gabble and frivolity.
In one way, I like it because the blog is much more personal. On the other hand, for long time readers that come here looking for more tips and tricks and guides, I do you a disservice because I really do neglect to talk about what I’m doing in both places. I jus think of them as two different things.
Anyway, I’ve been slowly adding articles related to each of what I see to be areas of concern for bear tanks over there, and I thought it’d probably be smart to let folks know, seeing as how with the articles written over there, it’s unlikely I’ll cover the same ground here any time soon.
So, here are some of the most recent bear tanking related articles;
Leveling and tanking specs for Feral
Hit Rating, Expertise and Defense skill for PvE
Bear tanking strategies part 1; How threat works in a group
Bear tanking strategies part 2; How to select tanking gear
In upcoming articles, I expect to rehash my threat generating strategies, talk about cat gear choices and selection, and have more fun.
And if you do have suggestions for what you’d like to see in an article, by all means let me know. There are probably lots of things I overlook when I consider what to write about. Just be aware that most smaller, non-gigantor sized topics get talked about here.
Too bad wowinsider is websensed into oblivion. If you’ve never heard of Websense, it is a filter that employers use to block web content from their workers – typically gaming sites, youtube and the red-light district of the web. Thank goodness they haven’t discovered blogs.
ditto bigbunz.
will have to get to reading wowinsider from home.
Yeah, it’s big-brother-blocked for me as well via SonicWALL – Bastids!
I’ll read them from home.
Any info/advice about ferals in Arena?
(new here, not sure if this has been covered before or if you even pvp :/)
Your articles both here and at WI will be my bible in coming weeks, my feral druid is almost 60, and looking to tank. So, since you asked…I’d be interested in how to maintain good threat against mobs/bosses immune to taunts like the ones in kara.
Is it allowed for you to post your WI articles on your own page? maybe with a few days lag? That would be great. I usually spend my lunch time reading bloggs but as others have stated I can’t get to WI from work.
Q: Any info/advice about ferals in Arena?
A: The best advice I personally offer to every Feral who is or wants to do Arena is this… know your role! I know you want to get right in there and Magle, Shred and Kill, but you are so much more than that. You have to be much more than that to be successful. Here are some key points…
1.) Remember all of your druid abilities, not just the Feral ones. Entangling Roots, Innervate, Moonfire, Faerie Fire, Barksin and the almighty Cyclone.
2.) Make sure every team member buffs everyone with all they can, so that when you get purged by a Shaman or Arcane Shot by a hunter, useless things can take the place of your good buffs.
3.) Paladins always have their bubble. In a 2v2 setting, I usually go with my hunter buddy (crazy damage). Anyway, I will Cyclone the pally and the hunter will almost always kill his friend, then we beat on the pally til he is down. (I do the same with Shaman and Priests too.)
4.) Need a big heal? Maime or Cyclone, heal, Bear-shift, stun, heal, Kill.
5.) You and your teammate both need a heal? Barkskin and Tranquility. Just hope your opponents don’t have a silence handy.
6.) LoS any hunters/casters that may be picking at you from a distance. Don’t let them kite you, always go in the opposite direction. If you get far enough (Dash FTW), and you have no DoTs on you, you will be able to re-stealth and go hunting.
7.) Cower works wonders on non-BM hunter pets and when the Kill Command is not active.
8.) Also when dealing with pets, HIBERNATE! Put that b*tch to sleep. Now, if he is big and red (enraged looking), don’t try it because the hunter is BM and has Beastial Wrath.
9.) In a 2v2 match, it is always best to CC one and focus fire on another. This also works for 3v3 and 5v5, but requires a bit more planning and coordination.
10.) Download and learn to use Proximo
+1 for anything game related (blogs are an exception) being blocked at work. I like your blog.
The Other Side of Feral.
Hopefully it will be easy with your recent foray into the “My rogue hit 70…now what?” scene, and some kitty gear tips similar to what you provided on WoWInsider for newly-70 bears would be pretty cool. In my casual “research” there seems to be some pretty decent crafted gear for the DPS set as well.