Stat Priority: Spell Penetration(75-120) > Hit Rating [0-2%, 0-65.6 hit rating(From Items)] > Spell Power/Resilience > Haste/Crit > Spirit/MP5 > Intelect > Stamina
Spell Penetration: VS some classes you need 0, VS druid mark you need 75, VS Mage Armor you need 120, VS talented Mage Armor you need 140, VS Felhound pet you need 160.
So you chose how much spell pene you wanna use.
Im using 78 spell pene from gems and im swaping Wrathful Gladiator's Endgame(Crit Book) and Wrathful Gladiator's Grimoire(Spell Pene Book).
When I face Mage in arena who has Mage Armor or targeting Felhound I swap to Spell Penetration Book - It will increase your dmg against target with resistance by a lot.
So with Crit Book i have 78 spell pene and with Pene Book i have 157 spell pene.
Hit Rating: You have 4% hit rating from Balance of Power talent which is already soft cap but you might need more hit against Blood Elves(-2% hit to all Spells), Night Elves/Taurens(-2% hit to Nature Spells), Retribution Paladins(-4% hit to all Spells)
So it means you need hit rating from items: VS most classes 0%, VS Blood Elves/Night Elves/Taurens 2%, VS Retri Palas 4%, VS Retri Blood Elf Palas 6%
Im using 1 ring for hit (Ashen Band of Endless Destruction) - 51 Hit Rating (1.94% hit) which makes me almost capped against Blood Elves/Night Elves/Taurens.
Spell Power/Resilience: Up to you how much Resil you want, If you want to 1shot targets like me go Spell Power gems, If you want survive longer go Resilience gems.
Haste/Crit: With all this Bis List I posted up you should have 577 Haste Rating from items which makes ur Wrath and Nourish with Nature's Grace buff and Celestial Focus talent (3/3) 1.03 sec cast time.
If you want more Haste you can go WF Book for Haste instead of Crit - makes it 1.01sec cast time but not rly worth it if ur playing arenas with Ele sham who gives you haste totem or Bloodlust/Heroism it will make ur cast time with Nature's Grace under Global CD.
So if ur using Charred Twilight Scale Trinket (which gives you enough Haste) Crit is for sure a better stat for you.
Crit is very important stat for Balance Druid... every single target crit has change to regenerate 2% mana in Moonkin Form, every crit procs Nature's Grace which gives you 20% faster spell casting, crit also procs Eclipse and dont forget for Vengeance talent which makes ur crits deal double dmg.
Spirit/Mana per 5 seconds: 30% of your Spirit is Spell Power in Moonkin Form thanks to Improved Moonkin Form but Spirit gives Mana Regeneration while not casting and in arena ur casting all the time that's why i did put those 2 stats on same the place.
MP5 is better for long fights to keep ur mana, Spirit is more offensive coz gives some Spell Power.
If ur running Intensity talent (not included in my talent tree) Spirit is better stat for you because this talent makes 50% of your mana regeneration(from spirit) work also while casting.
If ur thinking about taking Intensity instead of Dreamstate then don't ...atleast not with this BIS list which includes 0 spirit items Dreamstate gives 289 MP5 while not casting, 124 MP5 while casting ; Intensity gives 164 MP5 while not casting, 82 MP5 while casting.
If ur thinking Spirit is better stat than Crit or Haste its not true.
When you compare 1 Spirit to 1 Crit/Haste: Mana Regen while NOT casting is not important stat and 1 Spirit gives 0.3 Spell Power only in Moonkin Form means Spirit is worse stat than Crit/Haste even if you run Intensity talent because Crits in Moonkin Form have chance to restore 2% mana.
Moonkin Form gives 370% Armor same Armor as Dire Bear Form so in 3v3/SoloQ arena if ur focused by physical attackers like warrior/hunter/rog stay in your form or you will die even faster. Moonkin Form also gives 15% damage reduction while ur stunned so keep it in mind while playing vs rog try to not get stun out of form or you will die.
In arena spam cyclones on all targets cycloning target with low health might be sometimes good coz his healer cant heal him through it.
Other bala druid things you should learn by playing it
That spirit regenerates mana while not casting you write "while not casting and in arena ur casting all the time". Do you mean that mana would't even regenerate when you are spamming hots or other instant spells? That instant spells also count as "casting" in this way? I thought mana regenerating during casting meant when casting spells with a cast bar. Just curious about that part. I remember earlier that people on this server used to play full spirit/haste gear. On the meta that was before and I'm thinking that for certain comps in 2s or 3s it could be better going for those stats and not going oom. Maybe. Just curious on your thoughts.
Ideas on comps where this might work is bala/rog or bala/rog/priest. Since you will be kiting a lot around pillars off healing when starfall and shadow dance ar on cd.
Nice guide though mate! Watched your videos too and they helped a lot!
That spirit regenerates mana while not casting you write "while not casting and in arena ur casting all the time". Do you mean that mana would't even regenerate when you are spamming hots or other instant spells? That instant spells also count as "casting" in this way? I thought mana regenerating during casting meant when casting spells with a cast bar. Just curious about that part. I remember earlier that people on this server used to play full spirit/haste gear. On the meta that was before and I'm thinking that for certain comps in 2s or 3s it could be better going for those stats and not going oom. Maybe. Just curious on your thoughts.
Ideas on comps where this might work is bala/rog or bala/rog/priest. Since you will be kiting a lot around pillars off healing when starfall and shadow dance ar on cd.
Nice guide though mate! Watched your videos too and they helped a lot!
yes mana wouldnt regen while casting at all
but they prob had intensity talent which makes 50% of ur mana regen(from spirit) regen also while casting
going spirit haste items is big mistake for bala since bala talents benefit from crit so much... maybe in 2s while playing long arenas it might be useful
but if u got crit items arena is mostly over in few min (+single target crits can regen 2% of ur mana)
I would rather play SHP then not bala if I wanted go for spirit or would just go solace/bauble trinket for more mana
Hey buddy I was testing all character and decided to give a try Boomkin druid and find your guide. First of all I was hopeless because lots of guides being bull**** but I tried your guide and I really suprized because this character is extremely good... I loved ! thank you very much and I think you are really Pro player. <333
My Night Elf Druid, Tripsy, is out in the wilderness quite extensively for farming herbs and leather, so naturally I decided to make her a PVP oriented toon. This guide will definitely help me in combating pesky Horde gankers on Icecrown.