Balance Druid PvP Guide — The War Within (Season 1)

Balance Druids are known for strong spread pressure and securing a kill with a strong burst of single-target pressure. However, this has changed significantly. Balance Druids do use DoTs, but they are now known for their strong single-target damage and can easily kill an enemy in a stun.

Strengths

• Strong control with Cyclone
• Multiple mobility spells
• Strong burst damage

Weaknesses

• Cannot do damage when forced into Bear Form
• Little consistent damage
• Long burst cooldown

• New Talent: Sunseeker Mushroom – Sunfire damage has a chance to grow a magical mushroom at the target's location. After 1 second, the mushroom detonates, dealing Nature damage and then an additional Nature damage over 10 seconds. Affected targets are slowed by 50%. Generates up to 20 Astral Power based on targets hit.
• New Talent: Whirling Stars – Celestial Alignment's cooldown is reduced to 100 seconds and it now has two charges, but its duration is reduced by 20%.
• New Talent: Astronomical Impact – The critical strike damage of your Astral spells is increased by 20%.
• New Talent: Crashing Star – Shooting Stars has a 15% chance to instead call down a Crashing Star, dealing Astral damage to the target and generating 4 Astral Power.
• New Talent: Hail of Stars – Casting a free Starsurge or Starfall grants Solstice for 3 seconds.
• Touch the Cosmos has been updated – Casting Wrath in an Eclipse has a 12% chance to make your next Starsurge or Starfall free. Casting Starfire in an Eclipse has an 18% chance to make your next Starsurge or Starfall free.
• The following talents have been removed: Greater Alignment, Lunar Shrapnel.

• New & Changed Druid Class Talents:
  • New Talent: Oakskin
  • New Talent: Fluid Form
  • New Talent: Ursoc's Spirit
  • New Talent: Instincts of the Claw
  • New Talent: Lore of the Grove
  • New Talent: Starlight Conduit
  • Feline Swiftness now increases movement speed by 15%. Now a 1-point talent.
  • Thick Hide now reduces damage taken by 4%. Now a 1-point talent.
  • Natural Recovery now increases healing received by 4% and no longer increases healing done. Now a 1-point talent.
  • Tireless Pursuit has been removed.
• New & Changed Balance Druid Talents:
  • New Talent: Greater Alignment
  • New Talent: Stellar Amplification
  • New Talent: Harmony of the Heavens
  • New Talent: Touch the Cosmos
  • New Talent: Umbral Inspiration
  • Umbral Embrace has been redesigned – Wrath and Starfire have a 20% chance to cause the next Wrath or Starfire you cast in Eclipse to become Astral and deal 100% additional damage. Now a 1-point talent.
  • Astral Smolder has been redesigned – Wrath and Starfire have a 45% chance to cause their targets to languish for an additional 80% of their damage dealt over 6 seconds.
  • Astral Communion has been redesigned – Maximum Astral Power increased by 20. Entering Eclipse grants 12 Astral Power.
  • Nature's Grace has been redesigned – When Eclipse ends or when you enter combat, enter a Dreamstate, reducing the cast time of your next 2 Starfires or Wraths by 20% and increasing their damage by 50%.
• New PvP Talent: Tireless Pursuit
• High Winds has been redesigned – Increases the range of Cyclone, Typhoon, and Entangling Roots by 5 yards.
• All ability damage increased by 6%.
• Incarnation: Chosen of Elune duration reduced to 20 seconds (was 30 seconds).