Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, the Big Bear Butt Blogger, brings you news of one of the coolest Druid events to hit the World of Warcraft.

Despite the impression you may get from previous articles, being a Druid isn't all about raiding. Not hardly. The essence of the Druid is flexibility, the ability to think fast and adapt to changing situations quickly.

Today, I'm going to highlight the kind of imaginative, flexible thinking and sense of fun that I feel is at the heart of being a Druid.

On Saturday, April 26th, a group of Druids from the Penny Arcade Alliance gathered together into a murder of crows, and proceeded to terrorize the unsuspecting Horde of the Dark Iron server.

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, the Big Bear Butt Blogger, comes late to the party with a mammoth of an article that hopes to cover bear tank gear choices from dinging at 70 up to and through running Karazhan with your guild.

Gearing up as a bear tank

As you approach level 70 as a feral druid, your playstyle to this point has most likely been as a Kitty, focusing on causing lots of damage, very swiftly. Kind of like a stripped down, no frills rogue. But with style.

As much as you enjoy being a kitty, however, you just know all your friends want you to tank. With Fury Warriors, Enhancement Shamans, Retribution Paladins and real Rogues floating around, there is no shortage of melee DPS in the game.

But a good tank! Well, that's another story.

Every Tuesday, Pleasing Pet Perspectives explores issues affecting Best Pet Friends in Hello Kitty Online and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, opens the new column with a look at the already announced Best Pet Friend class character options, and then discusses some of the benefits to both playing with and grouping with one.

You've seen them before. Wherever Hello Kitty goes, you can be sure not too far away is her pet, Charmmy, carrying the silver key that will open her jewelry box.

In Hello Kitty Online, I bet you can already tell that one of the classes I am most excited about is the new Best Pet Friend class.

This class will allow you to choose to play a character whose play style closely resembles that of a traditional Rogue from games such as World of Warcraft, but when grouped in a party, you will provide powerful buffs that will benefit everyone, making those tough monster battles go that much smoother.

Follow along after the jump to talk more about the advantages to both soloing and party play with your new Best Pet Friend!

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, postpones the final part of the bear tanking strategy guide once again to focus on druid changes in today's patch 2.4.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Leveling guides still need to be written, tanking strategy article gets put off yet another week.

If anyone ever told me before I started this gig that I'd have too many breaking news stories to discuss to write big posts in a long series, I'd have laughed at 'em.

I guess the lesson here is that World of Warcraft is a continually growing game, and sometimes we have to act fast to stay on top of the changes.

As much as I'd like to hand you Episode III: Return of the Bear Strats, I bet with the patch hot and heavy, most of you are a lot more interested in knowing how we stand with the excellent druidy goodness.

Sigh. So long, bear strategy. Hopefully next week. Unless we get a hot annnouncement of new druid content coming in the next expansion, or shocking undocumented patch changes, or something.

One thing you can be sure of... there will be some folks that have every badge reward they want on patch day, and others will continue, like me, to scrimp and save.

Either way, look on the bright side. It'll be nice to have at least a week before people start complaining of being bored again.

Let's do a nice roundup of all the various changes and additions coming to the druid class, so everybody can plan what they want to do first. Just follow along past the break!

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, discusses the proposed changes to Lifebloom in patch 2.4 and the reaction of various members of the Druid community.

As we've mentioned in a previous post here at WoW Insider, one of the proposed changes currently on the Public Test Realm is to the bread and butter ability of healing Druids; Lifebloom.

To remind you of what we're talking about, the following note went up on the PTR patch notes;

Lifebloom: the healing coefficient has been reduced. This spell will no longer cause error messages when interacting with Spellsteal or while the Druid is under the effects of a Mind Control.

Now, needless to say, that kind of vague description is enough to make the most toughened Tree blink and shed a leaf or two in sudden fear.

The healing coefficient has been reduced? Well, by how much? And how the heck is that gonna affect me in PvP? In raids? And above all else, how can we stop this from happening to us? Anybody? Please?

Well, today we're going to talk a little about what the Resto Druid community has discovered about this proposed change, and gather reactions from across the Druiding community.

Lots more after the break!

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, launches into part 1 of a 2 part discussion on Bear Tanking Strategies.

I'm going to go over a lot of information related to how Bear Tanking works over the next two articles, because I am often asked about how all of the various elements of Threat management fit together.

Much of this discussion will center around tanking after reaching level 70, but the foundation of this series will explore information valuable to bear tanks of all levels, including exactly how Threat works, various methods of pulling, and how to work with your group to keep the target's attentions on you, and not your squishy friends.

Part 1 will focus on the most basic fundamental issue of tanking; How Threat works in a group.

Let's go ahead and get started after the jump!

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, takes a look at what is making his Druid cat ears perk up in the upcoming Patch 2.4.

What a difference a weekend makes.

Patch 2.4 has hit the Public Test Realms, and folks are getting excited at the changes and additions in store.

Since an entire new area is being added, with it's own late-game raid, instance and faction rewards, you know we're going to have a lot to talk about between now and when it goes live.

For now, as information gets dragged kicking and screaming out of the patch, I thought it would be fun to take a look at what specific patch changes Druids need to pay attention to.

Let's explore Druid fun in the patch after the jump!

What's your main right now?

Windshadow, a Feral-specced Druid on Kael'thas (US)

For the Horde or Glory to the Alliance?

Most of my characters are Alliance, although I have played both sides. Oh, and for the record... I personally see a ton of great folks, fun and mature, in both factions. And I also see the Trade channel full of idiots on both sides. If one side is 'more mature' than the other, I've never noticed. They feel like they share the same balance to me.

Favorite thing to do in Azeroth?

I love to log into guild chat, pump some background music into my headphones, pop into Flight Form, and go farm Herbs and Gas Clouds at Mach 280 while chatting with my guildies.

What's the best instance in the game?

I haven't played them all yet, since there are 'guild favorites' I keep going back into. But I'd have to say I enjoy the mix of pulls in Heroic Underbog as a tank the best.

What's the number one thing Blizzard could do better?

I'd have to say communication on a personal level to reported customer account issues. When an issue is reported that, for an example, is as devastating as a hacked account, I think Blizzard needs to drastically improve the response time and amount of communication they provide to the victim.

Favorite mount?

Druids' epic Flight Form. Without exception.

Favorite piece of loot?

Earthwarden, the epic mace for feral tanking Druids, available from the Cenarion Expedition at Exalted reputation.

What accomplishment in-game are you most proud of?

Taking down Talon King Ikiss in Heroic Sethekk Halls for my Druid Flight Form quest. It eventually took bringing in a a second Druid to provide the heals and keep the banished birds buffed, but we did it. And it felt like winning a major war, not just downing a single heroic level boss.

If you could add one touch of personal flair to your main, what would it be?

I'd love to be able to choose different models or options to enhance the look of my Druid in cat or bear form. Things such as being able to display armor pieces in Dire Bear form, or choose different colors or models in cat or bear, or even something as simple as being able to follow a long quest chain to learn different models of cat or bear would be wonderful. As much as I love my Druid, I'd love it even more if I had the power to choose to change into a Polar Bear instead of the standard, or a tan plains cat instead of the standard Night Elf purple.

And I think this should apply to other classes' abilities as well. Why should both male and female Warlocks get the same female model Succubi? Why not have female Warlock characters get the option of having a little beefcake instead? I'm just sayin'.

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, offers guidance on three of the Feral Druids' key combat mechanics; Hit Rating, Expertise and Defense skill.

There are three combat mechanics that have a direct bearing on the Feral Druid in PvE at level 70, and each have a functional upper limit on how much you need, before adding more becomes a waste of points.

The three combat mechanics I'm talking about are Hit Rating, Expertise and Defense skill.

When discussing these combat mechanics, there are three numbers I want you to remember; 142, 91 and 415.

If you remember nothing else from the rest of this article, I hope that you carry these three numbers away with you.

142 is the total amount of Hit Rating needed to reduce your chance to miss against raid bosses to zero. Above 142, adding more Hit Rating does nothing for you whatsoever.

91 is the amount of Expertise Rating you would need to reduce the chance of an attack being Parried or Dodged by 5.75%. Currently, it is believed that level 73 raid bosses have a base 5.6% Dodge.

415 is the total amount of Defense skill you need to be immune from critical strikes by level 73 raid bosses, assuming you have 3 points spent in the talent Survival of the Fittest. And if you're tanking at level 70, you should have 3/3 in SotF.

Why are these three combat mechanics so important?

Well, for that we need to go behind the scenes and under the hood to find out a little more on how combat in World of Warcraft actually works.

Read on past the break for more!

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, brings up the terrifying (to him) topic of the Balance and Restoration Talent trees.

Hello again!

Last week, I talked about the Talent spec I recommend most for leveling Feral from 10 to 70.

I wanted to get that information out there, so that those of you that have already started Druids wouldn't have to wait each week for guidance on leveling in Feral, a mere 10 levels at a time.

Well, while I only really know the modern game from the Feral point of view, this column is really for all Druids to enjoy.

So this week I thought I'd expand our discussion of Talent trees with a look at the Balance spec, from the point of view of two real experts.

So brew up some Goldthorn Tea, settle back, and let's take a look at respeccing to Balance with a full-on Balance build from 58 on through to 70 with Nasirah from A Tale of Two Druids, followed up with leveling from 10 to 70 as a mix of Balance and Restoration with Phaelia of Resto4Life.

Ready? Then let's get started!

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, continues the new Druid leveling guide with leveling Talent specs from 10 to 70.

Welcome back to tips on leveling your new Druid!

In previous articles, we've talked about getting your UI and Addons set up the way you'd like, the basics of casting tactics and timing your abilities, and leveling up to 10.

We finished the last article by getting your bear form, unlocking your Talent trees and getting your very first Talent point.

In this section, we're going to explore Leveling Talent specs in more detail, and not just levels 11-20, but leveling all the way to 70.

So let's get started!

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, continues the new Druid leveling guide with levels 6 through 10.

So far in our series of Druid leveling tips, we started with preparing to play a Druid, and then covered the basic strategies of levels 1 through 5. Today we're going to talk a little about weapon skills, Entangling Roots and your first real Druid specific challenge; the level 10 Bear Form quest chain.

Go ahead and dive in after the break!

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, finally starts his series on leveling a new Druid, covering the strategies of your first 5 levels.

In this week's column, we're going to begin to have some fun with our brand new level 1 Druid!

Check out our Level 1 Tauren Druid off to the right... isn't he a handsome devil? And modest, too!

Your first five levels set the tone for how your Druid will feel.

It's all about casting spells for ranged combat.

You're going to want to spend as much time burning them down on the run as you can, and minimize the time you spend whacking them in the face with your stick.

In many ways, the lessons you can learn here about casting strategies will form the foundation of your play style, at least until you finally get that workhorse of Druid leveling at 20; the Cat form.

Every Tuesday, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, sometimes known as the Big Bear Butt Blogger, starts his series on leveling a new Druid from 1st level all the way to 70th.

Before I begin my series on leveling your new Druid from 1st through 70th levels, I'm going to start with some of the things you can do to prepare.

Why not just leap right on into level 1? My reasoning is simple, just like me. When you have been watching Druids claw face as bears or cats, or as a new player you read about the description of the class and the shapechanging capabilities Druids enjoy, you might just expect to walk in and start doing the same yourself right from the start. The promise of the class is the fun of shifting from one form to another, depending on your playstyle.

Well, when you start your new Druid at level 1, you won't be clawing faces. Instead, you will be leveling as a caster... a ranged DPS caster for levels 1 - 10, and likely on towards 20. Just as Hunters don't get the ability to tame a pet until level 10, Druids do not get the chance to learn their first form until the Bear quest chain becomes available at level 10.

If, as you were sitting at the character creation screen, you were thinking you were going to be a kitty, all up in the face of the bad guys right from the start, it can be a bit of a let down. Especially if you don't care for playing a caster class in the first place.

Hopefully, however, by knowing how to set yourself up in advance with the in-game Options, useful User interfaces and Addons, you'll find yourself leveling up as a caster painlessly, and may even come to enjoy the versatility of some of the Druid's powerful casting abilities.

While the focus of this series of articles will be to help guide a brand new player into the fun of playing a Druid, hopefully there will also be some suggestions that an experienced player trying the Druid for the first time will find useful.