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Posts with tag restoration-druid

Brutal Gladiator's Refuge


The Brutal Gladiator's Refuge is the armor set for Restoration Druids. It is a kodohide, or leather armor usable only by Druids and is usually matched with Guardian's Kodohide armor pieces. The armor set can be purchased from Big Zokk Torquewrench in Netherstorm and Ontokk Shatterhorn in Shattrath City. The matching Guardian items may be purchased from Doris Volanthius in the Hall of Legends and Lieutenant Tristia in the Champion's Hall.

Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide Gloves
The Brutal Gladiator armor piece for the hands are the cheapest and easiest Season 4 Arena gear to obtain. With no personal rating requirements, most players will be able to purchase this piece and is the Arena gear likely to be most widespread as soon as the season begins. The PvP-oriented bonus of Cyclone cast time reduction is the same for the Brutal Gladiator's Wyrmhide Gloves. The gloves have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
354 Armor (+25)
+49 Stamina (+6)
+39 Intellect (+5)
+21 Resilience (+0)
+88 Healing / +30 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)
10 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)
Reduces the cast time of Cyclone by .1 secs.
Classes: Druid
WoW Insider says: These gloves are low-cost and have no rating requirements, and the high Stamina and good +Healing make it making it one of the best Season 4 purchases, specially for starting Arena players.


Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide Legguards
The leg armor possesses a personal rating requirement of 1550, which isn't too difficult to obtain, particularly for Restoration Druids. While not as accessible as the gloves, the leg armor is highly visible on a character and is also likely to be a popular purchase, even at 1875 Arena points. The leggings have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
478 Armor (+35)
+65 Stamina (+7)
+50 Intellect (+6)
+31 Resilience (+0)
+114 Healing / +38 Spell Damage (+13 / +4)
16 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)
Classes: Druid
WoW Insider says: The lack of sockets mean that the only customization that can be done will be through Tailoring or Leatherworking enchants. The leggings are an excellent Brutal Gladiator piece, with over 100 +Healing and massive mp5 as an added bonus.


Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide Tunic

With three sockets, the chestpiece is the most customizable Arena armor piece, and is the next best purchase after the gloves. Furthermore, 1600 should be relatively easy for Restoration Druids, who do extremely well in 2v2 and 3v3. In PvE, the chest armor is traditionally a drop from the final boss in a series (Magtheridon drops Tier 4 chest token, Kael'thas drops Tier 5 chest token, Illidan drops Tier 6 chest token, etc.). Arenas are different in this regard, but the item level of the chest is identical to PvE chest pieces. Sunwell Plateau breaks from tradition in that the final boss, Kil'jaeden, does not drop chest tokens or armor. However, the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is equivalent to the drops from Entropius and is the best combination of cost and restriction among all the armor pieces. The tunic has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
541 Armor (+40)
+69 Stamina (+14)
+40 Intellect (+5)
+27 Resilience (+0)
+101 Healing / +34 Spell Damage (+13 / +4)
11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience Rating
Classes: Druid
WoW Insider says: With +Healing that actually breaks the 100 mark without the benefit of sockets, this chest piece is easily one of the best purchases for healing Druids in Season 4. The additional Red Sockets can be used to pump up that healing even further, not to mention that it's a whopping +14 Stamina over its predecessor. Because of its PvE equivalent, obtaining the Brutal Gladiator chest armor is almost like killing Entropius in Sunwell Plateau. Well, ok not really, but if you don't raid, that's about as close to a raid drop as you're going to get.


Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide Helm
The helm is very likely the last Brutal Gladiator armor piece that many players will obtain. With the shoulders at an extremely prohibitive 2200, most players will only manage 4/5 of Season 4. Restoration Druids should conceivably have no trouble getting to 1700 for this helm, which costs the same as the chest and leg armor pieces. With a personal rating attached to it, the Brutal Gladiator helm might be one helm graphic that players would like to leave on. It is also identical in model to the pieces that drop off Kil'jaeden in Sunwell Plateau. The helm has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
447 Armor (+32)
+65 Stamina (+7)
+45 Intellect (+6)
+29 Resilience (+0)
+103 Healing / +35 Spell Damage (+13 / +5)
11 Mana / 5 Secs (+3 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +4 Resilience Rating
Classes: Druid
WoW Insider says: Over +100 Healing on a single armor piece is a great purchase for healers, no matter how you look at it. Coupled with 11mp5, this Kodohide Helm is works well for PvE if you don't raid the endgame.


Brutal Gladiator's Kodohide Spaulders

The 2200 personal ratings requirement for the shoulders are almost Gladiator-level for most Battlegroups, and will likely be a very rare sight in most realms. It is quite likely that more than a few Restoration Druids will be sporting these through the season, however. It is the cheapest item after the gloves, but it is also the most difficult to get. Blizzard's reasoning for this is that the shoulders are the most "visually impacting" armor piece, confirming Blizzard's opinion that PvP achievements should be on display. The spaulders have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
430 Armor (+30)
+49 Stamina (+6)
+29 Intellect (+5)
+20 Resilience (+0)
+66 Healing / +22 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)
7 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +3 Resilience Rating
Classes: Druid
WoW Insider says: Brutal Gladiator Shoulders are peacock gear. While it has the rare mp5 for shoulders, it is stat-wise a very modest upgrade from the previous season's shoulder piece which is a full 250 ratings easier to obtain. Fortunately, more than a few skilled Resto Druids will be able to obtain these.
Guardian's Kodohide Belt
Because it is a visual match for the Brutal Gladiator's Refuge, and because it comes with no personal ratings requirement, the belt is most likely to be the most widely distributed Season 4 gear. It is purchasable with Honor points, so even players who do not participate in Arena PvP can obtain it. The belt has the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
322 Armor (+22)
+49 Stamina (+6)
+35 Intellect (+5)
+26 Resilience (+0)
+84 Healing / +28 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)
11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)
Classes: Rogue, Druid
WoW Insider says: The belt has a low Honor cost and is ratings-free. It's not even a question. Even outside of PvP, this belt trumps most PvE healing belts outside of Sunwell Plateau, comparable to the Belt of Primal Majesty from Gurtogg Bloodboil in the Black Temple where haste takes the place of this belt's mp5. It's the best belt that casual players can get for this spec.


Guardian's Kodohide Bracers
The only other Guardian piece with a socket is the amulet, which doesn't have a personal rating requirement. Coupled with the fact that bracers are visually insignificant, being hidden under gloves or robes, most players feel that there's little urgency to get them. A 1575 personal ratings requirement also requires decent performance in Arenas. The bracers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
253 (+17)
+43 Stamina (+14)
+25 Intellect (+3)
+18 Resilience (+0)
+46 Healing / +16 Spell Damage (+6 / +2)
8 Mana / 5 Secs (+1 / 5)

Socket Bonus: +2 Resilience Rating
Classes: Rogue, Druid
WoW Insider says: The mediocre +Healing makes this piece less viable for PvE than other pieces, but possesses a Red Socket as opposed to the typical Yellow Socket for bracers. It also has a massive +14 Stamina upgrade from the Vindicator version. Definitely worth the purchase if only for the Red Socket and mp5.


Guardian's Kodohide Boots

The most visually important match of all Guardian items -- although it won't be seen on Tauren feet, the boots are a big jump from a 1575 personal ratings requirement and is as demanding to get as the head piece at 1700 personal ratings. It is also as expensive to purchase as the belt, which has no ratings requirement. The slippers have the following stats (number in parentheses are the improvements over its Season 3 equivalent):
385 Armor (+28)
+49 Stamina (+6)
+35 Intellect (+5)
+26 Resilience (+0)
+84 Healing / +28 Spell Damage (+9 / +3)
11 Mana / 5 Secs (+2 / 5)
Classes: Rogue, Druid
WoW Insider says: Although 1700 is the highest personal ratings requirement outside of the weapons and shoulders, the boots are among the best healing boots before Sunwell Plateau gear. It is comparable to the Enchanted Leather Sandals from Kaz'rogal in Hyjal Summit and is a good option for those unable to raid the endgame.


Gallery: Season 4 Arms & Equipment

DruidHunter (Alliance)Hunter (Horde)Mage (Alliance)Mage (Horde)

Looking for more Season 4 info? We've rounded up everything you need to know about the Brutal Gladiator season right here.

Shifting Perspectives: Gearing your Resto Druid for Kara Part 2

Every week, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, the Big Bear Butt Blogger, presents the second part to the Resto Druid gear guide to help you prepare for Karazhan, with the haelp of the lovely and talented 4 Haelz.

Welcome to the second and final part of our guide to gearing up your Resto Druid in preparation for entering the fabled black gate of Karazhan.

Today we pick right back up where we left off last week, by jumping into gear lists, starting with Belts and carrying on through until we're done.

Whether you are a hopeful raider looking for ways to improve your gear, or a seasoned raider about to take a nostalgic trip through the past items you've now grown out of, I hope there will be something of use for you in the lists still to come.

So let's head on in and take a look!

Continue reading Shifting Perspectives: Gearing your Resto Druid for Kara Part 2

Shifting Perspectives: Gearing up your Resto Druid for Kara Part 1

Every week, Shifting Perspectives explores issues affecting druids and those who group with them. This week John Patricelli, the Big Bear Butt Blogger, tries to bring some Resto Druid gear info with the haelp of 4 Haelz.

Andrew: "Right. Right. Gotcha." [pause] "I bet even covert operatives eat curly fries. They're really good."
Spike: "Not as good as those onion blossom things."
Andrew: "Ooh, I love those."
Spike: "Yeah, me, too."
Andrew: "It's an onion... and it's a flower. I don't understand how such a thing is possible."
Spike: "See, the genius of it is you soak it in ice water for an hour so it holds its shape. Then you deep-fry it root-side up for about 5 minutes."
Andrew: "Masterful."
Spike: "Yeah." [pause] "Tell anyone we had this conversation, I'll bite you."

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Now you know exactly what I'm thinking when someone says "Lifebloom" around me. So, you really sure you want me to write for the Resto set?

Plus, that'll teach Allie to quote Veronica Mars at me the other week. I'll see your modern day Nancy Drew and raise you a Spike. Dare to escalate?

This week, I present you with the first part of a list of gear that the aspiring Resto Druid should be looking for to prepare for Karazhan.

Since if left to my own devices I'd just get you into all kinds of trouble, I enlisted the services of Bellwether at 4 Haelz to bring together the research. 4 Haelz is a blog by an end-game raiding healy Druid kinda person. She's smart and funny and neat and stuff, so go check her out. Her blog, check her blog out.

Follow along after the break and we'll get into the specifics!

Continue reading Shifting Perspectives: Gearing up your Resto Druid for Kara Part 1

Shifting Perspectives: PvP as a moving target


Every week, John Patricelli of Big Bear Butt presents a well-researched, educational, and entertaining look at the state of the Druid class in WoW today. This week we said, "Screw that," and got someone off the street.

Veronica: Look at you, all helpful.
Logan: Your peskiness being unleashed on Connor brings me joy. Annoy, tiny blonde one! Annoy like the wind!
-- Veronica Mars, "An Echolls Family Christmas"

With apologies to Diane Ruggiero, the writer of the episode quoted above, but I find Logan's snarky comment (did he even have another kind?) to be a perfect, albeit general, means of describing successful Druid PvP.

Let us be frank; I am not, nor am ever likely to be, a hardcore PvPer, and to a great extent this post is directed mostly at people like myself. If you're one of those Druids carrying a 2K+ rating in full Vengeful, then I invite (nay, implore) you to leave comments and corrections based on your own experience, but the article's mostly for regular folks like me, who may not even particularly like PvP but recognize that it is desirable or perhaps necessary, given our ingame goals. As such, most of this applies to battlegrounds, and on a later date we're going to get into arena. Today, we are simply going to talk about how to avoid letting your PvP experience turn you into a miserably unhappy player who would rather undergo an appendectomy via Roto-Rooter than set foot in another EOTS.

Continue reading Shifting Perspectives: PvP as a moving target

Scare Beast Change: Does it make Hunters the new anti-Druid?

In what could be the biggest change in 2.4.2, Hunters are getting a pretty generous buff to the spell Scare Beast. Not only is the range ballooning from 10 yards to 30 yards, but it will have an instant cast time as well. Well it does have limited application in PvE, this will be huge in PvP, for one simple reason: It will work on Druids in forms.

Continue reading Scare Beast Change: Does it make Hunters the new anti-Druid?

Outland reputation set - Druid (Resto): Kodohide Battlegear



This is the introductory PvP set for Restoration Druid. The Battlegear sets are of a superior quality and are equal to the Level 70 High Warlord gear that can be purchased with honor points. The pieces can be purchased by becoming honored with Cenarion Expedition, Honor Hold/Thrallmar, Keepers of Time, Lower City, and the Sha'tar. Complete sets require honored with all five factions as listed below:

Kodohide Battlegear

Slot

Rep

Kodohide Gloves Hands Lower City
Kodohide Helm Head The Sha'tar
Kodohide Legguards Legs Keepers of Time
Kodohide Robe Chest Cenarion Expedition
Kodohide Spaulders Shoulders Thrallmar/Honor Hold

Kodohide Battlegear

Armor

Sta

Int

Resil

Kodohide Gloves 213 22 22 14
Kodohide Helm 267 30 18 19
Kodohide Legguards 306 33 28 20
Kodohide Robe 322 33 17 18
Kodohide Spaulders 249 33 16 17

Total

1357 151 101 88
Set Bonus 2: 35 Resilience
Set Bonus 4: The casting time of your Regrowth spell is reduced by 0.2 seconds.

Kodohide Battlegear
Dur Mp5 Heal Spell Gems
Kodohide Gloves 35 4 51
17
Kodohide Helm 60 6 64 42 M, Y
Kodohide Legguards 75 8 64 22
Kodohide Robe 100 5 42 14 R, R, Y
Kodohide Spaulders 60 2 26 9 R, Y

Total

330 25 247 104

Return to the complete Outland Battlegear list

Sum jokz iz 4ever

Alamo set the gold standard for class guides with his classic and oft-quoted "Alamo teechs u 2 play DURID!" and it's sequel " ALAMO teeches u 2 Burnin Croosaid!" His style became so popular he even recently updated a mod that announces Druid shifting in /gchat using his memorable phrasing.

Now, it's Rouges, uh, Rogues that are getting the Alamo treatment with "Zarhon teeches you to play rogz!" Take in shining gems of lewt class knowledge such as: "We haf many cool skillz! Like pickpockets to get more muniz!", "LoLstep to pwn those kiters!" and "We can pop cloakz of darkstuffs and pwn baby locks!"

And while I'm pointing out Alamo homages, you should check out Smoosh's well done comic explaining how to play as a Tree Druid. Entertaining and informative. It doesn't get better than that.


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