Here’s an old moonkin post from around the 2.1 patch that I saved, which is part of my moonkin history series.

Lissanna’s BC Balance Analysis (Take 3)

Okay, now that the game has been out for a while, it’s time for me to take another swing at the Balance Tree. My guild just forced me to spec out of balance because it wasn’t “raid-viable” enough for them, for either healing or dps. I did this once in BC alpha and once in BC beta. Here is update #3 for the 2.1 patch.

A) The mele moonkin problem still exists. Really, it is pointless to try to mele in moonkin form, ever. I have tried on both my low level druid alt and my main. Fortunately, our increased DPS & mana efficiency is making it easier to solo without having to resort to mele. However, this mele mana regen proc is wasting important space in our moonkin form design. We need the mele regen proc to be changed to something that actually helps us (and our group) regen mana without having to mele.

Trying to cast and mele at the same time causes melekin these main problems:

1) lower spell damage through gear since we have to pick up more mele stats and talents

2) limitations on weapons due to swing timer resets due to casting. Paladin and Shaman can cast instant spells without their swing timer resetting, which makes casting and mele work together much better than for druids.

3) Instance bosses are anti-mele. I have more mana regen problems inside instances on boss fights where the boss does AOE damage or cleaves. I can’t sacrifice the entire raid to try and get a couple hundred extra mana. It just doesn’t work.

4) Low Mele DPS. This means it is better to cast than mele. Mostly, the proc is becoming more and more of a joke the more +damage gear I get, since my mele dps is the exact same that it was at level 60, where as everything else hits a lot harder. I’ll die before I regen enough mana for being in mele to be worth it.

A) Talent Changes needed:

Most of my original problems with the tree have been fixed. However, there still are a few major weaknesses:

1) Improved Faerie Fire: It does Nothing to help casters, at all. Balance druids don’t mele. So, to make this talent worthwhile, please add something to it that helps casters. This would also be a great way to increase our group/raid desirability. This should be changed to Improved Moonkin Form, that gives a mana regen proc based off our spell DPS. Or, this should be changed to increase spell dps (all spells, or just arcane & nature).

2) Force of Nature does a lot more damage now (thank you), but it still doesn’t do anything else, where as most other class’ pets similar to this (through talents or trainable) have a secondary effect (ie. Mana burn, frost nova, et cetra). Maybe give our trees a chance to proc roots? Most raiding druids do not have a use for the talent, due to the undesirability of pets in raids that has existed since the beginning of raids. Perhaps drop this talent altogether and give us something else that is more desirable.

C) Further raid desirability issues:

5% crit is not enough to make guilds really say “WOW, I want a moonkin in my group!” Shadow priests increase others’ dps, and give BOTH mana and health back to their entire party. Why would anyone bring a moonkin to a group over a shadow priest? I know I wouldn’t take me over a shadow priest, and I’m the one who wants to be the moonkin. Feral druids bring not only the 5% mele crit, but a health regen proc, and the added ability to off-tank as needed. Moonkin just don’t have a reason to exist in raids. I am tired of being the laughing stock of my server. I want moonkin to feel wanted. I am tired of your mele experiment. Accept the fact that it failed, and give moonkin a more focused casting tree. Take out Imp Faerie Fire and change it into a casting talent. Take away the mele proc and turn it into a casting proc.

Please make moonkin more desirable in raids, so that I don’t have to be a sad tree anymore.

Thank you,

Lissanna