Pandaria: Moonkins on the PTR

2012-08-06T06:08:00.000-07:00

I released this video where you can see some testing around with my live character on the PTR. In this blog, I'm giving a bit more information about things as rotation, abilities and important factors for balance druids in World of WarCraft: Mists of Pandaria.

MOONKINS CURRENTLY (CATACLYSM PATCH 4.3)
Currently, moonkins are pretty strong but easy to kill in PvP. We have a rather technical rotation which takes some time to master it completly. When you manage your eclipses, you are able to do a lot of DPS.

Our very very basic rotation currently is:
Step 1: Moonfire + Insect Swarm (DoTs)
Step 2: Cast Starsurge
Step 3: Cast Wrath untill you reach Lunar Eclipse
Step 4: Refresh your DoTs
Step 5: Cast Starfall
Step 6: Cast Starfire untill you reach Solar Eclipse
Step 7: Refresh your DoTs
Step 8: Cast Wrath untill you reach Lunar Eclipse

On live, you have to play around with insect swarm and an eclipse, since you get a haste buff after casting it and that haste buff resets when you reach an eclipse. On PTR, this isn't possible anymore because insect swarm is removed.

MOONKINS ON PTR
Our new rotation will be some what in this direction:
Step 1: Moonfire + Sunfire
Step 2: Cast Starsurge

Step 3: Cast Wrath untill you reach Lunar Eclipse
Step 4: Refresh your DoTs
Step 5: Cast Starfall
Step 6: Cast Starfire untill you reach Solar Eclipse
Step 7: Refresh your DoTs
Step 8: Cast Wrath untill you reach Lunar Eclipse

We get 3 new abilities which are important for moonkins.

1. Astral Communion
This basically helps you planning an eclipse. I recommend using this at the start of an encounter, so that you can start in a lunar eclipse. This spell gives you 100 lunar or solar eclipse (whichever is more benefitial to you) in a time of 4 seconds. Using this while fighting might be a bit weird, but I haven't tested it out yet.

2. Celestial Alignment
I love this ability. It's like an epic state of Eclipse-ness. All your damage is increased by 68% when you use it, and you can cast whatever you want since you're in this state for 15 seconds. That's right, you're not moving towards lunar or solar while in this state. It has a 3 minute CD.

When you use this ability, use all of your CD's as well and use this rotation:

Step 1: Apply Moonfire (this applies sunfire)
Step 2: Cast Starsurge
Step 3: Cast Starfall
Step 4: Cast Starfire or Wrath, whatever you prefer. If you don't have much haste, I guess wrath would be a bit better.

3. Incarnation: Chosen of Elune
Powerful moonkin is powerful. You shapeshift into an armored chicken and your eclipse damage is 25% increased. Use it on CD when reaching a Lunar eclipse or use it in AoE situations while in Lunar Eclipse.

Why is Lunar better than Solar Eclipse?
On live, you basically prefer Solar Eclipse because of the 2 powerful nature DoTs and the strong mushrooms. On PTR, Lunar is way better than Solar for several reasons:

1. No more Insect Swarm, so there's only 1 nature and 1 arcane DoT.
2. Starfall gives increased damage in lunar eclipse.
3. Mushrooms aren't influenced by solar anymore, so you can cast them whenever you want.
4. Arcane Storm is a powerful AoE spell which is increased by lunar eclipse.

Stats in Mists of Pandaria:
I haven't leveled a druid to 90 yet, so the next part is a guess.. but I guess that stats won't change in Mists of Pandaria. Our priority currently (PvE):

Intellect > 17% hit (Hit/Spirit) > Haste > Mastery > Crit.

If this will change, I will adjust it here.

Moonkins of Pandaria

Pandaria: Moonkins on the PTR