Gear Up Your New Level 80 Druid the Easy Way

Gearing up fast as a brand new level 80 druid is easy in World of Warcraft if you plan it right and use this strategy. World of Warcraft is an extremely gear dependant game and you will be at a disadvantage as a new druid just starting out with green and blue gear. With the new looking for dungeon system you can gear up queuing as a healer instead of DPS. Druids also have an advantage over other tanking classes just starting out due to the survival of the fittest talent which gives you an extra 3% toward being critical hit immune.

If you use the looking for dungeon tool as a healer or tank, you can get into a random dungeon in a few minutes. However, if you sign up as a DPS class you can spend close to an hour looking for a group! When you are first starting out and need gear fast, restoration and balance is the best solution.

The add on GearScore, will help you evaluate items that you find in random dungeons, badge items and keep track of how your gear is progressing. Think about all of the death knights, rogues, mages and warlocks you see walking around Dalaran with 5,000 or better GearScore, this is why you will not find many groups as a brand new druid specializing in feral or balance only. Groups are always crying for a tank or healer though! When you first start out your GearScore will be in the low 3,000 range but after a few days as a healer, you should be close to having 4,500-5,000 in your GearScore rating.

If you are considering starting out as a bear tank don't until you have enough stamina, defense, dodge, agility and armor rating to be effective in heroics. You will need at least 415 defense to be immune to critical hits with the survival of the fittest talent and at least 30,000 health to tank in heroics. Dodge is one of the main avoidance tactics available to druid tanks. Agility and armor rating also boost your survivability.

At level 80 go restoration or dual specialize for restoration and balance. With a dual specialization in restoration and balance you can focus on building a caster set of gear first with spell damage, intelligence and some +hit. Hit rating will not help your healing spells but it will help you do DPS when you are soloing or recruited for a DPS spot by the random dungeon tool. When you are waiting for a group or not using the random dungeon finder you can efficiently complete daily quests or solo as a boomkin.

As you level through the 70's pickup DPS gear first because this will help you level quickly and efficiently. Occasionally add rare blue items that are plus spell damage and critical hit. When you reach level 80 you should buy Windripper Leggings and Boots or Earthgiving Leggings and Boots and any blue item that increases your gear score so you can unlock more heroic dungeons. Most groups are more forgiving of an under geared healer than they are a DPS player or tank.

You should have at least 1,000 spell power when you first start out in heroics. Most other people in random dungeon groups will be better geared than you are and can easily carry a healer. Use the random dungeon finder and heal as a restoration druid, you should be able to get about 30 badges in under an hour and a half. Farm badges for a few days and your druid will have all the gear they need to get into high end heroics and raids.

During my first few heroic runs on my druid I noticed that as a leather armor wearer you are at a bit of a disadvantage for obtaining caster gear. Most of the cloth gear you will see dropping will only allow you to roll greed. Trinkets, jewelry and weapons are fair game and you can roll need on those items. While most people don't mind helping a brand new level 80 druid gear up, some people will roll need on the items you need just to vendor them. The only way to get your gear is to be persistent.

As you begin to farm heroics you can save badges up for gear that is ideal for your specialization of choice. When you are not farming heroics work up your reputation with dailies and finish your north end quests. Soon your Druid will have the gear to run any instance in World of Warcraft.