CHEY’S FERAL VET GUIDE

Chey

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CHEY’S FERAL VET GUIDE



Introduction

First let me say I do not consider myself the best feral in the bracket or even in the top 10, honestly my skill level would be considered average and I am fine with that. I do however consider myself one of the most passionate feral players at least in the 20s scene. I put a lot of time into research and testing and although perhaps at times my perception of those results may be wrong, I do feel I have enough knowledge to pass onto the community what my opinions and continued love of the spec accumulated over several years that may be of help to someone.

Please feel free to add any comments or suggestion that may improve the guide overall, I am always open to advise and often will speak to more experienced/skilled players for their opinions.



Why play feral?

Feral is a Mid/Low Mid Tier class, do not have any illusions about the fact it has earned that spot. So why play it? The jack of all trades master of none springs to mind, it can do a little bit of everything and can easily take people by surprise who disregard it.

One of the most exciting and disappointing class’ to play all at the same time, so rewards are huge and lows are depressing. For me personally I just love the druid lore and have always been a massive big cat fan so the choice was easy.



Race

Night Elf (vanish + increased movement speed in stealth + 1% crit or haste depending on time of day) > HM Tauren (Charge + Stun on 2m cd + 1%versa = Tauren (Stun on 1.5m cd + Increased stamina + increased damage on crit) > Others



Stat Priority

Wargames - Agility>Crit>Mastery>Versa>Haste

Random BGs - Agility >Versa>Mastery>Crit>Haste


Stat Benefits

Agilty - 1 agility increases attack power by 1 and is your best damage increasing ability.

Intelect provides no benefit to feral, our spell power is increased by our attack power.

Crit - As expected increases your critical strike potential.

In PVP this 175% of a standard attack/ability.

Mastery - Provides a large increase to bleed damage.

Works for Rake, Thrash and most importantly Ferioucs Bite. Adds no benefit to Moonfire even if Lunar Inspiration talent is taken.

Versatility - Increase damage by your total percentage and reduces damage taken by half of your total percentage.

Mainly taken for the increased damage. Even with high versa cat is very squishy and we have Bear form, every bit of reduction helps however.

Haste - Increases energy regeneration, reduces GCD (good for shapeshifting) reduces cast time on regrowth, break points can add an extra tic to DOTs.

Good for an elemental force/Luna build but is sub-par compared to the other builds. Dot or Rot builds may pad the meters but are not effective for your team.


Gear Selection Overview

Can be determined by playstyle. *Note: Have little to no experience in wargames so would encourage input from others if this information is wrong.

Wargame Set (best for wargames, EFC returns and initial clash WSG mid/ AB LM/ EOTS Bridge etc *always save glider for knock backs off bridge) - Feral is most effective by building combo points re-stealthing and coordinating a burst attack or even one shotting. I like to sit at 36%ish outside of BGs for 30% in instanced PVP, I found this to be a good bench mark where you are not sacrificing to much other beneficial stats to reach.

Random BG Set (good mix of survival and damage) - I also like to off heal, cc root etc so have found this set better suited to me.

Trinket Swapping (not compulsorily but is just better when you do) – Burst comes from double dps trinkets that can be used at the same time https://www.wowhead.com/item=109997?ilvl=25 and https://www.wowhead.com/item=108902?ilvl=25 once these are used I swap to double i28 10agility Mastery/Versa trinkets. The “on use” trinkets incur a 30sec cd when first equipped so re-equipping around the 30-40s cd remaining is a good idea.

PVP Trinket + Burst Trinket (good for arena or when versing heavy cc’ class that u can’t powershift out of) – I would say at least 50% of the time I will run with a PVP trinket, make sure to run with KA Injector and not Elekk Tusk when using this set up in instanced PVP as the injector despite the tooltip is the superior trinket of the two.

Wastewalker Set (2pce crit)

No matter what combination I used I could not find justification to get the crit bonus while sacrificing other important stats. *Note: shoulders are not available for 20s as Heroic dungeon version is required.

Belt

The https://www.wowhead.com/item=28124?ilvl=25 has the exact same stat benefit as an i28 socket except with lower stam. You can get more agility with the blue so depends what you are lacking.

Shoulders and Boots

If you need more mastery and want the higher stam then i28 greens could be used, it will be an overall damage stat loss however. Tertiary’s may also push that across the line for random BGs only as they are not active in Arena/Wargames.


Gear (Wargames)

Helm: https://www.wowhead.com/item=77534?ilvl=19 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=27409?ilvl=25

Neck: i28 High Mastery Peerless (socket only)

Shoulders: https://www.wowhead.com/item=27737?ilvl=25 /i28 High Mastery Peerless (socket only)

Cloak: i28 High Mastery Peerless (socket only)

Chest: https://www.wowhead.com/item=28202?ilvl=25

Bracers: i28 High Mastery Peerless (socket only)

Hands: i28 High Mastery Peerless (socket only)

Belt: i28 High Mastery Peerless (socket only)

Legs: https://www.wowhead.com/item=27492?ilvl=25

Boots: https://www.wowhead.com/item=28339?ilvl=25

Rings: i28 High Mastery Peerless (socket only)

Trinket 1: https://www.wowhead.com/item=109997?ilvl=25

Trinket 2: https://www.wowhead.com/item=108902?ilvl=25

Trinket Swap: i28 Mastery/Versatility (socket only)

PVP Trinket: https://www.wowhead.com/item=122371?ilvl=24 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=122370?ilvl=24


Gear (Random BGs)

Helm: https://www.wowhead.com/item=27409?ilvl=25

Neck: i28 Harmonious (socket only)

Shoulders: https://www.wowhead.com/item=27737?ilvl=25

Cloak: i28 Harmonious (socket only)

Chest: https://www.wowhead.com/item=28202?ilvl=25

Bracers: i28 Harmonious (socket only)

Hands: i28 Harmonious (socket only)

Belt: i28 Harmonious (socket only)

Legs: https://www.wowhead.com/item=27492?ilvl=25

Boots: https://www.wowhead.com/item=28339?ilvl=25

Rings: i28 Harmonious (socket only)

Trinket 1: https://www.wowhead.com/item=109997?ilvl=25

Trinket 2: https://www.wowhead.com/item=108902?ilvl=25

Trinket Swap: i28 Versatility/ Mastery (socket only)

PVP Trinket: https://www.wowhead.com/item=122371?ilvl=24 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=122370?ilvl=24


Weapons and Weapon Swapping

This will cost you a GCD to do during combat so keep that in mind.

Main Weapon

https://www.wowhead.com/item=791?ilvl=27 + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=20030/superior-impact

Swap Weapon’s

Stun: (may swap to this when trying to kill healer)

https://www.wowhead.com/item=9477?ilvl=25 + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=20030/superior-impact

Artifact: (may swap to this when trying to bleed kite a war or other plate class)

https://www.wowhead.com/item=128860/fangs-of-ashamane?bonus=0 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=128821/claws-of-ursoc?bonus=0 + MH https://www.wowhead.com/item=38917/enchant-weapon-major-striking / https://www.wowhead.com/item=74725/enchant-weapon-elemental-force
and OH https://www.wowhead.com/item=74725/enchant-weapon-elemental-force


Enchants

Neck: https://www.wowhead.com/item=141909/enchant-neck-mark-of-the-trained-soldier

Shoulders: https://www.wowhead.com/spell=86375/swiftsteel-inscription (wargame/Arena BiS)

Cloak: https://www.wowhead.com/item=38973 + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=126392

Chest: https://www.wowhead.com/item=74708/enchant-chest-glorious-stats

Wrists: https://www.wowhead.com/item=44815/enchant-bracer-greater-assault

Gloves: https://www.wowhead.com/item=38967/enchant-gloves-major-agility

Waist: https://www.wowhead.com/spell=82200

Legs: https://www.wowhead.com/spell=124567/primal-leg-reinforcements

Boots: https://www.wowhead.com/item=38837/enchant-boots-minor-speed (Stacks with travel/cat speed increase BiS)

Rings: https://www.wowhead.com/item=128543/enchant-ring-binding-of-mastery / https://www.wowhead.com/item=128544/enchant-ring-binding-of-versatility

Weapon: https://www.wowhead.com/spell=20030/superior-impact (BiS) Reciepe is grandfathered but most servers will have someone that has it. If not available check alternatives Feral Weapon Enchant SL.xlsx - Google Drive


Main Gems

Gems: https://www.wowhead.com/item=28362/delicate-ornate-ruby / https://www.wowhead.com/item=28363/deadly-ornate-topaz

Meta Gem: https://www.wowhead.com/item=32640/tense-unstable-diamond

Stamina and Main Stat Unique: https://www.wowhead.com/item=49110/nightmare-tear (tooltip says +3, is only +2 however as a druid you can use this in any set as it will provide intellect or agility depending on spec. Great for a ring, cloak or neck) Remember you can only have one piece of gear with this gem on at a time.

Other Gems

https://www.wowhead.com/item=32212/shifting-shadowsong-amethyst Not a fan of adding to much stamina as we have Bear form for defensive use and should be taking https://www.wowhead.com/spell=236019/strength-of-the-wild PVP talent.

https://www.wowhead.com/spell=39715/solid-empyrean-sapphire BiS for FC set.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=40150/deft-ametrine BiS PVE* its viable for PVP but not suggested.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=25899/brutal-earthstorm-diamond The + damage has no effect however the stun is a good alternative to weapon swapping.

Talents

Lunar Inspiration https://www.wowhead.com/spell=155580/lunar-inspiration - Best overall damage, easier to build cp and is the cheapest/quickest way to build to 5 and get that re-stealth from range.

Sabertooth https://www.wowhead.com/spell=202031/sabertooth - Those big bites! Obviously harder to build cp but currently preferring this. Bite damage matters and 20% is rather large.

Predator - Never Ever!

PVP Talents

Strength of the Wild https://www.wowhead.com/spell=236019/strength-of-the-wild - Best overall, not a great selection but a solid choice.

Malorne’s Swiftness - Good for Flag running maps if you plan to FC.

Ferocious Wound - Pre nerf was ‘ok’ now I wouldn’t bother.

Fresh Wound - Meh..


Professions (only two available to use in game at the same time)

Engineering - Access to cloak glider, bombs, healing injector and engineering helm.

Alchemy - Access to main stat flask that is not consumed on use.

Inscription – Access to shoulder enchants (BiS for wargames and arena as tinkers and flask do not work there)



Consumables

https://www.wowhead.com/spell=16640/dense-weightstone Huge damage increase for blunt weapons.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=12404/dense-sharpening-stone Huge damage increase for blade weapons.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=5634/free-action-potion Important when on EFC, the bite may kill but u cant return flag if you are stunned/feared.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=2459/swiftness-potion Cheese but for those save the game flag runs!

https://www.wowhead.com/item=18841/combat-mana-potion Can be brought for a few silver from PVP vendor in SW/Org max stack of 10. Feral ooms super quick.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=21990/netherweave-bandage Was the best bandage last time I checked, again feral ooms.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=126934/lemon-herb-filet Easily obtainable food from DMF and cooking, stock up during the monthly event.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=10309/scroll-of-agility-iv I use this because I can make it from mats in my reagents bank and I do not have Alchemist Flask currently using ENG/INS.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=138486/third-wind-potion Good if you dont use the healing injector belt tinker.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=138488/saltwater-potion Because Bite go chomp!

https://www.wowhead.com/item=120257/drums-of-fury (or similar) When your in a hurry.


Gameplay Info

- Snapshotting for the most part no longer exists in game except for feral. Tiger’s fury will buff any bleed or moonfire (Lunar Inspiration) for the entirety of its duration, even after the buff falls off. So do not clip a bleed that has been buffed by TF. Furthermore clipping a bleed/moonfire while https://www.wowhead.com/spell=5217/tigers-fury is active will be a dps increase even at higher tics.

- https://www.wowhead.com/spell=22568/ferocious-bite Always try to bite with Tigers Fury active, 5 combo points and hold for 50 energy to increase damage by 100%

- Feral is very squishy and should be played as a hit and run, you will melt on the frontline and/or oom your healers.

- Don’t forget you have roots, one of the most annoying ability’s for melee. You can’t stun or interrupt but you can keep a melee off your healer, allow them a gap at least or force the offensive trinket.

- Use Bear form to soak burst or big incoming damage.

- Shapeshifting between cat and bear will incur an ability GCD including shapeshift (RIP power shifting) however your melee swing is not on the GCD so will continue (standard no haste) 1sec for cat 2.5 for bear.






Macro’s

A few I use that I find helpful, may not apply for everyone.


Prowl

#showtooltip

/cast [stance:1] !Cat Form; [stance:2] !Prowl; [stance:3] !Cat Form; [stance:4]!Cat Form [noform] !Cat Form


(one button for cat and prowl that can be accidently spammed without bringing you out)


Cancel

/cast [stance:1] Bear Form

/cast [stance:2] Cat Form

/cast [stance:3] Travel Form

/stopcasting


(stops a cast or cancels any form you are currently in to go caster form)


Bite Heal 2 in 1

#showtooltip Ferocious Bite

/cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead] Ferocious Bite; [@mouseover,help,nodead][@target,help] Regrowth; Ferocious Bite


(will bite your current target if in range and not moused over friendly or enemy, will bite an enemy you are moused over or will heal a friendly you are moused over)


Maul PVP Heal

#showtooltip Strength of the Wild

/cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead] Strength of the Wildl; [@mouseover,help,nodead][@target,help] Regrowth; Strength of the Wild


(same as the bite macro but for bear form)



Moonfire RC

#showtooltip

/cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead] Moonfire; [@mouseover,help,nodead][@target,help] Remove Corruption; Moonfire

/startattack


(moonfire an enemy player or remove corruption on friendly mouse over or target)

*Will also start auto attacking no matter if you have energy or not. I use this for all damage ability’s.



CC

#showtooltip

/focus [target=focus, exists, nodead] focus; [btn:2][] target

/cast [target=focus] Entangling Roots


(will set focus on your current target and cast roots, can then be used off target again)


ME

#showtooltip

/cast [target=player] Regrowth


(will cast regrowth on myself even if I am targeting a friendly player, I use similar for RC as well)


Tank

#showtooltip

/equipset TANK

/equip Fangs of Ashamane


(This is actually for Guardian but I put it in anyway. If you are in Guardian and have a set that uses Fangs, it will not equip unless you use this macro. In this case my equipment set is Tank)

*The same theory can be applied to a feral set that you want claws of ursocs to be in.
 
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200.gif
 
Nice, thanks for the write up. On the topic of meta gems, what do you think about https://www.wowhead.com/item=25899/brutal-earthstorm-diamond as a replacement for https://www.wowhead.com/item=32640/tense-unstable-diamond ?
Yep ill add it in as an option! The +damage adds no benefit at all but the stun is a good alternative to weapon swapping.

I think I have some macro's to /s when they proc too, I will add also. Thanks Ammonite.

Edit: The /s is a weak aura, I will add those in the near future.
 
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@Chey nice guide!

Would you ever consider using satyr neck enchant?

feral can have up to 3 dots on multiple targets at any time. Do you think that a dot focused build and play style might benefit from satyr over flat mastery?
 
Hey @Chey,
What's with this Lunar Inspriation bug in arena skirms? Most times when I open with Moonfire, I get popped out of cat form and do the human Moonfire. Which costs me a global getting back in cat and then I can start doing stuff. It seems to work itself out after first Moonfire, but it's hella frustrating. Any idea how to avoid it?
Thanks
 
Hey @Chey,
What's with this Lunar Inspriation bug in arena skirms? Most times when I open with Moonfire, I get popped out of cat form and do the human Moonfire. Which costs me a global getting back in cat and then I can start doing stuff. It seems to work itself out after first Moonfire, but it's hella frustrating. Any idea how to avoid it?
Thanks
Heya Ench,

Yeah it’s not just arena, it has happened to me in battlegrounds and also open world.

Just curious if you use a macro for it? I thought it may have been a confusion as I use a mouse over for mf. Pretty sure I put the spell direct on bars and it still would happen occasionally.

Tried to replicate it like from stealth, shapeshifting, with gcd timer on. Can’t get it to “bug” lol when Iam trying so to be honest not sure what the cause is.
 
@Chey I use a macro

#showtooltip
/cast [@mouseover, harm, nodead][@target, harm, nodead][] Moonfire;
[doublepost=1650595397,1650554967][/doublepost]I queued a few skirms and bgs today and I think it has something to do with being in cat form when you zone in. So if I'm cat form and zone into arena and I DON'T shift out into human form (like you do to heal when gates open) it happens. But if I do that heal you always do in your videos, the bug doesn't seem to happen. Same thing can happen when you zone out of skirm into open world. At least that's what I think is going on.
TL;DR Be a pro like Chey and drop a heal right as gates open, this bug won't happen to you.
 

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