Cat Query :: Rotations

Q u o t e [ From the WoW Druid Forums ]:
sorry I just had a quest about feral druid attacks I was curious about too.

I am only level 34, but at 36 I believe I get a new move called 'Pounce'. There are a lot of moves feral druids get and I'm not sure what I am supposed to be using in PvE or PvP. I think pounce has to be used in stealth, but I'm not totally sure.

I have a move called 'Ravage' which has proven to be really good. I have pulled off a few 300-500 crits off with it. When I get this pounce move, do I stop using ravage? There are also other moves like claw and rake. I only use these to acquire combo points. I also just got ferocious bite a while ago... Should I be using this over Rip?

Finally there is the move mangle, which I can get at level 50 or 51. Where do I use this in my attack rotation?

---

Okay. Lets break all of the spells that's been listed. Generally, of course. No numbers. Ever. (I hope.)

Pounce: A stun and a bleed. Opening move, must be in stealth.

Ravage: Lots of damage. Opening move, must be in stealth.

Rip: Finishing move with a bleed.

Ferocious Bite: Finshing move. Pure damage.

Mangle: Damage, and increases the damage from bleeds.

And the spells you didn't address:

Shred: First gained at level 22. Can only be used when behind a target. Does damage.

Claw: Gained at 20. Does damage.

Rake: Gained at 22. A bleed.

Maim: Gained at 62. A finishing move, incapacitates the target. Any direct damage done will revive the target.

Now, I'm not going to mash out numbers, just give you a general idea of cat spells.

As a seventy, the general rotation would go as follows (on solo mobs): Pounce > Shred > Shred (if you have the energy for it) > Faerie Fire Feral > Mangle (After 50)...

And this is where you have to make a decision. But we're supposing that you didn't get the shred off, nor the mangle Or Maim. (Which means the rotation has been decreased to Pounce > Shred.) I am personally a fan of Rake, while many of my fellow ferals don't. I, personally, would rake him at this point. And then, if he is at low health, white hit him while spamming my lovely Ferocious Bite button for when I have enough energy to bite his face off. If he is not, I use Rip, adding another DoT on him and then claw (and refresh Rake) him to four/five combo points and see where he is. If he's almost dead, Ferocious Bite. If not, rinse and repeat.

Pounce, Rake, and Rip are the three bleeds that druids have.

When not to use them is on things that don't bleed. That's when you bring out ravage. Ravage is more of a group attack than anything: when you know that your target won't turn around and you can shred him without any worries, and when bleed effects are useless.

[[ Will go into higher level rotations in a bit. ]]