WoW: The War Within Druid of the Claw Druid Hero Talents guide

The Druid of the Claw archetype is, as the title may suggest, a new Druid Hero Talent tree in World of Warcraft: The War Within. With an emphasis on improving the class’ various animal forms, here’s everything you need to know about what’s on offer.

Hero Talents are Blizzard’s latest attempt to add depth and further customization to the class system. They augment the benefits offered to each class and specialization, slotting into the existing talent system and allowing for further viable builds.

As they are tied to specializations, each class has three new Hero Talent trees associated with it when The War Within releases. Of those, they can choose between two, depending on which spec they are running. The exceptions to this rule are Druids and Demon Hunters, who have two and four, respectively.

Here’s all the lowdown on the Druid of the Claw Hero Talents.

Druid of the Claw Druid full Hero Talent tree explained

Every upcoming Hero Talent tree follows the same format. At the beginning and end, there is a Keystone and Capstone talent, with three further rows of talents to choose between along the way. Feral and Guardian specs have access to the Druid of the Claw Hero Talent set, with the full breakdown as follows:

Druid of the Claw Druid Keystone Hero Talent

Massive Attack: Your auto-attacks have a chance to make your next Ferocious Bite (Feral) or Maul (Guardian) become Massive Attack.

• Feral: Finishing move that slashes through your target in a wide arc, dealing Physical damage per combo point to your target and consuming up to 25 additional Energy to increase that damage by up to 100%. Hits all other enemies in front of you for reduced damage per combo point spent.
• Guardian: Slash through your target in a wide arc, dealing Physical damage to your target and additional damage to all other enemies in front of you.

Druid of the Claw Druid first-row Hero Talents

Bestial Strength:

• Feral: Ferocious Bite damage increased by 5% and Primal Wrath’s (Feral) direct damage increased by 100% Maul and Raze (Guardian) damage increased by 10%.
• Guardian: Maul and Raze damage increased by 10%.

Dreadful Wound: Massive Attack also inflicts a Bleed that causes additional damage over 6 sec and saps its victims’ strength, reducing the damage they deal to you by 5%. Dread Wound is not affected by Circle of Life and Death.

Fount of Strength: Your maximum Energy and Rage are increased by 20. Frenzied Regeneration also increases your maximum health by 10%.

Druid of the Claw Druid second-row Hero Talents

Wildshape Mastery: Ironfur and Frenzied Regeneration persist in Cat Form. When transforming from Bear to Cat Form, you retain 80% of your Bear Form armor and health for 6 seconds. For 6 seconds after entering Bear Form, you heal for 10% of damage taken over 8 seconds.

Choice Node: Ruthless Aggression and Killing Strikes

• Ruthless Aggression: Massive Attack increases your auto-attack speed by 20% for 6 seconds.
• Killing Strikes: Massive Attack increases your Agility by 5% and the armor granted by Ironfur by 20% for 6 seconds.
  • Feral: Your first Tiger’s Fury after entering combat makes your next Ferocious Bite become a Massive Attack.
  • Guardian: Your first Mangle after entering combat makes your next Maul become a Massive Attack.  

Pack’s Endurance: Stampeding Roar’s duration is increased by 25%.

Druid of the Claw Druid third-row Hero Talents

Choice Node: Empowered Shapeshifting and Wildpower Surge

• Empowered Shapeshifting: Frenzied Regeneration can be cast in Cat Form for 40 Energy. Bear Form reduces magic damage you take by 4%. Shred, Swipe, and Mangle damage increased by 5%.
• Wildpower Surge: Shred and Swipe grant Ursine Potential (Feral) and Mangle grants Feline Potential (Guardian).
  • Ursine Potential: When you have 8 stacks, the next time you transform into Bear Form, your next Mangle or Swipe deals 100% increased damage and generates 15 extra Rage.
  • Feline Potential: When you have 6 stacks, the next time you transform into Cat form, gain 5 Combo Points and your next Ferocious Bite or Rip deals 50% increased damage for its full duration.

Aggravate Wounds: Every Finishing Move, Shred (Feral), Maul, Raze, Mangle (Guardian), Thrash, or Swipe you cast extends the duration of your Dreadful Wounds by 0.4 seconds, up to 6 additional seconds. 

Choice Node: Strike for the Heart and Tear Down the Mighty.

• Strike for the Heart: Shred, Swipe, and Mangle’s critical strike chance and critical strike damage are increased by 8%.
• Tear Down the Mighty: The cooldown of Feral Frenzy (Feral) and Pulverize (Guardian) is reduced by 5 seconds.

Druid of the Claw Druid capstone Hero Talent

Claw Rampage: Berserk, Shred, Swipe, and Thrash have a 25% chance to make your next Ferocious Bite become a Massive Attack (Feral). During Berserk, Mangle, Swipe, and Thrash have a 25% chance to make your next Maul become a Massive Attack (Guardian).

Make sure to check out our other Hero Talent guides below:

Colossus Warrior | Keeper of the Grove Druid | Dark Ranger Hunter | Frostfire Mage | Oracle Priest | Elune’s Chosen Druid | Wildstalker Druid | Herald of the Sun Paladin | Scalecommander Evoker | Trickster Rogue | Templar Paladin | Diabolist Warlock | Rider of the Apocalypse Death Knight | Deathbringer Death Knight | Aldrachi Reaver Demon Hunter | Druid of the Claw Druid | Pack Leader Hunter | Flameshaper Evoker | Spellslinger Mage | Shado-Pan Monk