Feral Druid DPS Artifact Talents/Traits and Relics (Legion 7.2.5)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. What has changed in Patch 7.2.5?
  • 3. What has Changed in Patch 7.2?
  • 4. Strengths
  • 5. Weaknesses
  • 6. Viability in the Current Patch
  • 7. Contents
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics
  • 2. Talent Choice
  • 3. Stat Choice
  • 4. Basic Rotation
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Spell Summary
  • 2. Main Resources
  • 3. Artifact Ability
  • 4. Basic Abilities
    • 4.1. Bleeds
    • 4.2. Other Abilities
    • 4.3. Offensive Cooldowns
    • 4.4. Additional Utility
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Talent Cheat Sheet
    • 2.1. Open World, Levelling and Questing
    • 2.2. Dungeons and Raids
      • 2.2.1. Single Target
      • 2.2.2. AoE
  • 3. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents
  • 4. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents
  • 5. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents
  • 6. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents
  • 7. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents
  • 8. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents
  • 9. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents
  • 10. ChangeLog
• ×Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression
    • 1.1. Early Progression
    • 1.2. Patch 7.2 Progression
  • 2. Artifact Ability
  • 3. Relic Choice
    • 3.1. 1: Tear the Flesh/Razor Fangs
    • 3.2. 2: Razor Fangs/Ashamanes Energy/Feral Power
    • 3.3. 3: Feral Instinct
    • 3.4. 4: AoE Relics
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Single Target Rotation
    • 1.1. Opening Sequence
  • 2. Multiple Target Rotation
    • 2.1. Ashamane's Frenzy
    • 2.2. Long Duration Adds
      • 2.2.1. 2-3 Targets
      • 2.2.2. 4-8 Targets
      • 2.2.3. 9+ Targets
    • 2.3. Short Duration Adds
    • 2.4. Priority Targets
  • 3. Cooldowns
  • 4. Optional Read: Mastering Your Feral Druid
    • 4.1. Mastery: Razor Claws
    • 4.2. Combo Points and Energy
    • 4.3. Single Target Rotation in Detail
      • 4.3.1. Bleeds & DoTs
      • 4.3.2. What to do the Rest of the Time
      • 4.3.3. Energy Management
      • 4.3.4. When to Refresh Bleeds
      • 4.3.5. When to Refresh Savage Roar
      • 4.3.6. Ferocious Bite
    • 4.4. Detailed Cooldown Usage
      • 4.4.1. Tiger's Fury
      • 4.4.2. Fury of Ashamane
      • 4.4.3. Berserk
      • 4.4.4. Tier 1 Talents
      • 4.4.5. Tier 5 Talents
      • 4.4.6. Tier 6 Talents
      • 4.4.7. Tier 7 Talents
  • 5. Tier 19 Set Bonuses
  • 6. Tier 20 Set Bonuses
  • 7. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
  • 3. Advanced Stats
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems
  • 2. Enchants
  • 3. Consumables
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Macros
    • 1.1. Generic Macros for Druids
      • 1.1.1. Rebirth
      • 1.1.2. Remove Corruption
    • 1.2. Specific Macros for Feral Druids
      • 1.2.1. Regrowth Macro
  • 2. Addons
    • 2.1. Generic Addons for Druids
      • 2.1.1. ElvUI
      • 2.1.2. Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs
      • 2.1.3. GTFO
      • 2.1.4. Omen Threat Meter
      • 2.1.5. Parrot or Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 2.1.6. Weak Auras
      • 2.1.7. Recount / Skada / Details!
      • 2.1.8. Grid and GridClickSets (Optional)
      • 2.1.9. TellMeWhen
    • 2.2. Specific Addons for Feral Druids
      • 2.2.1. DotFocus
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Best in Slot List
    • 1.1. Trinkets
    • 1.2. Tier 19 & 20 Bonus Combinations
    • 1.3. Evaluating Upgrades with dynamic Item Levels
  • 2. Racial Bonuses
  • 3. Legendary Items
    • 3.1. 7.1.5 Legendaries
    • 3.2. 7.2 Legendaries
    • 3.3. 7.2.5 Legendaries
    • 3.4. Recommended Choices
  • 4. Loot Competition
  • 5. ChangeLog

General Information

This page shows you how to level up the Artifact and how to choose the right Relics for your Feral Druids. It is updated for World of Warcraft Legion 7.2.5.

The other pages of our Feral Druid guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About Our Author and Reviewer

This guide has been written by Wordup, a frequent theorycrafter involved in a number of class communities. He is also an experienced player who has been in the world top 100 since the days of Sunwell, currently raiding in Echoes. You can also follow him on Twitter.

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Xanzara, a top-ranking Feral Druid, who sometimes streams on YouTube.

1. Artifact Progression

The Fangs of Ashamane have a number of different directions you can branch off from when you gain your first trait, Shredder Fangs, allowing for some flexible decisions. However, the extreme power of some specific traits deep in one path choice limits them, and as such there is only one path you can realistically take to optimise your output.

1.1. Early Progression

The goal of the path is to reach Razor Fangs and Ashamane's Bite as quickly as possible, as these present over half of the total benefit of the Artifact.

Whilst this path does forego some of the multi target oriented traits until later, the enormous boost to single target is more than worth the trade off.

1. Ashamane's Frenzy
2. Shredder Fangs
3. Tear the Flesh
4. Protection of Ashamane
5. Attuned to Nature
6. Ashamane's Energy
7. Razor Fangs
8. Scent of Blood
9. Powerful Bite
10. Ashamane's Bite
11. Open Wounds
12. Feral Instinct
13. Shadow Thrash
14. Feral Power
15. Sharpened Claws
16. Honed Instincts
17. Hardened Roots
18. Fangs of the First

This path aims to reach Ashamane's Bite as early as possible, which is a huge boost. After that, it grabs other traits in descending order of power, whilst avoiding the weakest traits such as Hardened Roots until the end.

You will finally invest one point in Fangs of the First, unlocking the new bonus traits added in 7.2 which are covered below.

1.2. Patch 7.2 Progression

Following Patch 7.2, additional traits have been added upon reaching 35 traits in your current Artifact. This includes 4 additional new traits, a 4th rank in each of the previous Relic traits, and finally a new Paragon trait in Concordance of the Legionfall which all additional Artifact Power will be spent on.

The Feral path has some options with its selections, but this path will focus on the largest output gain per point leading up to the Paragon trait, which requires all other traits unlocked. This path begins by foregoing some of the new traits until the more powerful fourth rank options have been acquired.

1. Ferocity of the Cenarion Circle
2. Fourth rank of Tear the Flesh
3. Fourth rank of Razor Fangs
4. Fourth rank of Ashamane's Energy
5. Fourth rank of Feral Instinct
6. Fourth rank of Feral Power
7. Thrashing Claws
8. Fury of Ashamane
9. Bloodletter's Frailty
10. Fourth rank of Powerful Bite
11. Fourth rank of Sharpened Claws
12. Personal choice filling out both Attuned to Nature and Honed Instincts
13. Concordance of the Legionfall

2. Artifact Ability

The Feral Artifact opens with the active ability, Ashamane's Frenzy, which deals high Physical damage over 3 seconds, and then high Bleed damage over 6 seconds. It has no cost, generates 3 Combo Points, and a 75-second cooldown. This is a great burst tool in single target, and works very well with some of the short duration buffs such as Tiger's Fury and Bloodtalons.

3. Relic Choice

Unlike many other specs, Item Level is not the deciding factor on your Feral Relics. This is largely tied to poor weapon damage scaling, coupled with very high values for the Feral trait bonuses. As an example, a Tear the Flesh Relic can potentially be worth a staggering 11 weapon Item Levels worth of stats depending on the trait it is competing against. I will list trait powers below. All of these values are weighted against a trait with no DPS effect.

3.1. 1: Tear the Flesh/Razor Fangs

Tear the Flesh increases the damage of Rake, and is the highest priority pick in single target. This can be worth up to 10 weapon item levels at higher gear, so should be prioritised. With the Tier 20 4-piece bonus, Razor Fangs is equal to this, but without it is only worth around 8.

3.2. 2: Razor Fangs/Ashamanes Energy/Feral Power

Despite the 7.1.5 reduction, Ashamane's Energy and Feral Power are worth up to 7 item levels. These are good alternatives if you do not have access to Tear the Flesh or Razor Fangs.

3.3. 3: Feral Instinct

Lastly, Feral Instinct can be worth up to 6 weapon item levels, and is the last powerful trait available to Feral.

3.4. 4: AoE Relics

One additional Relic merits a mention, being Sharpened Claws. In large scale multi-target situations, the effect of this Relic on Swipe is valuable, and worth considering. In low target cleave, both DoT Relics in Razor Fangs and Tear the Flesh however take the top spots.

Currently the new trait Thrashing Claws is present on very few relics, but it is unremarkable and is unappealing regardless of gameplay situation compared to alternatives in all situations.

4. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 12 Jun. 2017: Updated for patch 7.2.5.
• 27 Mar. 2017: Added path for the Artifact traits added in Patch 7.2.
• 10 Jan. 2017: Updated for new trait values.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Added.