Guardian Druid Tank Artifact Talents/Traits and Relics (Legion 7.3.5)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.3 Changes
  • 3. Patch 7.2.5 Changes
  • 4. Patch 7.2 Changes
  • 5. Contents
  • 6. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics of Guardian Druids
  • 2. Talent Choice for Guardian Druids
  • 3. Stat Choice
  • 4. Basic Rotation for Guardian Druids
  • 5. Active Mitigation Abilities for Guardian Druids
  • 6. Cooldown Usage for Guardian Druids
  • 7. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Main Resource of Guardian Druids
  • 3. Basic Abilities for Guardian Druids
  • 4. Important Procs for Guardian Druids
  • 5. Active Mitigation for Guardian Druids
  • 6. Cooldowns for Guardian Druids
  • 7. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents for Guardian Druids
  • 3. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents for Guardian Druids
  • 4. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents for Guardian Druids
  • 5. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents for Guardian Druids
  • 6. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents for Guardian Druids
  • 7. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents for Guardian Druids
  • 8. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents for Guardian Druids
  • 9. ChangeLog
• ×Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression for Guardian Druids
    • 1.1. Shared Path
    • 1.2. Adaptive Fur Versus Gory Fur
    • 1.3. Patch 7.2 Traits for Guardian Druids
  • 2. Relic Choice for Guardian Druids
    • 2.1. Survivability
    • 2.2. Damage Output
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Netherlight Crucible Relic Paths
  • 1. General Optimization Advice for Guardian Druids
  • 2. Tier 2 Upgrade Priority for Guardian Druids
    • 2.1. Survivability
    • 2.2. Damage Output
  • 3. Tier 3 Upgrade Priority for Guardian Druids
    • 3.1. Survivability
    • 3.2. Damage Output
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Single Target Rotation for Guardian Druids
  • 2. Multiple Target Rotation for Guardian Druids
  • 3. Active Mitigation for Guardian Druids
    • 3.1. Ironfur
    • 3.2. Frenzied Regeneration
  • 4. Taunting
  • 5. Cooldowns for Guardian Druids
  • 6. Optional Read: Mastering Your Guardian Druid
    • 6.1. Rage Generation
    • 6.2. Mastery: Nature's Guardian
    • 6.3. Gore Procs
    • 6.4. Detailed Cooldown Usage for Guardian Druids
      • 6.4.1. Survival Instincts
      • 6.4.2. Barkskin
      • 6.4.3. Rage of the Sleeper
      • 6.4.4. Tier 1 Talents
      • 6.4.5. Tier 3 Talents
      • 6.4.6. Tier 5 Talents
      • 6.4.7. Tier 6 Talents
  • 7. ChangeLog
• +Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
    • 1.1. Survivability
    • 1.2. Damage Output
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding of Guardian Druid Stats
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems for Guardian Druids
  • 2. Enchants for Guardian Druids
  • 3. Consumables for Guardian Druids
  • 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 Guardian Druids
      • 1.2.1. Hand of Protection Cancelaura Macro
      • 1.2.2. Useful Mouseover Macros
  • 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. Parrot or Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 2.1.5. Weak Auras
      • 2.1.6. DroodFocus
      • 2.1.7. Recount / Skada / Details!
      • 2.1.8. Grid and GridClickSets (Optional)
    • 2.2. Specific Addons for Guardian Druids
      • 2.2.1. Omen Threat Meter
      • 2.2.2. Tidy Plates: Threat Plates
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Best in Slot List for Guardian Druids
  • 2. Trinkets for Guardian Druids
    • 2.1. Non-Raid Trinkets
    • 2.2. Raid Trinkets
  • 3. Tier 21 Set Bonuses for Guardian Druids
  • 4. Legendary Items for Guardian Druids
  • 5. Loot Competition for Guardian Druids
  • 6. ChangeLog

General Information

This page shows you how to level up the Artifact and how to choose the right Relics for your Guardian Druids. It is updated for World of Warcraft Legion 7.3.5.

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

About Our Reviewer

This guide has been reviewed and approved by Treckie, who has been a long-time leading tank who has competed for world first kills for 5 years. He is one of the casters for both last year's and this year's upcoming Mythic Dungeon invitational. You can watch his stream on Twitch and you can follow him on Twitter.

1. Artifact Progression for Guardian Druids

Please note that at this stage in the Legion expansion, unlocking your pre-Patch 7.2 artifact traits happens almost instantly, and as such, choosing a particular path through them is irrelevant.

Afterwards, it takes a bit more time (although not that much) to reach Concordance of the Legionfall. Optimizing your path here is more worthwhile.

For the first 35 Artifact points, the Guardian Druid Artifact progression path is mostly straightforward, but there is one to choice to be made at a certain point.

1.1. Shared Path

The first part of the progression path is the same no matter what choice you make later on. You will aim to go for Embrace of the Nightmare as your first golden trait, by choosing the following traits, in order.

1. Rage of the Sleeper
2. Iron Claws
3. Vicious Bites
4. Wildflesh
5. Bear Hug
6. Perpetual Spring
7. Bloody Paws
8. Jagged Claws
9. Embrace of the Nightmare

1.2. Adaptive Fur Versus Gory Fur

At this point, you will need to choose if you want to unlock Adaptive Fur or Gory Fur as your second golden trait. We recommend Adaptive Fur, as going down this path is quicker. However, Gory Fur provides a greater survivability increase.

If you are going for Adaptive Fur, simply take Reinforced Fur and then Adaptive Fur.

If you are going for Gory Fur, then take Sharpened Instincts, Ursoc's Endurance, and then Gory Fur.

Regardless of your choice, your next step should be to take the golden trait that you chose not to take first.

Once you have unlocked the first 3 golden traits, all that is left is to take any remaining traits up to the new traits added in Patch 7.2.

1. Bestial Fortitude
2. Mauler and Roar of the Crowd
3. Ursoc's Bond

1.3. Patch 7.2 Traits for Guardian Druids

For the traits added in Patch 7.2, you should follow this order:

1. Fortitude of the Cenarion Circle
2. Scintillating Moonlight
3. Fleshknitting
4. Pawsitive Outlook
5. Jagged Claws
6. Vicious Bites
7. Ursoc's Endurance
8. Wildflesh
9. Bestial Fortitude, Perpetual Spring, Reinforced Fur, Mauler, and Sharpened Instincts, in any order
10. Concordance of the Legionfall

2. Relic Choice for Guardian Druids

When choosing which Relics to use, the benefit the relic offers is important, and you should be willing to sacrifice item levels to gain the desired trait.

2.1. Survivability

For survivability, the traits to look out for are, in rough order:

1. Ursoc's Endurance;
2. Scintillating Moonlight;
3. Reinforced Fur;
4. Wildflesh;
5. Bestial Fortitude.

Keep in mind that these traits all work slightly differently, and obviously the Ironfur relics have little impact against magic, while Wildflesh gains strength the more you actively use Frenzied Regeneration.

Both Sharpened Instincts and Perpetual Spring are very weak traits, as Survival Instincts is generally way too strong already, so reducing damage taken during it further is overkill, and Perpetual Spring reduces the cooldown of Barkskin by 3% per stack, which is less than 3 seconds per rank.

2.2. Damage Output

The best offensive traits are, in rough order:

1. Jagged Claws;
2. Vicious Bites;
3. Mauler.

While some of the defensive traits are fairly strong, the impact of Jagged Claws is hard to ignore; it can be worth sacrificing up to 40 item levels on a relic just to get Jagged Claws. This trait has greater impact in Mythic+ than any of the defensive traits, and even for raiding it is very valuable.

3. ChangeLog

• 18 Mar. 2018: Significantly revamped relic priority.
• 12 Sep. 2017: Updated relic priority.
• 12 Jun. 2017: Page reviewed and deemed updated for 7.2.5.
• 27 Mar. 2017: Added path for the Artifact traits added in Patch 7.2.
• 16 Dec. 2016: Removed a mention of Relics that enhance Roar of the Crowd, since none actually exist.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Added.

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