New resto, would like a few pointers.

[Kagejin]

Been wanting to roll a resto druid for years, but I've been playing resto shaman and another healer seemed superfluous. However timing worked out and now my level 90 druid is a resto finally. My armory is Ruunaku on the US-Icecrown server. Sorry I can't post links. I'm mostly Timeless Isle gear, gemmed/reforged/enchanted properly, running LFRs for now, and I took Incarnation and Heart of the Wild talents.

In terms of stats, don't have enough gear to meet many of the haste breakpoints so I went with the 3043 one then went mostly mastery focused.

I have few ambitions about clearing content, mostly just LFR/flex I suppose, but nonetheless I do want to improve my playing. Here's what I'm doing:

1. Keeping Lifebloom at 3 stacks rolling on the tank.
2. Using Swiftmend basically on CD to keep mastery rolling.
3. Using Wild Growth on CD as much as possible.
4. Hitting both mana trinkets and innervate on myself ASAP and basically on CD.
5. Keeping a mushroom down where Efflo is hitting sufficient targets, blooming it every so often and quickly setting down the next in an appropriate location.
6. Rarely using Regrowth, even when I get Clearcasting procs. So far the content doesn't seem to really call for it (like I said, LFR) and I keep mastery up through Swiftmend, so it doesn't seem useful.
7. Don't think I have once used Nourish/Healing Touch, except for HT on Nature's Swiftness.

Sound somewhat decent so far? This is basically the play style I have gleaned from reading the various resto FAQs. Here are my questions:

1. Only 8k spirit, but don't have access to more spirit gear, and my mana seems really tight even with constantly using trinkets/innervate. Again I'm almost never using Regrowth or HT or anything, just rotating WG, Swiftmend, and Rejuvenation. I've heard resto druids have awesome regen but compared to my shaman (even when at low gear levels) I feel like I'm running out quickly. Just get better gear?

2. What's the best use of Tree of Life? Hit WG on cooldown, spread 1 stack of Lifebloom on as many targets as possible, and spam Clearcasting procs on Regrowths to those who need it? I seem to spend so much time spreading Lifebloom I don't seem able to take advantage of the Regrowth portion as much as I should.

3. How do I handle aoe burst damage? For example, quills on Ji-kun. I've heard of things like "blanketing rejuvs" on the raid but it doesn't seem like there are enough grand cooldowns to really spread Rejuvs without letting mastery or lifebloom drop. Once I'm out of ToL and Tranq cooldowns I feel kind of lost as to what to do in these situations.

In general, resto druid feels far more like a dps rotation than resto shaman. Most of my GCDs seem to be spent just maintaining mastery, lifebloom, or keeping WG on CD. Things like raid members dropping low suddenly seem like it mostly onto other healers at this point. As a resto shaman, maintaining Earth Shield was way easier than Lifebloom, healing rain has probably a similar duration as resto mastery, and the riptide CD lent itself perfectly to throwing out two greater healing wave bombs on whoever needed it. Just felt like I was really hitting those who really needed it and keeping everyone alive. Resto druid feels like maintaining the rotation for max efficiency and hoping people don't die. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[Thalur]

The general idea sounds about right. Your stat priority should be: Int* > Haste (to 3043) > Spirit (until comfortable) > Mastery > Crit. (* but 1 Int < 2 secondary stats) If you're not comfortable with 8k, get more (if your gear allows it). But 8k should be enough for most LFR bosses. You will get more spirit with better gear.

1. Keeping Lifebloom at 3 stacks rolling on the tank.
2. Using Swiftmend basically on CD to keep mastery rolling.
3. Using Wild Growth on CD as much as possible.
4. Hitting both mana trinkets and innervate on myself ASAP and basically on CD.
5. Keeping a mushroom down where Efflo is hitting sufficient targets, blooming it every so often and quickly setting down the next in an appropriate location.
6. Rarely using Regrowth, even when I get Clearcasting procs. So far the content doesn't seem to really call for it (like I said, LFR) and I keep mastery up through Swiftmend, so it doesn't seem useful.
7. Don't think I have once used Nourish/Healing Touch, except for HT on Nature's Swiftness.

2. Swiftmend is a powerful single target heal, so you should use it when someone needs healing and not just on CD (see your last question below). If no one takes damage to warrant swiftmend, and you need to reshresh mastery, you can use a Nourish on the tank (to also refresh Lifebloom). Also see point 6.

3. You mean "on CD whenever the raid is taking damage"? There is no point using WG when everyone is full, save it for raid damage phases.

6. You should cast Regrowth with every CC proc you get, although not necessarily the moment it procs. If the raid is full, cast it on the tank - this is what it does for you:
* Heal the tank (if he takes a hit during your cast time).
* Refresh Lifebloom and mastery
* Put a "shield" on the tank (Living Seed, through Glyph of Regrowth)
IF you do that, you'll have an easier time keeping up Lifebloom and mastery and you don't need to use every Swiftmend just to keep mastery up.

2. What's the best use of Tree of Life? Hit WG on cooldown, spread 1 stack of Lifebloom on as many targets as possible, and spam Clearcasting procs on Regrowths to those who need it? I seem to spend so much time spreading Lifebloom I don't seem able to take advantage of the Regrowth portion as much as I should.

That is the general idea (also mana saving). You could also just use it as a throughput CD. However, if you feel uncomfortable with that, you can always try out SotF instead. It's even more rotational, but can provide big AoE throuput through Wild Growth.

3. How do I handle aoe burst damage? For example, quills on Ji-kun. I've heard of things like "blanketing rejuvs" on the raid but it doesn't seem like there are enough grand cooldowns to really spread Rejuvs without letting mastery or lifebloom drop. Once I'm out of ToL and Tranq cooldowns I feel kind of lost as to what to do in these situations.

Rejuv blanketing should be your last option, and only if you have the mana for it. Also it doesn't mean only casting Rejuv, but using every "spare" CGD for it (still keep up Lb, mastery, use WG etc.). You AoE tools are: Wild Growth, Tranquility, Mushroom. On stacked fights, mushrooms are awesome, you can pop it every time the raid drops. If you find you are lacking in the AoE area, try using SotF, it can make your Wild Growth extremely powerful.

In general, resto druid feels far more like a dps rotation than resto shaman. Most of my GCDs seem to be spent just maintaining mastery, lifebloom, or keeping WG on CD. Things like raid members dropping low suddenly seem like it mostly onto other healers at this point. As a resto shaman, maintaining Earth Shield was way easier than Lifebloom, healing rain has probably a similar duration as resto mastery, and the riptide CD lent itself perfectly to throwing out two greater healing wave bombs on whoever needed it. Just felt like I was really hitting those who really needed it and keeping everyone alive. Resto druid feels like maintaining the rotation for max efficiency and hoping people don't die. Thoughts?

IMO druids have better tools for single target spot healing than Shaman. If someone drops suddenly, you have the following options (in that order): Swiftmend (if off CD and Rejuv on target), T15 2p Bonus, NS+HT, Regrowth (glyphed). Of course if you can anticipate when and where damage will come, drop some Rejuvs before that. Rejuv is much more powerful than Riptide (healing like 4x as much per tick, initial heal about the same).

[Kagejin]

Thanks Thaldor for the thorough and great advice. I will keep practicing and hopefully come to appreciate resto druid healing more. Really appreciate the time and effort you put into your response.