Are You Expected To Know How To Melee DPS, Ranged DPS, Tank, And/ Or Heal?

[Dalinos]

If you're playing a Druid but only play Feral, I'm sorry, you're doing it wrong. if you wanna purely play energy-combo-based DPS, roll Rogue. You don't roll druid to play only 25% of the class. Waste of a Druid toon. At the very LEAST you should be comfortable in 1 more spec (usually Guardian, since back in the day Bear and Cat were the same spec, Feral, with minor talent-point differences, and minor gear differences). On the flipside, Moonkins can usually heal, and Restos can usually shoot lazers, since they both gather caster gear (again, with differences).

The whole point of being a Druid is having access to all 4 roles the game has to offer (Tank, ranged DPS, melee DPS, healer). By choosing to limit yourself to 1/4, you're severely limiting your progress as a Druid and as a player.

[ipoststuff]

It's ok to play only a single role just like a pure dps. Being able to perform more roles makes you more valuable for your guild though.

[Twdft]

Basically, I prefer Feral Druid, and ONLY Feral Druid. Would I be required to do Balance (Ranged DPS), Guardian (Tank), and/ or Restoration?

Required by who exactly? Missing some context here to answer your question.

As a rule of thumb: your group your rules. Meaning if you apply to someone elses group it's their rules which you'll have to ask if they want you to play one or more specs.

[Motso]

I've been arms since BC, and I refuse to learn Fury. I do know prot a little tho its so fun sometimes.

[T-34]

Basically, I prefer Feral Druid, and ONLY Feral Druid. Would I be required to do Balance (Ranged DPS), Guardian (Tank), and/ or Restoration?

Nobody can force you to play in a specific way/spec.
On the other hand you can't force others to play with you.

Will you increase your chances that others will play with you if you are able/willing to play other roles? Yes

It all depends on the setting you are playing in.
Some raidgroups/guilds let people play what they want as they value the personal experience more.
Others expect people to play what is "best" as they value progression high.

There is no right or wrong.

[Matthias]

If your a guild pushing raid progress and you play a hybrid spec then you should have at least heals or tank as your offspec.

I remember having a Guild Leader that was Elemental and on raid night if we were ever short a healer he would say he didn't have his set up to par, which was insane since more then enough Tier from farm bosses had dropped. It's just not a good look.

[Saltysquidoon]

Eh, As a raid leader then sure as a bit more is generally expected but not off a normal raider. Like even Max (Limits raider leader) has said a number of times he is completely fine with people who one trick a single spec, class or role in their guild (the best raiding guild in the world atm). If you need another healer it should be recruited honestly.

That comment was clearly made with the inference that those players that wish to one trick will expect to and accept being sat if their spec is shit, its not like he was saying he was down with bringing WWs to prog.
Further, limit's prestige affords it the luxury of having an extensive bench if they want which isn't going to be desirable or feasible for all guilds.

I think the point is you're less likely to be sat if you can flex. There are always those fights every tier that requires an extra tank or heals (or one less heals) and it's just easier and better for everyone if an existing dps can just switch instead of recruiting a new healer for one fight.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

This is such an odd question to ask out loud.


There is no expectation from yourself since you play the game the way you want in order to have fun. That is the benefit of playing by yourself without other people.


I would assume the expectation comes from the other players you are playing with (assuming you're playing with other players) to know what you are doing so you don't drag the rest down and fail to complete the content in front of you.

[Relapses]

Perhaps it's a result of some untreated brain injury but I have 6 toons and I try to cover as many roles as possible. Some of the classes I play I only really want to play one specific role (Shadow, for example) but others I'll tank, heal ot DPS depending what I feel like doing (Druid). I think that lot of people are overly concerned with spec relevance and the truth is that a player who is playing a spec that they're comfortable with is going to do a lot better than one out of their comfort zone. (I have a Frost Mage and sometimes people will whisper me "spec?" before inviting so I just tell them balance because fuck those kind of people.)

[ThrashMetalFtw]

No one can force you. But every druid DPS player i know can switch to heal or tank if need be. Tanks and Healers mostly don't.

In guilds, especially the more hardcore ones, people play specific roles. A Feral Druid main would be more likely to switch to a Rogue or another melee Dps, rather than switching to another Druid spec.

Shadow main myself, and I (like the vast majority of SPs) would switch to Warlock if SPs became unplayable, NOT Holy or Disc. Haven't healed a raid since MoP.

[Dorthonion1]

git gud or get rekt

[Zantera]

In a pug? No, I'd say you are expected to play what you are playing good and that's it. Though with some cases where a class has dual healing spec (priest) or dual dps spec (shaman, druid) you might get some disappointed people who think they are bringing in a balance druid but it's actually a feral druid.

In a guild? I would say probably, depending on what level you're at. I main a WW monk but I feel confident enough to play Brewmaster should the need ever come (like both our tanks can't make it). Overall I'm not sure though if it's something people expect of you so much as it is a massive bonus if you can do it. Personally I wouldn't expect someone to play their off specs as good as their main spec but if someone is confident enough to play an off spec to fill a role in a +15 or step in during a raid for someone who is out then that's a massive plus in my book.

[Sarkli83]

No you shouldn't be expected to change specs unless you're in a guild full of ahole not too 100 mythic raiders but think they are, raiders.

[Ezyah]

If you queue in a pug as a dps druid people will assume you re a boomy

[Ryzek]

No, if you only like playing one spec thats fine. Now if you did learn the other specs it would help you imo in the long run, but its not required at all.

[SinR]

I, as an Enhance Shaman, shouldn't be required to know how to play Elemental or Resto if I don't want to.

[Huzzaa]

Generally, I do expect trials to actually be able to play off-specs down the line.

Initially obviously not, as you're locked into what you came on board with.

It's a great plus for anyone who actually plays all their specs with their class.