Animal Form at 26-28

[RollerDog]

<p>Just a little progress report on attempting to level up solo using Animal Form (AF) as my primary strategy.</p><p>I'll start out by saying that it is as good as I hoped. Things go down very quickly and even con adds (up to two additional) can be handled fine within the 1-minute AF. I typically start with Call of Thunder, debuff, auto-attack, AF. I immediately cancel AF when mob is dead to start recast timer. The timer is the biggest problem. I could kill at 2-3 mobs/minute if I had unlimited cast AF. When mobs are plentiful, my second kill is usually spam call of thunder or else call of thunder, HO, dot1, dot2. The beauty of the 2nd kill method is that there is absolutely no concern about power usage. AF usage insures power is always near 100%.</p><p>Haste at 100 while in AF; periodically going to 128 due to Savagery (trigger bumped to 15% in Animalism).</p><p>I am still going down Strength and just got my new melee CA -- Nature Blade. I wasn't sure but have now verified that you can't use this CA (or any CA) in AF. I knew you couldn't cast spells but thought maybe the melee CA would work. I have now added this CA just before AF and thus start AF around 123 haste. (I know, diminishing returns, but every little bit helps).</p><p>I have been using fast 1-handers (1.6 crusher or 1.2 slasher) with AF. Very easy to keep skills up with this type of turbo melee. I have yet to find any 1.2 imbued weapons. Do they exist?</p><p>Once I get enough AA's for vortex I will respec. I am becoming convinced that AF is potent enough without needing additional aid from the Strength line. At least in the leveling scenario. Probably still needed for killing higher-leveled heroics.</p><p>Vortex on the other hand looks like nice synergy with AF. For my non-AF kill I am looking for killing speed. Decreasing cast times and increasing damage will help do that. Power usage is not an issue.</p><p>Next big milestone is 32 when I get starfire (encounter AOE).</p>

[Ilae]

<p>I have a 70 fury and I have AF and vortex.. It's pretty useful up to mobs around level 67ish, then the mobs start hitting too hard for it to be very useful, especially after the nerf to 100% proc abilities..(I lost the AF proc from my 40% dbl attack which kinda suck).. Probably another "fix" for PvP that ended up screwing it up for us on PvE.. :/ Also on mobs higher than 67ish I have problems hitting the mobs due to lacking in slashing skill so when I miss much=hardly any power gain.. Too bad furys dont get +melee skill buff like wardens that would really help the situation and make animal form actually useful in the high end of the game.. <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>It can sometimes be more useful in raids than when soloing or grouping on higher level mobs if you have good debuffers because then you will be able to hit the mob easier, but you'll have to time it between AoEs and stuff so you dont sit there stifled when your group gets AoEd and need cures and heals..</p><p>My conclusion is that AF is very good, up to around level 66-68, and nearly worthless in the end game, which is where you really need it too.. :/</p>

[RollerDog]

Thanks for the feedback. My primary goal was AF as a leveling tool so I am glad to hear that looks doable at the higher levels. Of course I was hoping to use it at 70 also. AF does provide an increase in melee skills; I'm not sure how much but I thought quite a bit. So far I am easily able to keep skills maxed because of high haste and fast weapons.I am seeing haste as high as 150 during AF with AF kicking in 100; Nature Blade kicking in 22; and Savagery kicking in 28.

[Ilae]

<p>With nature blade and agitate along with AF I get haste to 187 which is plenty enough.. I normally wield a 1.6 delay weapon too.. However druids dont get as high melee skills, and none of the items we got have +slash or +crush on them so we tend to miss too much on higher level mobs that dont get debuffed well.. But like I said in a raid mobs usually get debuffed plenty especially with a brigand or two around so it can still work out well..</p>

[Igniz]

<p>Excuse my ignorance, but is Animal form a Fury or Druid AA?</p><p>I.E. does he mean things like Tiger or Winter Wolf? Because I thought everyone used those.</p>

[DemonMage]

It's a Fury AA, you're thinking of Shapeshift in the Druid tree.