Druid Healing at Low LevelsFollow

I'm thinking about playing my druids some more, and I've been having a blast learning to heal on my new priest, so I figured I'd do the same on the druid.

Problem is, I'm not sure how to start. The druid I'm thinking of playing with is currently level 10, and I'd like to hit the Random Dungeon finder at around level 15, when it becomes available.

I know that it is best to spec Feral for leveling, but I'm worried this will gimp me too much if I sign up as a Healer (i.e. ONLY check the "heal" button) in instances (which would be the point, since 1) I like healing most, and 2) I want to learn the druid style of healing as early as possible). Obviously, I will get dual spec when available to me (i.e. when I have enough money for it), but this is also my first (and abandoned) server, and I made some bad money choices when I started out -- my highest level character on that server is a level 20 priest, and we're all really poor. I'm not going to be able to afford to respec every time I want to go into a dungeon, and I probably won't be able to get dual spec right when I turn 40.

One thought I had was to spec Feral, but pick Healing glyphs, or vice versa. Otherwise, I'm not really sure. The thing, too, is that I don't want to heal exclusively; I still want to solo as well. Otherwise, I'd just go Resto and forget about soloing. On my new priest, I'm going with a Smite/Disc spec, which works well for both soloing and healing. I'm wondering if there's something similar for druids (maybe a Balance/Resto combination?).

Any thoughts? Anything is greatly appreciated!

I don't think the spec matters at low levels, I healed as feral at lower levels. You will want to acquire some different gear for it. I made a healing kit rather easily by picking up random green drops in runs. At first I needed to drink a bit more than normal, but as the gear filled out, it was enough to get the job done.

It's hard to say, and probably more a question of the quality of group you want to carry, and your skill level. Problems will probably start sneaking in around Mara and Uldaman. It'll get progressively harder, and you'll have less ability to carry groups that would otherwise fall apart.

Even when I switched from a Balance/Resto hybrid to full-resto at 73, it wasn't that I couldn't heal instances; it was that I had trouble with groups that were sub-par. I wanted to be able to have more successful runs, and worry less about the quality of people I ended up with. I bit the bullet and adopted a 'proper' spec.

Of course nowadays there's better access to blues and heirloom items, and even if you don't have them, chances are someone who are grouped with will, and that'll help a bunch.

I think up to level 30 or so just going into cat form will provide you with a soloing speed similar to Smite Spec. I wouldn't know beyond that, but you could always just start a new druid on your main server, the first ten levels go by quickly anyway.

Thanks again, everyone! I think I have a good plan.

As for my main server *blush*, it's all full. That, and for some reason, I like night elf druids better than tauren, even though, overall, I prefer Horde. On the other hand, I realized I had more gold than I thought I would. Money might not be a problem after all, especially if I'm not trying to play ALL the characters and improve ALL their professions like I am on my main server.

Nice of you to drop by, teekuchen. Sit down, take off your shoes, relax. Horse has booze and I've got time, so do share the story of how you came to visit the Druid forum.

Did you go feral? If not you should because feral is awesome. (tanking feral that is, dps feral has a few too many abilities)

Too hard. Auto-attack only.

Flinging Happy Meals around is more like ranged dps.
Yes, I can see it clearly:

Teacake, Happy Meal DPS.

It would be magnificent.

Awww... now I'm ALL hungry... I can haz cheeseburger?