Necrolord Covenant & Best Soulbinds for Restoration Druid Guide - Shadowlands 9.2.5

By Jaydaa Updated: 2022/11/28

NecrolordBest Covenant for Restoration Druid

This article is written by Jaydaa a veteran healer and contributing writer to both World of Warcraft content and other Blizzard games content here on Wowhead. I've been raiding in WoW for almost 15 years at various levels of progression. I've contributed to the theorycrafting of multiple healing classes, notably Mistweaver Monks and Restoration Druids. Find me on Twitter or on the Wowhead Discord.

Necrolord Druid Covenant AbilitiesNecrolord Druid Class Ability: Adaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmRejuvenationMoonfireAdaptive Swarm

When it expires on an ally it will attempt to jump to an enemy within range that does not already have Adaptive Swarm. As of Patch 9.1.5, if no enemy exists that matches this criteria, Adaptive Swarm will jump to an ally in range instead.

Adaptive Swarm will not jump to an enemy not currently in combat.

The HoT/DoT increase of Adaptive Swarm does apply to itself.

Adaptive Swarm does apply a stack of Mastery: Harmony causing higher mastery healing on that ally.

RejuvenationMastery: HarmonyRejuvenationGerminationAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmBeacon of LightAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmEvolved SwarmAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmNecrolord Druid Signature Ability: FleshcraftFleshcraftEmeni's Ambulatory FleshUltimate FormBear FormBarkskinTough as BarkIronbarkNecrolord Exclusive Legendary for Restoration Druids

NEW Necrolord Legendary Unbridled Swarm: Adaptive Swarm has a 60% chance to split into two Swarms each time it jumps.

Adaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmOther Legendary Interactions for Necrolord Restoration DruidsVerdant InfusionAdaptive SwarmBest Necrolord Restoration Druid SoulbindsBest Necrolord Restoration Druid Max Renown 80 SoulbindConduits are socketed in order of highest priority from top to bottom in order to facilitate the greatest benefit when empowering conduit rows from renown. Please see our Restoration Druid Conduit Guide for more information on Conduits including Empowered Conduits.Necrolord Restoration Druid Covenant Rotation ChangesAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmMoonfireSunfireFleshcraftFleshcraft

Prior to engaging an encounter to utilize the pre-pull downtime and activate the 120 mastery buff.

Prior to major incoming damage of a particularly nasty mechanic for survivability.

During periods of healing downtime to ensure no one dies during the 3s channel and reduce the overall healing requirement.

To avoid crowd control when utilizing Ultimate Form.

Necrolord Restoration Druid Talent BuildsAdaptive SwarmCenarion WardCultivationSpring BlossomsGerminationNecrolord Restoration Druid Gearing DifferencesAdaptive SwarmAdaptive SwarmMastery: HarmonyNecrolord Restoration Druid Soulbinds ExplainedPlague Deviser MarilethEmeniBonesmith Heirmir

Volatile Solvent grants the 120 Mastery Volatile Solvent: Humanoid buff and empowers the passive effect of Fleshcraft to grant additional buffs based on the type of corpses you consume.

Volatile Solvent: Beast - 2% Primary Stat Increase

Volatile Solvent: Elemental - 3% Magic Damage Done Increase

Volatile Solvent: Aberration - 78 Armor Increase

Volatile Solvent: Mechanical - 5% Magic Damage Taken Reduction

Volatile Solvent: Undead - Killing an enemy heals you for 5% of maximum health

Volatile Solvent: Humanoid - 120 Mastery Rating Increase

Volatile Solvent: Demon - 3% Stamina Increase

Volatile Solvent: Dragonkin - 3% Critical Strike Increase

Volatile Solvent: Giant - 3% Physical Damage Increase and 10% Size Increase

Ooz's Frictionless Coating allows you to better survive any follow up damage that would occur after a burst that reduces you below 50% health with a 15% max health absorb shield. If burst damage is continually dipping you below 50% health this will be fantastic but do note the 30s ICD.

Ultimate Form, causes you to regenerate 6% max HP and be crowd control immune over the duration of the Fleshcraft channel. If you manage to complete the full Fleshcraft channel, then the crowd control immunity persists for 3 additional seconds and you regenerate another 6% max HP over those 3 seconds.

Undulating Maneuvers provides a small stagger-like survivability buff. Nothing huge, but helpful nonetheless.

Kevin's Oozeling, the new capstone trait in 9.1, provides some additional healing in the form of some minor absorbs via Kevin everytime you cast Adaptive Swarm.

FleshcraftUltimate Form

Lead by Example, the initial trait in the tree, is what makes Emeni a strong option. A flat 5-13% intellect buff but because the buff duration scales with cooldown of our class ability it's not as great at first glance. With Adaptive Swarm at a 25s cooldown the duration is roughly 4s so somewhere short of 20% uptime overall. Not bad and not only are you getting this buff but you're also helping allies at the same time. Win-win situation. Strong ability that only requires a couple of allies to maximize the benefits.

Emeni's Magnificent Skin grants you a flat 5% extra maximum HP when casting Fleshcraft. Not huge, but the early potency conduit that accompanies it makes this survivability increase worth it.

Emeni's Ambulatory Flesh allows channeling of Fleshcraft to be done while moving. This negates one of the major downsides of Fleshcraft, but unfortunately is accompanied by a endurance conduit slot.

Gnashing Chompers can be a nice haste buff but requires consistent enemy deaths to maintain any sort of meaningful uptime. Healing any ally that damages these enemies does count as you defeating an enemy, so no damage from you is required. Unfortunately the potency conduit attached to Gristled Toes tends to more favorable in most situations.

Resilient Stitching provides a nice magic damage shield that will be easy to gain on cooldown.

The new capstone trait in 9.1 for Emeni, Pustule Eruption, turns Fleshcraft into a damaging ability but the damage is somewhat lackluster and loses value if you have to hold Fleshcraft for any reason.

Forgeborne Reveries, a pseudo-Spirit of Redemption ability and flat 3% intellect buff (assuming you're enchanted), allows you to continue to heal for 10s following your death albeit at a 50% reduced capacity. Pretty solid just for being enchanted..

Resourceful Fleshcrafting provides an additional second of cooldown reduction for Fleshcraft via its passive effect.

Heirmir's Arsenal: Marrowed Gemstone grants an enormous amount of critical strike chance for 10s, but can only occur once every 60s. While we're able to quickly proc this via HoT ticks once the ICD is up, it's questionable as to whether this increased throughput will line up with incoming damage. Unfortunately there's also no good way to throttle yourself to hold the proc for just the right moment.

Carver's Eye grants mastery when you damage an enemy above 90% health. This is problematic as a healer to activate and typically the first 10% of an encounter is fairly easier to heal. Might be good if you can frequently tag new enemies like in Mythic+.

Mnemonic Equipment, the new 9.1 capstone trait, is mostly about utility or damage for healers. Unless you're wanting to deal additional damage, you'll see better results from other soulbinds.

Double Legendaries for Necrolord Restoration DruidWhat are Soulbinds in Shadowlands?

Comments

Comment by Mekc

Emeni's Lead by Example talent duration depends on the cooldown of covenant ability. So for Druids intellect buff duration is just 4 seconds.

Comment by iskenderinho

Necrolord soulbind skills too useless

Necrolord Covenant & Best Soulbinds for Restoration Druid Guide - Shadowlands 9.2.5

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