As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
[WoW] What's the plural of [shaman] anyway? Cata info links in OP!
Henroid
Mexican kicked from Immigration ThreadCentrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
Mexican kicked from Immigration ThreadCentrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
Informative Shaman OP!
Last Update: July 2nd, 2010
A while ago I decided to take the responsibility of keeping up the shaman (and mage) thread here, noting any patch notes coming down the line, and more importantly and advice repeated often by the community (talent builds and such). Since having quit the game, I've done a super bad job at that. I'll try to work on keeping things up to date but I need you guys to PM me whatever info / links are relevant.
As of April 9th, 2010, everything should be considered out of date unless it has a date mark next to it.
Cataclysm Info and Previews: (updated July 2nd)
The NDA has been lifted on Cataclysm now that the expansion has gone from Alpha to Closed Beta. While I could keep up a log here on things as they come, I'm going to save myself - and you! - the trouble and give you two very useful links. WoWTal is MMO Champion's new Talent Calculator site, and the second link is a compilation of all Cataclysm info for the Shaman, including the preview from this past April.
FAQ: (touched up May 28th)
Recommended Talent Builds: (touched up May 28th)
Resources for Shamans: (recommended UI mod links, websites with info, etc) (out of date)
Latest Patch Notes: (updated on April 9th, 2010)
This will only track news regarding upcoming or recently implemented patches / changes.
Will update sometime soon.
Last Update: July 2nd, 2010
A while ago I decided to take the responsibility of keeping up the shaman (and mage) thread here, noting any patch notes coming down the line, and more importantly and advice repeated often by the community (talent builds and such). Since having quit the game, I've done a super bad job at that. I'll try to work on keeping things up to date but I need you guys to PM me whatever info / links are relevant.
As of April 9th, 2010, everything should be considered out of date unless it has a date mark next to it.
Cataclysm Info and Previews: (updated July 2nd)
The NDA has been lifted on Cataclysm now that the expansion has gone from Alpha to Closed Beta. While I could keep up a log here on things as they come, I'm going to save myself - and you! - the trouble and give you two very useful links. WoWTal is MMO Champion's new Talent Calculator site, and the second link is a compilation of all Cataclysm info for the Shaman, including the preview from this past April.
FAQ: (touched up May 28th)
Q: What should I spec for leveling?
A: Enhancement is a favorite and easiest to gear for (pre-Cataclysm; this is bound to change), but elemental is doable and especially so with TBC / WotLK gear.
Q: Why should I play a shaman?
A: They're fun, and each spec is rather straight forward and unique in gameplay while still leaving you available to do the others at least mediocrely. Plus shaman are great for support in groups. The best, if you ask me!
Q: I'm resto spec and want to get the right gems slotted. What should I use?
A: For shaman it's all about haste with gems. Specific numbers to be posted later.
A: Enhancement is a favorite and easiest to gear for (pre-Cataclysm; this is bound to change), but elemental is doable and especially so with TBC / WotLK gear.
Q: Why should I play a shaman?
A: They're fun, and each spec is rather straight forward and unique in gameplay while still leaving you available to do the others at least mediocrely. Plus shaman are great for support in groups. The best, if you ask me!
Q: I'm resto spec and want to get the right gems slotted. What should I use?
A: For shaman it's all about haste with gems. Specific numbers to be posted later.
Recommended Talent Builds: (touched up May 28th)
Elemental PVP Build as recommended by RedDawn
Resources for Shamans: (recommended UI mod links, websites with info, etc) (out of date)
Recount UI Mod: http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/recount.aspx
This UI mod tracks damage and your DPS rating, good at measuring and testing your spell casting order.
Omen Threat Meter UI Mod: http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/omen-threat-meter.aspx
This UI mod tracks threat. OP has not used this himself since he knows yellow around your portrait in the base UI means "stop!"
MMO Champion: http://www.mmo-champion.com/
Not shaman specific, but if you want to get the latest news yourself on the game, go here. Their talent tool is quickest to be updated on new patch info, and includes glyph positions.
WoWHead: http://www.wowhead.com
A very clean index of all WoW information possible, including quests, spells, talents, tradeskills, etc. They have a talent tool, which updates slowly to patch info, but probably loads faster and looks purdier than anything else. Also fuck Thottbot.
Latest Patch Notes: (updated on April 9th, 2010)
This will only track news regarding upcoming or recently implemented patches / changes.
Will update sometime soon.
Henroid on
0
This discussion has been closed.
Posts
Resto PVE spec. Glyphs: Lesser Healing Wave, Chain Heal, Earth Shield, Water Shield (minor).
Enhancement PVE spec. Glyphs: Feral Spirit, Stormstrike, Windfury Weapon.
Elemental PvE
Resto PvE
Some people might bemoan the fact that i have imp GW but i have used it a fair bit while raiding and i honestly prefer taking it with elemental warding (hello freya+3 and firefighter) to the reduced mana cost 5points in tier1 elem tree.
Our mana problems are long gone - this is in my opinion the optimal spec to use though i could easily see people swap imp GW for imp nova totem as it offers some utility.
Twitter - discolouie PSN - Loupa Steam - Loupa
I'm curious. Why the Call of Flame talent?
Because it increases fire totem damage by 15%.
No, because Resto or Elemental drops it (Wrath for Elemental). What else are they gonna do with the Fire Totem anyway?
Wouldn't that be assuming there's more than one shaman in the group?
Atleast on my server, there's ten Resto Shaman to every DPS Shaman, so it's very likely you'll have another Shaman in your raid.
Not sure at all, though. Plus, the extra SP from Flametongue might be better depending on your group composition.
Edit - I agree by the way that Flametongue vs Searing depends on group composition.
Oh man, I've never done much as elemental spec (and not at end game) but when I made this thread I was dicking around with the talent tool - I came up with precisely the build you use.
"Go up, thou bald head." -2 Kings 2:23
Magma > FT for your own personal DPS... not by a lot, though, and you're making your group's DPS suffer for it. Plus, keeping it up burns through mana. Usually I'd drop Magma and start casting CL on certain trash pulls in Naxx, but stick with FT and/or Searing for boss fights.
I also drop magma totem when things get grouped up because Elemental doesn't have an AoE really. It is pretty much for clearing larger groups of trash and at that point people don't get real picky about not having Totem of Wrath of up. I don't notice any issues with mana and really if you are worrying about mana as Elemental you might need to give your gear and tactics a once over at level 80.
A neat trick is to Thunderstorm the Feral Defender right before death so the void voids are all on the outside of the platform. Sadly I only learned of this two nights ago.
I agree with the healing talents posted by Senshi, but would caution that starting out as Restoration you might want to sink three points into Elemental Weapons as your spell power may be low. Granted it would only be an additional 45 spell power but at low spell power it may help more than talent points in Healing Way because it affects all your healing abilities.
Also magma does way more damage than searing, even on single targets. It is more mana, but I think you can support it.
Yeah thanks, I made a typo and didn't notice it. You'd be hard pressed to do any dps as an Elemental Shaman without Glyph of Flame Shock.
I really never had a problem with key bindings and I have everything bound on my shaman. If anything I do not really see being able to place four reducing the number of things I have hot keyed. I will still want each totem on a hot key in the event that I need to move or refresh only one if it got destroyed for some reason or change them around on the fly.
Of course Makershot said good things about the changes to totems and he has been playing longer than I have so I bet it would help you too.
Yes it will be easier (just one button needed) but they will still be too impractical for levelling: the range is still poor and the mana return on recall is in dire need of a buff (IMO up to 80% mana return). For most of your levelling you are better off not using totems at all at least until you get imp. Stormstrike and Shamanistic Rage, the mana you expend from constantly dropping totems isn't sustainable otherwise. The changes in 3.2 are a step in the right direction but more needs to be done.
I warn you levelling a shaman is pretty boring up until level 40 then you are constantly bombarded with awesome spells all the way to 60. The sudden 180 in enjoyment I got from dual wield and Stormstrike is akin to getting cat form as a druid at level 20, it completely changes the game for you, suddenly you become a mob grinding machine. Maelstrom Weapon makes you unkillable with instant cast heals and Feral Spirit..... best spell in the game, hands down! Only Avenging Wrath comes close.
So yeah if you're willing to suffer some tedium shaman eventually becomes very rewarding.
First thing you need to do is break away from your perception that totems are needed on the leveling course.
At best, you'll use them in groups but they aren't quite as vital. Like many other classes they're kinda boring as shit 'til level 40. Dual-wielding makes it a lot more exciting (and it's not simply because you're swinging another weapon - it's because you're swinging another weapon with another weapon enchant on it), as does Stormstrike (and now the mana return on it).
Going into Northrend, MAYBE Outland, dropping totems for your normal quest is practical. Mind you, you still don't have to drop as many totems as you can. The patch will make things easier.
I posted up some tips I think people need to know going into playing the class. I added a question to the FAQ about totems, since Rorus reminded me via his ignorance (
Again if you guys, by majority, have issues with the recommended specs and glyphs, I'll change 'em up.
A raiding enh has 0 mana issues. Ever. I have literally never run out of mana and not been able to shamanistic rage and get it all back in about 6 seconds. I always drop magma.
LoL: failboattootoot
I'll take your guys' word for it then.
I know it's ridiculous to quote yourself but i am serious about the mana issues - convection is a 5 point waste! So far i'm not in the majority here on this one but i am correct (as arrogant as that sounds i know)
I would also suggest getting Totem of wrath glyph over Lava - unless you get over a huge amount of sp - like best in slot ulduar ToW > Lava.
Most people should probably glyph thunderstorm if they are going to have a pve and pvp elem spec like i did. Thunderstorm can be great and you might feel like a champ saving someone with it's knockback however it can also annoy the shit out of tanks - despite your best intentions. Once it's glyphed you can use it whenever without pissing off other AoE'rs and your tanks - sucks if you have a resto spec as secondary but in that case just buy a load of glyphs - they are cheap as hell anyways.
Twitter - discolouie PSN - Loupa Steam - Loupa
As your crit chance increases, it becomes increasingly less useful. Early on it can help, however.
Twitter - discolouie PSN - Loupa Steam - Loupa
I don't pvp a ton, but I'm trying to get into it more and this seems to be where most shaman are running with.
Sometimes Chain lightning is useful. Neglecting for the 4-piece tier 8, it actually provides more DPS as part of a single-target rotation than only using LB. Something like 4%, I believe.
There are also thinktank articles for Enhance and Resto
Twitter - discolouie PSN - Loupa Steam - Loupa
I think I've got Ele down pretty well (FS-LB-LB/CLx?-LB-refresh FS), seeing as how my 1st heroic in mostly all questing greens/blues I did roughly 1.5k dps. I just need gear but am having a little difficulty getting into dungeons.