Monday 14 July 2008

25 Things you might want to know about Shamans

Another Blog Azeroth shared topic, just because I have nothing for today but work. Once I get home I won't have the energy to write something consistent and I don't have any inspiration now.
So basically, this post says: What the **** do you need to know about shamans? The things that Shamans know, but many new players don't. With my extensive WoW experience, I've had alot of people now knowing things about Shamans.

  1. Shamans are not omnipotent. Shamans are a hybrid class, meaning that they can fill multiple roles. As a class, not on a single character. We can heal or deal damage, but a healer can't be expected to be a viable DPS due to the spec, even when geared properly. And ofcourse, the other way around. I had a Molten Core co-op raid once with the number 3 Horde raid guild on Eonar at the time (we were number 2). Some regular members started the idea and so they leaded the raid. We had one Enhancement Shaman from our guild and they picked her of all players to heal the main tank. It took a wipe and 6 yelling Shamans before they noticed.
  2. Once upon a time, we didn't have a spell to recall our totems.
  3. Shamans are a class that needs their mana. Once, when I still healed, I did Slave Pens on level 63 with another shaman in the party. He asked if I was Enhancement, because I had more than 6k mana. He also wondered to heal. It all fell into place when 4 people told him that I was the healer. Also, an OOM Shaman can't do much (unless it's an Enhancement Shaman with Shamanistic Rage).
  4. Shamans are mostly a support class, like a Balance or Feral Druid. We give huge bonuses like 5% additional crit chance from a totem (which will be raid wide in WotLK, afaik) or +10% AP to the group as Enhancement. Not to mention the STR totems, the AGI totem, WF totem, Mana Regen totem (preferably Mana Tide totem).
  5. Our Elemental totems are panic buttons, but are useful for big solo encounters too. If we drop an Earth Elemental, heal it for maximum effect. It can still die. It can hold aggro well, but it needs heals. Any spec can drop this. The Fire one doesn't need healing, it won't pull aggro, but it'll help DPS.
  6. WE CANNOT BUFF YOU OTHER THAN WITH OUR TALENTED AURA'S OR OUR TOTEMS. DO NOT GET ANGRY WHEN WE REFUSE TO ANSWER YOUR MARK OF THE WILD OR ARCANE INTELLEST WITH A BUFF OF OUR OWN. I actually had a hunter that thought that I didn't want to buff him because I didn't like him. I just can't!
  7. Even Shamans need love, we aren't Warlocks.
  8. We cannot ressurect you in combat.
  9. Enhancement Shamans love Feral Druids. Put them together in a Melee Group.
  10. Elemental Shamans love Balance Druids. Put them together in a Caster Group.
  11. Reincarnation has a 30 minute cooldown. Mana Tide has a 5 minute cooldown. The Elemental Totems have 20 minute cooldowns, not shared. Bloodlust is on a 10 minute cooldown. Heroism (bah, Alliance :P) is on 10 minutes aswell. Nature's Swiftness is on a 3-min CD.
  12. If you want to use my Stormstrike Buff as an Elemental Shaman or Balance Druid, tell me so I can stop using Earth Shock. Don't get angry if you didn't tell me that you want to use it and fail to do so due to my ES-ing. Shamans can do ALOT, but we can't read minds. Only Priests can.
  13. Shamans can heal 5-man Heroics. It just takes alot of skill. Please keep in mind that we only have one instant heal as Resto and that it's technically cheating as we use Nature's Swiftness. All other heals are long and huge.
  14. Shamans are squishy.
  15. Enhancement Shamans hate using their Windfury Totem. They want the AGI totem. We have no use whatsoever from our Windfury Totem. The actual buff is superior to it. This is why we love Rogues that want their poisons instead of WF and Druids.
  16. There are bad Shamans and very good Shamans. Unfortunatly, there is more chaff than there is wheat.
  17. Enhancement Shamans want a 2.6 speed weapon in both hands if they Dual-Wield.
  18. Enhancement Shamans need more +hit rating if they dual-wield.
  19. Resto Shamans share one thing with all other Healers: They can only heal well. Angry mobs eat them for breakfast if they're not careful. Help them if you see them struggle. With that said: Resto has good survivability, but so do mobs against their inferior DPS. I leveled 60-70 on Resto.
  20. We have about 26 different totems, divided under Earth, Water, Fire and Air. We only use about 10 to 15 at best, depending on spec and playstyle. Ofcourse PvP is more creative than PvE with this. Seriously, who uses Sentry Totems?
  21. A stereotype Shaman is supposed to use Totemsall the time. I only do so in groups.
  22. Shamans have simple DPS spell rotations... Stormstrike, Earth Shock, Earth Shock, Stormstrike, Earth Shock, Earth Shock, Windfury Proc, Stormstrike, ES, ES, SS, ES, ES...
  23. Shamans use Totems, like Paladins use Librams and Druids use Idols. And like how Casters use wands... but without the ability to hurt and be useful for certain spells instead of stat bonuses. In short: We use our ranged slot differently. This way it seems like we have way more totems.
  24. Shamans are not overpowered. We are Swiss army knives... With too many options.
  25. Shamans are infact evil. Just like the Killer Bunny from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The ability to heal is just a facade.
Now you should be able to encounter Shamans in the wild. Or will you? *insert maniacal laughter*

4 comments:

Cowcontroll said...

Shamans are infact evil. Just like the Killer Bunny from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The ability to heal is just a facade.

I lol'd! xD

On the squishy note, we are not that squishy, in raid i can take a hite ore two, but when i see priest get aggro=dead priest, druids aswell, but if they are fast enough they can shapeshift to bear and probably save their arses^^,

Obunaji said...

I'll elaborate on the squishyness:
I mean Enhancement Shamans. Especially PvE ones that aren't built to tank.

Cowcontroll said...

Aha i see:p Just thinking as a resto shaman sorry:P

Cowcontroll said...

Btw ill add you to steam when i get back home ok? =)