Idea and Changes for Shaman

[Blithe]

Totems[/CENTER]

General

• All totems' health increased to 10% of the caster's maximum health (since health is being doubled, 10% in WoD is equal to 20% in Mists).

Our totems are extremely easy to kill. While I agree that destroying them is good counter-play, instantly killing them is not. Blizzard's solution to this problem was adding a similar mechanic via the Glyph system. I think we are definitely deserving of this change.

• Totemic Projection is now baseline for all Shaman specializations.

Totemic Projection is an ability that we were given at the beginning of Mists of Pandaria (Mists) that's quite similar to the Hunter's Trap Launcher. Personally I feel if we were to receive this ability, totems wouldn't be as clunky a mechanic as they are now (see Capacitor Totem). How it would work is, it wouldn't have a cooldown and it'd be toggle-able so when placing a totem you can decide on whether or not you'd like to project it to a location, or just drop it at your feet.

• Searing Totem - Now lasts 15 seconds down from 1 minute, and in addition now has a 30 second cooldown. Damage was increased by 400% to account for the change of duration and cooldown. Damage per second would stay relatively the same.

You're probably asking why Searing Totem's on this list, right? Well, at the moment it's still stuck in the 'buff totem' era of the olden days, and it's literally a shadow of the past. Currently, it's a totem that lasts for 1 minute that deals abysmal amounts of damage at best. What I would like to see done with this is for it to be updated to work a lot like how Healing Stream Totem's mechanic currently is, and that is giving it a short cooldown, but also a short duration with a burst-y effect.

• Fire Elemental, Earth Elemental, Storm Elemental, and their Primal Elemental equivalents are no longer bound to their totems, allowing the use of totems that are of the same element. This also removes the issue of your Elemental despawning (since it's no longer bound to a totem you can walk out of range of).

My favourite aspect of the Shaman class; Elementals. While they're very potent, I'm always hesitant to use them because they're tied in many ways to our other utility. With the addition of the Storm Elemental, for those who took this talent, it would be a nightmare when trying to use any of your air totems so I thought the best thing for it would be to remove the totem connecting to it. It'll move with you, like a pet does, and will not despawn if you go out of range of where you summoned it. It will last the entire duration that it is supposed to be summoned for unless it's killed. No other classes have this kind of problem with large cooldowns.

Removed
• Magma Totem has been removed.

Magma Totem was also stuck in the olden days with Searing Totem. Originally I thought we could give Magma Totem the similar treatment that I would've given to Searing Totem, but that brings up the problem of the Shaman using both of them on cooldown, regardless of the amount of enemies involved. There was really no other way that I could think of for it to fit in with the new design, so it was scrapped.

• Capacitor Totem has been removed.

Definitely my least favourite totem of the Shaman class, and I wouldn't take a second thought if it were to be removed. It's the most clunky ability I've ever had to use on any class, and the fact that you're almost forced into using a talent and a glyph for it to even be half decent is a spit in the face.

• Stormlash Totem has been removed (confirmed).

Honestly, I never really noticed this totem too much, it didn't really feel like anything special. I'm indifferent on it being removed.

• Call of the Elements and Totemic Persistence have been removed.

With Totemic Projection becoming baseline, and there being a somewhat small factor of Totemic Persistence's mechanic (in how you'd be able to use your Elementals regardless of what totems you summoned), there was really no need for it. I'll be honest here and say that most - if not all - the Shaman community hates this Tier with a passion. This Tier would be removed, and turned into a mobility tier.

• Healing Tide Totem is no longer usable by Elemental or Enhancement Shaman (confirmed).

While I agree it was a factor in how overpowered Elemental's and Enhancement's current off-heals are, I still hate the design. Even if this is an area of effect version, it still feels redundant of Healing Stream Totem. In addition, Blizzard said they'd like to reduce passive and smart healing so this automatically goes on the backburner. I'd prefer Healing Tide Totem just become a new ability called Healing Tide.

As far as I'm concerned, it should heal roughly the same amount it does now, but instead of being passive it should have a cast time (similar to Tranquility, but not channeled) and have the similar rolling heal over time mechanic. This would still give you counter-play in the sense that you could interrupt it, or dispel the heal over time mechanic.

• Healing Tide Totem has been removed and replaced with an ability called Healing Tide. Healing Tide is a 2 second cast time ability that heals the 5 (12 in 25 player instances) most injured party or raid members within 40 yards for 4932 (+ 48.4% of Spell power) plus an additional 4932 (+ 48.4% of Spell power) every 2 sec for the remaining duration. Rolling over from the original spell, Healing Tide has had its mana cost increased from 8% to 12%.

- Keeps the raid healing aspect of being a strong cooldown that effects the entire raid.
- Instead of it being completely passive, you have to cast for the first 2 seconds of the spell; this adds interrupt counter-play.
- For the remaining 8 second duration after you finish casting, it will heal you every 2 seconds (4 times).
- It's a magic effect placed on the affected player that can be dispelled; this adds dispel counter-play.
- The mana cost was increased by 50% - from 8% to 12% to justify the rolling heal over time effect instead of it being a kill-able totem.

[Riplin]

Cool changes; pretty much agree. Some other random thoughts:

Purge now removes 2 dispellable magic buffs (like original) and has an 4 second cooldown (help with shaman global starving, unique, not the same as Dispel)

Frost shock removed from shock cooldowns. Damage greatly reduced (or removed)

Totems useable while silenced OR while in Ghost Wolf (this could be a cool unique thing)

When Earth Shock hits with 7 stacks of Fulmination, your next Earthquake cast becomes instant within 10 seconds

Still think we need some kind of replacement for Capacitor; Perhaps instead if a charge time it could work similar to the Hunter stun but opposite; so instead of stunning someone who moves 5 yards away it would stun anyone who comes within 5 yards of the Shaman. Lasts 5 seconds

New Glyph: Glyph of Elemental Blast: If your target is affected by your Flame Shock, Elemental Blast will spread that dot to one additional enemy target within 10 yards

I'd LOVE to see a movement tier replace the totem tier. This would help Ele a great deal in PvP with the loss of LB on the move.

[Lavindar]

I think you are confusing Healing Stream Totem and Healing Tide Totem. It's Healing Stream Totem that is becoming Restoration only.

[shamantime]

I think you are confusing Healing Stream Totem and Healing Tide Totem. It's Healing Stream Totem that is becoming Restoration only.

No it's Healing Tide.

I feel like Healing Stream is annoying to use when you are being attacked because now it doesn't always guarantee healing you. I say give HST to Resto, but also give Riptide to Ele, and Enhance so we have a controllable hot. In addition, change Rushing Stream to be spec specific current effect for Resto, and for Ele and Enhance have Rushing Streams increase healing of Riptide and Healing Surge by 15%.

[Lavindar]

No it's Healing Tide.

I feel like Healing Stream is annoying to use when you are being attacked because now it doesn't always guarantee healing you. I say give HST to Resto, but also give Riptide to Ele, and Enhance so we have a controllable hot. In addition, change Rushing Stream to be spec specific current effect for Resto, and for Ele and Enhance have Rushing Streams increase healing of Riptide and Healing Surge by 15%.

Yes I totaly lost myself there, had forgotten that Healing Tide is not a talent anymore :/

[Deleted]

Something that would improve the QoL of at least elemental would be earth shock not puting flame shock on cd when used with 7 stacks of fulmination..

[Mormolyce]

I agree with the totems of the same type thing, that doesn't really work anymore and should probably just be scrapped.

I also think all the Shock spells should be removed and replaced with something more interesting and fun that has a graphic and no stupid lockout mechanic.

Also I would basically take an axe to the entire Enh rotation and abilities and start over.

• Capacitor Totem has been removed.

Definitely my least favourite totem of the Shaman class, and I wouldn't take a second thought if it were to be removed. It's the most clunky ability I've ever had to use on any class, and the fact that you're almost forced into using a talent and a glyph for it to even be half decent is a spit in the face.

I presume you mean for PVP, in PVE you actually don't want to glyph it if you take totemic projection. Tends to go off too soon.

Also losing cap totem is going to suck for shammies in CMs. Then again shammies are pretty OP in CMs as things stand...

[Deleted]

Inspired by Riplin; Your 7 stacks fulmination causes Earthquake to be instant with a 100% stun chance for 3 seconds, and to deal all it's damage in that time. This would be a cool and interesting finisher/cc comboer in PvP which ele lacks, without Boeing OP. We really need a finisher, tight now if you use your fulmination, get them to 5% and don,t get a proc. it's so frustrating.

[Nebria]

• Capacitor Totem has been removed.

Definitely my least favorite totem of the Shaman class, and I wouldn't take a second thought if it were to be removed. It's the most clunky ability I've ever had to use on any class, and the fact that you're almost forced into using a talent and a glyph for it to even be half decent is a spit in the face.

I would not remove it but make it user friendlier.
I mean it has enough drawback that you can destroy it or outrange it before it stuns and you have to use another talent/skill to stun somebody far away.
Compared to warlocks aoe stun it is a joke.
If I could change something than lower the detonate time. If we get trap launcher 2s would be ok. If not 3s I can live with, just give me that free glyph slot^^
In the end it is the only stun we have and removing it makes our cc even worse. I use it very often in PvE and PvP.

- - - Updated - - -

Inspired by Riplin; Your 7 stacks fulmination causes Earthquake to be instant with a 100% stun chance for 3 seconds, and to deal all it's damage in that time. This would be a cool and interesting finisher/cc comboer in PvP which ele lacks, without Boeing OP. We really need a finisher, tight now if you use your fulmination, get them to 5% and don,t get a proc. it's so frustrating.

I think it would be enough if earthquake would have a 100% chance on first tick to throw down and later only slow instead of chance to throw down (or with a small percentage like currently).
So you could use it as tiny stun in some situations like flag protection in pvp or aoe silence in pve like cms.
I mean it has a cd and a cast time...

Also adding a disorientation effect (electric shock^^) for 1s to the target that was kicked by Thunderstorm could be useful to make it more valuable against Warriors and other melees with strong gap closers. It is annoying to kick somebody away and 1s later he is again in your back...
It could also apply this as a debuff to the target so successful lb attacks can trigger that electric shock. the debuff could have a duration as long as thunderstorm has cd (or until x times shocked). would be like the passive auto stun by rogue poisons.

[Omanley]

1) In terms of hp, I think the optimal solution would be a more individual look at each totem. Some make more sense being easier destroyable than others. Grounding for example has a low cooldown and costs the enemy time either way, wether it is casting a spell into it or stopping the cast and casting a spammable instant, wanding or melee hitting it.
Other totems shouldn't be destroyable at all, like Earthbind (only stationary snare that is destroy/dispellable).

A major reason I would prefer an individual look on totem health is because I believe that if even one totem performs to well health-wise, blizz will nerf them all again. That's why they didn't go through with their previous plans of raising totem health. They are to lazy to look at the individual totem. They've been that way since classic, that's why totems do not improve.

2) I agree. Maybe limit the options to totems that actually benefit from being thrown. Grounding for example does not really care about positioning much.

3) If you buff ST damage to 5 times its current, while allowing 50% uptime (15s duration/30sec cd), you'll be net-buffing it by 150% (250% of original damage), not including cooldown stacking benefits. Tbh, I do not want even more riding on totem/passive sources....Unless you made a mistake with your numbers, and meant 1min cd, and 300% extra damage, which would keep it the same except for cooldown stacking and more bursty in pvp, which I wholeheartedly would agree on.

4) I agree. Personally, I also dislike that one minute blocking thing. I guess some would be bothered by having multiple elementals out at the same time, but as they are filling entirely different roles (mitigation/dmg-aoe/healing), I dont see much of a problem balance-wise. Using all your stuff at the same time is usually a bad idea also. Still, I dont want to be hindered in those moments I need the healing elemental, but cant because I used the Fire one half a minute ago. It makes no sense.

5) I can agree on MT being hard to make interesting

6) CPT would need a replacement. Maybe lessen these drawbacks. Only 2-3 sec charge up and instant with glyph would be nice. With baseline TP that would good enough to keep it, imo.

7) -

8) I would remove the restriction of 1totem/elemental school anyways (superior version of persistance). Earthbind and Stone Bulwark can still clash, for example. And we'll never know what we'll get in terms of future totems. It's rarely affecting us, but when it does, it sucks. Make it four totems max, no matter which element, imo.
With yor suggestion ST would be a cd and MT gone, with FET no longer being a totem, so fire totems are kinda rare then, so makes no sense even ot exclude them.

9) As long as enh is able to survive as well as others through competitive mitigation/self-heal, I dont care much about HTT being gone. popping aoe healing cds as a dps feels kinda wrong though, I suppose.

[Blithe]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I really appreciate the positive reinforcement of some of these ideas and a lot more contribution from yourselves, it's fantastic! Good to see the Shaman community is alive.

I can see everybody's point about Capacitor Totem being removed, so instead of it being removed entirely it should just be redesigned so that it isn't a totem at all. As I have no idea of how to recreate this ability as of yet, I haven't listed any changes for it.

In addition; some of our other quality of life issues include, but are not limited to:

Current Problem: Earth Shock, Flame Shock and Frost Shock share a cooldown.
Proposed Change: Frost Shock's damage component removed, and slow duration reduced to 4, 5 or 6 seconds.

Change: Frost Shock: Instantly shocks an enemy with frost, reducing the target's movement speed by 50%. Lasts 5 sec. No longer shares a cooldown with Earth Shock and Flame Shock.

Description: While I believe Earth Shock and Flame Shock should keep their shared shock cooldown, Frost Shock should not, with the main difference being that Frost Shock is utility. Sacrificing damage for utility and vice versa (especially for our main damaging abilities) is just straight out bad design on Blizzard's part. While they attempted this with the Draenor Perk "Improved Frost Shock", it was soon after removed. Their reasoning behind this was that it would've been used in rotation, and yes that is true in its current form because it deals damage. If you were to remove that component, it wouldn't be used in our rotation. But then what? Surely there was another reason, and there was! Frost Shock's slow duration lasts 8 seconds and you can especially see how you'd be able to indefinitely kite someone with a 5 second cooldown, right? For that, the duration could've simply been reduced to 4, 5 or 6 seconds.

Current Problem: Earthquake has too long of a cast time for its current effects.
Proposed Change: Fulmination causes your Earthquake spell to become instant.

Change: Fulmination (Passive): When you have more than 1 Lightning Shield charge active, your Earth Shock spell will consume any surplus charges, instantly dealing their total damage to the enemy target. Your Earthquake spell can consume 7 charges to become instant.

Description: I don't have too much to say about this other than I really would like Earthquake to be easier to use. At the moment, it just feels like an unnecessary interruption while you're doing any form of area of effect damage and come Warlords, I have a feeling it will do exactly the same thing even with the increased cast time for Chain Lightning. It needs its cast time reduced to 1.5, or 2 seconds. Another option is making it instant cast through a 7-stack Fulmination. Both are great options, but I decided to go with the latter due to popular opinion. Although this does cause the issue of the knockdown effect. Whether or not it should be reduced or removed I'm not sure, but I would honestly rather have Glyph of Unstable Earth (reduces movement speed of those affected by Earthquake by 40% for 3 sec) baked into Earthquake than the 10% knockdown effect.


Current Problem: Elemental and Enhancement lack a proper heal over time healing mechanic as a hybrid.
Proposed Change: Both specializations receive a heal over time effect based off of a percent of the last used Healing Surge.

Change: Surging Waters (Passive): Healing Surge now heals the affected target for an additional 40% of the original amount healed over 6 seconds. Stacks up to 3 times. Elemental and Enhancement shaman only.

Description: Some of you have stated that Healing Stream Totem will be quite lackluster in Warlords of Draenor due to the passive and smart healing changes, in addition to its base healing being reduced. While this may be true, I don't see how adding the flavour ability of Restoration (Riptide) to our other specializations:- Elemental and Enhancement - as solving the issue. What I propose is that Elemental and Enhancement receive a passive that causes a percentage of your Healing Surge to heal you over time.

[shamantime]

Current Problem: Elemental and Enhancement lack a proper heal over time healing mechanic as a hybrid.
Proposed Change: Both specializations receive a heal over time effect based off of a percent of the last used Healing Surge.

Change: Surging Waters (Passive): Healing Surge now heals the affected target for an additional 40% of the original amount healed over 6 seconds. Stacks up to 3 times. Elemental and Enhancement shaman only.

Description: Some of you have stated that Healing Stream Totem will be quite lackluster in Warlords of Draenor due to the passive and smart healing changes, in addition to its base healing being reduced. While this may be true, I don't see how adding the flavour ability of Restoration (Riptide) to our other specializations:- Elemental and Enhancement - as solving the issue. What I propose is that Elemental and Enhancement receive a passive that causes a percentage of your Healing Surge to heal you over time.

I really do not like this idea at all. It's just a buff to healing surge with a stacking mechanic that would have you spend 3x the mana to get full use from it. Making Riptide for all specializations would be great, because now we don't have to rely on a totem that doesn't have a guarantee to heal us. Not giving an ability to other specs for the sake of "flavor" is just stupid, we might as well make Enhancement just have Sham Rage by that logic.

[Blithe]

I really do not like this idea at all. It's just a buff to healing surge with a stacking mechanic that would have you spend 3x the mana to get full use from it. Making Riptide for all specializations would be great, because now we don't have to rely on a totem that doesn't have a guarantee to heal us. Not giving an ability to other specs for the sake of "flavor" is just stupid, we might as well make Enhancement just have Sham Rage by that logic.

Riptide is Restoration's spec-specific ability, it's not fair for Restoration if you were to give it to the other two. Besides, it's a heal over time so that you're able to add some mobility (given by the heal over time) rather than just standing there casting for another wasted heal instead. While I agree the stacking mechanic seems sort of questionable, the heal over time mechanic would not be.

Say you're being focused by a melee, you cast the Healing Surge to keep yourself up. While the melee is on you, your Healing Surge loses a lot of its effectiveness. Now instead with the passive, you'd be able to say, cast your first Healing Surge and then move and become more mobile because of the heal over time, and because you've been able to move, the extra healing required from the Healing Surge's you would've used instead were much less useful.

w/out passive
Warrior deals 15k damage.
You heal 20k damage.
Warrior deals 15k damage.
You heal 20k damage.
etc.

w/passive
Warriors deals 15k damage.
You heal 20k damage. (by this time you're able to move to make use of the heal over time by not being in range of the Warrior or slowing him down)
You heal 4000 damage
You heal 4000 damage

- - - Updated - - -

1) In terms of hp, I think the optimal solution would be a more individual look at each totem. Some make more sense being easier destroyable than others. Grounding for example has a low cooldown and costs the enemy time either way, wether it is casting a spell into it or stopping the cast and casting a spammable instant, wanding or melee hitting it.
Other totems shouldn't be destroyable at all, like Earthbind (only stationary snare that is destroy/dispellable).

A major reason I would prefer an individual look on totem health is because I believe that if even one totem performs to well health-wise, blizz will nerf them all again. That's why they didn't go through with their previous plans of raising totem health. They are to lazy to look at the individual totem. They've been that way since classic, that's why totems do not improve.

2) I agree. Maybe limit the options to totems that actually benefit from being thrown. Grounding for example does not really care about positioning much.

3) If you buff ST damage to 5 times its current, while allowing 50% uptime (15s duration/30sec cd), you'll be net-buffing it by 150% (250% of original damage), not including cooldown stacking benefits. Tbh, I do not want even more riding on totem/passive sources....Unless you made a mistake with your numbers, and meant 1min cd, and 300% extra damage, which would keep it the same except for cooldown stacking and more bursty in pvp, which I wholeheartedly would agree on.

4) I agree. Personally, I also dislike that one minute blocking thing. I guess some would be bothered by having multiple elementals out at the same time, but as they are filling entirely different roles (mitigation/dmg-aoe/healing), I dont see much of a problem balance-wise. Using all your stuff at the same time is usually a bad idea also. Still, I dont want to be hindered in those moments I need the healing elemental, but cant because I used the Fire one half a minute ago. It makes no sense.

5) I can agree on MT being hard to make interesting

6) CPT would need a replacement. Maybe lessen these drawbacks. Only 2-3 sec charge up and instant with glyph would be nice. With baseline TP that would good enough to keep it, imo.

7) -

8) I would remove the restriction of 1totem/elemental school anyways (superior version of persistance). Earthbind and Stone Bulwark can still clash, for example. And we'll never know what we'll get in terms of future totems. It's rarely affecting us, but when it does, it sucks. Make it four totems max, no matter which element, imo.
With yor suggestion ST would be a cd and MT gone, with FET no longer being a totem, so fire totems are kinda rare then, so makes no sense even ot exclude them.

9) As long as enh is able to survive as well as others through competitive mitigation/self-heal, I dont care much about HTT being gone. popping aoe healing cds as a dps feels kinda wrong though, I suppose.

1. That makes a fair bit of sense as to why Healing Tide Totem and Spirit Link(?) have so much health compared to the others.

3. It's been buffed by 400%, i.e instead of 4,000 every cast it's 16,000 every cast. And instead of lasting for 1 minute, it lasts for 15 seconds so the duration is much lower. The cooldown offsets the extra potential damage by cooldowns, etc. If that's too strong, 300% is fine.

4. It's not so much a change that would allow Earth Elemental, Fire Elemental and Storm Elemental used at the same time, it's more so that whenever you have an Elemental up, you don't have to sacrifice it to use any of your other utility totems.

5. Definitely, it's a challenge. I remember creating a thread in addition to Searing Totem changes and everybody shot down the ideas and it made a whole lot of sense, so we'd be better off removing it. I don't see why Blizzard enjoys keeping it in the game.

6. As I posted above, Capacitor would definitely need a huge reiteration if it were to stay in the game.

8. Eh, I still think Earthbind totem should replace Stone Bulwark, etc. as 1 totem per element, but as I said before, it's the Elements that shouldn't be tied to totems (especially being 5 minutes and all).

9. Healing Tide Totem was the sole reason Elemental and Enhancement had such strong off heals. Ancestral Guidance also played a part but that was nerfed (although it's still the best in its tier). Re-designing Healing Tide was fun for Restoration, and the heal over time mechanic that Healing Surge would get would be interesting, add to our survivability and not make our healing too overpowered in addition to not removing from Restoration either.

[seasawl0l]

My only change that is not already being changed would to make the shaman class a little bit more unique than they already are. Since the ability prune is already happening, I would try to make totems a little bit more stronger than they are. Make totems something you have to do or casting them the main ability. As much as I love ascendance, it kinda has nothing to do with the whole totem class design. Maybe make totems somewhat of a resource system or something. Like having all totems activate elemental blast or something like that. In pvp I sometimes dont even use totems to do scary burst which kinda feels like im just a regular warrior with wolves. it make them feel like optional/situational. Just a thought

[Blithe]

My only change that is not already being changed would to make the shaman class a little bit more unique than they already are. Since the ability prune is already happening, I would try to make totems a little bit more stronger than they are. Make totems something you have to do or casting them the main ability. As much as I love ascendance, it kinda has nothing to do with the whole totem class design. Maybe make totems somewhat of a resource system or something. Like having all totems activate elemental blast or something like that. In pvp I sometimes dont even use totems to do scary burst which kinda feels like im just a regular warrior with wolves. it make them feel like optional/situational. Just a thought

Totems were only really meant to be utility, as they used to be buff totems as well. Ascendance was more for showing the 'element' side of Shaman, not the totem. I personally think Blizzard should show more of the element side, and differentiate each of the specs much more. The argument used for Hunters and Rogues about them not being very different, and feeling all the same could definitely be applied to the Shaman class especially when it comes to abilities that overlap between the specs, except Elemental is ranged and Enhancement is melee.

[Rhamses]

I'd personally like to see Shaman get some of the Wards from WC3. Namely Serpent Ward and Stasis Trap ward.

[Blithe]

I'd personally like to see Shaman get some of the Wards from WC3. Namely Serpent Ward and Stasis Trap ward.

I think their attempt at Serpent Ward was our Minor Glyph that turns our Searing Totem into Vol'jin's. Stasis Trap would be a nice sight to see, but given that it's basically a reactive version of Capacitor Totem, I highly doubt it. It'd be pretty sweet using that, though. Much more fun than waiting for Capacitor to charge and activate.

[Omanley]

3. It's been buffed by 400%, i.e instead of 4,000 every cast it's 16,000 every cast. And instead of lasting for 1 minute, it lasts for 15 seconds so the duration is much lower. The cooldown offsets the extra potential damage by cooldowns, etc. If that's too strong, 300% is fine.

Uum, there's a mistake in wording. The key point here is the word "by". If it is worded "buffed to 400%", it is as you say. 400% is the total amount it will end up at. If it is worded "buffed by400%", it means the 400% are added to the base 100%.

4. It's not so much a change that would allow Earth Elemental, Fire Elemental and Storm Elemental used at the same time, it's more so that whenever you have an Elemental up, you don't have to sacrifice it to use any of your other utility totems.

I know your intention. I only meant that I would like to see this other restrictions be lifted also, as our elements are used for different purposes anyway. It makes no sense to limit our cd using, wether it is through alloing only 1totem/elemental bracket or only 1elemental totem/minute. Just to make it clear: I agree on your point, BUT want them to additionally remove the other restriction also (or redesign elemental totems, like distribute one to each spec).

5. I don't see why Blizzard enjoys keeping it in the game.

From their responses, it is to keep totems as a frequently used mechanic in pve, where utility isn't as much needed as in pvp, where you need all your tools to win.
Their POV is flawed though, because 1m duration sticks are not immersive gameplay. Even less so if this 1m duration is never gonna be required, due to short aoe times. MT is situational, but blizzard's design seems to intend it for constant usage. This does not add up.
ST has the retarded role of keeping Totems present in shaman pve. MT cant be a cd, because cds have to be powerful and shamans have enough already. I dont really see the point in keeping MT anyway, though. Just keep ST down or pop FET. If you really need aoe, you can talent into Spew Lava, plus there's MSW5xCL, FS dot spread and Fire Nova, not mentioning FET's aoe capabilities. MT simply has no place in enhance's design anymore.

6. As I posted above, Capacitor would definitely need a huge reiteration if it were to stay in the game.

Yeah. My hope for a stun prior to MoP was a Hammer of Justice stun (if only). Blizz threw the concept of developing it in a matter of 5 minutes and give us something useful and instead went through the trouble of spending hours and make it as crappy as possible for us, like always.

8. Eh, I still think Earthbind totem should replace Stone Bulwark, etc. as 1 totem per element, but as I said before, it's the Elements that shouldn't be tied to totems (especially being 5 minutes and all).

I dont really get how you reach the conclusion how it is fine. Stone Bulwark requires a 30s uptime for its full benefit (assuming the unlikely even the enemy ignores it). You just pop your 1m survivability cd and suddenly require a (aoe)snare. You have to now cut away further absorb refreshing just because you needed a snare.
This is the same concept as with EET and other earth totems, only that EET lasts a little longer.

Imagine a rogues cooldown arsenal and assume that each and every cooldown is cut when using another. This would incite a rage storm unlike any other in their community. Tbh, I dont get why shamans have such utility restrictions when compared to other classes.

[Blithe]

Uum, there's a mistake in wording. The key point here is the word "by". If it is worded "buffed to 400%", it is as you say. 400% is the total amount it will end up at. If it is worded "buffed by400%", it means the 400% are added to the base 100%.


I know your intention. I only meant that I would like to see this other restrictions be lifted also, as our elements are used for different purposes anyway. It makes no sense to limit our cd using, wether it is through alloing only 1totem/elemental bracket or only 1elemental totem/minute. Just to make it clear: I agree on your point, BUT want them to additionally remove the other restriction also (or redesign elemental totems, like distribute one to each spec).


From their responses, it is to keep totems as a frequently used mechanic in pve, where utility isn't as much needed as in pvp, where you need all your tools to win.
Their POV is flawed though, because 1m duration sticks are not immersive gameplay. Even less so if this 1m duration is never gonna be required, due to short aoe times. MT is situational, but blizzard's design seems to intend it for constant usage. This does not add up.
ST has the retarded role of keeping Totems present in shaman pve. MT cant be a cd, because cds have to be powerful and shamans have enough already. I dont really see the point in keeping MT anyway, though. Just keep ST down or pop FET. If you really need aoe, you can talent into Spew Lava, plus there's MSW5xCL, FS dot spread and Fire Nova, not mentioning FET's aoe capabilities. MT simply has no place in enhance's design anymore.

Yeah. My hope for a stun prior to MoP was a Hammer of Justice stun (if only). Blizz threw the concept of developing it in a matter of 5 minutes and give us something useful and instead went through the trouble of spending hours and make it as crappy as possible for us, like always.


I dont really get how you reach the conclusion how it is fine. Stone Bulwark requires a 30s uptime for its full benefit (assuming the unlikely even the enemy ignores it). You just pop your 1m survivability cd and suddenly require a (aoe)snare. You have to now cut away further absorb refreshing just because you needed a snare.
This is the same concept as with EET and other earth totems, only that EET lasts a little longer.

Imagine a rogues cooldown arsenal and assume that each and every cooldown is cut when using another. This would incite a rage storm unlike any other in their community. Tbh, I dont get why shamans have such utility restrictions when compared to other classes.

What I mean buffed by 400% is that the coefficient of the ability would be changed from 11% of Spell power to 44% of Spell power (a 400% increase), and its duration would be 15 seconds down from 60 seconds.

60 second duration of 11% Spell power = 15 second duration of 44% Spell power

My argument for it being 'fine' is because it's the least likely mechanic that we have that will ever be changed, fixed or reiterated by Blizzard. Using our old Glyph of Stoneclaw Totem as an example; it was a glyph that caused our Stoneclaw Totem to grant us an absorption shield. Regardless of whether the totem died or stayed alive after that was a moot point as the shield lasted indefinitely (or until it was obviously fully absorbed). This was basically a free shield for us and we'd use it most of the time, but they didn't like how it worked, so they created Stone Bulwark Totem. The difference between the two of them was really only the fact that one persists through death and the other must have uptime to work effectively. SBT has been in the game for an entire expansion now, there are no changes to it in Warlords, and any hope that we saw for Blizzard changing or redesigning it was ruined by them buffing the damn thing.

I prefer we keep the 1-totem-per-element thing, but I also prefer Blizzard designs totems around that. Keeping them on short cooldowns with short duration's, but being very effective is what Cataclysm brought to the table for totems, and that's how they should be. Our Elementals and totems like SBT work against this design, and that's why they're so 'stupid' (mechanically). We shouldn't remove the fact that there's 1 totem per element only, we should enforce Blizzard to design around the fact that we'll be interchangeably using our totems and swapping them out for each other.

[Omanley]

What I mean buffed by 400% is that the coefficient of the ability would be changed from 11% of Spell power to 44% of Spell power (a 400% increase), and its duration would be 15 seconds down from 60 seconds.

60 second duration of 11% Spell power = 15 second duration of 44% Spell power

...Let's conclude that I know what you mean and will stop nitpicking

My argument for it being 'fine' is because it's the least likely mechanic that we have that will ever be changed

Ah, yes. True words spoken, indeed. I still see the design as bad. From a balance POV, totems would have to provide some sort of advantage to compensate for this design, but they haven't. Not being able to keep an absorb because you want to snare is just irrational. That said, likelyhood can fool even the best of us. Take warrior stances for example: They were basically the most engaging warrior mechanic since creation. Stance dancing was an art, though not a well-liked one. Yet it is gone now. Imo totems are not that much different, exycept that there never was an engaging aspect to the 1totem/element rule. I just dont see a justification for it. Also, you could similarly hold on to totems being intended to be stationary, not throwable.This particular restriction is after all, just one of many that make up our totem toolkit.
As said, totems need an open, individual toolkit. Ideal design would mean that the generalizing term "totems" would no longer hold any meaning, because each totem would be designed after its own purpose. Totems' one unifying feature would then be visuals. IMO, that is the only thing of totems that was ever unique in a positive way. Totems are antiquated. It's time to not polish, but completely overhaul them. I'm not saying that shamans should be all about totem management and every totem should be something completely different, but a more careful distribution of weaknesses, more oriented on other classes' coutnerparts, would be good.

There could be totem abilities like Totemic Restoration, Projection or a shield protecting your next totem as well, adding additional gameplay.

I prefer we keep the 1-totem-per-element thing, but I also prefer Blizzard designs totems around that. Keeping them on short cooldowns with short duration's, but being very effective is what Cataclysm brought to the table for totems, and that's how they should be. Our Elementals and totems like SBT work against this design, and that's why they're so 'stupid' (mechanically). We shouldn't remove the fact that there's 1 totem per element only, we should enforce Blizzard to design around the fact that we'll be interchangeably using our totems and swapping them out for each other.[/QUOTE]