Thinking about switching to shaman

[Deleted]

Hey folks,

im a bit torn at the moment on what to play now. i geared up my rogue to 845, but im not enjoying him that much. i switched to rogue at the start of wod and i quit after 3 months playing because i didnt enjoyed the expansion. before wod i played a warlock since bc. but the kinda ruined the class for me.
while i liked rogue for pvp aspect and the fact that rogue is one of the best dps class at the moment. i cant really imagine to stick with my rogue through a whole expansion. i would like some diversity and so im looking at some hybrid classes. i have a sham alt at lvl 100 which i played a bit and quite enjoyed it.
actually im just asking you to sell me on your class. what makes you sticking to shaman? i know they are in a middle spot. while resto is a very good healer, enhance a bit in the middle of the dps and ele the "worst" of the specs.
i just like the theme of shaman and the idea of having a hybrid class and also the freedom to pick a range or melee dps. i never played a healer but would pick it up at 110. im well aware that this might be a "downgrade" from rogue, but im okay with that. its more about having a good feeling while playing a class and one spec will always be at least somewhat viable.
thanks in advance.

[Zazey]

So with resto it plays a bit different from other healers, in the sense that you manage a hot on 2-3 people, manage your aoe healing rain, totem timers, and then spot heal the rest. It's got a 15 sec 60cd that allows u to heal while moving, making it very mobile.

With ele, the dps blows if you have to move and trust me you will, but when u hit that 15 second window of just sheer single target burst it will demolish anything, but other than that i'll be honest it's painful in dungeons/raids.

Enh does very well, it's middle of the pack in terms of melee but while leveling/dailies it's been a blast. Kill stuff very quickly, have a self heal etc.

[Tyrannica]

So with resto it plays a bit different from other healers, in the sense that you manage a hot on 2-3 people, manage your aoe healing rain, totem timers, and then spot heal the rest. It's got a 15 sec 60cd that allows u to heal while moving, making it very mobile.

With ele, the dps blows if you have to move and trust me you will, but when u hit that 15 second window of just sheer single target burst it will demolish anything, but other than that i'll be honest it's painful in dungeons/raids.

Enh does very well, it's middle of the pack in terms of melee but while leveling/dailies it's been a blast. Kill stuff very quickly, have a self heal etc.

Thats fun to read, cause my main is a rogue and lock since bc too, and i started to play my rogue again along with my priest, since end of mop and enjoy it, playing outlaw though, the most fun spec atm.

But, unlike you i have healers and healed quite a lot in raids, arenas and rbgs. in all these categories healers are great...just not in 5mans. Its either boring or frustrating.

I dunno why you want a shaman, its the only class i never played, i like how it got a melee and range dd spec, however people say the elemental shaman is weak maybe he gets a big buff in a patch a long the way, though. The question is is it fun, too?

i bet restoration shaman is pretty useful right now, especially if you are horde and doing pvp, too. You can get a big stun reduce passive with the orc racial and relentless and rsham is the only healer the orcs could play. I'd imagine enhancer shamans useful in mythic+ groups and certain arena comps, too. With bloodlust/hero in 5mans.

I personally played druids and priests. And have to say you probably want to play a druid. you played a rogue and perhaps you want a sneaky healer, you played a lock and perhaps you want dots and hots. Also 4 specs is a strong argument with very useful talens in all of these specs(affinities)

Did not do much pve with the druid, but a lot of rbg and arenas, rdruid really felt very powerful. stealth as a healer means something in a rbg with a lot of people focusing on you you can deny this to them at times and do a powerful heal from the shadow no one able to stop you until you healed the guy full up!

I do not play one anymore because i played it for a whole expansion. Anyways i think shaman is a solid choice in group play, but solo i do not think so and i am not sure about wpvp and shamans maybe with some engineer stuff and toys, especially those that makes you escape stuff and make you inivsible.

[nsgid]

been thinking about switching to shaman, but i do have a question. Which spec is the quickest/easiest to level as?

[TrumpIsPresident]

Just dont pick ele.

Ele is trash.

Ele is beyond trash.

Ele is such utter shit filth rubbish trash that you once you play it you will devote the rest of your life to building a time machine just so you can go back and beat your own ass to death for ever picking the shit ultra shit uber shit spec that is ele.

Fair warning.

[lokithor]

So with resto it plays a bit different from other healers, in the sense that you manage a hot on 2-3 people, manage your aoe healing rain, totem timers, and then spot heal the rest. It's got a 15 sec 60cd that allows u to heal while moving, making it very mobile.

With ele, the dps blows if you have to move and trust me you will, but when u hit that 15 second window of just sheer single target burst it will demolish anything, but other than that i'll be honest it's painful in dungeons/raids.

Enh does very well, it's middle of the pack in terms of melee but while leveling/dailies it's been a blast. Kill stuff very quickly, have a self heal etc.

Speaking for ele you're absolutely right. The playstyle is so fun though. Can wreck if you can actually be a turret though, but having to move youre just fucked.

[Cempa]

ele needs to be able to cast lightning on the move and it needs lots more PvP damage ..
it needs much better Earthquack design ... right now it costs way to much ..
It needs more anti melee ... totem gets 1shot .. cant root .. cant run .. cant cast .. cant do sht ...
It needs back the old ShamRage ..

[Riistov]

Just dont pick ele.

Ele is trash.

Ele is beyond trash.

Ele is such utter shit filth rubbish trash that you once you play it you will devote the rest of your life to building a time machine just so you can go back and beat your own ass to death for ever picking the shit ultra shit uber shit spec that is ele.

Fair warning.

It's not that bad, its not even the worst caster (Warlocks would like a word with you).

[TrumpIsPresident]

It's not that bad, its not even the worst caster (Warlocks would like a word with you).

No friend it is that bad in fact its worse I just couldn't properly quantify the degree of shit that ele is.

[Cempa]

It's not that bad, its not even the worst caster (Warlocks would like a word with you).

Seriously, you think Warlock is worse? Warlock with Demo spec that parse the second highest DPS? Or Destro that holds it own pretty well in Mythic?

Ele simply put with all the 'new toys' is still a free kill ..

[Nyel]

Nothing made me stick to Shaman. I switched to Monk. Resto Shaman is the most boring healing spec (though very effective) - it's Riptide & Healing Surge spam till the end. Ele Shaman is in a bad spot (as usual). So Enhancement would be the only reason and the whole Shaman lore but... as I said, I switched to Monk.

Windwalker is great and Mistweaver is a very nice and challenging healing spec. I overall prefer it to Shaman right now.

- - - Updated - - -

It's not that bad, its not even the worst caster (Warlocks would like a word with you).

It's pretty bad. It gets even worse when you have a direct comparison to another caster or DPS spec.

[Riistov]

Seriously, you think Warlock is worse? Warlock with Demo spec that parse the second highest DPS? Or Destro that holds it own pretty well in Mythic?

Ele simply put with all the 'new toys' is still a free kill ..

You talking about PvE or PvP?

[Deleted]

[...]Resto Shaman is the most boring healing spec (though very effective) - it's Riptide & Healing Surge spam till the end.
[...]It's pretty bad. It gets even worse when you have a direct comparison to another caster or DPS spec.

I don't know what you're talking about. Resto is so much fun for me managing Tidal Waves nice and provide us control, we don't rely on stupid proc. Beside talent choices are also really nice I can spec almost for any situation. My only complaints are shitty spread healing and lack of cooldown for tank rest are perfectly fine for me.

New enh I really love spec i feel like hard hitting elemental lord.

Ele I really never like it so I don't care.

[Nyel]

I don't know what you're talking about. Resto is so much fun for me managing Tidal Waves nice and provide us control, we don't rely on stupid proc. Beside talent choices are also really nice I can spec almost for any situation. My only complaints are shitty spread healing and lack of cooldown for tank rest are perfectly fine for me.

New enh I really love spec i feel like hard hitting elemental lord.

Ele I really never like it so I don't care.

I'm talking about Resto Shaman in HC / Mythic 5-man content right now. It's all about spamming Riptide and Healing Surge (Healing Surge spam is the most boring way of healing I encountered since we left TBC/WotLK-Chain-Heal-Spam).

Talent choices? Yeah, more Riptide or more Healing Surge spam - great!

I played Shaman healer for literally every expansion. I can't play it anymore because it's just boring - that's my opinion and that's why I changed my main to Monk healer.

[Teddybearavenger]

Enhancement shaman is amazing. Best overhaul change for Legion by far. try it out for sure.

[Deleted]

I'm talking about Resto Shaman in HC / Mythic 5-man content right now. It's all about spamming Riptide and Healing Surge (Healing Surge spam is the most boring way of healing I encountered since we left TBC/WotLK-Chain-Heal-Spam).

Talent choices? Yeah, more Riptide or more Healing Surge spam - great!

I played Shaman healer for literally every expansion. I can't play it anymore because it's just boring - that's my opinion and that's why I changed my main to Monk healer.

Ye, it's subiective. If you feel need to switch then good for you. I only want emphasize this is not that total disaster as you describe it. In fact I rarely use that Healing Surge, I use it only for saving my team. And yes I doing 5-mans on HC and Mythic. I love resto utiliy and playstyle. Maybe I'm just as boring as Resto and I create perfect match with it! ;D

PS. By talent choices I mean all of content for example spec for raiding moving away from that spam in fact in this spec only talents related to Riptide/HS are in 1st tier.

And no offence m8 it's only my opinion.
Cheers!

[Deleted]

it needs much better Earthquack design ...

They should change the spell name to this and make it summon a bunch of ducks that quack furiusly at all targets on the area.

It'll be about as useful as the current live version.

- - - Updated - - -

Shaman is fun, but you'll be quite frustrated at times. Havent played any other classes in Legion so far so I don't know if thats the case for all. Elemental though is trying very hard and still getting beat by other classes on DPS (AoE and mobility bosses) but melting the bosses face like no one else on stand still single target DPS.

[gambit998]

The thing that people seem to be forgetting is the following. We as a class do not DEAL pure numbers and never have. The OP has played 2 Pure classes. so thats out of the way and youve decided on shaman great. Astetically we are an amazing looking class with overload of ELE, Throwing water on peoples heads (if you have a weak bladder dont go resto, makes me always need to pee if i play with sounds) and bashing things like mad with Enhancement.

Mechanically all three specs are there in some degree:

Elemental has the rotation to obliterate stuff sure, unfortunatly the numbers atm are really not on there side. AOE is dismal. Granted most bosses are single target so it isnt too bad. Can target switch quite well. Mobility isnt the best ever, you have to talent for a spell that adds to your rotation that buffs Frost shock for mobility. (I personally have worked around this issue but it is a pain in the butt.) Burst: One of if not the Best Burst Spec in the game currently. Damage and Survability: Damage is horrid outside of cooldowns and Survability isnt worth its cooldown.

Enhance: Fun Playstyle like Ele, decent numbers not amazeballs but it is there. Target switching is very good. Mobility is good it is a melee but it doesnt really have a gap closer persay unless you talent for it. Burst: Decent but not on Ele numbers. Damage and Survability: Damage ramps up quite well it probabaly has the best ramp up of every class/spec that does ramp up tbh. Meh survability they have instant heals so that is a good thing.

Resto: The RAID HEALER... it has always been a powerful spec in group situations, they have amazing and sometimes gamebreaking utility. There mastery makes there spells heal for more when there target has a part of there health missing so in raids where people take constant damage they are good. Now dont get me wrong Resto has its issues, people usually take a resto shaman for STACK situations as that is where there toolkit shines. Then again Resto has one of the bigger and more capable toolkits out of all the healers currently at least.

Your choice ofc, I have played ELE for ages and tbh i probabbyl still will since i played through the hell of WOD as ELE. Find the spec you enjoy and enjoy the game thats the whole idea in my eyes.

[Menubrea]

They should change the spell name to this and make it summon a bunch of ducks that quack furiusly at all targets on the area.

It'll be about as useful as the current live version.

- - - Updated - - -

Shaman is fun, but you'll be quite frustrated at times. Havent played any other classes in Legion so far so I don't know if thats the case for all. Elemental though is trying very hard and still getting beat by other classes on DPS (AoE and mobility bosses) but melting the bosses face like no one else on stand still single target DPS.

You melt faces for 15 seconds, and then you kind of just stay even while Fire Elemental is up, and then do bugger all for the next 2 minutes until Ascendance is available again.

[Deleted]

I found Elemental shaman very nice to play, spectacular animations and effects, Lava Burst chains feels amazing and the only thing that's odd are numbers. Single player (questing, world quests etc) is not the best experience. U find yourself in trouble with 2 targets. Damage is too low to deal with mobs until you become execution vulnerable person. Dunno about mythics yet, just hit 110 after change of heart with moonkin (too many resources for me, moonmoon spells feels odd). Hopefuly we get some buffs. I will play it anyway