Incentive to choose Balance Druid over Elemental Shaman?

[Mattrik]

Just as a side note, an Elemental Shaman who drops a full totem spread is running around pretty much fully raidbuffed.

The things that they also get benefit from are:
Blessing of Kings & +Int mage buff - more crit and mana regeneration
Misery or Improved Faerie Fire - 3% hit buff
Earth and Moon, Curse of Elements or Ebon Plague +13% spell damage buff to target

Everything else they bring themselves.
This means that their dps actually doesn't go up hugely (Curse of Elements/Ebon Plague/Earth and Moon notwithstanding) in 25-man vs 10-man vs 5-man vs questing.

[SBS]

Air
5% Spell Haste - (global) - Wrath of Air totem - Overwrites 3% from Boomkin Aura

This is wrong. It does not overwrite boomkin aura, it stacks. Also boomkin aura is 3% _haste_ not spell haste.

[Mattrik]

This is wrong. It does not overwrite boomkin aura, it stacks. Also boomkin aura is 3% _haste_ not spell haste.

Awesome, cheers for the info.

Updated.

[Burning]

Heroism/Bloodlust > druid stuffs?

I'm only saying this cuz I never played druids over level 60

[Nanite]

The issue is that you are only going to get 1 heroism/BL in per boss fight ( a few execptions) where during progression multiple druids may need to use their B-res in a single fight. This means that assuming that you are not the only shaman in the raid your heroism will most likely be useless.

Here is a short list of the differences disregarding buffs:

Moonkin:
-slightly lower DPS
-Dots so it can do dmg on the move
-great AoE
-If moving when eclipse is up your dps goes to hell
-bad luck procing eclipse makes your dps go to hell
-bad luck letting NG drop during eclipse and your dps goes to hell
-getting any type of stun during eclipse and your dps goes to hell
-Some fights your trents will die to AoE no matter what

Ele:
- Higher DPS
-Only one dot that has a CD
-very few options to do dps on the move
-Not very good at AoE

Basicly they are similar in many ways but i would play an ele over a druid just due to the pain that eclipse can be.

[Azyoulike]

You don't say if you are only going to PvE or if you're interested in PvP. From what I've seen of the Boomkin PvP QQ, they aren't having a very good time at that right now. While Elemental shammies aren't FotM, most of the shammy PvP complaints seem to be on the Enh side.

I don't dig arena myself so I'm just going off of forums here.

[Doomfingers]

i couldnt see anyone did say that druid has also combat rezz which can be pricless, but i think heroism will stil win.

Edit. sorry Rellikk i was blind.

[Cyclope]

Bring both if possible, since Haste% buffs stack with each other...You get +3% Hit & 280 SP...imba for casters !!!

[mgp84]

In a 10 man environment it really depends IMO. From what I see, the main difference (alliance side) is 2% extra hit from iFF (Draenei have the racial) and CoE versus Spell Damage totems and Bloodlust.
If you are a guild that is DPS heavy, and like to pound down encounters, I would roll with a Shaman because Heroism/Bloodlust hands down is IMBA (the one reason raids stacked shamans in SWP back in BC when Heroism did not share cooldowns). On the other hand, CoE and increased hit will provide better passive improvements to your raids DPS.
When it comes down to it, both classes provide the similar buffs and it is a flip of a coin when it comes down to it. I play both classes, and I can tell you this much about both of them. Decide whether you want to see a messed up owl or a guy with a tail for the rest of your /played life.

[Mattrik]

In a 10 man environment it really depends IMO. From what I see, the main difference (alliance side) is 2% extra hit from iFF (Draenei have the racial)

Draenei Racial is a +1% hit aura that is applied to your character.
Imp Faerie Fire (and Misery, for that matter) are +3% to be hit debuffs applied to your target.

They stack.

[Avalar]

Moonkins are way better imo. Much more fun to play too. All i see elem's doing is.. LB... Lb... CL.... LB.. Lava.... LB... LB... LB Thats awefully boring imo. It's kinda fun to wear a shield i guess...



Moonkins also have tree friends!!! 3 of them, how fun! Brez is Invalueable
And moonkins get a CRAPTON of aoe. IMO.. Hurricane is the best aoe there is in game... not onlly does it crit alot and do massive damage, it also slows attacks of foes by 25%. And yeah, massive versatility too with duelspecs and what not.

One MASSIVE downside too moonkins though... you ALWAYS LOOK THE SAME!

[chunx0r]

Moonkins at least show weapons try playing a tree sometime.

As far as what to role i would give a nod to moonkin simply for the versatility. If your guild is even in need of a tank or heal you can do it. Shammies can only heal. Also talk to the clothies in your guild and see how they feel about moonkins rolling on cloth cause leather is terribly itemized for moonkins.

[Marakara]

Comparing buffs directly you'd probably be comparing:
3% general crit//3% general haste
5% spell crit//5% spell crit
280 spell damage//13% spell damage
//3% hit

if you're the only shaman/moonkin you'd also compare
91 mp5//innervate
ankh//brez
5% spell haste or 16% melee haste//
soe//
bloodlust//
//impmotw

So if you there tends to be other druids and shaman but no ele/moonkins, go moonkin, especially if there's a lack of spriests. If there's no shaman or druid, you'd probably be more useful going elemental shaman.

On a side note, like in most threads, people seem to overvalue bloodlust. It's a 3% haste buff in most fights in Ulduar. It's a godsend in 1.5 minute patchwerk fights, but if the fight is longer than 2 min, battleshout provides a better dps increase :

[anyaka21]

the whole bl/heroism thing is pretty much doesn't matter. The main reason I say this is because typically in a 25man raid there will be more than one shaman.

And if you are progressing, it has a 5min CD thus easily used once per try. Not only that but the sated debuff you get disappears on death so if you wipe, it's easily redone. And the way Ulduar is working atm, there is typically about 10mins between boss pulls.



edit: however, if you are the only shaman, then bl/hero is game breaking. However, I'd also recommend then, that you go resto, or at least ele/resto dual spec.

[mgp84]

Draenei Racial is a +1% hit aura that is applied to your character.
Imp Faerie Fire (and Misery, for that matter) are +3% to be hit debuffs applied to your target.

They stack.

Alliance-Side Boomkin - 3% iFF
Alliance-Side Shaman (Draenei) - 1% Hit from Racial

The difference between 3 and 1 = 2. Hence a 2% DIFFERENCE.

[Mattrik]

Sorry, you're right, been having stacking discussions with my boomkin guildie all week, wrong context.