Shaman Tank?

[Deleted]

Wow is a beautiful game, this is why it has been the king of the hill for so long. I remember how I fell in love with it back in WotLK levelling up my Enhancement Shaman… my favourite part was being able to take upon the role of tank whenever ours left - would take ages for another arrive!

This leads me onto my primary query - was and is a Tank spec ever going to come forth for Shaman?
There is every reason to imply that it should:
1. Rock-biter weapon enchantment used to generate threat on hit - cannot be for any other reason than tanks (a spell that has been removed and is now back altered).
2. Enhancement Shamans actually used to act as minor off-tanks for mobs during encounters in raids, and could actually tank entire dungeons pre-55.
3. Shamans are tied to the elements as warrior are by battle.. so why is it that only 3 of the elements are available to us? We are missing the long awaited Earth form! Enhancement masters Air elements, Restoration masters Water, Elemental masters Fire, and Tank Shaman would master the Earth element.

Typically a new spec would not even be considered, but this fits so well thematically that, in fact, it can be seen that Shamans have been missing a spec this entire time!!
I don’t know if this idea has been in circulation at Blizzard Entertainment, if not, I would very much appreciate if the staff took a moment to consider it - it would fit very well into the theme of WoW and can be a heck of fun to design!
Thanks for your time if you read the entire post <3

[kosajk]

demon hunter will have tank role so i dont think they would want to give us that posibility, altrought more tools in our kit wouldn't be bad

[Murderdoll]

No. Go away.

[Araxie]

No. Go away.

I like you.


Seriously though: No.

[czarek]

In very early vanilla shamans was used as tanks in 5 man`s. I remember a few SM done like this :P

[nomorepriest]

Yes please....I agree with this post

[Deleted]

In very early vanilla shamans was used as tanks in 5 man`s. I remember a few SM done like this :P

And they quickly shat on them immediately because they were never intended to tank. It was the shamans imbues and talents that were utterly braindead, which fueled people's believe that shamans should be able to tank, because they had a few dmg reduction talents and could wield a shield.
Just like people wanted rogue tanks to happen, because they had a very high dodge at some point and could cap it for a certain amount of bosses, and dont get me started on demo warlocks.

[Rizendragon]

And they quickly shat on them immediately because they were never intended to tank. It was the shamans imbues and talents that were utterly braindead, which fueled people's believe that shamans should be able to tank, because they had a few dmg reduction talents and could wield a shield.
Just like people wanted rogue tanks to happen, because they had a very high dodge at some point and could cap it for a certain amount of bosses, and dont get me started on demo warlocks.

This isn't exactly true. The team left those portions of the design in, but by the time release happened they didn't want shaman to tank.

The answer to the OP is that no Enh won't be tanking any time soon.

[Deleted]

The only reason why Shaman used to be able to tank was because back in Vanilla Blizzard were suffering from utterly unfocused design philosophy in which multiple vestigial roles lingered from pre-launch. I remember running a dungeon or two with an enhance shaman tanking for us, but even then it was wonky as shit with barely any tools. Heck many of the true speccs didn't function at all either, like protection paladins.

In making Demonhunters a 2 specc class rather than 3 specc, they've pretty much sent a signal that their philosophy is to consolidate what they currently have rather than flail out into the periphery to make the currently insane lattice more complicated.

[Razaron]

In making Demonhunters a 2 specc class rather than 3 specc, they've pretty much sent a signal that their philosophy is to consolidate what they currently have rather than flail out into the periphery to make the currently insane lattice more complicated.

I'd say with them concentrating a lot on differentiating specs from one another the likelihood of 4th specs have increased dramatically for future expansions.

[nazrakin]

I'd say with them concentrating a lot on differentiating specs from one another the likelihood of 4th specs have increased dramatically for future expansions.

To me it says the exact opposite. The further apart each spec gets, the more development time they'll have to spend preserving their individuality. When they were fine with every spec sharing the same abilities and talents it would have been much easier to accomplish.

[Deleted]

WoW is king in the cinematic department since 3 expansions. Content wise and class balance wise.... no.

[Dawnseeker]

It's been an idea floating around since vanilla indeed. Lore wise it makes sense and mechanically it would probably play fine and now would be the best time to add it with the focus on class fantasy and how they're doing all the spec/talent stuff, they could even have their own artefact from the stonemother herself, a 2h hammer or staff.
But, it would be another tank to balance and they already struggle with this, perhaps how they use tanks in raids would need to shift a bit first to utilising more tanks or off-tanks.

[Razaron]

To me it says the exact opposite. The further apart each spec gets, the more development time they'll have to spend preserving their individuality. When they were fine with every spec sharing the same abilities and talents it would have been much easier to accomplish.

Only time will tell, the feeling I got was they never wanted to add 4th specs whilst there were classes like Rogue with very similar specs. Now that they've been addressed I don't see why they wouldn't substitute a new class in a future expansion for some new specs.

The only problem you really have is some classes have bottomless amount of ideas and others less so.

Only time will tell

[bloodmoth13]

Hopefully they add in new specs next Xpac.

Priest: holy dps spec
Mage: battle mage (melee spellblade spec) chronomancer (time based healing spec) arch mage (utilizes frost and fire spells) pick one
Warlock: Demon pet tank spec/Necromancer or something
Rogues: Ranged archer spec (quite popular after seeing melee hunters)
Druid: already have 4
Monk: Ranged archer spec (or 'chi' based airbender style spec like karazim?)
Shaman: Earth focused tank spec for shamans
Hunter: Dark ranger spec (they are implementing talents at the moment) or rexxar style tank spec?
Warrior: Gladiator sword and board dps spec
Paladin: Crusader Sword and board dps spec
Death Knight: Blood dps DK (if they are being lazy) or full blown necromancer spec?

Let blizz figure it out.

Im sure they could think of some other specs for other classes.
Id much rather that than a new class (unless they do tinker) or new races that get half a page of lore then get forgotten *cough every non-pandaren race from pandara cough*
seriously though, i hope we never see jinyu or hozen ever again, or those fucking rabbits or those stupid moles. only race worth keeping is yaungol, and only because of their relation to tauren, rest can be retconed out of existence for all i care

- - - Updated - - -

It's been an idea floating around since vanilla indeed. Lore wise it makes sense and mechanically it would probably play fine and now would be the best time to add it with the focus on class fantasy and how they're doing all the spec/talent stuff, they could even have their own artefact from the stonemother herself, a 2h hammer or staff.
But, it would be another tank to balance and they already struggle with this, perhaps how they use tanks in raids would need to shift a bit first to utilising more tanks or off-tanks.

I think they should create more roles, like a bruiser role that does DPS levels of damage and can off tank 3 or so enemies while putting a cap on how many the tank can hold, would create a unique niche for melee dps to make them as valuable as ranged dps

[Kudos]

In very early vanilla shamans was used as tanks in 5 man`s. I remember a few SM done like this :P

Pretty much this. They had a shield, and talents to mitigate some damage. They had rockbiter weapon that generated threat and frost shock also generated quite a bit of threat. I would often tank 5 mans on my Shaman during Vanilla. I'd also offtank some of Moroes' adds in Karazhan when my guild was raiding Karazhan.

But all this has been removed. It's like how last expansion, I'd assist in tanking one of the Shaman in Siege of Orgrimmar on my warlock using Dark Apotheosis (spelling?). Blizzard giveth, and Blizzard taketh away. Don't expect Shaman tanking back anytime soon.

[ciggy]

In very early vanilla shamans was used as tanks in 5 man`s. I remember a few SM done like this :P

I remember a horde guild that would use a shaman tank for some of the early raids, couple MC fights, Ony.. and I think one of the fights in BWL, I can't remember the boss, the second one that let you endlessly use your abilities on no cooldown.

Remember early tbc as well, when it was so hard to watch your threat as a shaman, and it was just easier to go balls out and let the op healing do work. Fun times.

With so many more tanks now, and much better threat management, it's just a thing of the past.

[Northy]

Wow is a beautiful game, this is why it has been the king of the hill for so long. I remember how I fell in love with it back in WotLK levelling up my Enhancement Shaman… my favourite part was being able to take upon the role of tank whenever ours left - would take ages for another arrive!

This leads me onto my primary query - was and is a Tank spec ever going to come forth for Shaman?
There is every reason to imply that it should:
1. Rock-biter weapon enchantment used to generate threat on hit - cannot be for any other reason than tanks (a spell that has been removed and is now back altered).
2. Enhancement Shamans actually used to act as minor off-tanks for mobs during encounters in raids, and could actually tank entire dungeons pre-55.
3. Shamans are tied to the elements as warrior are by battle.. so why is it that only 3 of the elements are available to us? We are missing the long awaited Earth form! Enhancement masters Air elements, Restoration masters Water, Elemental masters Fire, and Tank Shaman would master the Earth element.

Typically a new spec would not even be considered, but this fits so well thematically that, in fact, it can be seen that Shamans have been missing a spec this entire time!!
I don’t know if this idea has been in circulation at Blizzard Entertainment, if not, I would very much appreciate if the staff took a moment to consider it - it would fit very well into the theme of WoW and can be a heck of fun to design!
Thanks for your time if you read the entire post <3

I beg Blizzard, with the ferocity of a million low orbit ion cannons, to not make Shaman tanks.

[shamantime]

To me it says the exact opposite. The further apart each spec gets, the more development time they'll have to spend preserving their individuality. When they were fine with every spec sharing the same abilities and talents it would have been much easier to accomplish.

Blizzard did say the other day that, Fistweaving and Gladiator's were going to be used in the future.

- - - Updated - - -

The only reason why Shaman used to be able to tank was because back in Vanilla Blizzard were suffering from utterly unfocused design philosophy in which multiple vestigial roles lingered from pre-launch. I remember running a dungeon or two with an enhance shaman tanking for us, but even then it was wonky as shit with barely any tools. Heck many of the true speccs didn't function at all either, like protection paladins.

In making Demonhunters a 2 specc class rather than 3 specc, they've pretty much sent a signal that their philosophy is to consolidate what they currently have rather than flail out into the periphery to make the currently insane lattice more complicated.

I think it was also a lore issue or just no idea for a 3rd spec without too many overlapping themes. I mean seeing as how they shaved some of Demonology off to make way for Demon Hunters and all.

[Rezhka]

I don't know how much these shaman tank threads have been emerged like every once in a while. Maybe you guys could make a petition to blizz dev team (I don't know if there's one already or no) rather than posting same old ideas.

Personally, I'd rather have they fix the existing specs first, than developing a new spec for us. Why does everyone keep asking for this splitting element representation of shaman specs? Is it because of the ascendance?