Shaman healing vs. other Classes/ Priest healing

[Alaska]

So i've been wondering "what if.." about shaman healing. (hah sounds like dating it or something..) I always see shamans including myself coming in first with heals in raids. I normally raid with priests and I always see them come in behind me. For a while, I had been considering rolling a priest over my 80 geared shaman...lol. I feel like priest have more utility and all I have is heroism, which is okay to me, but those things that priest have are quite appealing to me. I also like the idea of disc, and I love it for pvp. That is another thing, in pvp, I feel kind of gimp...maybe it is because I have no pvp gear. I last for a while, but when I get three people + on me I'm a gone. :[ I see weaknesses in both classes...but I guess it's meant to be that way...

I know a lot of tanks don't like disc priests because they can't get rage because of the bubbles.

What do you guys think about Shaman healing vs. priest healing?

[Sanctos]

there's no "comming in first" for healing. Also, priest bubbles do not interfere with warrior or druid rage gains.

[weorep]

Truly priests bring more utility to a raid, shamans are just an average healer we r known for bloodlust chain heals and mana tide :P.
Hope in cataclysm we will get something more , afterall any raid with druids/paladins/priests and with no shamans is fine.

[tehmark]

there's no "comming in first" for healing. Also, priest bubbles do not interfere with warrior or druid rage gains.

correct, the bubble actually grants 2% mana, 8 rage, 16 energy, or 32 runic power if the shield is absorbed

this can happen every 12 seconds

[Debased]

Truly priests bring more utility to a raid, shamans are just an average healer we r known for bloodlust chain heals and mana tide :P.
Hope in cataclysm we will get something more , afterall any raid with druids/paladins/priests and with no shamans is fine.

Um... All raids can excel without the classes above. The most missed BY FAR would be paladins though. Druids bring nothing over shaman.

[Alaska]

Thanks for the replies!

[Kreuzung]

I do just fine so far 2 healing ICC 10 with my resto and my disc priest partner. We both share tank and raid healing as necessary.

[Oneleg]

Play whichever healer you like the most.


A well played healer will be wanted by ANY raid group.

[Endler89]

shamans have the most raid utility and are the best all around healers. Great tank healers great aoe healers. We are op and i love people that keep saying were bad makes blizz not nerf me. Most people forget that totems are raid buffs so our utility is forgotten that we have 4 buffs just from totems along with a bloodlust

keep claimin other heals are better or op

shamans are fine

[Alaska]

shamans have the most raid utility and are the best all around healers. Great tank healers great aoe healers. We are op and i love people that keep saying were bad makes blizz not nerf me. Most people forget that totems are raid buffs so our utility is forgotten that we have 4 buffs just from totems along with a bloodlust

keep claimin other heals are better or op

shamans are fine

That's the thing...most people forget we have totems that are also raid buffs...
just the other day our mage was whining cause he had no wisdom...first thing out of my mouth MANA TOTEM.

[Yukimaru]

Don't forget the Poop shield! every good tank loves his poop shield.

[Samin]

I also like the idea of disc, and I love it for pvp. That is another thing, in pvp, I feel kind of gimp...maybe it is because I have no pvp gear. I last for a while, but when I get three people + on me I'm a gone. :[ I see weaknesses in both classes...but I guess it's meant to be that way...

Even plate sucks without pvp gear in pvp (not as much, but still). Really, if you want to try some pvp, get a good amount of resilience first. Even disc priests die incredibly fast without pvp gear, even when there are less then 3 people beating the priest. If you already survive less then 3 people you are actually pretty good
Just a general comment on the pvp part here.

[Purno]

I don't know a Shaman well enough, but at level 29 I found the lack of different healing spells quite annoying (one big heal, and one small heal). My priest had more different spells at that level. The Shaman is definately on my to-level list.

I got a level 80 Holy Priest and definately loving it <3 . If you haven't done so, I'd recommend you to try one. Which one you'll eventually prefer, is a matter of taste. But Priests got two different healing talent trees to try :P

[Ormula]

That's the thing...most people forget we have totems that are also raid buffs...
just the other day our mage was whining cause he had no wisdom...first thing out of my mouth MANA TOTEM.

Jesus.

Shaman buffs are so easily covered by the rest of a raid. In 25 mans, the only totems that bring any sort of buff that shouldn't easily be covered by other members are Totem of Wrath (Replaced with a Demo Warlock if you have one, which most raids now should because of +400 sp to the raid), and Wrath of Air. Whoop-de-do.

But anyway. Shamans are not OP. You can't raid heal AND tank heal in the same fight, because doing so requires completely different itemization (Haste vs. Int). If you take a resto shaman and a resto druid, same gear level and same skill, and ask them to raid heal, the resto druid will offer more. Chain Heals have this nasty side-effect of not being able to reach ranged which are far away from each other (Which is actually a good thing for half the fights in end-game right now where you need to be 10-12 yards away from everyone for whatever reason.

If you pit a tank-heal geared Shaman against a paladin for tank healing, even if the paladin is terribly geared the paladin will probably be better. If you want to talk about an OP healing class right now, making Beacon of Light duplicate overhealing as well as effective healing made them almost essential to any raid now.

I'm not bagging on resto shamans. The fact that their biggest aoe heal is a smart heal is amazing for the most part. However, if you're winning in meters on almost every fight, that says pretty negatively on your guild.

[Alaska]

I don't know a Shaman well enough, but at level 29 I found the lack of different healing spells quite annoying (one big heal, and one small heal). My priest had more different spells at that level. The Shaman is definately on my to-level list.

I got a level 80 Holy Priest and definately loving it <3 . If you haven't done so, I'd recommend you to try one. Which one you'll eventually prefer, is a matter of taste. But Priests got two different healing talent trees to try :P

I had a 70 priest in BC but I lost my account due to not being able to retrieve my password and old email. :\ I LOVE it. I honestly leveled my shaman to 80 because all I had 80 at the time was a DK and my holy paladin...which I both equally hate. My shaman was 63 so I just chose to level her up because I felt holy paladin was too easy...and tanking was getting too frustrating on the DK with the immense amount of noob dks (ofc..you know).

I'm looking forward to getting my priest back up to cap! I'm level 6 xD (woohoo!)
I do say four of my favorite spells of priest is: Penance, pain suppression, Prayer of Mending, and hymn of hope.

Jesus.

Shaman buffs are so easily covered by the rest of a raid. In 25 mans, the only totems that bring any sort of buff that shouldn't easily be covered by other members are Totem of Wrath (Replaced with a Demo Warlock if you have one, which most raids now should because of +400 sp to the raid), and Wrath of Air. Whoop-de-do.

But anyway. Shamans are not OP. You can't raid heal AND tank heal in the same fight, because doing so requires completely different itemization (Haste vs. Int). If you take a resto shaman and a resto druid, same gear level and same skill, and ask them to raid heal, the resto druid will offer more. Chain Heals have this nasty side-effect of not being able to reach ranged which are far away from each other (Which is actually a good thing for half the fights in end-game right now where you need to be 10-12 yards away from everyone for whatever reason.

If you pit a tank-heal geared Shaman against a paladin for tank healing, even if the paladin is terribly geared the paladin will probably be better. If you want to talk about an OP healing class right now, making Beacon of Light duplicate overhealing as well as effective healing made them almost essential to any raid now.

I'm not bagging on resto shamans. The fact that their biggest aoe heal is a smart heal is amazing for the most part. However, if you're winning in meters on almost every fight, that says pretty negatively on your guild.

Yes, it is sad. I win on meters on most fights...I guess I just run with some pretty sorry healers LOL. I'm looking forward to topping even more on my priest. I find priest more efficient in healing. When I run into a good one they normally do the most effective hps. Shamans over heal sooo much...especially the ones that spam chain heal. :[ I really wish that skill wasn't so appealing. I try so hard not to use it unless necessary for raid healing...just because it causes a lot of ineffective healing which leads to wasted mana. But then again..who cares about overhealing...at least people are alive...BUT you can also say what about mana conservation?

[torny]

I don't know a Shaman well enough, but at level 29 I found the lack of different healing spells quite annoying (one big heal, and one small heal). My priest had more different spells at that level. The Shaman is definately on my to-level list.

I got a level 80 Holy Priest and definately loving it <3 . If you haven't done so, I'd recommend you to try one. Which one you'll eventually prefer, is a matter of taste. But Priests got two different healing talent trees to try :P

You get a third heal as shaman.. its close to useless if you have any other healer with you their healing over time easily covers our weak riptide spell ;P

Jesus.

Shaman buffs are so easily covered by the rest of a raid. In 25 mans, the only totems that bring any sort of buff that shouldn't easily be covered by other members are Totem of Wrath (Replaced with a Demo Warlock if you have one, which most raids now should because of +400 sp to the raid), and Wrath of Air. Whoop-de-do.

But anyway. Shamans are not OP. You can't raid heal AND tank heal in the same fight, because doing so requires completely different itemization (Haste vs. Int). If you take a resto shaman and a resto druid, same gear level and same skill, and ask them to raid heal, the resto druid will offer more. Chain Heals have this nasty side-effect of not being able to reach ranged which are far away from each other (Which is actually a good thing for half the fights in end-game right now where you need to be 10-12 yards away from everyone for whatever reason.

If you pit a tank-heal geared Shaman against a paladin for tank healing, even if the paladin is terribly geared the paladin will probably be better. If you want to talk about an OP healing class right now, making Beacon of Light duplicate overhealing as well as effective healing made them almost essential to any raid now.

I'm not bagging on resto shamans. The fact that their biggest aoe heal is a smart heal is amazing for the most part. However, if you're winning in meters on almost every fight, that says pretty negatively on your guild.

You obv havent played a shaman before.
A smart heal that always overheals on every jump doesnt mean your suppose to be first on every meter.. But then again HPS isn't important at all.

PS their biggest aoe heal?? they have one aoe heal. (And don't you dare tell me we have a healing stream totem lol<_<)

[Alaska]

You get a third heal as shaman.. its close to useless if you have any other healer with you their healing over time easily covers our weak riptide spell ;P

You obv havent played a shaman before.
A smart heal that always overheals on every jump doesnt mean your suppose to be first on every meter.. But then again HPS isn't important at all.

PS their biggest aoe heal?? they have one aoe heal. (And don't you dare tell me we have a healing stream totem lol<_<)

I actually am able to heal dps 50% sometimes with riptide...(with my totem proc'd x3 i normally throw riptide out whenever it's up for the increased spellpower buff).

Healing steam totem..isnt amazing or anything. :[

[torny]

I actually am able to heal dps 50% sometimes with riptide...(with my totem proc'd x3 i normally throw riptide out whenever it's up for the increased spellpower buff).

Healing steam totem..isnt amazing or anything. :[

Note the lol.. healing stream sucks :P
And when you have other healers "and they accually heal" riptide wont be of much use the instant heal is low .. but may cover one targets random dmg taken but the healing over time quickly gets covered by any other healers heal "druids .. mean bastards... with their rejuv and LB >.<"

Shamans don't need or use healing wave so lesser healing wave and chain heal are pretty much all they have :O (Earth shield is a buff lovely one nevertheless!)

[Alaska]

Note the lol.. healing stream sucks :P
And when you have other healers "and they accually heal" riptide wont be of much use the instant heal is low .. but may cover one targets random dmg taken but the healing over time quickly gets covered by any other healers heal "druids .. mean bastards... with their rejuv and LB >.<"

Shamans don't need or use healing wave so lesser healing wave and chain heal are pretty much all they have :O (Earth shield is a buff lovely one nevertheless!)

Yeah the float turd is just lovely... retarded looking...but lovely

[Spaceinvader]

Shamans don't need or use healing wave so lesser healing wave and chain heal are pretty much all they have :O (Earth shield is a buff lovely one nevertheless!)

Healing Wave is pretty useful in 10 mans for the tank healing and has situational usefulness otherwise (and I don't just mean macro'd with Nature's Swiftness). There are a few encounters where single raid members need or can use big heals: Jaraxxus's incinerates and Rotface's disease (because of he reduced healing effect) come to mind as places where you may choose to use big heals on debuffed raid members. Maybe you don't "need" it, but a big heal can make your life easier sometimes.