Idea and Changes for Shaman

[shamantime]

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.

Please explain to me how it isn't fair, if anything it should be unfair to Elemental and Enhance because they don't have a proper hot, utility should not be sacrificed for the sake of "flavor." Everyone other hybrid in the game has access to a proper hot. Shadow(Renew), Balance/Feral(Rejuv.) Ret(If Eternal Flame Counts) and Ele/Enhance(HST) a lackluster pseudo-hot that doesn't always heal the caster.

[Volitar]

I liked Searing, he's my little buddy who I can dismiss without even using a GCD. Searing = best pet.

[Blithe]

Please explain to me how it isn't fair, if anything it should be unfair to Elemental and Enhance because they don't have a proper hot, utility should not be sacrificed for the sake of "flavor." Everyone other hybrid in the game has access to a proper hot. Shadow(Renew), Balance/Feral(Rejuv.) Ret(If Eternal Flame Counts) and Ele/Enhance(HST) a lackluster pseudo-hot that doesn't always heal the caster.

Given that we're an offensive class, our act of healing is through active damage (see: Maelstrom Weapon, Clearcasting, Ancestral Guidance). With that being said, I do however agree wholeheartedly that we are in immediate need of a heal over time mechanic considering Healing Stream Totem will be nigh useless come Warlords, but Riptide is not the answer. It would be very similar to giving Swiftmend to Balance, or Penance to Shadow. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have Riptide, but I don't think it would be a very good design choice.

- - - Updated - - -

I liked Searing, he's my little buddy who I can dismiss without even using a GCD. Searing = best pet.

It bothers me greatly, but I can at least be glad Searing Flames was removed. That mechanic was clunky and annoying as all hell.

[Protoman]

Ideas

I think this is a very good list of changes, all pretty reasonable and balanced. The only thing I would keep is Searing/Magma totem..... would leave those in as I like having an always available fire totem for single or aoe dps. I just would not have mechanics that rely on them such as Searing Flames. I would leave CPT in also, just make it a little easier to use (and with baseline TP it should be). Our Elemental totems def shouldn't be tied to a totem, makes no sense really.

I definetly agree on a mobility tier for L45 instead of totems. Make Imp GW glyph baseline also, its the least they can do to make GW useful in PVP.

Some other changes I would make is fix Enh's AoE so it doesn't rely on single target abilities. I would basically make FLS spread by FN and not LL, an aoe ability spread the aoe dot. Would help simplify alot of things and make it easier to use.

[Blithe]

I think this is a very good list of changes, all pretty reasonable and balanced. The only thing I would keep is Searing/Magma totem..... would leave those in as I like having an always available fire totem for single or aoe dps. I just would not have mechanics that rely on them such as Searing Flames. I would leave CPT in also, just make it a little easier to use (and with baseline TP it should be). Our Elemental totems def shouldn't be tied to a totem, makes no sense really.

I definetly agree on a mobility tier for L45 instead of totems. Make Imp GW glyph baseline also, its the least they can do to make GW useful in PVP.

Some other changes I would make is fix Enh's AoE so it doesn't rely on single target abilities. I would basically make FLS spread by FN and not LL, an aoe ability spread the aoe dot. Would help simplify alot of things and make it easier to use.

Thanks! Some great input on your part also.

[Pepzilla]

Idea- Spirit Walk getting 2-3 charges but its duration lowered

2 charges probably be enough

[shamantime]

Given that we're an offensive class, our act of healing is through active damage (see: Maelstrom Weapon, Clearcasting, Ancestral Guidance). With that being said, I do however agree wholeheartedly that we are in immediate need of a heal over time mechanic considering Healing Stream Totem will be nigh useless come Warlords, but Riptide is not the answer. It would be very similar to giving Swiftmend to Balance, or Penance to Shadow. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have Riptide, but I don't think it would be a very good design choice.

Wouldn't that mean Shadow and Balance were active damage classes aswell?(See Vampiric Embrace and Nature's Vigil) Might as well say all hybrid dps specs are active damage specs since they all can use damage-conversion-heals

Similar? Lol.We are talking about a h.o.t, not a channeled CD, or instant direct heal. It would be the equivalent to giving Balance Rejuvenation and Shadow Renew, but wait they already have those spells.

[Blithe]

Wouldn't that mean Shadow and Balance were active damage classes aswell?(See Vampiric Embrace and Nature's Vigil) Might as well say all hybrid dps specs are active damage specs since they all can use damage-conversion-heals

Similar? Lol.We are talking about a h.o.t, not a channeled CD, or instant direct heal. It would be the equivalent to giving Balance Rejuvenation and Shadow Renew, but wait they already have those spells.

Riptide is both an instant heal and a heal over time. It's a signature spell of the Restoration specialization that you receive when you choose the specialization. All Druid's can use Rejuvenation, and all Priests can use Renew. Only Restoration Druid's can use Swiftmend, and Discipline Priest's can use Penance. Do you not see where I'm coming with this?

Riptide = Swiftmend = Penance (spec-specific)
(none) = Rejuvenation = Renew (baseline heal over time)
Healing Surge = Healing Touch = Flash Heal (baseline casting heal)

As you can see... we have the spec-specific abilities which I mentioned before; and then we have the baseline heal over time abilities that you mentioned (that Riptide is not apart of, for your information), and this is where we miss out. We need a heal over time ability, but it's not going to be Riptide because it's spec-specific.

[Raiju]

reincarnation

[shamantime]

Riptide is both an instant heal and a heal over time. It's a signature spell of the Restoration specialization that you receive when you choose the specialization. All Druid's can use Rejuvenation, and all Priests can use Renew. Only Restoration Druid's can use Swiftmend, and Discipline Priest's can use Penance. Do you not see where I'm coming with this?

Riptide = Swiftmend = Penance (spec-specific)
(none) = Rejuvenation = Renew (baseline heal over time)
Healing Surge = Healing Touch = Flash Heal (baseline casting heal)

As you can see... we have the spec-specific abilities which I mentioned before; and then we have the baseline heal over time abilities that you mentioned (that Riptide is not apart of, for your information), and this is where we miss out. We need a heal over time ability, but it's not going to be Riptide because it's spec-specific.

It's not going to matter to the majority of people about "signature spells" and what not. If you want all specs can get Riptide and HST could be your highly-coveted flavor ability.

As you can see... we have the spec-specific abilities which I mentioned before; and then we have the baseline heal over time abilities that you mentioned (that Riptide is not apart of, for your information), and this is where we miss out. We need a heal over time ability, but it's not going to be Riptide because it's spec-specific.

I've been playing Shaman for years, you don't have to tell me Riptide isn't baseline I know that. I'm simply suggesting it should be baseline.

[Lavindar]

I don't belive we really need a baseline HoT, but if it were for us to get one I would prefer it to be a new spell and not Riptide going baseline.

[shamantime]

I don't belive we really need a baseline HoT, but if it were for us to get one I would prefer it to be a new spell and not Riptide going baseline.

I'm all for a new spell, just feel Riptide would be a nice addition to Ele and Enhance toolkit.

[Blithe]

It's not going to matter to the majority of people about "signature spells" and what not. If you want all specs can get Riptide and HST could be your highly-coveted flavor ability.



I've been playing Shaman for years, you don't have to tell me Riptide isn't baseline I know that. I'm simply suggesting it should be baseline.

Eh, HST becoming Restoration only would be somewhat redundant with HTT, we'd need to re-design a talent, and not to mention Restoration already has two spec-specific totems, they don't need to keep anymore to themselves, haha.

I appreciate the suggestion, and I'd personally love to have Riptide baseline, but I'm just trying to mention why it wouldn't become baseline is all. Sorry if I'm coming off as grouchy or argumentative.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't belive we really need a baseline HoT, but if it were for us to get one I would prefer it to be a new spell and not Riptide going baseline.

Agreed. If it were to be given to Elemental and Enhancement, Restoration would also need some sort of compensation which means they'd have to lose Riptide as their spec-specific ability and baseline ability (if it were to become baseline).

[shamantime]

Eh, HST becoming Restoration only would be somewhat redundant with HTT, we'd need to re-design a talent, and not to mention Restoration already has two spec-specific totems, they don't need to keep anymore to themselves, haha.

I appreciate the suggestion, and I'd personally love to have Riptide baseline, but I'm just trying to mention why it wouldn't become baseline is all. Sorry if I'm coming off as grouchy or argumentative.

- - - Updated - - -



Agreed. If it were to be given to Elemental and Enhancement, Restoration would also need some sort of compensation which means they'd have to lose Riptide as their spec-specific ability and baseline ability (if it were to become baseline).

No worries!
If anything, HST should be scrapped. Too much passive healing, I like making a choice when I'm healing. If HST was removed we could move some of that healing back into active heals. I'm all for an ally-targetable damage reduction CD in totem form.

[Blithe]

No worries!
If anything, HST should be scrapped. Too much passive healing, I like making a choice when I'm healing. If HST was removed we could move some of that healing back into active heals. I'm all for an ally-targetable damage reduction CD in totem form.

Yeah, definitely! In addition with there being too much passive healing, the actual amount that the totem heals is abysmal, it's not even worth casting in most cases unless you either have the talent, or are Restoration and even when taking those two points into consideration, it's receiving a 50% reduction in healing come Warlords anyway, so there really is no point in having it anymore.

A damage reduction cooldown that you can use on allies? You mean like Ironbark, but in Totem form? Great suggestion, but I don't know how it'd work as a Totem, or with Spirit Link Totem; there'd have to be some sort of compromise. It'd have to be weak, and then Elemental and Enhancement would be given passives that increased its effect, or something or other.

Stone Bulwark Totem becoming baseline, as well as not having the Totem to be active would be really nice. Scratch that, how about a 1-minute cooldown absorb based off of Stone Bulwark Totem but without the Totem?

[shamantime]

Yeah, definitely! In addition with there being too much passive healing, the actual amount that the totem heals is abysmal, it's not even worth casting in most cases unless you either have the talent, or are Restoration and even when taking those two points into consideration, it's receiving a 50% reduction in healing come Warlords anyway, so there really is no point in having it anymore.

A damage reduction cooldown that you can use on allies? You mean like Ironbark, but in Totem form? Great suggestion, but I don't know how it'd work as a Totem, or with Spirit Link Totem; there'd have to be some sort of compromise. It'd have to be weak, and then Elemental and Enhancement would be given passives that increased its effect, or something or other.

Stone Bulwark Totem becoming baseline, as well as not having the Totem to be active would be really nice. Scratch that, how about a 1-minute cooldown absorb based off of Stone Bulwark Totem but without the Totem?

I was thinking somehow reincarnate Stoneskin Totem or something new maybe Nature's Guardian-esque ability except usable whenever.

Sandbuffer Totem
Summon an Earth Totem with 25% of the target's health. Increases the target's health by 25% and reduces damage done by 10% for 6 seconds.Another totem may be summoned and the Shaman or ally will retain the health increase. When the effect is finished the target's health will stabilize. (If target is at 100 they get an addition 25 with totem. 125, say they take 10dmg, now they are at 115/125(92%) they will remain at this percentage when the effect ends (92/100)

Something in line with the totems bolstering the shaman.

[Goradan]

Man I got way too many Ideas for changes to shamans check up my old links below, but otherwise I got a few new ones here.

Elemental guard: Grants you 10% damage reduction form all sources.

Searing totem: Summon a Fire totem that deals fire damage to the target in an area last for 20 sec, 1Min CD

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...searing-flames

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...Ability-Idea-s