Do not want to heal...how viable is it to play Shaman as only DPS?

[Venziir]

This isn't really true. For high level PvE it matters quite a bit. DPS imbalance matters more for raids, whereas utility imbalance matters more for M+. At low/medium level you can definitely play whatever though.

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Wow, if only I could avoid getting bored by playing the same class for that long. Pretty sure the disparity between my most played class and least played class is 50% at best.

Well I do play the other classes, but my main remains - very much - my main

[Segus1992]

Well I do play the other classes, but my main remains - very much - my main

I don't think I've had a class I've called my main since.. ever. I've had temporary main character simply because they're who I'm currently raiding on, but I honestly couldn't tell you what class I've even put the most /played hours on. It's probably Priest, Paladin, DK, or Monk (if we compare to how long they've been out). I couldn't tell you more accurately than that.

[Saltysquidoon]

There are absolutely players pushing high mythic+ and getting cutting edge mythic achievements as shaman-dps.
Just wanted to link that here so OP can see that its possible, and not to listen blindly to bad community perception.

Your post seems weirdly defensive, nothing wrong with admitting a class is average in raiding and below average in m+
(Take a look at the top M+ DH BTFOing the top shaman). It could always be worse you could always be a windwalker monk

[VinceVega]

As long as your are not going for mythic raid clear or keys over 20 it does not matter what you are playing at all.

[Saltysquidoon]

Some things can be preferable, but that doesnt make other things less viable, is what I mean.

I mean it definitionally does it's simply a matter of degree (not that any of this matters to someone who's level 30 in a post prog final patch world)

[Sluvs]

https://raider.io/characters/eu/blackhand/Elbroiblo

https://raider.io/characters/eu/twis...ether/Djfroosh

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/zone/ra...ec=Enhancement

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/zone/ra...spec=Elemental



There are absolutely players pushing high mythic+ and getting cutting edge mythic achievements as shaman-dps.
Just wanted to link that here so OP can see that its possible, and not to listen blindly to bad community perception.

Ok, listen, I see where you are coming from but my point was not to shit on shamans. I do not even know the mythic + meta. My point is, if he is not going super crazy cutting edge, all classes are viable and he does not have to worry about that.

Of course i could have worded my point better, I just did not think it mattered.

[crakerjack]

This isn't really true. For high level PvE it matters quite a bit. DPS imbalance matters more for raids, whereas utility imbalance matters more for M+. At low/medium level you can definitely play whatever though.

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Wow, if only I could avoid getting bored by playing the same class for that long. Pretty sure the disparity between my most played class and least played class is 50% at best.

I'm sure there's comps where any spec can full clear mythic Ny'alotha. As long as you parse 90%+, you'll be fine regardless of spec.

[Azerate]

You can play whatever you want and you will be fine. It's how you use it

[Zardi]

Since your initial plan is healing, give Resto a whirl and if you're not too convinced, you can switch to Elemental right away, which has good damage and a diverse toolkit. Also, most spells are the same (Lightning Bolt, Flame Shock, Lava Burst...) so switching isn't too dramatic.

Enhancement is fun and does well too, if you want to try it, but the gameplay and gear differ much more so it's harder to keep up.

Personally I have 2 Shamans, 1 Elemental (with backup Resto) and 1 that is Enhancement only.

[Segus1992]

I'm sure there's comps where any spec can full clear mythic Ny'alotha. As long as you parse 90%+, you'll be fine regardless of spec.

'Can', maybe. If a new player wants to be invited to shit, maybe the least-viable-but-still-viable isn't the best idea though.

[kosajk]

shaman is just fine in any spec, problem is as someone alredy sayed perception of community,
if for instance you want to do to m+ as enh and there will be DH in queue to he will be prefered, if you want to go as ele and there will be mage he will be prefered, as resto druid will be preffered so it require more patience to find decent group or some friends that will bost you to 2k+ rio then it dosent matter :P
dmg/healing wise you can do everything just fine with proper gear/setup

edit

beside PVP

[music49]

Shaman healing might not be as strong as other healers, but your dps is still on par with tanks before twilight devastation plus having spirit link totem and healing tide totem, being one of the strongest and most useful abilities in the game in my opinion. So your pulling okay numbers as a healer and then when the moment comes you can pop spirit link and healing tide totem and just feel freaking awesome. And still very viable in mythic + doing your weekly 15.

I don't enjoy melee, so my opinion on enhancement is void but from what I hear they are getting some really fun stuff in shadowlands

I main elemental and have been since Burning Crusade. There are several builds you can play with compared to some specs that only have one viable build. Obviously there is a better one performance wise, but unless your pushing 100th percentiles EVERY pull it doesn't matter. It has a very simple rotation at its core, making it easy to play, and then when you add in cool downs and talent it can become as complex as you'd like or still keep is simple and still pull decent numbers. On top of that you still have your utility abilities. So far the shadowlands rework is looking great too.

Shaman might not be the best at one thing, but we can handle pretty much everything. which i think is the big appeal of playing a shaman.

[Simplejakk]

Hi, I haven't played WoW in over 7 years and have decided to come back while I'm stuck in the house due to COVID-19.

I have tried healing before, and I plan to give it another go with a Shaman, but I don't have high hopes, as I don't enjoy the stress and blame of being the one to keep people alive.

So, if all else fails...would I still be viable playing a shaman as a DPS only class?

Just want to know people's opinions before I get fully invested, my shaman just hit level 30 last night and I have been really enjoying playing elemental.

So, I've spent time at World #1 parsing Enhancement Shaman in the past so here's my two cents on your question:

Being a super hardcore min/maxer isn't restricted to world first guilds. There are plenty of players that put up world first rankings in guilds that are US 150 or lower. If your numbers are good enough, regardless of your class or spec, world first progression guilds will want you. Additionally, just because a different class or spec tends to out damage your class or spec doesnt mean it will out damage you. Now, there are some outliers like Outlaw Rogues in M+ scenarios because they are mechanically broken and weren't intended to be as good as they are..hence the multiple nerfs in retail in the past and the huge nerfs in Shadowlands; there are situations where other classes provide a mechanical advantage over your own and your value decreases. Retail isn't a place where if you're a hybrid class your damage wont be on par with other classes..they've normalized damage a lot in the past 7 years. Something else, I'm seeing a lot of people complaining about covenants and the abilities tied to them and how some deal more dmg/etc..just because something might sim higher doesnt always mean it will perform better..this will also hold true to things like talents and trinkets and that sort of stuff. If you are wanting to be legit at your class/spec, you have to become a master at log diving and simming your toon and "guides" for classes/specs are only ever a starting point and rarely an end-all-be-all. Lastly, a good rule of thumb for people of the same class or spec that are outperforming you is generally because they are doing something that you aren't.

Sorry for the long post but yeah, you can be just a dps shaman and be just fine. The more you research and understand your class the better you'll be. I hope this helps!

[Kralljin]

If you want to compete with competent players, Shaman is not a good choice.
More often than not, both Enhancement and Elemental end up being average at best.

[apelsinjuice]

If you want to compete with competent players, Shaman is not a good choice.
More often than not, both Enhancement and Elemental end up being average at best.

yes, the best you can hope for is to be middle of the pack, more often than not you are at the bottom tough

a dps shaman doing 90%+ parses will do about as much damage as a 70% warrior/rogue/mage/warlock/bm hunter or whatever is in the top, meaning you will have to work much much harder for the same amount of dps

[Schmilblick]

As Elemental, yes, but if you want a super bloated melee spec that require 4-5 buttons while others class needs only 1-2, then play enhance.

[callipygoustp]

I can't speak for M+, I only heal M+ on my shaman, but in raids I do very competitive damage as elemental when I'm asked to go dps.

[gd8]

most of you people are coming at the OP from an entirely wrong angle, this is clearly a guy who hasn't played in a very long time and probably thinks "hybrid tax" still exists yet you're talking to him about shaman viability in +25 mythic plus like come the fuck on lmao.

shaman dps are perfectly viable in all content and no one will judge you for it like in vanilla, end of thread.

[apelsinjuice]

most of you people are coming at the OP from an entirely wrong angle, this is clearly a guy who hasn't played in a very long time and probably thinks "hybrid tax" still exists yet you're talking to him about shaman viability in +25 mythic plus like come the fuck on lmao.

shaman dps are perfectly viable in all content and no one will judge you for it like in vanilla, end of thread.

it does not matter, all that matter is the community perception of things, playing enchament shaman he wont even get invited to +5 mythics because he plays the "wrong" spec for example

[ZazuuPriest]

Hi, I haven't played WoW in over 7 years and have decided to come back while I'm stuck in the house due to COVID-19.

I have tried healing before, and I plan to give it another go with a Shaman, but I don't have high hopes, as I don't enjoy the stress and blame of being the one to keep people alive.

So, if all else fails...would I still be viable playing a shaman as a DPS only class?

Just want to know people's opinions before I get fully invested, my shaman just hit level 30 last night and I have been really enjoying playing elemental.

elemental shaman is and always has been (since vanilla) one of the most fun to play DPS specs in the game. It might not be as strong now as it was at the beginning of BFA but in the right hands it has some pretty dope utility and respectable dps and really nice burst aoe dps.