WoWWiki

This wiki contains inaccurate and out-of-date information. Please head over to https://wowpedia.fandom.com for more accurate and up-to-date game information.

READ MORE

WoWWiki
Register
Advertisement
For related articles, see Category:Shamans.
For the correct spelling and more on the word, see spelling of shaman.
Shaman are spiritual guides and practitioners, not of the divine, but of the very elements. Unlike some other mystics, shaman commune with forces that are not strictly benevolent. The elements are chaotic, and left to their own devices, they rage against one another in unending primal fury. It is the call of the shaman to bring balance to this chaos. Acting as moderators among earth, fire, water, and air, shaman summon totems that focus the elements to support the shaman’s allies or punish those who threaten them.
Shaman crest

Shaman is a hybrid class that specializes in offensive spellcasting, melee damage dealing, or healing. As such, the class is considered one of the most adaptable and versatile. Shaman can also provide group support in the form of stationary totems that, when placed on the ground by the shaman, either provide benefits to party members or deal damage to enemies.

Overview[]

The shaman class was originally only available to three of the Horde races: tauren, orcs, and trolls. Designed as a counterpart to the paladin, the class was once unavailable to the Alliance. This purportedly created trouble in developing both classes since they needed to be balanced against each other. The release of The Burning Crusade expansion introduced shaman to the Alliance through the draenei while the Horde gained access to the blood elf paladin, thus making it possible for both classes to be developed independent of each other.

Shaman have the ability to resurrect themselves once every 30 minutes using their [Reincarnation] ability. In combination with their ability to resurrect other players, this makes shaman a viable utility for wipe recovery.

Originally, shaman were almost allowed a tanking role[1] through the old enhancement talent tree. Their lack of heavy plate armor and the various changes made to their talent trees over time phased out their tanking potential in favor of healing and damage dealing. While most shaman are capable of adequately tanking instances prior to reaching level 60, higher level areas and instances require tanks to have stronger passive defenses and damage mitigation than shaman have, despite their versatility and healing abilities.

Background[]

See also: Shaman (Warcraft III)
Shamanwc3

Shaman unit from Warcraft III.

Shaman are spiritual visionaries of tribes and clans. These gifted warriors can see into the world of spirits and communicate with creatures invisible to the eyes of normal beings. They are beset by visions of the future and use their sight to guide their people through troubled times. Although shaman may seem wise and serene at first, they are formidable foes; when angered, their wrath is as fierce as those who have a connection to Eternals or nature.[2]

History[]

Grennanstormspeaker

Tauren shaman

Shamanism has existed since the sapient races first discovered the power of the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. On Draenor, now shattered Outland, the orcs were shamanistic; on Azeroth, trolls and tauren were shamanistic. Though shamanism on Azeroth flourished, shamanism on Draenor was all but extinct by the time of the great crossing of the Horde into Azeroth via the Dark Portal. The greatest, and yet some of the most vilified, orcs were once shaman; Zuluhed the Whacked, Ner'zhul, and even Gul'dan were all shaman. Kil'jaeden distorted the shaman's connection with their spirits in the sacred mountain of Oshu'gun, taking on the form of the shaman's ancestors to convince them that the draenei were enemies. The ensuing massacres upon several draenei hunting parties offended the spirits, who eventually denied the shaman their powers.

All was set for the transition.

Cut off from their elemental powers, former shaman turned to the powers of the Burning Legion, becoming warlocks. Though many tried to hang onto their roots, it was impossible. Even Drek'Thar was sucked into the dark magics, though he later repented; to this day has never forgiven himself for the acceptance of the demonic corruption that plagues himself and the orc race. Ner'zhul was the warlock who created the portals from Draenor to many other worlds. The portals ripped Draenor apart, creating the ravaged land of Outland. He repented, but was dragged back into the fold by Kil'jaeden, who promised him an endless existence of suffering and pain if he did not serve the Legion. Ner'zhul accepted this second chance at serving the Legion and was changed into the mighty being known as the Lich King. He later inhabited the body of Arthas Menethil, his first and most powerful of the second generation of death knights.

Shamanism in the orcs was all but nonexistent until Thrall, son of the deceased Durotan and future chieftain of the Frostwolf clan, grabbed hold of the reins of Warchief of the New Horde. This ushered in a new generation of shamanism, breaking the crippling lethargy of the captive orcs while outlawing the dark magic of the Burning Legion. At the time of the internment camps, "shaman" was a derogatory term for someone who told fantastical and unbelievable stories.[3] Shamanism is now in good repute, though, as the New Horde was led for a long time by Thrall, a shaman of great power.

Notable shaman[]

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall Magatha Magatha Grimtotem
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall Ner'zhul Ner'zhul
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall ThrallShaman Thrall
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall Zuluhed Zuluhed the Whacked
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall Nobundo Farseer Nobundo
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall Drek'Thar Drek'Thar
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall Mag'har Male Drek'thar (alternate)
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall Rehgar Rehgar Earthfury
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found.IconSmall Troll Male Rokhan

Organizations[]

Races[]

Main article: Shaman races

The shaman class can be played by the following races:

Race Strength Agility Stamina Intellect Spirit Armor Health Mana
Alliance DraeneiDraenei Draenei Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. 22 17 21 21 24 81 113 40
Alliance DwarfDwarf Dwarf Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. 26 16 22 20 21 90 123 40
Both 15 PandarenPandaren Pandaren Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. 21 18 22 20 24 37 123 40
Horde GoblinGoblin Goblin Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. 18 22 21 24 20 106 113 40
Horde OrcOrc Orc 24 17 22 18 24 81 123 40
Horde TaurenTauren Tauren 26 16 22 17 24 81 127 40
Horde TrollTroll Troll 22 22 21 17 23 81 113 40
ArtDraeneiShaman

Draenei shaman

Until The Burning Crusade, the shaman class was exclusive to the Horde. In the Burning Crusade, draenei shaman were introduced to the Alliance. With Cataclysm, Alliance dwarves also learned shamanism along with the Horde's new addition, goblins.

Each race has its own distinct advantage, no matter its class; consequently, many players who wish to play shaman factor in advantages and abilities of the various races when starting their characters. Some prefer tauren for their [Warstomp] racial ability. Others prefer orcs as stun effects don't last as long when used against them, which is helpful versus a rogue, as well as against a shadow priest; likewise, the orcs' [Blood Fury] racial ability can be very useful for a shaman because they get a bonus to both their melee attacks and spell damage. Both of these abilities are very useful in PvP. Still others enjoy playing trolls because of their [Da Voodoo Shuffle] and [Berserking] powers. Players looking for a boost in healing for PvE or PvP may find that the draenei's usable racial ability, [Gift of the Naaru], is an effective heal over time spell that can be cast with no mana cost.

Specializations/stats[]

A spellcaster who harnesses the destructive forces of nature and the elements.
- Official description
Stat priority
  • Intellect
  • Critical Strike
  • Haste
  • Versatility
  • Mastery
ThunderstormTCG

Thunderstorm

Ability Min Level
Flame Shock 3
Earth Shock 10
Lava Burst 12
Flame Shock (2) 13
Lava Burst (2) 20
Cleanse Spirit 22
Thunderstorm 24
Chain Lightning 28
Elemental Fury 34
Earth Elemental (elemental ability) 36
Ability Min Level
Frost Shock 38
Lava Surge 40
Earthquake 48
Fire Elemental (elemental ability) 56
Chain Lightning (2) 70
Mastery: Elemental Overload 78
Elemental Focus 80
A totemic warrior who strikes foes with weapons imbued with elemental power.
- Official description
Stat priority
  • Agility
  • Mastery
  • Haste
  • Critical Strike
  • Versatility
Stormstrike TCG

Stormstrike

WindfuryWeaponTCG

Windfury

Ability Min Level
Lava Lash 10
Rockbiter 10
Flametongue 12
Stormstrike 20
Cleanse Spirit 22
Windfury 24
Crash Lightning 28
Feral Spirit 36
Frostbrand 38
Ability Min Level
Maelstrom Weapon 40
Stormbringer 48
Feral Spirit (2) 56
Healing Surge (2) 66
Stormlash 70
Mastery: Enhanced Elements 78
Spirit Walk 80
A healer who calls upon ancestral spirits and the cleansing power of water to mend allies' wounds.
- Official description
Stat priority
  • Intellect
  • Mastery
  • Critical Strike
  • Haste
  • Versatility
RiptideTCG

Riptide

HealingWaveTCG

Healing Wave

Ability Min Level
Flame Shock 3
Riptide 10
Lava Burst 12
Healing Stream Totem 14
Chain Heal 20
Lava Burst (2) 20
Purify Spirit 22
Healing Wave 24
Chain Lightning 28
Tidal Waves 34
Spiritwalker's Grace 36
Ability Min Level
Riptide (2) 38
Lava Surge 40
Healing Rain 40
Resurgence 48
Chain Heal (2) 54
Spirit Link Totem 56
Ancestral Vision 66
Tidal Waves (2) 70
Mastery: Deep Healing 78
Healing Tide Totem 80

Skills/Glyphs[]

Note: Players technically start in Elemental spec.
LightningBoltTCG

Lightning Bolt

Ability Min Level
Lightning Bolt Starts with
Healing Surge 5
Earthbind Totem 8
Far Sight 13
Ancestral Spirit 14
Ghost Wolf 16
Wind Shear 18
Reincarnation 26
Ability Min Level
Water Walking 32
Hex 42
Astral Recall 44
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found. Heroism 50
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Factiongfx/faction_tip_link.json' not found. Bloodlust 50
Astral Shift 52
Purge 63
Level Abilities (choose one)
15 Elemental Path of Flame
Enhancement Windsong
Restoration (Shaman) Undulation
Elemental Earthen Rage
Enhancement Hot Hand
Restoration (Shaman) Unleash Life
Elemental Totem Mastery
Enhancement Boulderfist (shaman talent)
Restoration (Shaman) Torrent
30 ElementalRestoration (Shaman) Gust of Wind
Enhancement Rainfall
Elemental Ancestral Guidance
Enhancement Feral Lunge
Restoration (Shaman) Graceful Spirit
Wind Rush Totem
45 Lightning Surge Totem Earthgrab Totem Voodoo Totem
60 Elemental Elemental Blast (shaman talent)
Enhancement Lightning Shield
Restoration (Shaman) Crashing Waves
ElementalEnhancement Ancestral Swiftness
Restoration (Shaman) Ancestral Guidance
Elemental Echo of the Elements
Enhancement Hailstorm (shaman talent)
Restoration (Shaman) Deluge
75 Elemental Elemental Fusion
Enhancement Tempest
Restoration (Shaman) Ancestral Protection Totem
Elemental Primal Elementalist
Enhancement Overcharge
Restoration (Shaman) Earthen Shield Totem
Elemental Icefury
Enhancement Empowered Stormlash
Restoration (Shaman) Ancestral Vigor
90 Elemental Elemental Mastery
Enhancement Crashing Storm
Restoration (Shaman) Bottomless Depths
Elemental Storm Elemental
Enhancement Fury of Air
Restoration (Shaman) Cloudburst Totem
Elemental Aftershock
Enhancement Sundering (shaman talent)
Restoration (Shaman) Echo of the Elements
100 Ascendance Elemental Lightning Rod
Enhancement Landslide (shaman talent)
Restoration (Shaman) Wellspring (shaman talent)
Elemental Liquid Magma Totem
Enhancement Earthen Spike
Restoration (Shaman) High Tide
Name Specialization
Glyph of Critterhex All
Glyph of Deluge Restoration (Shaman) Restoration
Glyph of Flickering Elemental Elemental
Glyph of Lingering Ancestors All
Glyph of Pebbles Elemental Elemental
Glyph of Spirit Raptors Enhancement Enhancement
Glyph of the Spectral Raptor All
Glyph of the Spectral Wolf All
Honor Level Talent
1 Gladiator's Medallion
2 Elemental Train of Thought (honor talent), Enhancement Hardiness (honor talent), Restoration (Shaman) Defender of the Weak
4 Skyfury Totem
6 Purifying Waters
8 Elemental Fire and Ice, Enhancement Forked Lightning, Restoration (Shaman) Voodoo Mastery
10 Elemental Earthfury (honor talent), Enhancement Shamanism (ability), Restoration (Shaman) Rippling Waters
13 Adaptation (honor talent)
16 Elemental Mind Quickness, Enhancement Reinforced Armor, Restoration (Shaman) Vim and Vigor
19 Counterstrike Totem
22 ElementalEnhancement Spectral Recovery, Restoration (Shaman) Calming Waters
25 Elemental Elemental Attunement, Enhancement Static Cling, Restoration (Shaman) Electrocute
28 Elemental Traveling Storms, Enhancement Leader of the Clan, Restoration (Shaman) Earth Shield
31 Relentless (honor talent)
34 Elemental Initiation, Enhancement Sparring (honor talent), Restoration (Shaman) Inner Renewal
37 Windfury Totem
40 ElementalRestoration (Shaman) Swelling Waves, Enhancement Ethereal Form
43 Elemental Control of Lava, Enhancement Ride the Lightning, Restoration (Shaman) Grounding Totem
46 Elemental Lightning Lasso, Enhancement Thundercharge, Restoration (Shaman) Spirit Link

Totems[]

Totems are unique to shaman. Prior to Legion, only one of each elemental type could be used at a time. Totems of the same nature type can now be summoned together, allowing shaman to have Healing Stream Totem and Healing Tide Totem up at the same time.

Elementals were tied to totems, but were changed to guardians that follow and assist the shaman. Totems’ maximum health is always equal to a percentage of the shaman's maximum health. In addition, totems that need to be placed at a specific location can be directly placed using a targeting reticle.

Shaman see "Totem Timers" below their character portraits. As with buffs, a simple right-click to the "Totem Timer" icon will be destroy a totem with no mana refund.

Equipment[]

Orcshaman

Orc shaman

Shaman Concept

Shaman concept art

Shaman wear mail armor. It is not uncommon for many shaman to take up leatherworking as a profession because it's also used to craft mail armor with beneficial stats for shaman at higher levels.

Shaman can use one-handed maces with shields, staves, daggers, fist weapons, one-handed axes, and two-handed axes and maces by default.

There are a number of end-game gear sets for shaman. There are also sets for PvP and all these sets can be found on the Shaman sets page.

See also:
Enhancement gear BC
Wrath healing equipment (mail)
Shaman tactics

Suggested professions[]

Icon-edit-22x22
Note: This is a generic section stub. You can help expand it by clicking Sprite-monaco-pencil Edit to the right of the section title.
  • Leatherworking [Leatherworking] and Skinning [Skinning] are logical choices for any mail armor wearing class. This allows crafting decent armor as one levels and various augments.
  • Alchemy [Alchemy] can be useful for shamans with less-healing specializations who need quick potion heals and various buffs from elixirs and flasks. This profession is also good all around for making money and supplying guild runs.
  • Herbalism [Herbalism] provides ingredients for Alchemy [Alchemy] and Inscription [Inscription]. This profession is also good all around for making money.
  • Cooking [Cooking] is good for any less-healing specs for non-combat health regeneration and provides good buff foods.
  • First Aid [First Aid] is good for any less-healing specs for in-combat health regeneration and low downtime regeneration. For healing specs it saves precious mana for heal spells.
  • Fishing [Fishing] is good for leveling cooking.

End-game expectations[]

Totems are a major part of the end game and knowing what totems will benefit the shaman's group members best in different situations is all part of the strategy involved in playing a shaman. With the versatility that comes with shaman, they will always be the ones adapting to various issues their group might run into. If the party runs into an encounter which is very DPS heavy, shamans will find themselves supporting DPS, occasionally throwing in a heal if needed. The same goes for encounters that require lots of healing.

Shaman's role in parties and raids varies depending on how they choose to specialize and equip themselves. For instance, restoration shaman get very little benefit from going melee, whereas elemental shaman can cast ranged DPS and still cast the occasional support heal and possibly main heal any 5-man instance. Of course, it's also important to remember that restoration shaman can cast several damage spells for free, allowing them to supplement DPS occasionally without consuming mana better used for healing.

Notes[]

Videos[]

See also[]

Patch changes[]

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. Patch 7.0.3 (19-Jul-2016): Hunters and Shaman can now equip Mail armor from level 1 (down from level 40).
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Inlinegfx/img_link_data.json' not found. See Shaman/Cataclysm changes.

References[]

  1. ^ Shaman Q&A by Ghostcrawler and Dev Team
  2. ^ World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg 71
  3. ^ Lord of the Clans, pg 98
  4. ^ World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Conversion Document, 1-2

External links[]

Official


Guides
News
Old


Advertisement