I start this here by saying I, not we as i’m not speaking behalf all of us.
Being a shaman + 20 years has given me an ability to to play the class in midds of 0.5-1.% of playerbase in the world and i did invest loads of my time playing it, i even raided mythic. Shaman abilities and the feel of the class has changed in the last 3 expansions, for the worst? Yes in my opinion my class doesn’t cast anymore, casts are meaningly not doing enough to what i’m aiming to get by each cast, yes in some point as you play your class you are starting to count according to situation how many casts you need to actually win the situation. Elemental shaman was my favourite spec and i raided also as enhancement, thanks to big Shaman theorycrafter Wordup i managed to play quite well. Shaman is a caster and i think every single thing i do with my class should be effectful, is it now tho? Let’s talk about maelstrom now: I mean it’s there to make the class more simplified, it’s not there to make it more complex. It simplifies the class and it’s meaning. I don’t like at all maelstrom system, only what i do like is that it does fit to enhancement but it doesn’t feel great for elemental. Instant casts aren’t making my class exciting, if i’m melee, ofc that will make my class exciting but the trial and error has been simplified. If i’m casting in a boss mechanic and my goal is to keep my raid in very healthy position with chain heal, matching to each stack of incoming AOE attack from a boss and we are moving. The idea idd is Spirit Walker’s Grace + Chain Heal and Spirit Link and if the tempo needs Ascendance, why not? Elemental shaman however turned to be worst designed class i’ve touched and tbh won’t even want to open my spec and respec into Elemental? Because i don’t like those choices with maelstrom, Stormkeeper, Lava Burst Overload flame shock spam. Totems? What about totems idd, they are needed atleast still. Did you quite possibly forgot that the totems make shamans more unique, totems add buffs but now i’m not seeing a living thing coming out of them as i play. As a resto shaman i do see but as Elemental, no. So i’m asking overhaul for maelstrom system and quite possible seeing more focus going into shaman totems. Why not, slap a meaning to them. Place holders and modifiers are nice but that’s how i see Elemental shaman. Don’t over simplify just create a meaningful spec to play.