I am enjoying the shaman class and would like to play one on Alliance side.
I do have an Orc Shaman max leveled and no need for explanation lorewise. It makes perfect sense.
The real question is on Alliance side, where I have been struggling for over 1 year to decide on what race to play as Shaman (none of them makes sense in my mind like the Horde’s shamans).
So on the shortlist only two races remain
Dwarf (Wildhammer with the tatoos now you can basicaly make one)
Kul Tiran ( Tidesage)
What race makes more sense for shamans lorewise ?
Kul Tiran - yeah makes sense on resto spec, but I do not see them running in Maelstrom communing with the elements and etc.
Dwarf - Not sure. Yes, gryphon riders, Thunderlords etc… But do they actualy “speak” with the elements ?
If it didn’t make sense for them to be that class, it wouldn’t let you play as one. The role a shaman might play in each culture might be more or less significant, e.g it’s a very staple part of Orcish society, whereas for Draenei it’s actually seen as a bit backwards because they consider Draenei shaman almost as having “turned away” from the Light.
What I’d suggest is visiting zones like Twilight Highlands or Kul Tiras where you find these people doing their stuff, and look for quests involving them. See how they speak or act, what they do, how they do it.
Shamanism on Alliance is very similar to the shamanism portrayed by the Horde races, especially the kind Thrall introduced. The exception to this are the trolls, they’re always different to the main concept of the classes. Much of how the night elves druids are able to commune with the elements as well.
The Tidesages have the Tidemother as their thinly veiled religion, but it’s still basic shamanism.
They commune with the spirit of the sea ie spirit of the water, which is one of the elemental spirits, they can also use wind/air. Plus in some quests it is suggested by a former tidesage that they use the elements, as in, he literally states that.
On the alliance side , Nobondo actually is a top tier shaman who learnt from the elements on Draenor who ends up teaching the Draenei… there is a very good short story and its canon.
