Having seen the love some other classes (Druids) have received over the past few years I can’t help but feel like Shamans have been neglected when it comes to updates to spells, animations and models.
I love the Shaman class thematically and I’m hoping to main it going into TWW but I have a few issues, suggestions and ideas in the hope we may get some attention as we approach the release of the expansion.
I’m no pro, but I have played all 3 specs in various levels of content from PvP to M+ & Raids.
These are aimed at the class in general but some ideas will also filter into each spec.
Ascendance, Elementals & Primal Elementalist - This ability has been in the game since Cata with a model that is now over 10 years old, and frankly doesn’t even feel like it really fits the class thematically.
Rather than just ask for a new model I think Ascendance should be replaced by a ‘summon elemental’ ability for all 3 specs. For example:
- Elemental keeps its trusty Fire elemental and Lava Burst has no CD for it’s duration. Maybe add some LvB splash damage. Storm elemental talent is removed from the tree.
- Enhance can talent into Storm elemental which turns Stormstrike into Windstrike for its duration and it casts lightning bolts at the target.
- Resto can talent into Water elemental which duplicates the shamans healing and distributes evenly to allies.
These should all be essentially mandatory (high up on the tree, as per Elemental) and then ‘Primal Elementalist’ can become a new capstone to chase on the shaman class tree.
Primal Elementalist -
Capstone replacing stone skin/tranquil air totems.
- Fire - Meteor and existing abilities
- Storm - Extra casted ability can be a tornado on the target that does some AoE damage.
- Water - Extra casted ability can be a version of Wellspring.
- Earth - Extra casted ability remains a stun or perhaps an earthquake as per Torghast would be a nice upgrade.
There are many new elemental models in the game now, particularly in Dragonflight so there are lots of updates to choose from. Heck, give us barber shop customisations like you have done for Warlocks and Druids so we can choose our Elemental models and Ghost Wolf (more on that below!).
Deeply Rooted Elements -
This can remain as it is, as a capstone for all 3 specs granting a chance to summon your elemental for 6 sec.
*As Elemental will effectively be ‘losing’ a CD, I’d propose a buff to Stormkeeper or perhaps some kind of ‘Raging Storm Totem’ which creates a storm in a large area (Starfall) filling the fantasy of a stormcaller like the Druid spell ‘Hurricane’ of old.
If Ascendance is to stay as it is, at least update the model! Perhaps similar to what we see with Dathea in Vault.
DEFENSIVES -
I understand this is a sensitive subject with the power creep of personal defensives in the game today but Shamans have historically been one of the squishiest classes.
‘Burrow’ was added as a PvP talent which is awesome but would be OP in PvE scenarios and doesn’t quite feel right from a fantasy PoV for me.
A few ideas -
Stoneskin Totem - Not the current iteration, but an old version that gives the shaman a small absorb shield.
Earthen Harmony - Talent moved to class tree
Empower Shields - Similar to the PvP talent this would empower your active shield(s) for a short period of time on a short CD, 1min - 1.2min.
- Earth shield - consumes up to 4 charges to grant an absorb shield or just reduces damage taken by 20% for 6 secs
- Water shield - Reduces mana cost of spells for 6 secs
- Lightning shield - Increases damage by 500% for 6 secs
Thematically feels great and would help prevent one shots in PvE and being a kill target in PvP.
RAID BUFF -
Yes, the original bloodlust raid buff class is now one of the only classes to not have a unique raid buff! Ele, Enhance and even Resto are often overlooked in group content when there’s druids, mages, priests, DH etc available.
Ancestral Might - A small 60 min raid wide Crit/Mastery buff.
OR
Skyfury Totem - A weaker version of the PvP talent to increase crit damage for a short period of time.
Finally a few quick fire suggestions as this is getting quite long:
Elemental -
- Two charges of flame shock or chain lighting spreads flame shock to two targets via a talent.
- Lava Burst damage scaling with Crit rating.
- Diverse spell usage across all builds (not just all lighting or all fire). It’s looking like an issue with current hero talents
- Mastery to also increase damage of overloads slightly rather than just a % chance of it to happen
- Rework Icefury. Incorporating frost spells is cool but it starts to feel bloated and clunky
Enhance -
- Diverse spell usage across all builds (not just all lighting or all fire). It’s looking like an issue with current hero talents
- More damage put into the actual melee abilities otherwise we just feel like a melee ele sham with huge LB’s and Ele blasts.
Resto -
- Less bloat. There’s no need for both wellspring and Downpour with all the healing tools we already have.
Moar customisation/glyphs!
Glyphs are the perfect way to add flavour and some personalisation, I don’t understand why they aren’t utilised more.
- Update lightning bolt animation!
- Glyph of Chain heal - Old golden/spirit animation from back in the day
- Glyph of Ghost Talbuk - for our Draenei friends
- Glyph of Ghost Ram - for our Dwarven brethren
- Glyph of Ghost Bakar - Goodest boy!
- Glyph of Windfury - Old animation similar to that of gust of wind
- All class mounts available for any spec. Contradicts my ‘Summon Elemental’ suggestion above but I don’t see why I can’t ride a Storm Elemental as an Ele Sham.
TL:DR
In an expansion based entirely around the elements and primalists we received absolutely nothing cosmetically compared to that of druids and warlocks! Our major CD is now 12 years old!
Please show Shamans some love, thank you!