So, I have an 80 druid. Recently I respecced to resto and fell in love with healing. Now that some time has passed I find myself wanting to try other forms of healing. Don't get me wrong, I love healing as a druid. I just want to try something a little new. It doesn't help that I've become a little frustrated with a druid's lack of large quick heals (don't worry, healing touch will heal you a week or two after you drop....). This became painfully obvious during my last naxx run when I did my first abomination quarter, as well as fighting Lotheb (might have the name wrong, but the boss that stops all healing except a few seconds at a time...that fight sucks for a druid healer - HoTs fail!).
Anyway, on to the actual question. I want to try shaman healing, so I'm going to level one (what can I say, I'm a sucker for hybrids). Anyone with experience with both shaman and druid able to give me some idea of how different an experience it'll be? Also, when I get to that point, are there any differences in the type of gear I should start looking for? Thanks for your replies. I've grown to have a lot of love for having shamans in the party now that I'm a caster, so I hope as a shaman I see some of that love returned!
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Shaman healing vs. Druid healing?Follow
Unfortunately, if you're looking for "large, quick heals", you're looking at the wrong class. Shaman heals are actually the slowest in the game comparitively speaking: Chain Heal is a 2.5 second cast compared to the instant Wild Growth and Circle of Healing; Lesser Healing Wave, while "fast" in the group of 1.5 second heals is inefficient and only used when one doesn't have time for Healing Wave. Healing Wave, by the way, while "big", again clocks in very slow at 2.5 seconds after talents.
In short, you might get the volume you want as a Shaman, but as a Druid with all of those instant HoT's the speed adjustment is going to be a real shock for you. As a Shaman you'll spend a great deal of time in heroics and raids doing the "pre-cast dance" because you simply can't afford to heal on reaction.
*Disclaimer - From this point on, this post becomes pure opinion.*
Now... I'm not saying Shaman are bad healers. I just want to make sure you're not setting yourself up for disappointment. Shaman are good healers, but they're only good at healing assignments that play to their strengths. They're probably the worst single-target healers in the game (I.E. tank healers), as five-man healers they're average (Priest = Druid > Shaman > Paladin), and as raid healers they excel. So the more people you add the better healers they become. They also bring a wide range of buffs that doesn't really depreciate much until they're in larger and/or more diverse raids, and some other unique tools such as Heroism/Bloodlust.
Holy Priests and WG Resto Druids still honestly make the best raid healers and are the most well-rounded, all-purpose healers. Shaman are... what I call "utility healers". Large, quick heals would be the Holy Paladin's department, making them the best tank healers in the game, followed closely by Disc Priests.
*End of opinion*
As far as gear goes, as a Resto Shaman you'll want to aim for mail gear optimally, but you can wear cloth and leather to cover holes. For the most part, the stats you need to aim for should be the same as your Resto Druid: SP, int, enough stam, yadda yadda yadda. The major difference between the two is that spirit does absolutely nothing for a Shaman; MP5 is our exclusive regeneration stat. Crit and haste are also more important for a Resto Shaman, but you should never sacrifice SP for them and almost never sacrifice MP5 for either. Depends on the quality of the item.
Edited, Jan 15th 2009 4:28am by Gaudion
In short, you might get the volume you want as a Shaman, but as a Druid with all of those instant HoT's the speed adjustment is going to be a real shock for you. As a Shaman you'll spend a great deal of time in heroics and raids doing the "pre-cast dance" because you simply can't afford to heal on reaction.
*Disclaimer - From this point on, this post becomes pure opinion.*
Now... I'm not saying Shaman are bad healers. I just want to make sure you're not setting yourself up for disappointment. Shaman are good healers, but they're only good at healing assignments that play to their strengths. They're probably the worst single-target healers in the game (I.E. tank healers), as five-man healers they're average (Priest = Druid > Shaman > Paladin), and as raid healers they excel. So the more people you add the better healers they become. They also bring a wide range of buffs that doesn't really depreciate much until they're in larger and/or more diverse raids, and some other unique tools such as Heroism/Bloodlust.
Holy Priests and WG Resto Druids still honestly make the best raid healers and are the most well-rounded, all-purpose healers. Shaman are... what I call "utility healers". Large, quick heals would be the Holy Paladin's department, making them the best tank healers in the game, followed closely by Disc Priests.
*End of opinion*
As far as gear goes, as a Resto Shaman you'll want to aim for mail gear optimally, but you can wear cloth and leather to cover holes. For the most part, the stats you need to aim for should be the same as your Resto Druid: SP, int, enough stam, yadda yadda yadda. The major difference between the two is that spirit does absolutely nothing for a Shaman; MP5 is our exclusive regeneration stat. Crit and haste are also more important for a Resto Shaman, but you should never sacrifice SP for them and almost never sacrifice MP5 for either. Depends on the quality of the item.
Edited, Jan 15th 2009 4:28am by Gaudion
Gaudion, like usual, pretty much hit the nail on the head. We don't have "large, quick heals" like other classes do. Sure I can NS+HW and hit a 15k crit, but that's about it. Anticipation is the name of the game for shamans.
Our 5 man heals have picked up alot with the addition of Tidal Waves and Riptide, but we still have the major problem of not being able to heal on the run as well as druids and priests.
One of the added benefits, one that a lot of people forget about, is our armor. Having 16k armor is actually pretty nice, people just tend to forget about it. When there's little mess ups on things like phase 1 of Kel, those aboms will 1 shot a priest and druid, but I've survived them.
In a raid setting as a sham you should enjoy spamming one button, Chain Heal, because that's our bread and butter. We don't really have a healing rotation, instead it's using our other tools depending on what's going on. In a normal boss fight a good sham will be casting CH on targets where it will do the most healing on everyone around that target, as well as tossing in ES, Riptide, LHW, and Purify when needed. This is why I love healing on my sham.
As far as gear goes, MP5 is your friend. SP is easy to come by and it's easy to have more then you need, but a oom shaman does 0 healing. Crit and haste are nice, but end up coming naturally as you gear up. I have 28% crit and enough has to take .5 sec off of all my casts, and didn't even try for either of them.. just MP5. I have dropped 10-20 SP on a peice of gear just to pick up 3-4 more MP5, and with raid buffs I usually sit at around 800, more then enough to cast forever.
Our 5 man heals have picked up alot with the addition of Tidal Waves and Riptide, but we still have the major problem of not being able to heal on the run as well as druids and priests.
One of the added benefits, one that a lot of people forget about, is our armor. Having 16k armor is actually pretty nice, people just tend to forget about it. When there's little mess ups on things like phase 1 of Kel, those aboms will 1 shot a priest and druid, but I've survived them.
In a raid setting as a sham you should enjoy spamming one button, Chain Heal, because that's our bread and butter. We don't really have a healing rotation, instead it's using our other tools depending on what's going on. In a normal boss fight a good sham will be casting CH on targets where it will do the most healing on everyone around that target, as well as tossing in ES, Riptide, LHW, and Purify when needed. This is why I love healing on my sham.
As far as gear goes, MP5 is your friend. SP is easy to come by and it's easy to have more then you need, but a oom shaman does 0 healing. Crit and haste are nice, but end up coming naturally as you gear up. I have 28% crit and enough has to take .5 sec off of all my casts, and didn't even try for either of them.. just MP5. I have dropped 10-20 SP on a peice of gear just to pick up 3-4 more MP5, and with raid buffs I usually sit at around 800, more then enough to cast forever.
Quote:
This became painfully obvious during my last naxx run when I did my first abomination quarter, as well as fighting Lotheb (might have the name wrong, but the boss that stops all healing except a few seconds at a time...that fight sucks for a druid healer - HoTs fail!).
For this fight, druid healers actually do OK. There are some techniques, e.g U need to time the lifeblooms to finish during those 3 seconds.
Shamans are good raid healers, especially when the players are clumped together. --> MELEE DPS. Rest of the time it's not so easy for Resto shammies. E.g. During EoE fight, ... you'll feel very useless.
IMO, Blizz need to give Resto Shammies and Pallies something instant cast due to the growing number of fights that demands healing on the move.
above posts summed it up pretty good. Our "big" heals are nothing compared to a pallies or priests. I kinda feel bad when they brag how big their crits are. But that's the nature of the beast. But I still love healing on my shaman, I find it easy. I haven't had too much trouble in 5 mans. I thought Nexus heroic final battle would be tough, but it's easy. I have that glyph that heals for me when I do a HW on someone else, so I can just sit and heal the tank, and myself at the same time. It doesn't matter I'm "wrapped" up and can't move and taking damage. when I unwrap I jump, and go back to healing as normal. Easy fight.
It's kinda fun in a way, because it requires you to really pay attention. Reaction time is key because our only "useful" heals are slow heals (LHW in a pinch, but as mentioned- is a mana hog unless you have the glyph). So it can be fun, but challenging to gauge the tanks, and learn how much damage they take during a heroic run. Spikey damage can be scarey, but nature's swiftness can usually take care of that. Only problem is when it's on c/d :).
Keep in mind raid healing may seem boring. You will be pressing the same key over and over. We have more tools with the expansion, but I don't use riptide too much. I leave tank healing to the pallies/priests. I'll put Earth shield on the tank. But pretty much I'm chain chain healing. So I'm pressing the 3 key over and over. Sounds boring, but it does take quick reaction time to heal the person who needs it the most as fast as you can (before they die), and try to keep as much dps (and healers) up as possible. And our chains often chain over to the tank.
I don't seem to always top the charts like I did in the TBC days (in fact I seem to come in last now), but I still feel like my role is important.
and wearing mail is pretty cool. And a shield. shields are cool. no gay *** off hand :)
Edited, Jan 15th 2009 7:07pm by thrashering
It's kinda fun in a way, because it requires you to really pay attention. Reaction time is key because our only "useful" heals are slow heals (LHW in a pinch, but as mentioned- is a mana hog unless you have the glyph). So it can be fun, but challenging to gauge the tanks, and learn how much damage they take during a heroic run. Spikey damage can be scarey, but nature's swiftness can usually take care of that. Only problem is when it's on c/d :).
Keep in mind raid healing may seem boring. You will be pressing the same key over and over. We have more tools with the expansion, but I don't use riptide too much. I leave tank healing to the pallies/priests. I'll put Earth shield on the tank. But pretty much I'm chain chain healing. So I'm pressing the 3 key over and over. Sounds boring, but it does take quick reaction time to heal the person who needs it the most as fast as you can (before they die), and try to keep as much dps (and healers) up as possible. And our chains often chain over to the tank.
I don't seem to always top the charts like I did in the TBC days (in fact I seem to come in last now), but I still feel like my role is important.
and wearing mail is pretty cool. And a shield. shields are cool. no gay *** off hand :)
Edited, Jan 15th 2009 7:07pm by thrashering
I haven't found a real problem with single target healing.
We don't have a set rotation, but we do have abilities that if we ignore we simply fail to maximize our effectiveness.
I have a priest as well, and I can say without reservation that Shaman healing requires a lot more thought about what is going on when single target healing (which will never be your raid responsibility). But we can be very effective.
Nature's swiftness gives us an instant cast spell, CH is the most mana efficient heal in the game, Healing way gives our healing wave spell situational utility, riptide give us a nice big heal, our **** shield and totems reduce incoming damage significantly, reducing the healing our targets need, etc.
Shaman healing is different, and for instance healing you'll work harder than any other class, but you can be very effective and there's not a raid out there that won't seriously appreciate a resto shammy for the mana tide totem and ability to take on dps healing.
We don't have a set rotation, but we do have abilities that if we ignore we simply fail to maximize our effectiveness.
I have a priest as well, and I can say without reservation that Shaman healing requires a lot more thought about what is going on when single target healing (which will never be your raid responsibility). But we can be very effective.
Nature's swiftness gives us an instant cast spell, CH is the most mana efficient heal in the game, Healing way gives our healing wave spell situational utility, riptide give us a nice big heal, our **** shield and totems reduce incoming damage significantly, reducing the healing our targets need, etc.
Shaman healing is different, and for instance healing you'll work harder than any other class, but you can be very effective and there's not a raid out there that won't seriously appreciate a resto shammy for the mana tide totem and ability to take on dps healing.
I think you may be disappointed by shaman healing. You're either chain heal-spamming the melee and standing still for that 2.5 sec cast or hoping that your mediocre direct, mana-inefficient heals will keep up the MT. I'd say it's less dynamic than any healing bar pally healing. But if you want those "zomg I just crit-healed for 20k" moments you're gonna want to roll that pally.
In terms of gear, until you get to Northrend it's gonna be the standard spellpower gear. Spirit is useless for resto shammies -- we're constantly casting because we only have one mediocre insta-heal on cd. Look for mp/5, crit and haste (in that order), the last to whittle down those long cast heals. Unless you're PvPing, nothing wrong with using cloth or leather, though they will usually come with useless +Spi.
Basically in 5-mans I feel like I sweat a lot more than a druid to keep the MT up but in raids, as long as I am not constantly on the move, CH makes healing a lot simpler than for my tree counterpart.
In terms of gear, until you get to Northrend it's gonna be the standard spellpower gear. Spirit is useless for resto shammies -- we're constantly casting because we only have one mediocre insta-heal on cd. Look for mp/5, crit and haste (in that order), the last to whittle down those long cast heals. Unless you're PvPing, nothing wrong with using cloth or leather, though they will usually come with useless +Spi.
Basically in 5-mans I feel like I sweat a lot more than a druid to keep the MT up but in raids, as long as I am not constantly on the move, CH makes healing a lot simpler than for my tree counterpart.
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