Totem Talk is the column for shamans. Matthew Rossi plays a shaman, and he wants more people to play them. Why? Well, if as many people played shamans as play, say, hunters, maybe we would see some better mail for shamans out there. He's a selfish jerk, that Matthew Rossi.Why are there so few shamans in the game? If you look at the numbers we first saw in Mike's post this week, it's glaringly obvious that there are fewer shamans than any other class in the game by a huge margin. The next two lowest classes, fellow hybrids both in the form of druids and paladins, each have 2% or so more of the player base both in general and at level 70 than do shamans, roughly 40 to 50 thousand players at level 70 per class. Why is this? Why are people staying away from the shaman in droves?
Part of the problem might lie in the original class balance: shamans were the horde only class, and paladins were the alliance only class, so it makes sense that fewer people played either class than classes that either faction could make use of. Similarly, while druids (the third hybrid) also had a low population, to some degree that was caused by the fact that they had such a limited racial selection. If you want to play a druid, you're a night elf or a tauren, and that's it.
Similarly, since shamans and paladins were originally faction limited, that meant that dungeons and raids had to be balanced around the idea that there would either be a shaman or a paladin, but never both, and that a large percentage of the player base would be unable to have one or the other on a run. You can't make a boss who is practically unbeatable unless you can Earth Shock him reliably when there's no way an alliance raid can bring a shaman along.
Still, since the release of The Burning Crusade, shaman population clearly hasn't taken off. Why? It may be true that there's always going to be a class at the bottom of the totem pole (ouch, sorry, that was bad) is there a reason beyond simple demographics to explain why shamans are dead last? If they're so amazingly overpowered (as people still maintain from time to time) then why isn't anyone playing them? Are those of us playing shamans at 70 just stubborn? Why are shaman players so upset that they riot on their forums and start guilds that have every class but shamans?
It's tempting for people who haven't played a shaman recently to dismiss this as crying over nothing, especially if you have memories of watching, say, a level 54 shaman turn a level 60 paladin into a smear during an Crossroads raid back in the dim past. There was a time when an enhancement shaman with windfury on a Sulfuras could hit you so hard that you'd go from having 5k health to 1k health in one exchange. I know, I was the warrior experiencing how badass shamans were, a human in the best DPS gear from BWL/AQ 40 getting annihilated by shamans.
What needs to be understood is that those days are gone.
No, they're gone. You do not understand the class if you think they're putting up that kind of damage. Yes, in flat numbers a geared level 70 enhancement or elemental shaman can deal out far, far more damage than in the old days, but since everything has more health now, it's not the amount of damage that a shaman can deal out that's important, it's the percentage. Can a shaman at 70 match the power of a shaman at 60 relative to the encounters and PvP he'll meet?
A great many shamans would tell you no. In the first place, while an enhancement shaman can deal out a significant amount of damage, what he's really in a group for is the buffs he provides the other DPSers, especially in a raid. When I was raiding this weekend, we made sure I was in a group with the DPSing warrior and feral druid so that they'd get my totem buffs and Unleashed Rage, and that I'd get their shouts and Leader of the Pack. My DPS was good, considering my junky enhancement gear (I don't even have a good pair of dual wield weapons on my orc, because he heals 99% of the time and I pass on gear for dedicated DPSers) but it wasn't amazing, and in a larger guild with more choice I can't imagine that I would be coming along to do enhancement DPS when you could bring a rogue instead. (As it was, we had two rogues. There simply aren't more rogues to bring in my guild.) When my DPS got close to the warrior, I pulled agg. Over and over again. The only thing I could do was stop hitting it, stop Stormstriking it, stop Earth Shocking it. Shaman threat reduction consists of standing still and hoping you don't die, or dying and making the call between waiting and saving your ankh for a wipe or using it now and hoping you haven't just ruined your raid's fast recovery. I went back to resto to heal happily. Enhance is getting some needed buffs in 2.3, which may well increase our PvP survivability and make us more desired in raids, but that's not clear yet.
Elemental right now is fairly strong in DPS, but there's a lot of anger aimed at the developers over what is seen as a reduction in their viability for raiding in 2.3. Frankly, I am not interested enough in math to work out exactly what is happening to elemental DPS. The basic argument seems to be that with the changes to Lightning Overload and the casting time on spells, the spell coefficient for +damage on gear is less effective for elemental shamans in 2.3, while their mana regeneration is going up. Some of the best coverage of the issue is to be found here, especially this post. You can go over the numbers and determine what they mean probably far better than I can.
Resto is fine, and it will only get better in 2.3 as far as I can judge. My kara/heroics geared resto shaman healed in Zul'Aman with little difficulty. Much better mana regen, only a little problem with making sure to keep ahead of spike damage (which is what Nature's Swiftness is for) and in fact, I think this might be part of the problem. The other two hybrid classes demanded, and got, increased viability in all their roles. Paladins can tank and heal and in 2.3 look to be strong melee DPS. Druids can do it all if they spec and gear for it. And shamans?
Shamans can heal pretty well if they gear and spec for it, can DPS fairly well as elemental (but are not happy at all with where the patch is going) and can make other melee DPS better but have major threat issues if they start performing at almost the same level as others. And frankly, I can't imagine that the general sense of doom and malaise over on the official forums helps sell the class to anyone. Sure, I've seen posts just as despondent on, say, the priest or mage forums. But people are still playing priests and mages. Mages are the second most played class in the game and priests come in just behind hunters in terms of percentages. Mages are almost twice as numerous as shamans. Warriors are more than twice as numerous! I can't think posts where the debate isn't whether or not shamans have been nerfed again, but rather how they should treat the CM's about it, are indicative of a happy player base that's enjoying where the class has gone or is going.
Yes, the forums are always bad. But seeing multiple class revolts on the forums, combined with seeing the Elitist Jerks forum pre-emptively telling people not to complain in their threads, combined with seeing the intense response in posts on this site means that all of these people are not just whiners. There's something rotten in the state of shamans that leads to them, months into the expansion, still being a remarkably underplayed class. As someone who loves his shamans (made 67 on my ally shammy last night) there's no way I can look at these trends dispassionately.
I freely admit now I don't know what it would take. Is it just bitter players ruining the reputation of the class so that no one tries it? Is it a history of being nerfed, or being poorly expanded upon compared to other hybrids? Is it the original legacy of the class as faction specific and a failure of vision in how to develop it now that it isn't? I really enjoy playing my shamans, but I admit there are issues I find problematic about the class like the duration and range of totems. Other classes are having their buffs increased in duration and I'm still dropping half of my mana in sticks every 2 minutes, and it doesn't seem right to me.
I don't know the answer, so I leave it up to you shamans out there. What do we need to make us viable and attractive to new players? Longer totems? Mobile totems? Threat reduction? More damage? More sustained damage? An entire overhaul or just some fixes?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
11-08-2007 @ 11:51AM
FireStar said...
I think they suck, at least a lower levels. I can't stand my lvl 30 shaman, because although he kills enemies in 2-3 swipes, if more than one get on him he goes down very quickly.
Then always having to drop totems to buff yourself is fairly annoying.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:10PM
amasen said...
i can't stand my shaman. He was the first character I rolled when I got this game almost 3 years ago. Since then i've tried to pick him up 6 times... but he has gotten no farther than level 29...
I blame it on totem mechanics. Having to drop one every time I move locations is a pain...
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11-08-2007 @ 12:21PM
sezmra said...
I'm not sure why Shamans aren't popular. I think you're probably right in that their Pre-BC isolation may have had something to do with it.
I had never played one seriously until a few months ago, myself. I'd always TRIED to play them(even when they were Horde only), but I could never make it to 20+ because I was annoyed with how they class played. I'm not sure what it was, but it was kind of grating to play a lowbie Shaman.
I stuck it out with my Draenei(ENH) and have to say that I *really* enjoy playing it now that I'm past level 30. I've had some interesting moments with her. I find it to be a very diversified gameplay.
I've played Hunters, Warlocks, and Rogues prior to my Shaman, and I gotta say that my Shaman is just as fun!
My biggest problem right now is when it comes to uncertain groups where there might not be a defined tank or healer. I end up with having both responsibilities. Granted, they are PUGs!
I love the Shaman class and despite the current uproar regarding 2.3, whether it's ELE complaints or Doomsday whining - I plan to take my Shaman to 70 and keep looking ahead to the good things.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:24PM
drpentagon said...
ffs anti-cc
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11-08-2007 @ 12:25PM
Chuddy said...
It's like the city of philadelphia where there are so many problems it's almost like where to start? And by the time you decide to start on something there are already 10 other problems cropping up that you now have to fix too because so much else is changing around you. I'm being over-zealous with that statement but it feels that way at times.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:26PM
Dyermaker said...
The problem with Shaman is learning how to use them in a raid. As Shaman became available to alliance, people did not immediately see how to use them in a raid. They were used to the healing roles that had been used before, so changing the way they did things to make the most of a healing shaman was difficult. When it comes to pure DPS or the elemental shaman, people were still trying to figure out how to make most of it in comparison to a mage or warlock. Druids and Paladins went through much of the same routine, however, there was a lot more acceptance because there were specific roles where the classes very clearly dominated in early raiding. Holy Paladins and Feral Druids were definitely ahead of the curve as people were learning Karazhan for the few times. For shaman, they did not have any role that was easy to utilize that made such a dramatic impact on the charts.
As a shaman gears up, however, their impact becomes more noticible. You see more post-SSC/TK guilds looking to add quality shaman to the roster.
Numbers are a lot about perception. A vast majority of people who play the game believe what someone told them, building this collective opinion that is so very often wrong. Or, at least, skewed by things they do not have the time to evaluate on their own.
As a Retribution Paladin, I want a quality Enhancement shaman around. Hell, a quality Restoration shaman means I have more opportunity not to have to raid as Holy. Elemental shaman do nothing for me, so you'll have to wait for a BOOMkin to sing their praises.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:27PM
Nathan said...
I think at least part of it has to do with the racial selection. There's more horde pallies than alliance shammys because Blood Elves are infinitely cooler-looking than blueberries. Dranei females are ok, but the men... you look like a tool no matter what you do. So naturally, when each side got access to the other class, pallies started to grow much faster.
Another factor is in the horde-centric nature of the class. The primitive nature mystics fit well with the more primal horde mystique, but seem out of place in the alliance (even the ally shaman live on a spaceship, how much farther from nature can you get?).
Even on non-rp servers, I think most people have a character "idea" in their heads. The crusading warrior goes back to King Arthur, the pseudo-Native American holy man may be equally cool, but isn't as likely to show up in the fantasy wish-fulfillment of a 14-year old. Those few who want to get in touch with nature are just gonna be hunters or druids (legolas wannabes and shapeshifing > magic sticks)
I'm not in a position to comment on buffs or nerfs to the class. But with the factors I mentioned mean that the shaman would be one of the least played classes regardless of other factors.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:36PM
aerosaucer said...
@1: Try using Stoneclaw totem.
@1 and @2: Please stop using totems when solo except in emergencies.
Not to discount the fact that the totem mechanic needs to be seriously re-evaluated and buffed!
My 70 Shaman was just supposed to be an alt I played around with, but I've found I like him more than my 70 warrior, and my shaman is actually better able to deal with multiple adds while solo even though my warrior is much, much better geared.
I'm really looking forward to the 2.3 buffs to Enhancement, but overall the class needs a ton more buffs, especially to elemental and the 41 pt talents (make them undispellable, or at least have a dispell penalty like UA!)
As for the population: when TBC came out, everyone seemed to want to play BEs (I wasn't interested, I thought Draenei were cooler, but was in a severe minority there). Popular opinion at the time was that Pallies were THE BEST healers in the game. Add on the general perception that Horde is better at PvP, and you had the makings for a mass exodus to BE pallies, but no such interest in Ally Shaman. I believe this was the initial catalyst for the population imbalance, and the comparative gimpiness of Shaman compared to other classes was only discovered later.
Shaman are really fun, but they need more buffs and need the totem mechanic heavily changed and buffed.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:38PM
Biff said...
I think the class is just being ignored. Blizzard has to know there are problems. Every other class has direct dialog with CMs and devs. Shaman get a "We're looking into it." post once every few months, and zero interaction with an actual developer.
We're the only class that repeatedly gets only a quick change when there's a patch, then doesn't get touched during testing. Week by week we see other classes get a change. And good for them, they deserve it. But our forums stay barren of any real official interraction.
We're being ignored. Do an Advanced Search for Kalgan on every class forum. He's on every forum except Shaman.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:38PM
Shantos said...
Maybe this is a stupid question, but how much mana exactly do enh shamans have? I am resto, and when I drop three totems for caster buffs that's only about 300 mana. If I'm in a melee group it's more like 500 mana, since melee have more expensive useful earth totems. But my total mana is about 10k. This is all at 70, but totem cost also scales down with lower levels. Are you telling me enh shamans only have 1k mana, or that they are doing something expensive like dropping magma totem every pull? I don't even have the talent to get 5% more mana. Totems are a little annoying, but it takes minimal smarts to place them appropriately, and they aren't really a mana drain for me. What am I missing about the other shaman trees?
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11-08-2007 @ 12:40PM
Zor said...
aggro managment, or lack thereof
80% of most dps class
150% aggro of most dps class
as a healer, i flately refuse to have them in my group
yes...my group
find another dps or healer
i win
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11-08-2007 @ 12:40PM
Zor said...
aggro managment, or lack thereof
80% of most dps class
150% aggro of most dps class
as a healer, i flately refuse to have them in my group
yes...my group
find another dps or healer
i win
Reply
11-08-2007 @ 12:43PM
aerosaucer said...
addendum: I play a Shaman because I want to be an offensive powerhouse who can also heal (without having to switch forms) and buff. In exchange, I give up standard CC (so I'm not clearly better than a rogue or mage) and some survivability compared to a warrior.
That is what I expected and why I love it, and I hope blizz keeps on that track in the future.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:44PM
Baluki said...
Great post.
I've been a dedicated Shaman player since the beta (don't groan!) and have been Elemental since 60, and if I wasn't such an eternal optimist, I would've quit long ago.
The biggest problem with the class is STILL, after 3 years, that there's almost no reason to bring an Elemental or Enhance shaman over a Resto shaman, or another DPS class. Enhance can at least bring slightly more powerful melee buffs and a group-wide damage increase, but it's not like it's amazing. Elemental has nothing to offer except Totem of Wrath, which is worthless outside of raids. Even in raids it's lackluster, since most raiders have plenty of +hit.
The only thing going for Elemental is its damage, and now they're nerfing that too. 2.3 was supposed to bring a damage buff, but anyone with a calculator can quickly figure out that it's not going to. The fact that they're reducing the base casting time of our two lightning nukes (and halfing the bonus from our casting speed talent) means that those spells receive less of a bonus from +dmg. The Lightning Overload buff is nice (and necessary) but it still doesn't make up for the loss of DPS.
And it looks like they're not going to bother to fix it before 2.3 is released, even though they seem to have noticed the nerf finally.
So, how do we fix this? Personally, I think Blizz should just give us a +5% from +dmg bonus with our nerfed Lightning Mastery talent. That would make up for about 1/3 of the damage coefficient lost, and turn this nerf into a slight damage buff.
Shamans still need some form of CC, but I guess we'll have to wait for WLK for that. Which really sucks, because CC is such an important part of the game now.
And then, of course, there's the totem system. It needs a major reworking. Here's what I recommend:
1. If you're within the radius of a totem, the buff stays with you wherever you go for the full duration of the totem.
2. We need an ability that will call all totems to our current location, and refresh their duration.
3. Their duration needs to be increased. 5 mins sounds good, especially if we get #2.
4. Totem-buffing talents need to be improved so that there's more of a different between what the 3 specs bring to the table.
5. Totem of Wrath needs to be made into a buff for Wrath of Air, and a new 41-point Elem talent is needed. I'd love to see it replaced with a new secondary non-nature nuke.
There are so many ways to improve the class to make it viable again that it's shocking that Blizz hasn't done anything yet. It makes me think that they have no idea what to do with the class.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:44PM
aerosaucer said...
@12: Let me go get my popcorn so I can watch the response to your purposely inflammatory troll post. (I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, since you'd have to be pretty dumb to believe what you said)
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11-08-2007 @ 12:55PM
aerosaucer said...
@14: I'd disagree with your comments about "no reason to bring Enhance Shaman to raid". Maybe I'm biased, but I would argue that Windfury, SoE, and 10% AP is pretty amazing. Actual DPS potential (especially after 2.3 with threat reduction buff, spell damage buff, water shield buff, new enhance clearcasting talent, and better availability of 2.6 speed offhands) is much higher than people give them credit for. The shaman you've encountered might just suck.
In a raid with a 5-member melee dps group, an Enhance shaman adds way more dps than another rogue. Ideally, you want Rogue/Rogue/Feral Druid/DPS Warrior/Enhance Shaman. I've seen this first hand, and the rogues in my guild are definitely not slackers.
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11-08-2007 @ 12:59PM
Passit said...
The only true way to fix the shamans is for the devs to give in.. yes give in.. stop trying to ballance eveything so much, and just give in... Allow the shamans to be what they once were. Scale their damage up to the lvl it was back At lvl 60 compared to other classes, And just give in about the totems... Make em longer durration and Buff them... Just give in...
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11-08-2007 @ 1:09PM
Zor said...
@15
still waiting....
quote from OP
Shaman threat reduction consists of standing still and hoping you don't die,
Threat reduction? More damage? More sustained damage? An entire overhaul or just some fixes?
... >.>
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11-08-2007 @ 1:43PM
Spenda said...
Why does every DPS class feel like it has to be on the top of the chart to be viable? I love having shamans around because they buff my DPS. They get credit for that DPS increase in my opinion. Buffs to other players matter. They matter alot.
Maybe we need new damage meters that figure the net DPS increase a player brings to the group. Why should a rouge get credit for the extra damage they did because of another player? The credit should go to the player who gave them the ability to do the damage.
Some classes should be based around channeling their damage through lower threat generating classes like rouges and hunters.
The problem is that so many people who want to DPS are addicted to big numbers. They don't really care about their group utility, they care about competing with their own group. That is counter productive and silly.
DPS Shamans buff their fellow players, can off heal, and can self rez. Those abilities make them welcome and sought after in any group I'm putting together.
As for the PvP concerns... Perhaps there is something to them.
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11-08-2007 @ 1:49PM
Vestras said...
On the point of windfury totem helping raids:
One problem I often see which gets enhancement shamans killed is their sudden spike in damage which pushes them way over the tank. Related to that is the lack of synergy as tank/dps melee druids cannon recieve the buff, and with the swelling numbers of bear tanks, that's much use. I agree totem of Wrath needs reworking. Pali aura's can't be dispelled until the pali is dead, why then must shaman buffs be so limited.
Shamans are just not feeling the love from blizz. I have a suspicion that some of that may come from all those people who STILL insist that shamans are OP. As such, any buff to shamans will bring all those trolls out to attack and complain about it, so blizz has to find less satisfactory ways to help shamans, and in end...they are boned.
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