April 9th, 2010 by dace
In the Cataclysm,Shamans were the first to get a look at what was in store for their class expansion and Blizzard certainly did not disappoint, dishing out a myriad of promising ideas including an arsenal of new spells (most available at relatively low levels) including:
* Primal Strike – Available at level 3 this spell is a weapon-based attack that was added to make leveling as Enhancement more viable. Most players tend to level Elemental, as it is currently the easier leveling method. This new strike may be the key to allowing players to level whatever spec they choose with ease.
* Healing Wave – Available at level 4 the name of this spell can be deceiving, as it is not the Healing Wave Shamans know and use so well. The Healing Wave Shamans have access to now will be renamed, making these two spells much akin to Priest’s Lesser Heal and Greater Heal. Implementing two distinctive Healing Wave spells should give Shamans more of an interactive experience while healing, allowing them to choose which healing spell is appropriate for the situation.
* Unleash Weapon – Available at level 81 this spell is something like a Paladin’s various Judgment’s as it will allow the Shaman to unleash the power of the Shaman’s weapon enchants (Windfury Weapon, Flametongue Weapon, Earthliving Weapon) for additional effects. Dual-wielding Enhancement Shamans will be able to use the effects on both of their weapons. The spell is instant cast and has a 30 yard range with a 15 second cooldown, and promises to give Shamans of all specs a little extra boost.
* Healing Rain – Available at level 83 this is a brand new area effect HoT that will bring down rain in a selected area (think Tranquility) healing all players within it. Shamans have always been powerful AoE healers, but this spell has the potential, depending on how powerful it turns out to be, to put Shaman healers on a level all their own.
* Spiritwalker’s Grace – When this self-targeted buff is active, the Shaman’s spells are no longer interrupted by movement and possibly even by their own attacks.
Spells….no…longer…interrupted…need I say more? This is an amazing new spell that will give a serious advantage to Shamans. Bust out your mugs to collect the tears that inevitably will be shed by other classes.
Other changes that look should make Shamans squeal with joy include:
* Totem of Wrath will be replacing Flametongue Totem. The dropping of Totem of Wrath will buff the group’s Spellpower by 4%. Elemental Shaman will have access to a talent that will allow all Fire totems to provide 10% Spellpower. This is something Elemental Shamans have been clamoring for for ages and it appears that Blizzard has finally answered their prayers. Elemental Shamans will no longer be constrained to which Fire totem they choose to drop.
* Enhancement global cooldowns will be freed up to make the spec more dynamic to play. To do this Blizzard is thinking of increasing the cooldown of Lava Lash, so Shaman have time to work in other abilities. While this will mean that Lava Lash slides a little further down the usefulness totem pole, overall this idea could be promising and perhaps offer a boost in DPS. I am interested to see what Blizzard has in store here, as there is much potential for great failure or success.
* Earthquake will be added as a deep Elemental talent for targeted and persistent AoE. This will be a much welcomed addition as Elemental shaman tend to have poor AoE abilities compared to other ranged classes. Hopefully Earthquake will allow Elemental Shamans to compete with other ranged classes in group settings. Anything has to be better than Magma Totem….right?
Like a pimple before a big date there is one glaring point of bad joojoo in the ball of awesomeness that is the Shaman preview; Cleansing Totem will be removed from the game. Before you can recover from that sucker punch let me hit you with another, Shaman will no longer be able to remove poison, or disease. Instead Shaman will be given Cleanse Spirit which will remove curses, and if you happen to be specced into the Restoration tree, magic. To add insult to injury the spell will be wasted even if it’s cast and there is nothing to remove. This is for lack of a better word, lame, perhaps even lame x 2.
Overall Shamans have much to look forward to if this preview manages to stick. The class will enjoy changes that will alter the way Shamans are played, hopefully keeping the class fresh and allowing them to remain on par with other classes. Many player demands have been met, and I believe that every Shaman spec will be more viable for play. While there are some blemishes amongst the changes (no more Cleansing Totem /cry), I think it’s safe to say that it’s a great day be a Shaman indeed.
