DistillNote

Beta, level cap 30 · data read 11 Oct

Shaman

New to the Alliance (Dwarf only); on the Horde side it isn't new. Restoration heals with Chain Heal, Mana Tide and the Riptide capstone, Enhancement is Windfury burst with the Rage of the Farseer personal Bloodlust, Elemental gets Lava Burst.

Source pending

Alliance races: Dwarf (new)Horde races: Orc, Tauren, Troll, Skyborne

Sourced: Blizzard news · 22 Sep

Our picks

Recommendation
Leveling
Enhancement

What the tier lists say

Each rating exactly as its tier list gives it, with the list's own date. Ratings are opinions, so lists often differ; we compare them only within one role.

Elemental

PvE · damage lists

One ratingA on 1 list

Elemental, PvE · damage lists
RatingListPage dateRead
Adamage dealerspage 3 Oct · read 6 Oct6 Oct

Enhancement

PvE · damage lists

One ratingA on 1 list

Enhancement, PvE · damage lists
RatingListPage dateRead
Adamage dealerspage 3 Oct · read 6 Oct6 Oct

Restoration

PvE · healer lists

Different scalesS on one list, #4 of 5 on a ranked list

Restoration, PvE · healer lists
RatingListPage dateRead
Shealerspage 3 Oct · read 6 Oct6 Oct
#4 of 5best raid healerspage not shownnot dated · read 6 Oct6 Oct

The whole class

PvP · class lists

Lists agreeA on 2 lists

Shaman, PvP · class lists
RatingListPage dateRead
APvP tier listpage 2 Oct · read 6 Oct6 Oct
APvP tier listpage not shownnot dated · read 6 Oct6 Oct

Leveling

One rating

  • Aclass leveling tier list (levels 1–20) · page not dated

Class tier list, no mode stated

One rating

  • Aclass tier list · page not dated

What changed this patch

  • 1 Oct: Totemic Recall correctly restores mana; Disease Cleansing Totem 5-minute duration fixed; Ghost Wolf visible in bright areas.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 1 Oct

  • Rage of the Farseer no longer increases spell casting speed; the developers say the talent works without it.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep

  • Elemental: Elemental Fury (row 3) and Elemental Alacrity (row 6) swapped — Alacrity now early. Lava Burst ranks 1–2 +~10% base damage; Lightning Bolt ranks 3–4 buffed.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep

  • Totems: Flametongue Totem no duration, no stacking with Flametongue Weapon or Windfury Totem; Tranquil Air / Windfury / Grace of Air no longer stack across Shamans.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep

  • Restoration: Riptide can now crit.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 24 Sep

  • 8 Oct: Lightning Bolt ranks 1–5 retuned so each new rank is an upgrade; Fire Nova no longer triggers and uses up Elemental Focus.

    Sourced: Dev notes · 8 Oct

Seen in the beta

  • Sim, 11 Oct run: Enhancement 713 (tenth of 20 damage results), Elemental 494 (last of 20). The sim engine struggles with Elemental, so treat that number as unfinished.

    Sourced: Sim · 11 Oct run

  • Enhancement's PvP burst comes from Windfury procs.

    Source pending

  • The totem quests exist for Dwarf Shamans too. On the Alliance side, Dwarf is the only Shaman race.

    Source pending