Ten Ton Hammer | WoW - Updated: Selecting Talents for the Shaman

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style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">“Hide
not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sun-dial in the
shade?" - Benjamin Franklin

I thought I would try and sound a little more upscale and classy this
round of discussion. I wouldn’t get used to it. As you can
tell by now this article is all about the Shaman’s
talents.

Let us for example take identical twins of sorts. Two Troll Shamans,
both have the identical starting statistics, both will follow the
almost identical path of leveling. So what is that can turn one into a
well oiled healing machine and the other into a rampaging engine of
destruction? Or, what could take two identical twins, and
have one grow up to be a premier ballet dancer and the other well,
let’s say it’s still
dancing….. (And you were worried, I may have
become classy) Ding Ding Ding Ding, that’s right
folks - talents.

At level 80, players will have a total of 71 talent points to
distribute. Ah, but how to distribute them is the true trick.
“What’s there to figure out?” that was my
original thought on talent builds when I was first starting in WoW. If
you are for example, an Enhancement Shaman, why not just throw all
seventy one talent points into your Enhancement tree? Surely
that would create the best Enhancement Shaman? On some levels you may
be right. Although if you sacrifice some of those Enhancement points
and add them to the Elemental tree, you can increase your Enhancement
build. Just one the many subtleties to the talent trees. I also favor
passive Talents to some of the more active Talents; it’s just
easier on my brain.

To be honest I don’t think I’ve figured out all the
tricks to it myself, but let’s look at some talent builds out
there and see what we can learn. Readers please jump into the href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/forumdisplay.php?f=28"
target="_blank">Ten Ton Hammer Forums
and correct
or expound on anything you read here.

I’ve chosen a sample build for each of the Shaman’s
builds. I’d like to discuss what talents I think make a
successful Shaman of your choice. Keep in mind this is an overview and
as such, I have decided to focus on three primary tree Talents and two
supporting tree Talents. As a rule, I have decided not to
discuss the top two talents of each tree. The top two are the best
Talents you can achieve, and as such, really there is no doubt about
you learning them. They are all very powerful, and
very useful to your build, and let’s not forget how cool some
of them can be.

Enhancement

href="http://www.wowarmory.com/character-talents.xml?r=Scarlet+Crusade&n=Russell&group=2">Sample
Enhancement Build

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cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"> style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Enhancement
Talents style="background-color: rgb(76, 108, 192);">Importance style="background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"> style="width: 405px; height: 72px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62201"> Almost speaks for
itself. Mana conservation is always a
concern. Even
though focus is on melee DPS, getting some well timed Shocks never hurt
anybody, well maybe your target. style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 405px; height: 72px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62190"> If you’re
going to be a melee DPS, no reason
not to use two weapons. Plus two weapons increases statistic
bonuses. With the ability of Windfury Weapon this makes this
talent for a Enhancement Shaman a no brainer. Windfury procs
+
Duel Wield + Weapon Speed (the slower the weapon the better to maximize
DPS) is the Enhancement Shaman's best source of DPS a great article href="http://elitistjerks.com/f47/t20765-shaman_enhancement/"
target="_blank">here
explains Weapon Speed to perfection. style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 387px; height: 160px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62202"> If you’re
going to wield two weapons, you may
as well have the ability to attack with them both at once.
Plus the added nature damage bonus will allow you to follow up with
nice Shock. I personally would not put talent points into
Improved Stormstrike because with Water Shield, Improved Shield, and
Shamanistic Rage, mana should not be an issue. style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 204); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"> style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Elemental
Talents style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 390px; height: 123px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62193"> Extra mana reduction
(always good for prolonged battles) style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 387px; height: 88px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62194"> Extra damage, even
better. What I like about this
talent, especially in raids, it increases the damage of your Searing
Totem which will increase your over all DPS.

Maelstrom Weapon is one of the best talents for a Enhancement
Shaman. The 5 stack insta cast happens very often, in my
experience while soloing it will stack 5 times on every mob and even
more often during a boss fight while raiding. This can be
used as
DPS with a insta cast Lightening Bolt or give you a insta cast Healing
Wave to bail you out if your going to die. Your mana tends to drain
more quickly, but if you keep Water Shield up and use Shamanistic Rage
going on every 2 min cooldown, you will have no downtime.

On a side note for an Enhancement Shaman spell rotation will be:

Lightning Bolt if Maelstrom Weapon is at 5 stacks

Stormstrike if available

Earth Shock if available

Lava Lash if available

Elemental

href="http://www.wowarmory.com/talent-calc.xml?cid=7&tal=55013515002133513223013510050500010000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"
target="_blank">Sample Elemental build: Mostly
Casting DPS

border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Level style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Talent style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rank style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">School 10 Concussion 1 Elemental 11 Concussion 2 Elemental 12 Concussion 3 Elemental 13 Concussion 4 Elemental 14 Concussion 5 Elemental 15 Elemental
Devastation 1 Elemental 16 Elemental
Devastation 2 Elemental 17 Elemental
Devastation 3 Elemental 18 Convection 1 Elemental 19 Convection 2 Elemental 20 Elemental
Focus 1 Elemental 21 Elemental
Fury 1 Elemental 22 Elemental
Fury 2 Elemental 23 Elemental
Fury 3 Elemental 24 Elemental
Fury 4 Elemental 25 Elemental
Fury 5 Elemental 26 Reverberation 1 Elemental 27 Reverberation 2 Elemental 28 Reverberation 3 Elemental 29 Reverberation 4 Elemental 30 Call
of Thunder 1 Elemental 31 Elemental
Reach 1 Elemental 32 Elemental
Reach 2 Elemental 33 Reverberation 5 Elemental 34 Unrelenting
Storm 1 Elemental 35 Lightning
Mastery 1 Elemental 36 Lightning
Mastery 2 Elemental 37 Lightning
Mastery 3 Elemental 38 Lightning
Mastery 4 Elemental 39 Lightning
Mastery 5 Elemental 40 Elemental
Mastery 1 Elemental 41 Storm,
Earth and Fire 1 Elemental 42 Storm,
Earth and Fire 2 Elemental 43 Storm,
Earth and Fire 3 Elemental 44 Elemental
Precesion 1 Elemental 45 Elemental
Oath 1 Elemental 46 Elemental
Oath 2 Elemental 47 Booming Echoes 1 Elemental 48 Booming Echoes 2 Elemental 49 Lightning
Overload Elemental 50 Lava
Flows 1 Elemental 51 Lava
Flows 2 Elemental 52 Lava
Flows 3 Elemental 53 Lightning
Overload 4 Elemental 54 Lightning
Overload 5 Elemental 55 Shamanism 1 Elemental 56 Shamanism 2 Elemental 57 Shamanism 3 Elemental 58 Shamanism 4 Elemental 59 Shamanism 5 Elemental 60 Thunderstom 1 Elemental 61 Ancestral
Knowledge 1 Enhancement 62 Ancestral
Knowledge 2 Enhancement 63 Ancestral
Knowledge 3 Enhancement 64 Ancestral
Knowledge 4 Enhancement 65 Ancestral
Knowledge 5 Enhancement 66 Thundering
Strikes 1 Enhancement 67 Thundering
Strikes 2 Enhancement 68 Thundering
Strikes 3 Enhancement 69 Thundering
Strikes 4 Enhancement 70 Thundering
Strikes 5 Enhancement 71 Shamanistic
Focus 1 Enhancement 72 Improved
Shields 1 Enhancement 73 Improved
Shields 2 Enhancement 74 Improved
Shields 3 Enhancement 75 Totem
of Wrath 1 Elemental 76 Elemental
Warding 1 Enhancement 77 Elemental
Warding 2 Enhancement 78 Elemental
Warding 3 Enhancement 79 Astral
Shift 1 Enhancement 80 Astral
Shift 2 Enhancement

Restoration

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href="http://www.wowarmory.com/character-talents.xml?r=Scarlet+Crusade&n=Russell&group=2"
target="_blank">Sample Restoration Build.

border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Level style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Talent style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rank style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"> style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">School 10 Totemic
Focus 1 Restoration 11 Totemic
Focus 2 Restoration 12 Totemic
Focus 3 Restoration 13 Totemic
Focus 4 Restoration 14 Totemic
Focus 5 Restoration 15 Tidal
Focus 1 Restoration 16 Tidal
Focus 2 Restoration 17 Tidal
Focus 3 Restoration 18 Tidal
Focus 4 Restoration 19 Tidal
Focus 5 Restoration 20 Improved
Water Shield 1 Restoration 21 Improved
Water Shield 2 Restoration 22 Improved
Water Shield 3 Restoration 23 Tidal
Force 1 Restoration 24 Ancestral
Healing 1 Restoration 25 Tidal
Mastery 1 Restoration 26 Tidal
Mastery 2 Restoration 27 Tidal
Mastery 3 Restoration 28 Tidal
Mastery 4 Restoration 29 Tidal
Mastery 5 Restoration 30 Nature's
Swiftness 1 Restoration 31 Restorative
Totems 1 Restoration 32 Restorative
Totems 2 Restoration 33 Restorative
Totems 3 Restoration 34 Restorative
Totems 4 Restoration 35 Purification 1 Restoration 36 Purification 2 Restoration 37 Purification 3 Restoration 38 Purification 4 Restoration 39 Purification 5 Restoration 40 Cleanse
Spirt 1 Restoration 41 Healing
Focus 1 Restoration 42 Healing
Focus 2 Restoration 43 Healing
Focus 3 Restoration 44 Restorative
Totems 5 Restoration 45 Nature's
Blessing 1 Restoration 46 Nature's
Blessing 2 Restoration 47 Nature's
Blessing 3 Restoration 48 Imroved
Chain Healing 1 Restoration 49 Imroved
Chain Healing 2 Restoration 50 Blessing
of the Eternals 1 Restoration 51 Blessing
of the Eternals 2 Restoration 52 Ancestral
Awakening 1 Restoration 53 Ancestral
Awakening 2 Restoration 54 Ancestral
Awakening 3 Restoration 55 Tidal
Waves 1 Restoration 56 Tidal
Waves 2 Restoration 57 Tidal
Waves 3 Restoration 58 Tidal
Waves 4 Restoration 59 Tidal
Waves 5 Restoration 60 Riptide 1 Restoration 61 Ancestral
Knowledge 1 Enhancement 62 Ancestral
Knowledge 2 Enhancement 63 Ancestral
Knowledge 3 Enhancement 64 Ancestral
Knowledge 4 Enhancement 65 Ancestral
Knowledge 5 Enhancement 66 Thundering
Strikes 1 Enhancement 67 Thundering
Strikes 2 Enhancement 68 Thundering
Strikes 3 Enhancement 69 Thundering
Strikes 4 Enhancement 70 Thundering
Strikes 5 Enhancement 71 Improved
Shields 1 Enhancement 72 Improved
Shields 2 Enhancement 73 Improved
Shields 3 Enhancement 74 Elemental
Weapons 1 Enhancement 75 Elemental
Weapons 2 Enhancement 76 Elemental
Weapons 3 Enhancement 77 Earth
Shield 1 Restoration 78 Improved
Earth Shield 1 Restoration 79 Improved
Earth Shield 2 Restoration 80 Mana
Tide Totem 1 Restoration

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cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"> style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Restoration
Talents style="background-color: rgb(76, 108, 192);">Importance style="background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"> style="width: 384px; height: 102px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62200"> Anything instant cast is
good. Having a handy macro like /cast Nature's Swiftness
followed
by /cast Healing Wave(Rank 14) can be used as a emergency
heal
for anyone in the raid. style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 385px; height: 73px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62196"> Chain healing is one of
the best things about being a
Restoration Shaman. No reason not to maximize its effectiveness. style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 391px; height: 75px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62199"> As a healer you never
want to run out of
mana. So here’s a little assistance. With
so many intellect boosting items out there, Shamans’ mana
pools have greatly increased. Increasing your Intellect will
also
increase your Crit % which can lead to big heals which is always a good
thing. style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 204); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"> style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Enhancement
Talents style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 331px; height: 66px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62189"> Do I even need to say it? style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 390px; height: 123px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62204"> The 10% increase to the
healing and mana generation is
a good end game bonus. There are generally some area effect spells that
hit the entire party. You might as well benefit from the
attacks. For Restoration Shamans this has twice the benefit,
increase your Water Shield for more mana and increases your Earth
Shield which will help your tank out.

Unfortunately to all the great talents out there, there are some I
wonder why they are even in the game. As such, I give you my
list of top three most useless Shaman Talents. I kept it down to three,
one from each Talent tree.

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cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="background-color: rgb(56, 88, 162); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;"> style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">These
talents
are usually best for only one type of spec and not to be used for cross
builds like........ style="background-color: rgb(76, 108, 192);">Why
Not? style="background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41); text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">
style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 389px; height: 93px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62191"> Elemental builds are
essentially casters at this point.
Start acting like one. Stay the hell away from mobs. Though
this is great for an Enhancement Shaman. style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(41, 41, 41);"> style="width: 391px; height: 111px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/62195"> This one is best for
Restoration Shamans. Anytime, as
a healer, you can reduce your threat of any kind it is a good thing.
Elemental and Enhancement specs should not bother with this
particular talent.

If the UFC has taught us anything is that mixed martial arts kick ass.
Mixed Talent builds in my opinion are no different. So get
out there and show the world (of Warcraft) how talented you all can be.

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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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