Ele or Balance?

[Yasudra-malorne (Yasudra)]

I choose balance cause you can look like a star person.

[Sieten-ragnaros (Sieten)]

I think hes just arguing to argue now? Its kind of a run around. Its been fun to read but its now getting sad for him.

I think Sieten got shutdown so hard that he’s morphing into a troll. I see this a lot on these forums.

Too bad, dismantling and changing my arguments wasn’t enough to prove me wrong.

Okay, then go ahead and find me a class with the following ammount of RNG factors:
There, 11 RNG layers on a basic 3 skills rotation.

No other class has the same ammount of RNG as Elemental Shaman.
NONE.
It doesn’t matter if the class pulls out high numbers in certain scenarios, the core class works horribly bad.

[Carissaria-aggramar]

When the fat humans come out I may make an ranged dps just unsure if ele or balance. If I recall correctly balance you have to constantly switch between spells depending on if you have the sun or moon? I cant remember it’s been so long but maybe that gets easier as you go

We haven’t had that for so long I forgot about it lol

[Carissaria-aggramar]

RestoDruid

They don’t do too bad in raids, either

[Naenelis-stormrage]

Well I have my lock which is fun and 100% reliable I was just looking for something new to try out. Ele and monk are the only things I’ve never tried.

[Akston-bloodhoof (Akston)]

They don’t do too bad in raids, either

Oh for sure! I didn’t mean to imply that they didn’t. Just that raid healing is more resto sham niche.

Both specs can heal both raids and m+. But Rsham has the raid advantage, and Rdruid has the m+ advantage. All I was trying to point out was that if you liked healing one more than the other, it may effect your choice.

[Rhielle-sentinels (Rhielle)]

Balance Druid is pretty good right now, I believe. I don’t run higher end content, but my survivability is amazing and my damage seems pretty darn good. My best friend runs Mythic+ and Mythic raids as Balance.

Resto Affinity makes all the difference. I “tank” rare elites now as Balance.

There is no longer an eclipse bar, thank gawd. That finally got tossed. It was horrible. Now it’s using Solar Wrath and Lunar Strike after Starsurge for a damage bonus. Everything is an AoE, except Starsurge and you can still do some DPS while moving, since Moonfire, Sunfire and Starsurge are all instant.

But I’m biased. I’ve been Balance and Resto since Vanilla.

[Choctaw-shattered-halls]

I’m going for the fun look. I like both new races balance form. I do not do top end raiding so all about fun for me. That if i stick around.

[Carissaria-aggramar]

Both specs can heal both raids and m+. But Rsham has the raid advantage, and Rdruid has the m+ advantage. All I was trying to point out was that if you liked healing one more than the other, it may effect your choice

Ah, I heal raids. (Haven’t done m+)

How do shamans do?

[Wolfthorn-earthen-ring (Wolfthorn)]

I can’t in good faith ever recommend rolling shaman. Blizzard has shown no interest in the class since MoP.

Boomkin on the other hand seems to be getting a lot of praise right now, so that gets my vote.

[Spotti-area-52 (Spotti)]

If you aren’t doing world first than both are perfectly viable. (All class forums are complaining all the time, not underplaying flaws but it’s the nature of the beast)

Balance’s current iteration is ok, there is no switching now, just more on dot, building astral, and using one or the other depending on ST or AoE. I personally would of liked a normal looking Druid that I can see my transmog, the glyph of stars was nice in the beginning but is a little annoying now but I’m picky to visual cues.

I’ve been playing on Ele alt for a bit and it’s been fun… it gets a bit getting it right and the rotation might not be for everyone.

I’d say maybe chicken brings maybe a few extra things if I’m correct.

And Leather is better looking but none of the forms as Druid really show off your mog so it is moot… I found some nice pieces for Shaman but the bar isn’t that high so you’ll at most find 4-5 pieces that remotely look interesting, rest of the sets are meh.

KEEP IN MIND, be sure to check how the current gear will look on Kul Tirans, it might be like the Panda situation where it all is stretched/painted on. Personally I think getting that Heritage Armor would help a lot going forward.

[Akston-bloodhoof (Akston)]

Ah, I heal raids. (Haven’t done m+)

How do shamans do?

In raids shaman are great, with Spirit Link Totem being an amazing cd. An example would be that many of the top (Method, etc) were using 2 resto sham for the world first race. When you are progressing, and taking a lot of damage, the shaman mastery really shines. In m+ shaman are weaker healers, due to weaker tank healing abilities.

Still absolutely doable for most m+, and it only comes out if you really push the highest numbers.

[Akston-bloodhoof (Akston)]

I can’t in good faith ever recommend rolling shaman. Blizzard has shown no interest in the class since MoP.

Boomkin on the other hand seems to be getting a lot of praise right now, so that gets my vote.

You sound like a person a few issues back on your Shaman Monthly subscription. Ele and Resto are in a great place right now.

[Wolfthorn-earthen-ring (Wolfthorn)]

Haven’t tried them since I gave up on the class years ago. I got tired of waiting for Blizzard.

Going by their track record of their treatment of the class, I still wouldn’t recommend anybody roll one.

[Akston-bloodhoof (Akston)]

Haven’t tried them since I gave up on the class years ago. I got tired of waiting for Blizzard.

Going by their track record of their treatment of the class, I still wouldn’t recommend anybody roll one.

Got it.

So you are basing your opinion on current ele sham on what…pre Legion? Either way, its completely irrelevant.

I mean. I’d say druids are being treated worse than shaman right now.

[Wolfthorn-earthen-ring (Wolfthorn)]

I think everything but Guardian is fine for Druid. Haven’t tried Feral though. Also as I’ve already said, I’m basing my opinion of the class on Blizzard’s history of crapping on it, therefore I don’t have faith that they will maintain any current semblence of enjoyment.

[Foxyßoo-area-52 (Foxyßoo)]

I would say elemental is better for my preferences for one reason, your abilities don’t pull everything in a million mile radius lol.

[Zarles-zuljin]

Lastly which has the better mogs? I’ve never saw good looking mail.

As the author of the defining Shaman mog, I can tell you that there is an ample supply of amazing Shaman gear.

Also, Elemental is really, really fun in BFA.

Granted, Ele is only fun for about 1 out of every 3 expansions. But if you’re playing now, I say go Ele and enjoy it while it lasts.

Druids are just weird, IMO.

[Mystified-zuljin]

Ah, I heal raids. (Haven’t done m+)

How do shamans do?

Our shaman is pretty much always top HPS on AOE heal intensive fights like Grong and Conclave. I don’t think I’m a slouch on my monk but I can’t keep up.

That said, our RDruids (we run two) aren’t exactly super far behind or anything. I’m usually the one falling down a bit on the meters lol

[Wuzeh-wyrmrest-accord]

Ele if fun is a factor, great damage and some decent niche utility.

Balance if you just want massive utility in m+ and decent damage, though. It’s a rather boring spec, IMO, but they and rogues have the best utility iirc.