In M+, as a Resto Shaman, I want to do better between M+ packs to make sure that the tank doesn’t fall over when they pull a big pack of mobs. Most of the time, I don’t have an issue but sometimes it feels like I need to help the tank a bit to live the first few seconds of a big pull. On an Preservation Evoker, I can just apply [Time Dilation] to the tank on every pull and they are essentially guaranteed to not fall over. I’m looking for some guidance on what I can do when moving from pull to pull to keep them alive.
Shaman can play really differently depending on the talents taken. I really like the playstyle of the GhostWolf mobility and totem-dropping talents so I plan on keeping them in my rotation. Here is how I typically approach a pull (when a tank has just taken agro):
I use [Spirit Wolf],[Ancestral Wolf Affinity] and [Winds of Al’Akir] talents to run from pack to pack. I drop a [Capacitor Totem],[Guardians Cudgel] at the tank location and then as I run up in GhostWolf, drop [Healing Stream Totem], [Earthgrab Totem], and [Stoneskin Totem]s. Altogether this is a ~5 second AOE stun, (self) movement speed buff, healing (+15% crit from S4), group slow, 10% physical dmg reduction. Once I’m all set up, I don’t have any issues with healing. It’s those first few seconds as the pull starts that I worry about. I try to keep [Earthshield] and [Riptide] on the tank at the end of a previous pull (so that they have it for the next pull).
Outside of this and just straight-up healing them, is there anything else I can do to make sure that the tank is kept topped at the start of a pull?
Thanks!
There’s not a whole lot you can do to prevent damage aside from apply earth shield (for the 6% damage mitigation) and riptide (for the extra max health). Other than that, just be ready to heal.
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I was thinking maybe I should macro [Nature’s Swiftness] together with GhostWolf that way I can do an immediate heal if the tank is falling over at the start.
Part of resto shamans kit is how strong their mastery is. Time Dialation is what, 1 min CD? Them getting blasted while you stage the area is prolly fine, just NS a heal when they are at 30-40% (w/e it actually is) and get the huge benefit from your mastery. Resto Shaman typically can stay ahead of the damage passively. Prolly dont need to save your NS for just the perfect moment to clutch save someone. Would likely serve you better to treat it as your TD with our mastery in mind. Could possibly even pre-cast unleash life before going ghost wolf expecting to NS after totems.
Their healthbar is just your resource. One of the reasons why we have that vigor talent. 10% max HP on those we heal. BLOOD DK MENTALITY!
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Unfortunately there isn’t much else you can really do OP.
If a tank is in real trouble you pop the Communism Totem to make everyones HP equal but it feels bad burning that to just save the tank and not use it as a group CD =/
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As said above, shaman is mostly reactionary healing, hence the mastery.
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I died laughing reading this. Thank you for Communism Totem!
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Thank you for the perspective on this. I think Just having a NS+Heal is the way to go and eyeing their health pool if it drops too low. I have avoided speccing into Unleash Life because I want to limit the number of buttons on my bar… Bad idea? Necessary talent?
Depends on playstyle I suppose. It offers a lot of options and situational effects, which I always relate to fun. Prolly higher skill floor?
Maybe you are on to something. Maybe this would be pretty robust:
- [Earthshield] tank
- GW (travel to pull)
- In GW form: [Capacitor Totem] at the tank location (w/ [Guardian’s Cudgel] talent)
- In GW form: [Stoneskin Totem] → [Healing Stream Totem] → (optional) [Earthgrab Totem]
- On Tank: PW → UL → NS → Wait for DMG to come in
- [Healing Surge or Chain Heal (if AOE dmg)]
- Regular rotation
Probably can macro 4 into a single button and 5 into a single button. If UL not talented then wait for [Undulation] proc.
On a slightly different note, how do people feel about the utility of [Earthen Wall Totem]? Is it worth the investment for the damage it takes off the top?
I have seriously thought about dropping a talent point into [Totemic Projection] to just click all of my totems down with one macro and do a cast @focus macro [Totemic Projection] to the tank location.
I think projection makes a lot of sense, its off global and removes range issues for certain encounters. Earthen wall is pretty well loved in all content. Deff use it before the damage comes though, not a recovery tool at all. The revive totem is very good in very specific dungeons/situations/affixs. If you pug a lot it may have more value to you haha.
Even something like saving a bunch of time if you are gonna wipe. Proc your rez totem on yourself. Tell everyone to no release. Get up, mass rez. Press W.
That’s really smart. I’ve found that the damage that really hurts from a group standpoint is not just the little stuff, but the mechanics that guarantee -20-50% group damage so I have always felt like Earthen Wall just doesn’t do enough mitigation – and then the Rez totem is hard to time unless you just know you’re about to die.
That said, I religiously use my Earth Elemental totem when bosses are at ~50% or have transitioned to a new phase since it lasts 1 minute and gives the health bonus. Maybe as a catch-all I should get in the habit of dropping the Rez totem when bosses are at ~25% or switching to their dangerous phase. Usually it’s around that time when groups will have (possibly) lost one player and need that last bit of padding to ensure the boss goes down.
Its one of those things that gets a lot of value with experience. It’s not good out the box, have to learn how to use it. But I feel like that describes most of shaman mechanics in general. It’s a skill to master. I promise if you consistently are able to get a dps up with it in the middle of a pull. Its suuuuuuuper noticable and will impress people. Your btag will start to fill as well.
Its like getting consistent on hpal pre-freedoming instant cast root/beam from bookins and then walking out of the beam since you immuned the root.
Or DF S1 seasonal affix. With the positive and negative orbs that have to be touched. So many priest players terrified of gripping somone to insta clear it. But if you just accept their potential casuality for the sake of you mastering that skill. Lots of dead friends at your feet but now you never mess it up. 
Everyone wants to play with that priest who can carry that mechanic. “Your sacrifice will be remembered”
So anyways.
Earthen Wall totem is not that good in m+. There are much more efficient healing talents.
Our mastery is basically the worst healer mastery of all healers. There is a reason we absolutely ignore it when gearing. Its the least important stat.
Unleash life is not good in m+, the go to is generally undulation. Works better with kit.
Keeping ES up on tank is the main priority. Stoneskin totem is useful for very specific dungeons, but not needed as a mainstay. Resto shaman doesnt have anything you need to use totemic projection for. NS isn’t something you should use automatically on pull. Its an emergency button press.
Dont overthink it. As long as ES is on tank, you are fine.
Shaman is a reactionary healer. So there is not a lot of prep work. Keep riptides spread out on everyone, dont let it sit at max charges. Keep ES on tank. Then react to what happens. Giving yourself Half a dozen things you think you need to cast first is not that beneficial.
My “starting pull” rotation is more like
- Is ES on tank?
- Healing Rain
- Healing Totem
- Riptide charges out?
- Chain lightning if no one needs a heal
Stuns/thunderstorm as needed, but not generally automatically.
If you want to tailor each build to each dungeon for max utility usage
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Kind of weird that you chose to ignore what the OP was asking to essentially tell them how they want to play is wrong and the issue they are having are not real.
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It’s fine you want to interpret it that way. But I would suggest not making things up about people. I didn’t say anything was not real.
I gave pretty standard advice on how to start your healing in m+ in a pull to pull basis.
A tank constantly getting chunked on every pull is more of a tanking issue. Gear or ability.
Having a 10 button set in stone rotation, I feel, is not the way to go. Esp when some of those buttons will not impact the tank taking spike damage. Now you are locking yourself out of adapting to the situation or understanding why the tank is having issues.
Im not out here starting rumors about you lol. Not “making things up about” you. Let’s not make it personal. But the OP was quite specific in what they were doing and their issue (and even their background) and wanted feedback within that frame. You saying things like
Does absolutely nothing for the OP. Or
Again, within their example they are already doing that and wanted feedback. That is what it means when I say
Im sure you are quite knowledgable and know what you are talking about. But Most of the things you have mentioned do not relate to that frame. I can summarize what you have said with: “That shouldn’t happen. If you have do anything past these few things your tank sucks.” and I would be pretty accurate to what you actually said. I gave feedback on options within the frame of their question.
Everything I said was adapting to the players background and the exact setup they wanted and issue they had. Very confused now.
Shamanigenz has helped me do exactly what I asked and provided the guidance that I was looking for.
I am aware that I am going a little off of the reservation by playing this way but I really enjoy the playstyle. Maybe it’s less strong, but I am getting greater enjoyment out of the character now.
Akston said, “Giving yourself Half a dozen things you think you need to cast first is not that beneficial” and honestly you are exactly right when you are in the thick of things (i.e. when neighboring packs are very close together) – but my question was about running up to the next pack when I had the time to do so. Often what I have found is that pug tanks will just run off ahead of the group and expect me to adapt to their bad behavior. I get a bit anxious when I start seeing their health bars drop a lot and since its my job to heal them, I am kind of forced to deal with their behavior. Shamanigenz helped provide some tools that could help when this situation occurs – and I am grateful.
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Once again. I never said any issue was not real.
My apologies. I was giving information and advice on the question asked. Opening rotations on a new pull.
If the question was “I want advice, but don’t want to actually change anything I do”.
My bad.
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