The Missing Shaman Spec: Shadowhunter

Classes Shaman
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So, we all know that shaman originally had some ability to tank in Vanilla. With the release and popularity of classic, we’ve even been able to re-experience some of it (and as someone who did a bit, I can confirm that it is very fun). Unfortunately, due to early issues with keeping classes in balance, it was scrapped in BC completely, and enhance moved to a DPS spec only.

I’m here to tell you that shaman is actually missing one of our archetypes, that it’s the perfect candidate for a tank spec, and that it perfectly fits the theme of the Shadowlands: The Shadowhunter.

(Can’t do links right now, but the article for shadowhunters is on Gamepedia.)

Facts about the shadowhunter:

  • Master of voodoo and shadow magic

  • Specializes in cursing and destroying enemies, healing, and protecting allies

  • Uses several spells already in the shaman class (chain heal, hex, totems)

One of the main aspects of shamanism currently missing from the class is the use of shadow magic, and the tie-in to Loa. Both of these things are perfectly handled by adding Shadowhunter as a spec. There is also another glaring problem that gets solved with this addition: there is currently a weapon type in the game that can only be used by a single class. Warglaives. And guess what the signature weapon of Shadowhunters happens to be? Glaives. (Technically bows/guns are only used by one class as well, but they can at least be equipped by others, and should arguably get flexed into some other specs as well, like guns to Outlaw. But I digress.)

Basically, a tank spec shaman that specializes in dropping defensive totems, self-healing, adding absorbs to party members, and cursing enemies. It has all the flavor of shaman, but with a unique style that isn’t represented outside of a few similarities to resto sham.

Potential Abilities:

  • Shadow Chain: Chain heal, with a shadow flavor. Alternates bounces between allies and enemies. The more enemies, the more times it can bounce to heal allies.

  • Shadowfrost Shield: Just like earth/lightning/water shields. Consumes charges and slows enemies on physical contact, with a stacking frost debuff that horrifies for one second after a certain number of stacks.

  • Speaker of the Loa: Choose a Loa to channel. Each Loa imparts a different passive effect that matches their flavor.

  • Rush’kah Mask: Empowers your Loa channel, granting an active effect that changes depending on the Loa currently being channeled.

  • Big Bad Voodoo: Channels shadow power over the course of several seconds to add an absorption shield to self and allies nearby.

There was an interview recently on Polygon that talked about how new classes and races are added to fit flavor, rather than just because there’s a new expansion. Well, this is the perfect time for a new spec like this. It’s immediately following a troll-themed expansion, the entire new expansion is based around shadow, and Bwonsamdi is the perfect story hook to bring them to the forefront.

(Can’t do links, Polygon article is titled “Blizzard focused on World of Warcraft: Shadowlands’ customization over a new class.”)

Shadowhunters fit the gameplay (shaman will be able to tank again, there will finally be a mail-wearing tank, and glaives will be able to be used by two classes); they fit the lore (they literally already exist, and many of their abilities are already in the shaman class); and they flawlessly fit the expansion theme.

It’s time. :slight_smile:

13 Likes
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I tanked for RFD a long time ago. Was fun and would love to see a tank spec added to Shaman.

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If only Blizzard wasn’t an indie company, struggling to make ends meet, perhaps they could afford the development time for this.

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It was not just vanilla you could tank in Wrath tank naxx and malygoss all the time.

But tbh shadow hunters would fit shamans really well for a tank spec make a Voodoo based tank spec.

Make a shaman tank spec. and I will main a tank all day long.

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Ye, in TBC and Wrath you could get defense cap through resilience, which shaman tanks had to do. It was hard but fun.

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Oddly, I felt like this belonged under Demon Hunters from a lore perspective. Shadow Hunters have a similar zeal to Demon a hunters, a similar attitude regarding voodoo, and shadow magics. Canonically, they even share a main hand weapon (Shadowhunters currently in story use glaives and shields).

While CH, Hex, and Totems are seen among Shadowhunters, I feel like the lore better connects with the Demon Hunter world than it does with the Shaman world. Demon Hunters would also receive a 3rd spec to fill them out, rather than a 4th Shaman spec. I’d like to see Demon Hunters get a minor rename, and expand to include Void Elves and Darkspear Trolls. Instead of Demon Hunters, they would become something along the lines of Darkness Hunters (I’m not great with names, okay? :p), with specs for Havoc, Vengeance, and Shadow. The Shadow spec would probably replace a few of the DH abilities like Throw Glaive with a shadow damage chain spell and Metamorphosis would trade out for something Loa-linked instead.

Don’t get me wrong. I miss tanking as a Shaman - something I used to do in vanilla all the time. I’m not sure Shadowhunters fills that role though.

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While I agree that there are similarities, similarities do not a class make. The specs in that case would be completely and utterly different in concept, which isn’t really how most specs work. Trying to shoehorn what is literally a type of shaman into demon hunters and then rename it would work, but it wouldn’t be elegant by any means. Adding a third spec to demon hunters is certainly another worthy pursuit, but stealing a large part of shaman lore to do it wouldn’t sit right with me at all, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that.

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Thing is, Shadow Hunters were never Shaman either. They’re a weird cross between Shaman, (S)Priest, and Hunter. The original WCIII Shadow Hunters had a Healing Wave spell that acted like chain heal and Hex, but their ward wasn’t really the same as totems, nor were their other abilities like Shaman abilities. In WoW, they’ve been seen using Shadow Priest spells, and while they often hold glaives (sometimes dual wielding them), they’re also often seen throwing spears and moving in stealth like Hunter Camouflage. Honestly, I don’t know that they should be a single class at all, with that in mind.

It feels like there are a number of non-class entities in the game that exist - many of them share abilities with multiple classes, but are often specific to a single race. (Troll Shadow Hunters for one, not sure what to call them, but the Night Elf cat riders are another) - maybe it would make more sense to flesh these out and introduce them as special racial factions you can join on top of your regular faction - granting power or skill bonuses based on that.

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As a large troll lover, I approve of all of these ideas. I’ve been really wanting to play a shadowhunter especially after bfa. My shaman is as close to that as i can get! :slight_smile:

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I’ve hoped that Shadow Hunters would be introduced at some point since the first announcement of a new class with the Death Knights… but I don’t think it’ll be a shaman spec, and I don’t think it’ll be this xpac. New classes have, to date, always been touted as major features of a new xpac, and that obviously didn’t happen. And, as others have already pointed out, Shadow Hunters appear to share a number of classes kits, including shamans, spriests, survival hunters, and demon hunters. Also, from a class distinctiveness perspective, I kinda doubt we’ll see a third class with “hunter” in the name. Two already seems like kinda a lot.

That said, there definitely appears to be a space available for a mail-wearing class that has a tank spec…

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Again voodoo is not a shaman thing it is a troll thing.

Shamans are masters of the elements or as some call us an elemental warrior.

We do not use voodoo or shadow magic. If anything it would be Earth Warden or something to that effect.

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Blood lust… totems…ghost wolf…hex… yeah sooo not a voodoo thing.

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There are no signs of shadow hunters outside of Trolls.

I suppose an argument could be used for Demon Hunters in regards to an elf only race…

but shadow Hunter seems really tentative…

UNLESS

They are going to make a petless ranged class and call it RANGER and have the specs be something like

Dark Ranger / Night Warrior / Shadow Hunter

and limit it to elves and trolls

However — I think tinker (a combination of the tinkerer and alchemist hero from wc3 is the next class that will arrive).

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First off I love you :two_hearts::kissing_heart::heart:

Secondly absolutely. I want shadowhunters more then anything and have been a supporter of a glaive weilding mail class (either for survival or enhance) for a long time.

This idea is great and if it was ever implemented into the game I would mail it even though it’s a tank. I hope the damage is high in it tho as I always imagined shadowhunters to be more of a dps then tank.

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True but demon hunters are only elf’s so they can make it work

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There is no equivalent to Trolls on the Alliance faction

hence why it would need to expand to dark ranger and night warrior as well.

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I agree the night elf “warden” night warrior would be a good trade off. But blizz giving night elf’s two hero classes wouldnt make sense mechanically.

There really isn’t another race that would fit this on alliance other then night elf’s tho. Mabye void elf’s with the shadow void theme or draeni stalkers.

Funny enough gnomes are now able to use “mojo” as of da other side dungeon. Replace totems with mechs and you could have a tinker/shadowhunter class that you can play as gnomes, dwarfs, night elf’s, and trolls and goblins

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Engineering has always used troll mojo — its a throwback to vanilla schematics.

Flask of Mojo | WoWWiki | Fandom

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I didn’t know that! That’s actually super cool!

I’m not a fan of the tinker theme but replace the mechs with golems, spirits and voodoo and I’m in

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So Voodoo isnt the only source of magic that uses hex’s. In some lore so do mages and the same is said for totems. I never said voodoo wasnt a thing i just said shamans do not use voodoo.

Bloodlust is something you would more expect to be a warrior that has gone crazy on the battlefield.

Ghost wolf is the shaman opening up more to the spiritual side.

Again Voodoo is a troll thing not a Shaman thing. Nothing in the lore or anywhere mentions shamans and voodoo. At least not that I have found