I don’t think the change to way of earth was about PVP. I think the change was made because Shaman could effectively dual wield tank in raids and do at least 50% more DPS than warrior tanks, Pally tanks, Druid tanks, and Rogue tanks. The only tanks capable of putting out anything like the same DPS as Shaman are Warlocks.
I think PVE is driving this change.
I disagree, I think the PvP has been driving most change if you look at the SoD history.
Balance druids weren’t crazy in PvE in P1, but in PvP they were devastating, so Starsurge got nerfed.
Shad Priests haven’t really been top of DPS charts at all, but had SW:D nerfed while having their dots buffed.
Hunter nerfs were coming even after HUnters fell off the top of the meters in P1 because BM rune was still having their pets solo people.
(And Hunter’s most recent nerfs were addressing entirely too much damage in a burst with Raptor Strike getting a boost for same-type weapons. Melee hunter is still among the top of DPS charts.)
The WoE Change also affecting the tank I think is incidental, at the most, “a nice side effect.”
You destroy all melee and you can frost shock and throw your earth bind totem. You’re fine.
We have to get into melee in the first place, alive.
That’s the problem.
Hear me out:
What if the nerf is cause a tank class was top in the 5 in Gnomer four weeks in a row?
Oh I didnt know rogues had a 30% hp buff that stacks with 30% from BGs
Crying because your win condition is make contact? what a luxury to complain about.
Whats the point of charging in when you die instantly and deal almost no burst. Mount to flag in ab mount to FC in wsg not that hard.
idk, Dragonflight Season 2 Ret pallys own that badge proudly.
I get that you’re butthurt that warriors get wrecked by everyone except rogues in PvP with how hard runes are slapping, but we’re looking at how to make classes engaging and fun without ruining someone else’s fun- not just trying to eliminate them.
Enhancement shamans (assuming they still exist in PvP P3) won’t be running twin RB because it no longer helps them with survival (WoE) and it takes the place of WF which helps with MSW- that will be their only lifeblood. Them doing anything in the stun/burst meta is going to be climbing a mountain.
Just a heads up for you: That impotent rage you feel at being comparatively useless and utterly helpless in PvP- that’s been the enhancement shaman experience in every iteration of Classic/Vanilla until now. (And we didn’t even have charge.) Just food for thought.
Literally none of the examples you mentioned pertained to tanking. Those were all issues about bursty DPS.
Way of Earth isn’t incidentally about tanking. It is THE rune that makes Shaman tanking possible. I’m sorry, but your position here simply isn’t credible.
He literally called the effect on tanking from a change to the rune that exists explicitly so that Shaman can tank incidental. He’s unhinged and shouldn’t be taken seriously.
If it was just about tanking, why is Warlock tank damage as yet untouched despite also being miles ahead of Bear and Warrior?
(And also, Double RB WoE is the definition of Burst DPS in PvP, so you calling my position simply not credible while also reinforcing it with your own logic for why it was nerf is a bit silly, and unnecessarily hostile.)
TEXTBOOK PROJECTION
(This isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with you being dismissive and hypocritically “unhinged” so I’m just going to ignore you from here. Your contributions are not worth the hassle of dealing with you.)
They aren’t untouched. Soul link is no longer going to work if you are using Metamorphosis. It’s a similar change meant to bring them in line with other tanking classes in PVE, just like the change to WoE.
You are claiming that a change to a tanking rune is only incidentally about tanking. Sorry my dude, that isn’t a serious position.
It’s really nuts how many shaman cry about balance druids Starsurge being completely broke or shadow priests SWD being too OP, but okay shaman are like …
“Yes this is fine, I’m a tank with caster damage output…totally not OP.”
Throws down a grounding totem
“Hey buddy… Pvp isn’t balanced around 1v1… hold on while I form a premade with 4 other shaman.”
equal footing 
Looks like we found the enhancement shaman. Don’t worry, initial outlook is a buff for lava lash for some reason. 50% front damage reduction but 75% increase on the backend with flametongue for a 25% increase.
That’s cause you’re an evoker. You shouldn’t be trying to stab things. /s
Seriously though, I’m getting sick of the back and forth here on the forums about Shaman. Neither side will agree, and it’s just silly.
I didnt realize you never played the game before so bog standard stuff is incoherently bad for shaman tanks outside of probably the glad stuff from arena in brd.
Will they add more gear? Yeah.
Does that change what I said? No.
Everyone forgets how quickly they go OOM though. At least in my experience leveling a shammy so far. Sham rage is still better than way of earth for PvP IMO.
Eat your nerf and like it