| Shaman, a hybrid class, can be played in many ways. | | | | Obvious essentials are Ancestral Knowledge, |
| You will find yourself playing like a melee DPS, caster | | | | Thundering Strikes, Flurry, and Dual Wield as these all |
| DPS, and a healer quite often. | | | | form the cornerstone of your abilities. Stormstrike |
| But, which spec and play style is the best for the | | | | and Shamanistic Focus are two abilities that you |
| leveling shaman? Enhancement wins, hands down. | | | | should definitely consider as they give you a few |
| Let me start with a disclaimer. Leveling a Shaman as | | | | more options by regaining mana, or reducing costs on |
| enhancement prior to dual wield (level 40) is actually a | | | | your shocks. |
| fairly slow path, and in the 1-39 level range Elemental | | | | Shamanistic Rage should be picked up as soon as |
| is the best. Not to say you can't level as | | | | possible as it gives you a much needed source of |
| enhancement, just know that the pace will be a little | | | | mana regeneration, as well as a small damage shield. |
| bit slower than what you could be doing as Elemental. | | | | Maelstrom Weapon is another must have skill, as it |
| Enhancement shaman, once they acquire dual wield, | | | | makes your heals and lightning bolts instant cast as |
| easily will have little to no downtime due to a | | | | you do melee damage. This alone makes the you a |
| combination of factors. The enhancement tree is | | | | potent killing machine. |
| heavily focused on melee DPS abilities which will allow | | | | Finally, you will probably want to pick up Feral Spirit |
| you to quickly drop any foe. As a healing class, you | | | | to give you an extra damage source every couple of |
| will be healing between fights (and during fights if | | | | minutes. |
| things get rough) which eliminates the need to carry | | | | Playing an enhancement shaman is pretty simple. Run |
| food. Add in the nukes from the elemental tree and | | | | up and attack your target, add in as many instant |
| you are poised to outlast most straight fights. | | | | casts as mana allows (shocks and stormstrikes). |
| Talent choices are fairly straight forward. There are | | | | Alone this will allow you to kill efficiently. Add in |
| very few choices between talents you need and | | | | Shamanistic Rage and Maelstrom Weapon and you |
| those you might want to have. | | | | eliminate downtime almost completely. |