Returning and need advice

[schlange]

Hello Everyone,

I took a break from WOW about 6 months ago and now I want to return. I play on a PVP server, but I am mostly a mix and lean toward PvE. Seemed in PvP I would have 2 chars die before I could even get off 1 chain lightnining :( (yeah I guess I am a casual player and not elite).

Anyway, I have a 5-box - lv 71 - team team of:

1. Protect Pally
2. Moonkin Druid
3. Shammy
4. Shammy
5. Shammy

It used to be that one of my shammy was Resto, but now at lv 71 and with WoLK does it make sense to keep 1 Resto or go full Elem?

Questions:
1. Can you suggest a build for the Shammys (I heard all points have been refunded) - what is fastest for questing and instancing until lv 80?
2. What is a good cast sequence or attach sequence for a 3 Shammy and 1 moonkin box? (been so long I cannot remember anything anymore).

I used to have Pally as leader, but I wonder if doing a leaderless setup is worth it somehow?

Here is the Elem Gear I have on my Shammys: http://eu.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Sunstrider&n=Fätäl

[schlange]

I also have a level 70 Shammy on the same account as the Druid. So I can replace the druid and run with 4 Shammy and a Pally Tank if that is better. However, about 6 months ago having a druid gave some good buffs and debuffs to a team.

I guess I need some suggestions on Tank builds, Shammy build and Druid Builds.

[Clone]

I have the same team as that at 80 and if I could go back and change the druid to another shammy I would. You do get a couple of nice buffs from the druid but the fact is that a moonkin's dps cant be maximised by a macro as you ideally want to be watching for eclipse procs. I have been considering making my druid resto because my shamans are always a good 600-700dps ahead of the druid. Only thing thats stopped me so far is that ive never played a resto druid before and dont know how good Ill be at healing with him. Druids are apparently better healers than shammys these days tho so Ill probably give it a shot. I will be interested to see just how much dps the moonkin was contributing to the 2 elemental shamans.

Having 1 resto or going with all of them damage specced is more a play style choice. I like to have one resto because it feels like I have more control of the healing that way. I guess with my current situation though it would make sense to try playing with all the 3 shammys and the druid dps specced. Its not that often where my tank is hard to heal these days.

[schlange]

Thanks Clone

So your advice is to either

1. Play with 4 Shammy and Prot Pally
OR
2. Play with 3 Elem Shammy and a Resto Druid with the Prot Pally.

I have not done resto druid's myself either, but I do like having 1 healer in the team. It seems when I do instances, it is easier with 1 healer. I guess the resto druid would be bored most of the time and maybe healing only once in awhile - until Heroics.

So does it make sense to drop druid all together and just run the 4 box shammy with a Pally??? I can always spec one shammy to resto later if needed for lv80 heroics.

What is a good build for Elem Shammy and Protect Pally?

[Clone]

My advice would be to go with 4 shammy and a paladin unless you know for sure that you want to have a dedicated healer at all times, then you could choose to level druid, priest or shaman to heal. I guess another option is 4 shamans and a druid. Then you can have them all specced for ranged dps if you wanted to go to AV, but you also have a tank, healer and 3 dps for instancing.

As far as builds go id suggest just playing around with the in game talent calculator which can be turned on in the interface menu. Most must have talents should be pretty obvious to you. Once you get to 80 then look at researching the optimal builds if you are into min/maxing :)

[Siaea]

4 shammy get's my vote. When you're lesser geared, you can make one of them resto like I did for a while. Earth Shield on your tank is really nice to make up for low defense as you're gearing up, and your resto can still dps when your tank isn't needing heals.

[Ualaa]

Whether you go 3 shammies and a druid or 4 shammies is up to you.
It is a preference choice.
A 4th shammy gets you an extra totem from each element, a bit more controlled burst and less diversity to worry about.
A druid gets you buffs, battle rez, some procs etc.

Whichever way you go, I'd look at dual-specs hard.
You could go Balance/Resto primary and Resto/Balance second spec.
You could go Elemental/Enhance primary and Resto/Ehance second spec.
Most of the time go with 4x offensive casters who can all do some healing.
When its a tough encounter or heroics, switch the healer to their second spec for a huge boost.

[Moorea]

I have a dedicated healer (1 shammy healer, 3 shammy dps; 1 dk tank) and I think it's needed for instances (earth shield is awesome) - My other 80 is a druid dual spec'ed healer/tank which I leveled entirely as resto (well from 60 as it was a RAF granted to 60 toon) and a druid as boxing healer should be awesome - so maybe make it your main healer?

[daviddoran]

Another plus of the druid is if you go crazy, you could make the druid a tank, heal on the pally....

Or go ret on the pally, resto shaman, 2 eles and a bear..... more options.....

[Mercurio]

I'd definitely encourage you to keep the druid. More options as others have noted and the macros aren't that bad to take care of eclipse on the boomkin. If you are running instances for loot, you'll have one less full toon waiting for mail caster drops (that can be a big deal).

As for specs, I've looked around a lot and think I have pretty good ones on my toons. For examples you can check out Pantero for ele shaman, Conifer for boomkin, and either Windcow or Blazecow should be in resto shammy spec atm (they both dual spec, but I think I logged at least one of them off in resto). All these toons are in armory US Magtheridon.

Hope that helps.