Cataclysm Changes: Shaman

[Fat Tire]

Also the x2 lava bursts!

Elemental Overload: Your direct-damage spells have a chance to proc a less powerful 'bonus" version of the spell. This will work much like the current Lightning Overload talent, but would also apply to Lava Burst.

Also I would think they will change the application of posions(Rogue) from being so easily applied to rather a 1 time/stack posion since dispelling will cost more mana.

[Kalros]

So far I'm not seeing any Deal Breaker, ladies!

The 'no Cleansing' kinda blows, but I didnt really PvP too much with my Shamen anyway, and rarely used the totems in instances, especially once we outgeared the content.

Some nice additions too! So as long as they dont beat down Prot Pallies too much, my Pally, 4x Elemental team should still be GtG!

[Fat Tire]

So far I'm not seeing any Deal Breaker, ladies!

The 'no Cleansing' kinda blows, but I didnt really PvP too much with my Shamen anyway, and rarely used the totems in instances, especially once we outgeared the content.

Some nice additions too! So as long as they dont beat down Prot Pallies too much, my Pally, 4x Elemental team should still be GtG!

Totem of Wrath now will replace Flametongue Totem for all shaman, and dropping this totem will buff the group's spell power by 4%. Elemental shaman will have a talent that lets all Fire totems provide +10% spell power, allowing them to drop Searing, Magma, or Fire Elemental Totems without losing their spell-damage buff.


That right there means 4 ELE will still be amazing for any group comp, but really I am chopping at the bit to get into beta and test this stuff out.

[defactoman]

From a PvP perspective, the loss of the clensing totem will be felt...considering i run like 2-3 of them at a time to make sure pesky rogues don't apply 10 million poisons.

That said,

Flametongue Weapon – Deals instant Fire damage and buffs the shaman's next Fire attack by 20%.

So 4xflame shock, 4x unleashweapon, 4x instant lava burst + random extra lava burst + any fire totem providing bonus damage or some random variation of that should work nice against the higher health pools people are expected to have.
[BLIZZ]

We plan to add Earthquake as a deep Elemental talent for targeted and persistent AoE.

If i read this right, when they say "targeted" i'm hoping they mean /target enemy1 earthquake. This could be so awsome for dropping on a pillar or other LOS hiding place when people are trying to hide. Or even better, drop on yourselves, drop 4 aoe totems, fire nova...go to town.

[Lyonheart]

hate that i might have to switch my healer to a druid. UNLESS poison applying mobs/bosses are a non issue. But i love the rest of it so far. I had put in suggestions on the main forums to make any fire totem we put down provide the ToW buff. So that change ( wish we had it now ) rocks!

I'm a tad nervous for the prot paly changes. They have said a few times they think Play AE tanking is too good and needs to be "toned down" But I'm sure they wont nerf it into uselessness 8)