WOLK and shaman team future (totems)

[NoobShammy]

Ok seems that they are removing pretty much all stacking abilites of totems...

Totem of Wrath - New totem that will not stack
Healing stream - now combined with mana steam (no way they are going to let this one stack either)

The question is what is the point in having a 5 shaman squad anymore???

[Vyndree]

You're telling me the ONLY reason why shaman are popular is that a 41 point talent that ONLY is used for PvE and a minor HoT that happened to stack but only helps when you're taking minor AoE damage?

Not to mention the fact that... ToW stacked as a 3% crit and 3% hit buff... where the hit was largely useless to ele shammies (loaded with +hit talents). They buff it for spelldamage (which is HUGE), but remove the stacking ability... that doesn't mean it's a nerf. It's still a buff. Nobody would take ToW earlier (nearly everyone went for NS).

Also, healing stream totem was largely ineffective with elemental shaman, due to their minimal amount of +healing. Now there's +spellpower, so you'll be wearing "resto gear" and laying a healing stream that ticks with a bit more "oomph". But, because it doesn't stack anymore at its pitiful tick, that means that its now-scaling-with-gear tick is underpowered because it's not stacking?


You need to put things into perspective. Both are largely BUFFS for shaman. You can spec ONE shaman ToW get better talents on the rest, and still do decent DPS with searing totems WHILE gaining the benefit of additional spelldamage % from ToW. Furthermore, you can let just ONE scaling healing stream buff stick, while using disease or staggered poison cleanse totem remove those "specced-to-increase-dispell-resist" rogue poisons.

[Naysayer]

You're telling me the ONLY reason why shaman are popular is that a 41 point talent that ONLY is used for PvE and a minor HoT that happened to stack but only helps when you're taking minor AoE damage?

Yes. If grounding totem and tremor totem don't stack, shamanx5 pvp and pve is dead. Those are the keys that make the group work.

[Dominian]

Totem of wraith?

Are you sure you dont mean totem of wrath? I cant any wraith totems on Thott atleast..

[NoobShammy]

hihi nope not at all but I have to say that for many new boxers (me included 60 now woohoo) that this one totem really helps out with the lack of gear till outlands.

[Naysayer]

Totem of wraith?

Are you sure you dont mean totem of wrath? I cant any wraith totems on Thott atleast..

Do you really think he meant "wraith"?

[Vyndree]

tremor totem don't stack

Tremor totem is on a pulse system. It likely will continue stacking since the spellpower changes do not affect it.

Grounding totem stacking was overpowered. As a shaman boxer I admit it. But I'm not afraid to put grounding on a castsequence, and due to the mechanics of grounding I doubt it will be nerfed. Even if you lay 2 groundings, and only 1 is effective, when the first dies all of a sudden -- hey, only one grounding totem! The second one will become effective. Making it essentially the same.

[Vyndree]

[quote='NoobShammy',index.php?page=Thread&postID=10 8191#post108191]this one totem really helps out with the lack of gear till outlands. [/quote]

You can't GET ToW until your 50's. It's only 12 levels until [url='http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=24398']water shield[/url] at level 62.

Furthermore, with the 2.3 patch changes to decrease 20-60 leveling time, and the 300% RAF experience bonus (if you choose), you really have nothing to complain about. Try drinking once in a while. Mana spring never stacked to begin with, so there's no nerf there.

Besides, you'll have flametongue weapon for extra +damage so you can kill faster, so you don't have to "suffer" through the terribleness that is 50-62 elemental shaman leveling.


Oh, and speaking of mana... It's not like this isn't MORE overpowered than ToW...
http://wotlk.wowhead.com/?spell=51470

Your spell critical strikes grant your party Elemental Oath, reducing the mana cost of spells and abilities by your party by 2% and increasing critical strike damage by 2%. Stacks up to 3 times. Lasts 15 seconds.

You know, because it's on a tier BEFORE ToW.

[Naysayer]

tremor totem don't stack

Tremor totem is on a pulse system. It likely will continue stacking since the spellpower changes do not affect it.

Grounding totem stacking was overpowered. As a shaman boxer I admit it. But I'm not afraid to put grounding on a castsequence, and due to the mechanics of grounding I doubt it will be nerfed. Even if you lay 2 groundings, and only 1 is effective, when the first dies all of a sudden -- hey, only one grounding totem! The second one will become effective. Making it essentially the same.

Well, consider that they said they don't want stacking and they only allow your shaman to use one pulse counter even though there are 5 dropped in range.

Your example of grounding totem is the same as it works now and is stacking.

[Vyndree]

[quote='Naysayer',index.php?page=Thread&postID=1081 96#post108196]Well, consider that they said they don't want stacking and they only allow your shaman to use one pulse counter even though there are 5 dropped in range. [/quote]

In that case [url='http://wotlk.wowhead.com/?spell=51479']I'm not complaining given the compensation talents[/url]...

Besides, instead of staggering why not just increase the totem range by first doing a spread-out and then lay all the tremors? It'll still break the fears.