Cataclysm Beta: Shaman talent analysis

by Elizabeth Harper Jul 15th 2010 at 6:00PM

If you weren't aware that a new Cataclysm beta build went live this week with updated talent trees for all classes ... well ... surprise! Though we can certainly expect more changes as the beta progresses (read: don't panic), this is our first look at Blizzard's new talent philosophy, coming to a server near you with Cataclysm. Now enough of my rambling on and let's get to the talents: Matt Sampson, Rich Maloy and Joe Perez provide analysis for the changes of each shaman tree.

[ Elemental ] [ Enhancement ] [ Restoration ]

Tags: cataclysm-game, cataclysm-guide, cataclysm-news, cataclysm-talents, catacylsm-talent-trees, class-help, expansion, expansion-three, featured, guide, guide-to-shamans, next-xpac, shaman-guide, shaman-info, shaman-talents, talent, talents, third-expansion, world-of-warcraft-cataclysm, world-of-warcraft-class-guide, world-of-warcraft-guide, wow-4.0, wow-4.0.2, wow-cataclysm, wow-class-guide, wow-class-help, wow-expansion, wow-guide, wow-shaman, wow-shaman-info, wow-talent-guide, wow-third-expansion

Filed under: Shaman, Analysis / Opinion, (Shaman) Totem Talk

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ed Jul 15th 2010 6:19PM

2004 called, they want their old Orc totems back. :D

Drakkenfyre Jul 15th 2010 6:43PM

Damn, beat me to it. I was like "What?", and thought for a moment they reverted the change in the beta. Then it occured to me it was simply an old screenshot.

Joe Perez Jul 15th 2010 6:31PM

We can just call it a "classic" look ;)

kazeko.fuuga Jul 15th 2010 6:37PM

Maybe a medium glyph?

kazeko.fuuga Jul 15th 2010 6:38PM

I love all of you!
Shamans have some great changes.

nemeleisis Jul 21st 2010 4:25AM

great changes?! ..... enhancement shamans can't use the x2 critical strikes with magic because it's now an elemental specific bonus .... how is that good?!..... i see noone noticing this.

They should make it on second row in elemental with 2 or 3 points so if you want that you have to spec only 31 points in main, kinda like now (51 points to present trees)....

How come DK, a fighter class, has native x2 magic crits and AP bonus for magic spells and all the other mana users have to spend 5 points of talent to achieve that...?!

They should either do SP = % AP or decrease (a lot) the bonus from AP because now at end game DK magic spells hit harder than Pally or Enhancement Shaman magic spells, and the last are mana users, and this offset is to increase at least for the enhancement shaman when they lose the x2 critical.

kazeko.fuuga Jul 21st 2010 12:09PM

hy are you arguing mechanics so early in the beta? The maths can be tweaked and boil down to different classes being able to do equivalent dmg. It might be sort of bothersome that the dk spells hit harder than enhancement, but that seems more like a flavor deal.
Have you been doing less damage than some DK in your guild or something? I don't think enh shamans are behind dk's in dps, so there's no problem in live.
Cataclysm is a new playing field, and though we lost a few things, we gained a lot too. Unless you've simmed game mechanics, then you got a time machine and simmed it in the future when cataclysm hits live, then you're really not in a place to be complaining that we're nerfed.

kazeko.fuuga Jul 21st 2010 12:27PM

Furthermore, if you read the twitter development chat, they addressed this concern already.
Q. With Elemental Fury becoming a passive for Elemental shaman, will Enhancement be seeing more physical based damage?
A. Spells like Lava Burst and shocks will always be a big part of Enhancement’s damage, but yes, we’d like weapon attacks like Stormstrike and Lava Lash to be a larger part of Enhancement Shamans’ damage in Cataclysm. N.B.: Mental Quickness is getting a boost to help compensate for the loss of Elemental Fury.

http://www.wow.com/2010/07/16/twitter-developer-chat-for-july-16-2010-organized-by-category/

Exodus Jul 15th 2010 7:00PM

Finally. Love the changes and level 10 bonuses to Enhance. Will make leveling much much easier. Was never sure what Blizzard was thinking in turturing us for 40 levels, making us sword and board with no definitive talents associated with them. Some days I was hoping for: Shield Smash: Throws shield down on ground in frustration, and scream, all enemies in an 8 yard radius are frozen in hysterical laughter for 5 seconds.

Iirdan Jul 16th 2010 8:39AM

Agreed. Enhancement will no longer feel like a weak Elemental until 40. At level 10, the core Enhance playstyle will already be intact thanks to Lava Lash and Primal Strike.

tigglet Jul 15th 2010 8:46PM

uhm i seriously hope that picture is OLD since ORCISH totems should definitely NOT look like tauren totems by cata's release!

kazeko.fuuga Jul 21st 2010 12:08PM

Why are you arguing mechanics so early in the beta? The maths can be tweaked and boil down to different classes being able to do equivalent dmg. It might be sort of bothersome that the dk spells hit harder than enhancement, but that seems more like a flavor deal.
Have you been doing less damage than some DK in your guild or something? I don't think enh shamans are behind dk's in dps, so there's no problem in live.
Cataclysm is a new playing field, and though we lost a few things, we gained a lot too. Unless you've simmed game mechanics, then you got a time machine and simmed it in the future when cataclysm hits live, then you're really not in a place to be complaining that we're nerfed.

kazeko.fuuga Jul 21st 2010 12:08PM

ignore this, meant as a reply for earlier, you can downgrade

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