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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsTotem Talk: 5 ways to look like a bad restoration shaman
by Joe Perez 
Feb 14th 2012 at 12:00PM
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Want to be a sultan of swing healing? A champion of Chain Heal? Totem Talk: Restoration, brought to you by Joe Perez (otherwise known as Lodur from World of Matticus and cohost of the For the Lore and Raid Warning podcasts), shows you how.
Sometimes knowing how to do well at something relies on knowing what not to do. Over time, we can accumulate some pretty bad habits, and if we're not careful, they can make us look like a terrible healer or a complete and total noob. There's nothing worse than that feeling of being the cause of a wipe or looking like you don't know what you're doing.
That's sometimes the hardest thing a new restoration shaman faces when starting out healing groups in instances and the Raid Finder. It's OK, though -- just because you're a beginner doesn't mean you have to look like the world's worst healer. I've compiled a list of things you can and should avoid doing.
Sometimes knowing how to do well at something relies on knowing what not to do. Over time, we can accumulate some pretty bad habits, and if we're not careful, they can make us look like a terrible healer or a complete and total noob. There's nothing worse than that feeling of being the cause of a wipe or looking like you don't know what you're doing.
That's sometimes the hardest thing a new restoration shaman faces when starting out healing groups in instances and the Raid Finder. It's OK, though -- just because you're a beginner doesn't mean you have to look like the world's worst healer. I've compiled a list of things you can and should avoid doing.
1. Just stop healing. This may sound silly, but in my time in the Raid Finder on my hunter, I've seen a number of restoration shaman just set Healing Rain and then not cast another spell for the entire duration of the spell. You have a healing arsenal for a reason. Chain Heal, Riptide, Greater Healing Wave are all there to be used, not to just look pretty. If you want your group to survive an encounter and not just be so much adventuring good on the ground, please just heal.
Nothing makes you look like you don't know what you're doing more than sitting there doing nothing at all. It also makes it very likely that if there is a wipe or a lack of healing, you're going to get called out on it. Logs that show up on World of Logs, death reports from addons like Death Note, and other sources can very quickly identify when you've been sleeping on the job.
2. Pull bosses and trash before the group is ready. This is something I've noticed a lot of random restoration shaman doing in the Raid Finder lately. Yes, we are capable of casting Lightning Bolt even when in healing spec, and sure, we use it to regenerate mana with Telluric Currents -- but not when your group isn't ready. Attacking mobs, bosses, or otherwise engaging an encounter is just a big no-go.
Be patient! Wait until your group and especially the tanks are ready to start the fight. You may be ready to go, but what do you think takes longer? Waiting to pull the boss or recovering from a wipe when you pull too soon? Like I said, I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but I've seen it happen way too frequently as of late.
3. Stand in the bad. Again, something one would normally consider a normal thing that everyone does, but I've seen a lot of restoration shaman lately just sort of sit in bad stuff in the Raid Finder. I see them focus healing themselves to survive damage, but it's still something you shouldn't do. While you may survive, there are damage mechanics that do things like up boss damage, heal the boss, or can cause spillover damage to the rest of your group. Sure, it's an easy way to pad your own numbers, but for every heal you dump onto yourself, you take one away from the rest of the group. It's a needless waste of mana and a needless way to risk your own life.
If that weren't enough, I've seen these very same people yell at other people in their group not to stand in the bad. Sure, no one should stand in damage effects unless the fight specifically calls for it, but yelling at other people when you're doing it yourself is just bad form.
4. Roll on DPS gear. Every healer wants to make sure they have the latest and greatest gear, but knowing what is actually healing gear and what is gear designed for DPS gear is pretty important. For restoration shaman, we're in particularly weird spot. This is because while some items are designed specifically for DPS, we can still make use of them in some circumstances. This can make certain items more attractive than they should be to healers.
Take Insignia of the Corrupted, for example. This trinket drops off Yor'sahj the Unsleeping, so there's a chance you'll see it early in Dragon Soul. Every time you deal damage, you will have a chance to gain 2,904 haste. Considering that we use Lightning Bolt to gain back mana or use spells like Flame Shock to trigger Focused Insight, I can understand why some restoration shaman would want this trinket. That said, it's much better off in the hands of someone who does damage full time.
The same goes for intellect items that have hit on them. Again, I've seen some restoration shaman trying to amass hit gear for themselves in various instances so they don't miss with their offensive spells. I understand the thought process behind it, but honestly, it's better left to those who deal damage full time. Invest in more appropriate gear for you as a healer.
5. Roll on gear you don't need. How often has the following scenario happened to you? You queue up for the Raid Finder and down a boss, and a tier token drops. Everyone who can roll for the piece does so, and when all the rolls are tallied up, you look to see that the person already has that piece of gear. It's -- well there's no real nice way to say this ... It's a jerk move. They will often try to trade it later on for another piece of gear to another eligible player, but that doesn't make it right.
Do yourself a favor -- don't be that person. If you have the piece of gear already or you really don't need it, don't roll on it. This isn't just limited to raid gear, but also to heroic and dungeon gear as well. If you've got a heroic tier 12 piece equipped, alternative gear like valor gear, or something of equal level to what dropped, really evaluate if you need that piece. If you don't, just move on with the run. Everyone will be much happier, and you're less likely be called a bad restoration shaman.
These are simple things to avoid, really. Just be vigilant to avoid doing them whenever you can. Do you have any tips you'd like to share on how to avoid being singled out as a bad restoration shaman?
Totem Talk: Restoration lends you advice on healing groups, DK tanks and heroics and mana concerns in today's endgame -- or take a break and look back at the rise of the resto shaman. Happy healing, and may your mana be plentiful!
Filed under: Shaman, (Shaman) Totem Talk
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
Syi Feb 14th 2012 1:32PM
I agree with Calaf. Plus being a Resto sham myself with full 397, I'm going to roll need on the 384 token pieces for my OS.
There's no reason that I would have to go in as my OS in order to roll on my token.
So technically people rolling need on a token they already have isn't always being a jerk.
Draelan Feb 14th 2012 1:57PM
I agree with you to a degree... However, it DOES feel like a jerk-move to lose a tier token to someone's off-spec when in any 5-man or organized raid, main spec Need generally trumps off-spec Need... Especially if you've had poor luck with seeing these things drop in the first place... *only got my 2-piece thanks to my guild's 10-man because of things like this*
Again, not saying rolling for your off-spec is a BAD thing (gotta gear it sometime, right, and there will ALWAYS be new players filtering into Raid Finder who need gear for their main spec, so...) I'm just saying it's unpleasant to watch that sort of thing happen to you...
Nafe Feb 14th 2012 12:46PM
I'm not a resto shaman, but I am guilty of #5. A lot. My guild forms LFR groups based on token, ("Protection party!") and we go into LFR as a team, and roll on gear as a team.
I may own some gear that my guildies don't (and vice-versa) so we use our rolls as a team and distribute loot as needed. Now if I win say, a tier helm token (and i've already got a tier piece sitting on my pretty little dome), and someone outside the guild teams wins... say, a Souldrinker, and doesn't have a tier helm equipped, I may well try to make a trade before handing off the tier token to a guildie who needs it.
This is an accepted practice within my guild, which I like to think is made up of nice thoughtful people. That being said, we're nice thoughtful people who are really looking forward to never having to do LFR Dragon Soul again, so we are aggressive about loot extraction.
I've definitely noticed pushback from our fellow LFR travelers on these practices, but I feel they're justified. What do the rest of you think?
Caliea Feb 14th 2012 12:51PM
I just don't see how it's different from all the Drama Mama columns that have complained "we went into a 5man, and someone rolled Need on something they couldn't use just to give it to a guildie" And those columns always said "It's unfair, everyone should have the same chance, etc".
Just because everyone's doing it, doesn't make it right.
calaf Feb 14th 2012 12:53PM
Also before i get grayed out of existence i want to be clear. I agree its a dick move.. but unless someone can explain how not participating in it wont gimp me i think ihave to continue. i.e. I have everything i need for LFR except a shield, trinket, and ring.. if everyone else who already has these things rolls on them because they want to trade for the shoulder token I really have no other choice than to roll on the shoulder token i already have. I think with LFR its time to start thinking of everything you can roll need on as chaos orbs...
Jebediah54 Feb 14th 2012 4:14PM
It won't gimp you because you already have that piece of gear or don't NEED it? I don't see how that could possibly be an advantage unless you're, say, an arcane mage putting together a set for fire so you don't have to reforge when you change specs... but even then it's much better to let someone that has a 346 piece have it rather than having 2 384 pieces, one of which you only sometimes use.
Luotian Feb 16th 2012 10:28PM
Why on earth do you think it gimps you? My main is a hunter, and she's sitting pretty on three tier pieces and the bow off DW for LFR-- and I've never once rolled on something I already had or didn't need even when asked to by the guildies I was running with. Everyone gets the same number and has the same chance you do. That's fair.
Mowtems Feb 14th 2012 1:02PM
I got sniped at for taking a post like this seriously in the past, but I never learn.
So how 'bout some SERIOUS tips on how to play a resto shaman?
1. Maximize uptime on riptide, earth shield and water shield.
2. Make sure earthliving weapon is up at all times.
3. Save Healing Surge for emergencies; it's too inefficient to use regularly.
4. Manage your totem buffs... know what they do and coordinate with other players so there's no overlap.
5. Save Reincarnation for battles where it matters. Don't waste the cooldown just 'cause you're too lazy to walk back from the graveyard.
6. Learn to dispel. As a healer, it's an expected part of your job.
7. Volunteer to CC.
8. If you're using telluric currents, spec into the spirit-->hit talents in the elemental tree.
9. If you're bored, use your interrupt.
Shinae Feb 14th 2012 1:07PM
Great advice! I'm pretty sure that Joe has covered them all in previous articles.
Caliea Feb 14th 2012 1:09PM
I agree with this. I typically like Joe's writing, but this article seems a bit too generic. Those 5 tips are 'How to not be bad at WoW'. A class specific column should be more, well... class specific. List things like Mowtems did above that really are things that new/bad resto shamans will forget or don't know.
I generally like a mix of new-to-the-class articles, along with more in-depth coverage, but this article seems too broad not very informative.
mesoforte Feb 14th 2012 1:18PM
"8. If you're using telluric currents, spec into the spirit-->hit talents in the elemental tree."
Still a mana gain without spirit>hit.
Its a waste of 5 talent points that can be used to get instant ghost wolf.
Snuzzle Feb 14th 2012 3:34PM
Re: 6. While it is a healer's job to dispel, it's everyone's job to avoid getting debuffed if they can help it. I refuse to waste 4 GCDs and 4 casts' worth of dispel mana because my other 4 party members were too lazy to jump the Static Cling in VP. I tell them to jump, they tell me to dispel, I wait for the kick. I can't chain dispel anyway without OOMing halfway through that fight, so why even bother?
Mowtems Feb 14th 2012 5:29PM
@mesoforte -- this is one of those areas where reasonable people can disagree. For me, insta-wolf is a nice luxury. About the only time i found it truly helpful was when we were learning the Rag fight.
@Snuzzle -- I hear ya, but there are a lot of debuffs in 4.3 that are unavoidable. The Hour of Twilight 5-man, in particular is filled with'em. First boss does the trap on everybody, third has a holy DoT, trash before the 3rd has some. The only 4.3 debuffs i can think of that are dispellable are the frost traps on the trash before the 2nd boss in that instance. There's some firelands trash before rhyolith that casts dispelable silences too.
Lousy VP pugs aside, If you get to Zon'ozz outside of the LFR and haven't learned to dispel yet, you're toast.
NotaNinja Feb 14th 2012 1:18PM
I cannot believe the amount of ninjas and loot whores LFR is creating. The worst part is that all think it's ok and part of the game now. If you already have an item and you roll need to trade later it is a dick move!!!! If you are resto and roll on dps gear it is a dick move!!!! If you need the weapon you already have to sell to a vendor it is a massive dick move!!!!
Revynn Feb 14th 2012 2:17PM
I wish I could uprate this until it had flashing Christmas lights and a siren.
Jebediah54 Feb 14th 2012 4:18PM
I actually don't have a problem with a healer rolling need on dps gear for an off spec as long as they're actually doing their job. Unless I'm mistaken, they don't get the roll bonus, so it's impossible for them to get that piece unless nobody else needs it. If that isn't the case, then yes I agree with you.
Zamboni Feb 14th 2012 6:12PM
With the growing number of trolls wiping groups on the Spine, the problem of rolling on someone else's loot is becoming somewhat irrelevant. I see it as a major miracle if any run makes it through there in less than three wipes (and that's after kicking half a dozen dicks each time). The new trick is to start the run early before they can be kicked, which traps half the raid in Caverns of Time and drops the other half onto the Spine to be killed again. LFR is really letting the bottom of the barrel show what they're really made of.
Fiendofthenorth Feb 14th 2012 1:18PM
First time poster JUST for these comments, because people are understandably acting up over the #5 rule, because a lot of people are admitting to not holding to it. I agree that with calaf, it's not really fair to hold just Shaman or any other class to this rule because, simply put, it is unfortunately the norm in LFR for everyone to roll on tokens or gear, whether they do or do not need. I think a new thread should be made talking about the unspoken loot rules in LFR, considering that I believe these are way more complex than the dungeon finder rules. I mean, is it bad for me to have rolled need on a token I already have to pass to a guildmate? A friend? If you had no token and you had a friend who just got the token with you in your LFR and was willing to give it to you (even though he rolled need and already had the token), would you really refuse him/her?
calaf Feb 14th 2012 2:04PM
As my comments are getting grayed out of existence I wanted to say thanks. Im really not a dick.. I'm a pragmatist. Also its worth saying. If its a commonly accepted behavior to need on everything you can and then try to trade at the end. Doesn't it even out for everyone? If one guy needs on my shield but doesnt need it and i need on shoulders and dont need them and we trade who is it hurting? The other people involved in the rolls are on just as even footing as we are if they do they same thing. Then nobody is really being a jerk.. just lucky.
Spellotape Feb 14th 2012 2:48PM
Yes, it is bad for you to win an item you don't need to give to someone else.
The reason there are so many complaints about loot in LFR is because most/all of the people complaining about how unfair it is *don't* roll selfishly i.e. on something they don't need/intend to use as currency/give to someone else.
I typically complete LFR by myself and I don't roll on things I don't need or to give to anyone else or to trade it for an item I'd rather have that drops later ... I'm not rare, no matter how many people try to say "everyone does it" to lessen their culpability.