WoW Insider http://wow.joystiq.com WoW Insider http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogobig.gif WoW Insider http://wow.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. View our terms of service here: http://legal.aol.com/terms-of-service/full-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Gear for elemental shaman in patch 4.2]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/23/totem-talk-gear-for-elemental-shaman-in-patch-4-2/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/23/totem-talk-gear-for-elemental-shaman-in-patch-4-2/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/23/totem-talk-gear-for-elemental-shaman-in-patch-4-2/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

Dragons and spiders and flaming cats, oh my! It is officially summer time here in the UK, so by all rights I should be either talking about the weather or inundating you with extremely bad puns involving heat. Instead, lets talk about the latest in mail-based fashions as we prepare for the Firelands.

As with the previous tier, the gear for tier 12 is obtained through a mixture of justice points, crafting and vendors unlocked by daily quests. The snazziest headgear, weapons and trinkets still require the bravery necessary to take on the later bosses of the Firelands. Tier 12 has a great, if occasionally frustrating, two-piece bonus and the four-piece bonus is nothing to shake a stick at. Our tier itemization is lacking in spirit, so non-tier items in a haste/spirit or mastery/spirit combo will be in demand.

This list does not include gear from heroic modes, but for the most part the heroic versions of the better items are even better. And by "the most part," I mean all. As there is still a week or so to go until patch day, this list is subject to change. If you've just dinged 85, then I suggest checking out the troll gear guide and the pre-raid gear guide to augment items picked up from rep and crafting in patch 4.2. Ready for fire-themed upgrades? Read on.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Gear for elemental shaman in patch 4.2

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Totem Talk: Gear for elemental shaman in patch 4.2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedfirelands-elemental-shaman-gearguideguide-to-shamanspatch-4.2patch-4.2-gearshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-patch-4.2shaman-talentsshaman-totem-talk-elementaltalenttalentstotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.2wow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-patchwow-patch-4.2wow-patch-4.2-newswow-patch-newswow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Trolling for elemental shaman gear in patch 4.1 and beyond]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/11/totem-talk-trolling-for-elemental-shaman-gear-in-patch-4-1-and/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/11/totem-talk-trolling-for-elemental-shaman-gear-in-patch-4-1-and/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/06/11/totem-talk-trolling-for-elemental-shaman-gear-in-patch-4-1-and/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

The proliferation of troll-themed gear is giving me bear run flashbacks. Are they giving you flashbacks, too? I must admit that eying up the new Voodoo Hexblade is filling me with the ghosts of gear-longing pasts, for once upon a time I was obsessed with Wub's Cursed Hexblade. I never got the damn thing, but the memory of The Burning Crusade makes me smile. That can only be a good thing, when studying the next generation of epics for my totem-toting class.

Thanks to crafting, rep gear, and the new troll dungeons, it is possible to get yourself fully kitted out in purples without setting foot in a raid. Of course, this gearing requires a little bit of luck, a lot of pugging, and a consistent time investment upon hitting level 85. However, we have covered getting an elemental shaman raid-ready a few months back, so while we look forward to patch 4.2, it is time to pick out some troll fashions and start saving for some new accessories.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Trolling for elemental shaman gear in patch 4.1 and beyond

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Totem Talk: Trolling for elemental shaman gear in patch 4.1 and beyond originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 11 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-shaman-gear-guideelemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanspatch-4.1patch-4.2shaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentsworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Sat, 11 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Elemental shaman leveling from 1 to 20]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-leveling-from-1-to-20-thur/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-leveling-from-1-to-20-thur/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-leveling-from-1-to-20-thur/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

Last time, I talked about how elemental shaman have gradually begun to evolve from turrets into athletes. All that talking about patch 4.2 and that running around has my dwarf shaman longing to put her feet up and have a beer. So while my grouchy dwarf peers into the depths of her (pewter) tankard and ponders on the delightful looks of tier 12, I've been exploring the world of troll shaman. That's right, I'm leveling a new elemental shaman from scratch in the post-patch 4.1 game.

Meet Zuulfi, a young troll shaman on her way to level 85. Right now, she still randomly hits things with her staff and throws out the occasional Earth Shock. Eventually, the plan is to for her to match strides with the gray-haired dwarf I normally put above my columns. Why a troll? I play a dwarf -- time for a taller Horde point of view.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Elemental shaman leveling from 1 to 20

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Totem Talk: Elemental shaman leveling from 1 to 20 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 26 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanspatch 4.1Patch4.1shaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-levelshaman-levelling-cataclysmshaman-talentstalenttalentstotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 26 May 2011 20:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: The evolution of elemental shaman in patch 4.2]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/totem-talk-the-evolution-of-elemental-shaman-in-patch-4-2/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/totem-talk-the-evolution-of-elemental-shaman-in-patch-4-2/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/totem-talk-the-evolution-of-elemental-shaman-in-patch-4-2/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman, co-host of the Obscurecast, and founding member of TotemSpot.

I'm sure some of you have noticed my lengthy absence from these hallowed pages -- but fear not, for the druid columnists have not succeeded in hunting me down yet! Since my last post, my guild has celebrated its second birthday, I've moved house, moved offices and started studying part-time. Now I am back and ready to ruminate some more.

Last time I posted, I covered some of my favorite addons, and I did promise some Power Auras, but with some of the rather out-there changes appearing in patch 4.2, I want to talk about the direction that Cataclysm is taking the elemental spec. Let's start by taking a look at the relevant patch 4.2 notes after the jump.

Continue reading Totem Talk: The evolution of elemental shaman in patch 4.2

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Totem Talk: The evolution of elemental shaman in patch 4.2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 12 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanspatch-4.2patch-4.2-patch-notesshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentsworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 12 May 2011 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Addons for elemental shaman]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/totem-talk-addons-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/totem-talk-addons-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/totem-talk-addons-for-elemental-shaman/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman, co-host of the Obscurecast, and founding member of TotemSpot.

How do I play WoW? With a few addons I've grown very fond of over the past few years. A UI is a highly personal thing, and I'm sure a few folks are going to raise an eyebrow at my choices. Addons and custom UIs are one of the reasons that Warcraft is so successful. For those of us who spend a lot of time interacting with the game, having control over the way information is presented and how we play is paramount.

I base my UI around a few simple principles:
  • Redundancy of information
  • Clarity
  • Accessibility
  • Flexibility
My machine is fairly old, so my UI is not as elegant and pretty as those of some others, but I do what works for me. I've not included convenience addons or BossMods because I wanted to focus on combat addons. A good elemental UI is all about tracking our fire totems, our buffs, and our various procs and cooldowns. The best method for this, in my opinion, is choosing appropriate addons for each bit of information. This means that various functions should be handled by different addons and even in some cases duplicated.

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Totem Talk: Addons for elemental shaman originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpElemental-Combatelemental-shaman-addonselemental-shaman-totem-talkelemental-shaman-uiEventHorizonEventHorizon-ContinuedEventHorizon-shamanfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanspatch-4.1power-auras-classicshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentsworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.1wow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-patchwow-patch-4.1wow-patch-4.1-newswow-patch-newswow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff vs. mastery]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/totem-talk-wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey-stuff-vs-mastery/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/totem-talk-wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey-stuff-vs-mastery/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/totem-talk-wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey-stuff-vs-mastery/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman, co-host of the Obscurecast, and founding member of TotemSpot.

I have proof that The Master is an elemental shaman! This is going to keep me happy for weeks -- or at least until the premiere of the next series of Doctor Who. This week, I'd like to touch upon a long-standing pet peeve of mine involving that wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff we call haste, and also have a poke at The Ma -- I mean, at mastery.

This goes back to the days when I was brand new to blogging and trying to gear up my own shaman for the first time. As I built up my store of knowledge, I frequently came across a specified amount of haste that was viewed almost like a haste cap. Get that amount of haste, and you didn't need any more? Madness. As the elemental tree was changed and tinkered with, this fixed number became less and less relevant. Based as it was in the idea of a fixed rotation and fitting in an extra Lightning Bolt between every Lava Burst, this fixed number wasn't as applicable in a live raid situation, where human error, RNG, and lag all combined to create an imperfect environment for a perfect rotation.

Cataclysm delivered mastery into the mix. Thus began the eternal question: When is mastery better than haste? This question is couched in a misunderstanding of the way haste and mastery interact and in the practice of stacking whichever is the best perceived stat.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff vs. mastery

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Totem Talk: Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff vs. mastery originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-shaman-masteryelemental-shaman-patch-4.1elemental-shaman-statselemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanspatch-4.1shaman-guideshaman-haste-dpsshaman-infoshaman-talentsshaman-totem-talk-elementaltalenttalentstotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.1wow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-patchwow-patch-4.1wow-patch-4.1-newswow-patch-newswow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 10 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Patch 4.1 PTR: Old Ironforge open for public viewing]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/26/patch-4-1-ptr-old-ironforge-open-for-public-viewing/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/26/patch-4-1-ptr-old-ironforge-open-for-public-viewing/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/26/patch-4-1-ptr-old-ironforge-open-for-public-viewing/#comments As a fan of Moira, the Wildhammers and the overall dwarf story arc, I was rather put out that Magni was simply gone. In game, we didn't get to see the events of The Shattering that led to the current state of dwarven politics. But now on the patch 4.1 PTR, it appears that Old Ironforge has been opened for public viewing.

Magni Bronzebeard stands, still petrified, next to several extremely large tomes, attended by Advisor Belgrum and Honor Guard Dunstan. Advisor Belgrum used to be located in the Halls of Explorers, and his dialogue indicates that he feels he is to blame for Magni's current predicament. Belgrum was involved in the events of the Shattering, helping to translate the tablet that led to Magni's eventual petrification and heading up the interim goverment prior to the Council of the Three Hammers. Honor Guard Dunstan appears to be a new NPC (unless he is related to a certain mountaineer).

Gallery: Old Ironforge

Door way to Old IronforgePatterns laid outGiant tomesHall of power

Continue reading Patch 4.1 PTR: Old Ironforge open for public viewing

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Patch 4.1 PTR: Old Ironforge open for public viewing originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dwarf-lorehall-of-thanesiron-forgelorelore-guideMagni-Bronzebeardold-ironforgepatch-4.1world-of-warcraft-patch-4.1wow-guidewow-lorewow-patchwow-patch-4.1wow-patch-4.1-newswow-patch-news (Sarah Nichol) Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Patch 4.1 brings the AoE for elemental shaman]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/patch-4-1-brings-the-aoe-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/patch-4-1-brings-the-aoe-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/patch-4-1-brings-the-aoe-for-elemental-shaman/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman, co-host of the Obscurecast, and founding member of TotemSpot.

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside, it's our chance at a preview of patch 4.1! There I was, all set to rant about mastery and haste when some datamining popped up. I for one am pretty happy about the content of the patch, although I've heard a lot of consternation on Twitter about rehashing of old content. Comparing 4.1 to the first big content patch of Wrath? Wrath doesn't come close. Two raids, three 5-mans, the story getting progressed in Mount Hyjal, new pets and new mounts ... There's an awful lot to look forward to.

On the elemental shaman front, so far there are a few direct patch notes and some tweaks to other areas of the game that we'll want to keep an eye on -- or at the very least, celebrate.

Continue reading Patch 4.1 brings the AoE for elemental shaman

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Patch 4.1 brings the AoE for elemental shaman originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-shaman-aoeelemental-shaman-patch-4.1elemental-shaman-rotationselemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamansshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-patch-4.1shaman-talentsshaman-totem-talk-elementaltalenttalentstotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-patch-4.1wow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-patchwow-patch-4.1wow-patch-4.1-newswow-patch-newswow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Fri, 25 Feb 2011 22:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Elemental shaman buffs in patch 4.0.6]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-buffs-in-patch-4-0-6/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-buffs-in-patch-4-0-6/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-buffs-in-patch-4-0-6/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman, co-host of the Obscurecast, and founding member of TotemSpot.

As ever, when I logged in to patch 4.0.6 (on the EU servers, of course), I spent a good amount of time cooing over the little changes. Even with the PTR, there is a lot that goes unremarked or unnoticed simply because I'm so focused on the theory changes. I bid farewell to a large pot of archaeology grays and was uncommonly happy about the appearance of the Elementium Stormshield graphic and the ability to mount up next to the Stormwind flight master. I am ecstatic about the graphic changes to healing spells. The watery hands effect on Greater Healing Wave, Healing Surge and Healing Wave has turned me into a smug shaman. The spell effect is a small change, but it adds a great deal to the flavor of the shaman class -- even if many people on my Twitter don't like the sound effects.

A couple of weeks ago, I was not impressed by the changes to our spells as they were on the PTR at that time. In the end, the changes have been a little more substantial and subtle, but the overall fragility of our DPS in heavy movement fights will remain an issue for those of us that raid. What has this patch wrought for us? Stronger AoE, a more powerful flame nuke, increased efficiency and a change that will have us shocking our socks off. Let's talk about some of the changes, after the jump.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Elemental shaman buffs in patch 4.0.6

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Totem Talk: Elemental shaman buffs in patch 4.0.6 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-dpselemental-shaman-dpselemental-shaman-reforgingelemental-shaman-rotationselemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanspatch-4.0.6-class-changespatch-4.0.6-shamanshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentstotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Cataclysm spell DPS trinket gear guide for elemental shaman]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/totem-talk-cataclysm-spell-dps-trinket-gear-guide-for-elemental/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/totem-talk-cataclysm-spell-dps-trinket-gear-guide-for-elemental/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/totem-talk-cataclysm-spell-dps-trinket-gear-guide-for-elemental/#comments
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

A couple of weeks ago, I covered pre-raid gearing for elemental shaman. After a brief sojourn to look at what to look out for on the patch 4.0.6 PTR, I think think it is time we delved a little deeper into the ins and outs of selecting trinkets. This time, I'm going to cover both entry-level and raid trinkets, as well as covering the basic principles by which I personally make my trinket selection.

However, there have been a few patch 4.0.6 developments, and I'd like to take a quick look at them now. One undocumented change, in which Earthquake now consumes a charge of Clearcasting, results in the spell now benefiting both from the mana reduction of Elemental Focus and the increased damage from Elemental Oath. Benefiting from this change will require us to pay more attention to detail when using Earthquake, but I'm very happy with it alongside the 10% increase in base damage previously noted in past patch notes. We also get to look forward to an increase in the value of mastery, as Rolling Thunder can now proc from an Elemental Overload of Lightning Bolt or Chain Lightning. Our final cause for rejoicing is an increase in the spell coefficients of Lava Burst, on top of the 10% increase to base damage reported previously.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Cataclysm spell DPS trinket gear guide for elemental shaman

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Totem Talk: Cataclysm spell DPS trinket gear guide for elemental shaman originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cataclysm-spell-dps-trinketsclass-helpele-shaman-gear-guideelemental-shaman-totem-talkelemental-shaman-trinket-guidefeaturedguideguide-to-shamansshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentsworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Patch 4.0.6 for elemental shaman]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/totem-talk-patch-4-0-6-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/totem-talk-patch-4-0-6-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/totem-talk-patch-4-0-6-for-elemental-shaman/#comments Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

Ah, the sweet smell of wipes. How I have missed them. My guild stepped back into 25-mans this week, and I am so glad to be back. Every time I take a break from regular raiding, I need a week or so to truly get on top of my game. The muscle memory needs time to return, and I have to learn the steps to the new dances in a way that makes sense to me. Figuring out a good time to use Spiritwalker's Grace, the best time to unleash my fire elemental ... These are the sorts of details I love figuring out for myself, and the satisfaction of returning to 25-man raiding has been great stress relief after a hellish week.

The return to raiding has also confronted me with the state of elemental DPS in general. I am aware that the gap between myself and the front-runners is down to personal error (a lot of the time) and someone has to be in the middle of the pack. In fact, the middle of the pack is a mighty fine place to be. Those State of DPS numbers only show results for the top 40 and top 200 parses, and being in the middle of the pack isn't what is alarming. What often raises eyebrows with these sorts of comparisons is the difference between the top few specs and the middle of the pack, not the placing on the scale, so I can understand why some players are upset. It isn't being middle of the pack; it's the magnitude of distance between yourself and the front-runners. Personally, I'm not too worried. I need to sort out my own mistakes first, and it's important not to forget that things change.

So, is patch 4.0.6 going to ease the pressure a little? A very small amount. The change that has made me smile most so far is the fix for the graphic bug that hid Elementium Stormshield when it was in the resting position. I'm glad to see Quality Assurance Goblins got it right on that one.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Patch 4.0.6 for elemental shaman

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Totem Talk: Patch 4.0.6 for elemental shaman originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpearthquake-shamanelemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanguide-to-shamanslava-burstpatch-4.0.6patch-notes-4.0.6shaman-buffsshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-lava-burstshaman-meta-gemshaman-spellsshaman-totem-talk-elementalspiritwalkers-graceSpiritwalkersGracetremor-totemworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Pre-raid gearing tips for elemental shaman]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/totem-talk-pre-raid-gearing-tips-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/totem-talk-pre-raid-gearing-tips-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/totem-talk-pre-raid-gearing-tips-for-elemental-shaman/#comments
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

This holiday period has been a mixed one for me. Power-leveling my shaman's inscription was a rousing success, and I put it down to all the mince pies consumed at the time. A delectable roast turkey lunch was followed by opening my Winter's Veil presents. There was snow on the ground, there was an open fire in the hearth. There was a Queen's Speech that should have inspired me to yammer on about how important team spirit and cooperation are to the shaman class.

Instead, I borrowed my mother's laptop to have a poke at pre-raid gear. Then I went to put the laptop away and, after a week of moving house, managed to do something rather nasty to my back. Ouch. Not to worry, there's nothing like a bit of Cataclysm to take your mind off the pain.

In Cataclysm, the process of gearing is much more intuitive than ever before. We no longer have to nab cloth or leather items to fill in the holes in our gearing. Look for as much intellect as possible, spirit or hit as appropriate, and then lean slightly toward all the haste gear you can find, filling in as necessary with mastery items. Don't worry about crit; it happens.

Blizzard has done a good job of allowing players to obtain decent gear through a variety of avenues, and as a result, a lot of the RNG has been removed from the gearing process. I did not make this to be a best-in-slot list, as I prefer to look at items available in terms of practicalities. Finally, you'll note an absence of PvP items from this list. There is a lovely amount of intellect on PvP gear, so in the short term, it can be worth using some PvP items. However, resilience represents a lot of wasted item budget and is not the best choice in the long term.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Pre-raid gearing tips for elemental shaman

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Totem Talk: Pre-raid gearing tips for elemental shaman originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-shamanelemental-shaman-gearelemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanspre-raid-gear-guidepre-raiding-cat-gear-guiderep-rewardsshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentsshaman-totem-talk-elementaltalenttalentstotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Cataclysm 101 for elemental shaman]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/totem-talk-cataclysm-101-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/totem-talk-cataclysm-101-for-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/totem-talk-cataclysm-101-for-elemental-shaman/#comments
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

We've had a week or so to absorb Cataclysm. I am finding it hard to focus purely on the details of preparing for raiding after such a short flirtation with the XP bar, because I'm having too much fun questing. The joys of using Thunderstorm to knock back an ettin or mercilessly delivering Lava Bursts to the faces of the Twilight Hammer are too good for me to ignore completely, so I am frequently distracted from practical preraid matters. However, weighty matters such as Tol Barad dailies and reputation grinds await me over the holiday season, so like a typical dwarf, I'll be taking my dailies with a half-pint of Thundermar Ale.

Experienced elemental shaman are already hammering along the path to raids, but one of the great things about Cataclysm has been the number of new shaman appearing, attracted by the new short-stature shaman races, dwarves and goblins. I don't think I know many people who haven't rolled a shaman sometime in the last three weeks. Even I've rolled another shaman! Now it's time to take a look at the basics for a max-level elemental shaman. Have you just changed spec from something else or just finished leveling to 85? Then this is the post for you, and it has been updated to patch 4.0.6!

Continue reading Totem Talk: Cataclysm 101 for elemental shaman

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Totem Talk: Cataclysm 101 for elemental shaman originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-shamanelemental-shaman-101elemental-shaman-reforgingelemental-shaman-talentselemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamanspatch-4.0.6-shamanshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentsshaman-totem-talk-elementaltalenttalentstotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Cataclysm 101 for elemental shaman, page 2]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/totem-talk-cataclysm-101-for-elemental-shaman-page-2/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/totem-talk-cataclysm-101-for-elemental-shaman-page-2/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/totem-talk-cataclysm-101-for-elemental-shaman-page-2/#comments Continue reading Totem Talk: Cataclysm 101 for elemental shaman, page 2

Totem Talk: Cataclysm 101 for elemental shaman, page 2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Leveling to 85 as an elemental shaman]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/02/totem-talk-levelling-to-85-as-an-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/02/totem-talk-levelling-to-85-as-an-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/12/02/totem-talk-levelling-to-85-as-an-elemental-shaman/#comments
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

It took me all of two hours. The Shattering was finally upon us, and I had a wistful couple of hours looking at the draenei version of Caenerys. In the end, I snatched up my credit card and paid for the race change. I'm glad I did so; my gray-haired dwarf lass is upbeat, but she has more memories and more connection with the shattered land that we've all been called on to defend. Dwarf shaman are delightful, and I'm very happy to see so many of them out and about as part of the pre-Cataclysm alt frenzy! I'm just looking forward to queuing for Blackrock Caverns and finally getting to hear the reactions of my guildies as they explore the new zones!

As Joe points out, there is no right or wrong way to level to 85. More than ever before, the pathway to max level is a personal game. There will probably always be efficient levelling guides out there, but that isn't how I enjoy playing the game, and the new zone and quest designs make that approach somewhat redundant, in my opinion. I only had a few problems with leveling solo as elemental; for the most part, in my raid gear I was more than equal to the content, barring a few surprises, so don't panic! It's a big world out there, so here are a few things to remember while you're exploring the new areas.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Leveling to 85 as an elemental shaman

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Totem Talk: Leveling to 85 as an elemental shaman originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-shaman-levellingelemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamansshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentstotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Cataclysm consumables for choosy elemental shaman]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/18/totem-talk-cataclysm-consumables-for-choosy-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/18/totem-talk-cataclysm-consumables-for-choosy-elemental-shaman/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/18/totem-talk-cataclysm-consumables-for-choosy-elemental-shaman/#comments
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast podcast and founding member of TotemSpot.

Please pardon me if I am a little food-obsessed this week. I've been watching The Great British Bakeoff, and they recently did a bread-making episode, so I'm getting a little fixated on the idea of some proper bread and butter. Ah, the simple things in life. Then Joe decided to cover alchemy consumables for restoration shaman this week, and my thoughts immediately turned to buff food, because quality bread and butter would considerably buff my happiness stat right now.

Consumables aren't likely to be the first thing on the minds of many adventurers, as they traverse the depths of Vashj'ir, but I think it is well worth have a look at the choices we'll have along the way and the materials that are worth holding on to. Stocking up a raid bag on the way to level 85 is an good way to ease the occasional pains of levelling and can save time and effort later on. In Wrath, my bags were well stocked with raid consumables by the time I reached 80, allowing me to get on with gearing, gemming, enchanting, and getting mixed up in that Sons of Hodir business.

Consumables make up a larger proportion of our total stats at the start of an expansion and thus have a bigger impact on the success of early raids in any expansion. If you're new to raiding and Cataclysm has drawn you in, consumables will be a big help to your initial raiding experience. Ensuring you have the right consumables can seem a bit stressful the first couple of times, but don't worry -- learn to love those snacks and light refreshments for the DPS candy they are.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Cataclysm consumables for choosy elemental shaman

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Totem Talk: Cataclysm consumables for choosy elemental shaman originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cat-betacata-betacataclysm-betacataclysm-shaman-potionsclass-helpelemental-shamanelemental-shaman-consumableselemental-shaman-dpselemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamansshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentstotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-betaworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmworld-of-warcraft-cataclysm-betaworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-betawow-cataclysm-betawow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-expansion-betawow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Blizzard clarifies combat resurrections for Cataclysm]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/blizzard-clarifies-combat-resurrections-for-cataclysm/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/blizzard-clarifies-combat-resurrections-for-cataclysm/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/blizzard-clarifies-combat-resurrections-for-cataclysm/#comments Earlier today, Blizzard's Zarhym posted some clarifications on the changes to Create Soulstone and Rebirth that we can expect to see in Cataclysm. I know a lot of warlocks and druids who are going to be very unhappy about this change. These mechanics are not fully implemented on beta yet.
  • These limitations affect raid content only.
  • One combat resurrection is allowed per boss attempt in 10-man raids (Rebirth or Soulstone).
  • Three combat resurrections are allowed per boss attempt in 25-man raids (any combination of Rebirth and Soulstone).
  • Accepting a combat resurrection is what counts towards the total accrued, not the cast.
  • Create Soulstone has a 15-minute cooldown.
  • Rebirth has a 10-minute cooldown.
Zarhym also hinted at the possibility of adding to the existing functionality of Soulstone by allowing one to be cast in combat on a deceased character, a change that would soften the blow ever so slightly for many raid leaders. Zarhym remained cagey when questioned about the ultimate fate of Reincarnation, but it seems that reincarnating currently counts towards the attempt combat resurrection total. Whether this is a bug or a feature is yet to be determined.

The full blue posts are after the jump.

Continue reading Blizzard clarifies combat resurrections for Cataclysm

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Blizzard clarifies combat resurrections for Cataclysm originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cataclysm-betacombat-resurrectioncreate-soulstonedruid-rebirthrebirthreincarnatereincarnationshaman-reincarnationwarlock-soulstoneworld-of-warcraft-betaworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmworld-of-warcraft-cataclysm-betawow-betawow-cataclysm-betawow-expansion-beta (Sarah Nichol) Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Totem tweaks keep elemental shaman on course for Cataclysm]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/totem-talk-totem-tweaks-keep-elemental-shaman-on-course-for-cat/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/totem-talk-totem-tweaks-keep-elemental-shaman-on-course-for-cat/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/totem-talk-totem-tweaks-keep-elemental-shaman-on-course-for-cat/#comments
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast and founding member of TotemSpot.

This has been an authenticatorless week. I do not recommend weeks like this. Now that I have access to Azeroth again, however, I am reminded that the lack of substantial updates to the elemental spec implies that the developers are mostly finished with us and have been for some time. For the majority of elemental shaman, we are watching and waiting for the final Cataclysm itemization and profession details, although we certainly aren't the only class in this situation. Luckily, this latest beta build has given us a few minor details to mull over. My enforced break from the game has also coincided with my first reader emails and questions, so after I've covered the consequences of the tweaks, I'll be answering some questions.

Now, as for the small changes, I am happy to see Searing Totem finally get some love. I suspect many elemental shaman will be grinding their teeth in annoyance as I mention the shaman sweet spot on the Blood Queen Lana'thel encounter, or the frustrating positioning for Blood Prince Council, or even the erratic totem behavior on Sindragosa! The totem's low range has caused many shaman to question the value of the current Elemental Reach talent. Why pick up a talent that increases your max range to 40 yards, if you have to continually refresh a Searing Totem at a mere 20 yards? The full change and a Ghostcrawler post on the topic is after the jump.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Totem tweaks keep elemental shaman on course for Cataclysm

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Totem Talk: Totem tweaks keep elemental shaman on course for Cataclysm originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cat-betacata-betacataclysm-betachaotic-shadowspirit-diamondclass-helpElemental-Combatelemental-shamanelemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedguideguide-to-shamansmeta-gemmeta-gemssearing-totemshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentstotem-talktotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-betaworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmworld-of-warcraft-cataclysm-betaworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-betawow-cataclysm-betawow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-expansion-betawow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[New hairstyles for dwarf women from Cataclysm beta]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/new-hairstyles-for-dwarf-women-from-cataclysm-beta/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/new-hairstyles-for-dwarf-women-from-cataclysm-beta/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/03/new-hairstyles-for-dwarf-women-from-cataclysm-beta/#comments As a longtime fan of dwarf women, I got a bit of a shock when I logged on to the Cataclysm beta this evening and discovered my shaman's neat and tidy bun had morphed into an extroverted anime style! Obviously she's been visiting the stylist without my knowledge, but a quick trip to the Stormwind barber revealed a total of four possible new hairstyles for dwarf women. Who would have thought we'd be such trendsetters?

Now, the textures for a few of them do look a little funky, and some of them look like several styles combined, so the usual this is beta and it is possibly a bug caveats apply here. In spite of that, I feel optimistic and look forward to the possibility of new hairstyles for the other races. So far, tauren are still woefully under-served when it comes to choice, and the gnomes and elves of beta are sticking to tried and tested styles. As for the men? We'll be adding new styles to the gallery as we find them.

Gallery: Cataclysm: Barbershop additions

BobbedBunFlirtyWaved Bob



World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion (available Dec. 7, 2010), from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.

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New hairstyles for dwarf women from Cataclysm beta originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> barber-shopbarbershopcat-betacata-betacataclysm-betacataclysm-gamecataclysm-guidecataclysm-newsdwarf-hairstyles-cataclysmexpansionexpansion-threehair-styleshairstylesnew-hairstylesnext-xpacthird-expansionworld-of-warcraft-betaworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmworld-of-warcraft-cataclysm-betawow-4.0wow-4.0.2wow-betawow-cataclysmwow-cataclysm-betawow-expansionwow-expansion-betawow-guidewow-third-expansion (Sarah Nichol) Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:35:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Elemental stats and reforging principles in 4.0.1]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/totem-talk-elemental-stats-and-reforging-principles-in-4-0-1/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/totem-talk-elemental-stats-and-reforging-principles-in-4-0-1/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/totem-talk-elemental-stats-and-reforging-principles-in-4-0-1/#comments
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast and founding member of TotemSpot.

The lead-up to Cataclysm represents an ideal opportunity to take the time to get re-acquainted with with the new principles around which a class revolves, without the pressures of normal progression raiding or leveling. I've always felt that the puzzle of perfecting a character can be absorbing even if you are not particularly inclined toward numbers and spreadsheets. Knowing the principles also makes it easier to adapt the common knowledge to your personal playstyle and circumstances. The new 31-point talent trees and three-tier glyph system make it much harder to go wrong with a basic spec these days, with glyphs so easy to swap in and swap out. I've found the past few weeks have been stressful, but there has been a wonderful sense of freedom in many of the discussions I've participated in.

In case you can't tell, my maudlin draenei is being supplanted by a very cheerful dwarf shaman with a much more optimistic persona! Despite my grumpiness about Panquakes of Doom, and the lack of aesthetic pay-off for Fulmination, despite the bugs with Reincarnation and the expected stealth nerf of the elemental T10 two-piece bonus, I'm really enjoying this tremor phase of the Cataclysm buildup. The more I investigate and test things, the more I grow to like them. Even Earthquake is starting to look good, albeit in a chocolate chunk kind of way.

Right, I was talking about shaman wasn't I? Ah yes. So there's a lot to cover this week, from reforging, to haste and mastery, to dots and totems and damage modifiers. It seems that the devil is in the details.

Continue reading Totem Talk: Elemental stats and reforging principles in 4.0.1

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Totem Talk: Elemental stats and reforging principles in 4.0.1 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> class-helpelemental-reforgingelemental-shamanelemental-shaman-dpselemental-shaman-masteryelemental-shaman-reforgingelemental-shaman-talentselemental-shaman-totem-talkfeaturedflame-shockflame-shock-hasteguideguide-to-shamanshaste-ratingmastery-bonusesmastery-gearmastery-statmastery-systempatch-4.0.1patch-4.0.1-shamanreforging-elementalreforging-shamanrolling-dotsshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-talentstalenttalentstotem-talktotem-talk-elemental-shamantotem-talk-shaman-elementalworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 21 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Are those 4.0.1 spells shiny enough for you?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/are-those-4-0-1-spells-shiny-enough-for-you/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/are-those-4-0-1-spells-shiny-enough-for-you/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/are-those-4-0-1-spells-shiny-enough-for-you/#comments Normally, WoW Insider brings me in to wax poetic (or at least punny) about elemental shaman -- but today, I had a grouch. I am dazzled by the new sparkles emitted by paladin friends, and I cheer on my mage friends as they try out Flame Orb and Ring of Frost. There is a gorgeous array of new spells on offer in patch 4.0.1 ... So why do I feel so underwhelmed by my new elemental rotation?

The dust of patch 4.0.1 is not settled and won't be for some time if Deathwing has anything to do with it, but now we start to see the shape of things to come. I've had a chance to settle into the new abilities. I've annoyed more than a few fishers with my Earthquake. I've gleefully retrained my fingers to become reactive, in order to enjoy the full benefits of Fulmination and Lava Surge. My guildmates tell me I am too happy about Totemic Wrath and Rolling Thunder. Good times, all in all. However, I am still a grumpy shaman. I am mostly happy with the new spells, but the effects feel like an afterthought.

Continue reading Are those 4.0.1 spells shiny enough for you?

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Are those 4.0.1 spells shiny enough for you? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cataclysm-spellspatch-4.0.1patch-4.0.1-spellsspell-effectsspellswow-4.0wow-cataclysmwow-graphicswow-guidewow-new-patchwow-patchwow-spell-effectswow-spells (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 14 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WRUP: Worgen or goblin?]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/09/wrup-worgen-or-goblin/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/09/wrup-worgen-or-goblin/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/09/wrup-worgen-or-goblin/#comments
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too!

For most of the WoW Insider staff, the weekend is a time to immerse oneself in beta, and for me, of course, that means spending some quality time with my shaman! I've been saving the goblin and worgen experiences for the live servers, but this week Alex asked us to make a choice between green and doughty, or fluffy and snouty. With free character slots becoming a rare commodity as it gets easier to level an alt, some players are being forced to choose. With patch 4.0.1 ever closer and Cataclysm a mere two months away, it'll soon be time to make a choice.

Do the cool colors, faux-British accents and worgen voices tempt you? Or are you all about the snarky humor of the goblins?

View Poll



Continue reading WRUP: Worgen or goblin?

WRUP: Worgen or goblin? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> what-are-you-playingwrup (Sarah Nichol) Sat, 09 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Elemental mana management for Cataclysm]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/totem-talk-elemental-mana-management-for-cataclysm/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/totem-talk-elemental-mana-management-for-cataclysm/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/totem-talk-elemental-mana-management-for-cataclysm/#comments
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Totem Talk for elemental, enhancement and restoration shaman. Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter from The 'mental Shaman and the Obscurecast, and founding member of TotemSpot.
Before I get stuck in this week, I'd like to take a moment to share some sad news -- Zamir has taken the decision to discontinue his elemental DPS spreadsheed, ZAP!, which has been invaluable for many of us for the past year. Zamir has been something of a catalyst for the elemental theorycrafting and blogging community, so please send him some good vibes. You can still find Zamir at his Planet of the Hats blog, and he is also involved in running TotemSpot. We salute you, Zamir! (No need to panic, though, there are several projects in the works to fill the void.)

Last time, I discussed what the impending patch 4.0.1 meant for my beloved class. The original plan for this week involved heroics, sims and walls of numbers, but the issues with EU premades have rendered that hope a distant dream. Eleven-day queue, I bite my thumb at thee.

As for changes to the class, well, every time I see a changelog, I scan for shaman blue and feel a faint twinge of disappointment. Our totems have had some minor edits, such as a reduced cooldown from 30 seconds to 20 seconds for Stoneclaw Totem and a needed mana cost change from 7 percent base mana to 5 percent base mana for Searing Totem. Does this mean elemental is largely finished, or are we in store for some focused attention in future builds? A lot can change in two months, but with patch 4.0.1 on the horizon, I think our spec is likely to remain static for now. So this week, I'm taking a quick look at mana management, something that many of us have not worried about since Naxxramas.

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Totem Talk: Elemental mana management for Cataclysm originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cat-betacata-betacataclysm-betaclass-helpelemental-manaelemental-shamanelemental-shaman-dpselemental-shaman-totem-talkguideguide-to-shamansmana-managementmana-regenshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-levelling-cataclysmshaman-talentssolo-playtalenttalentsworld-of-warcraft-betaworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmworld-of-warcraft-cataclysm-betaworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-betawow-cataclysm-betawow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-expansion-betawow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Totem Talk: Elemental shaman changes for patch 4.0.1]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-changes-for-patch-4-0-1/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-changes-for-patch-4-0-1/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/totem-talk-elemental-shaman-changes-for-patch-4-0-1/#comments Get some Fulmination with your Lightning Bolts! Sort the shocks from the flames with Totem Talk: Elemental, brought to you by Sarah Nichol, otherwise known as Pewter. She can also be seen pottering around TotemSpot, trailing a pet dalek behind her.

My name is Sarah, and I have a problem. The diagnosis is farsightedness, a result of focusing on Cataclysm to the exclusion of all else. The quests, the new casting priorities, the shiny surroundings, and the fact that I get to be a dwarf instead of a draenei ... So much to think over, so much to explore! There is nothing cuter that a dwarf shaman, except maybe those new armadillos. Where was I, again?

Now, patch 4.0.1 is on the PTR, dragging in new talent trees and new hit numbers to consider and the removal of Sentry Totem. Time to start paying attention. We must not let the sacrifice of Sentry Totem be in vain! There should be no expectations of balance at this point, as all these new level 80 shiny things are developed with level 85 in mind. There are still questions pending on some of the details, so whether our flames are bright or storm clouds are on the horizon for elemental is up for debate. From hit caps to casting priorities, we've got a bit to get through in my inaugural Totem Talk, so sit tight, make sure you know where your towel is and everything will be just fine. I hope.

Now, where to start? Oh, yes. Hit.

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Totem Talk: Elemental shaman changes for patch 4.0.1 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 4.0.1dpselementalelemental-combatelemental-masteryelemental-shamanelemental-shaman-totem-talkfulminationguideguide-to-shamanslightning-boltlightning-shieldptrptr-4.0.1shaman-elemental-glyphsshaman-elemental-totem-talkshaman-glyphsshaman-guideshaman-infoshaman-spirit-hitshaman-talentstalenttalentsworld-of-warcraft-class-guideworld-of-warcraft-guidewow-class-guidewow-class-helpwow-guidewow-shamanwow-shaman-infowow-talent-guide (Sarah Nichol) Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST WoW Insider