Decided to roll Shaman...but

[Nurgling]

So, I've been hanging around a while here and I've been unsure what career I would sink my teeth into. I finally decided to stick with what first appealed to me, the Shaman. I've always been drawn to toons with diverse skills: healing, buffs, debuffs, dps, some cc. I think Shaman will fit that bill nicely.

But, I will say that if it ever turns into watching health bars and spamming heals, I will cancel that same day and start playing Tetris or something.

[Ho Theos]

That's not how's it going to turn out...
If you'd read any of the vast amount of material released, you would understand that in order to effectively heal you really need to "support" your friends a lot more closely with buffs AND damage.
Better and more damage, results in quicker/stronger/better heals...

[Pook]

But, I will say that if it ever turns into watching health bars and spamming heals, I will cancel that same day and start playing Tetris or something.I know what ya mean. Playing "Whack a Mole" on a certain MMO for 4 years wasn't the most fun thing. I read through a few threads about the Goblin Shaman and so far it seems like an amazing class. I recommend just reading a few threads from people who've had a chance to play the class, they are pretty good reads.

Here's a thread that got me more interested in the Shaman career: http://www.warhammeralliance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11813

[Lesane]

the shaman has a feature mechanic that means he can cast heals. BUt if he wants them to be effective in the heat of battle he needs to cast offenssive spells to build up Waaagh!

wether that's a good or bad thing depends on the oppoents. In very tight situations it's bad. In the more casual controlled fight, it's a good thing.


edit: yes it's good to read threads about people who played at games conventions HOWEVER. their experience was based on "ignorance" so to speak. Because at games conventions nobody has played it before. So the first people to "get a clue" will have a better experience than the rest.

So uhmm what I'm trying to say, the Shaman is a great class. However the worse your group is (we can't always have good people :P) the more you're forced to watch health bars/force un-Waaagh! powered heals.

[Zelmor]

Tetris rocks. The guys above me told the rest, anyways. ;)

[Skaejek]

So, I've been hanging around a while here and I've been unsure what career I would sink my teeth into. I finally decided to stick with what first appealed to me, the Shaman. I've always been drawn to toons with diverse skills: healing, buffs, debuffs, dps, some cc. I think Shaman will fit that bill nicely.

But, I will say that if it ever turns into watching health bars and spamming heals, I will cancel that same day and start playing Tetris or something.

I'm in a very similar situation to you. I was drawn to the shaman at first, but then wavered at the prospect of being a healbot. However, that really isn't how it's going to work. You have to do good damage to cast good heals. The Shaman is highly versatile - you can go full DPS at some points in the fight, then 50/50 with healing in others.

We also have "Eek", which sounds awesome and "Gork sez stop", which will be great versus tanks and melee DPS. Shamans are also small, so you're not the most obvious player on the field. Now, I haven't played WAR, but this is the general opinion of virtually all the reviews of the class I have read.

As a shaman, it is also likely you'll be wanted in most groups, as your versatility allows you to fill different roles and adjust to the fight. As pointed out, the time when a shaman might be having a hard time is when the entire group is taking a pounding and you run out of "waaagh", but then you could just go full DPS and go down fighting ^^

[Nurgling]

Don't worry, I've been around a while and have seen my fill of videos, podcasts, as well as gamesday opinion pieces from players in attendance. It doesn't change the fact that:

1. Mythic is making each class 100% efficient at their main role, regardless of spec. (i.e. shaman heal...meaning, you can stand in the back and just heal.)

2. Nubs who actually play the game will scream "HeAl MeEeE!" all day.

IIRC, the shaman WAAGH mechanic was changed from damage=increased heal power to damage=reduced cast time on heals. The previous seemed more like it forced shaman to play hybrid, even if the the situation required heavy healing. The later sounds like dpsing is just a bonus and not needed.

I'm worried, but thankfully I'll have RL & non-newb friends to roll with.

[Krim]

Don't worry, I've been around a while and have seen my fill of videos, podcasts, as well as gamesday opinion pieces from players in attendance. It doesn't change the fact that:

1. Mythic is making each class 100% efficient at their main role, regardless of spec. (i.e. shaman heal...meaning, you can stand in the back and just heal.)

2. Nubs who actually play the game will scream "HeAl MeEeE!" all day.

IIRC, the shaman WAAGH mechanic was changed from damage=increased heal power to damage=reduced cast time on heals. The previous seemed more like it forced shaman to play hybrid, even if the the situation required heavy healing. The later sounds like dpsing is just a bonus and not needed.

I'm worried, but thankfully I'll have RL & non-newb friends to roll with.

I think you may be missing one of the point of the mechanic. It almost forces you to DPS even a little bit. Most groups are gonna prolly wanna run 2 medics, With the shaman being the Secondary Emergency medic, that whenever you Have full meter you throw off a heal.

The videos released aren't good examples, and yet we still no little of the class. For instance the Global Cooldown occur when you start casting, or when the spell is fired? We've yet to Much if at all use of the Morale abilities.

In the very beginning im going to go try an RVR Zone. Rank 3 or 4 if I can. The problem will be is that most players for this game will be coming from games like WoW, and expect you to stand back and heal. Im not a health bar babysitter. Im going to DPs, Im going to heal, and im going to play the game the way that the devs described. If the game changes, well then Ill reroll Sorc.

[Gahzug]

Decided to roll Shaman...but

... you realised ’ow utterly awesome it is an’ your ’ead exploded wiv Waaagh!!