A Restoration Shaman presents one of the branches of Shamanism, the one devoted to utilizing various healing properties of water.
Introduction
Let’s take a closer look at the weakest and the strongest aspects of this specialization:
Advantages:
- A lot of cooldowns.
- Effective heal on grouped together allies.
- Effective heal on allies with massive HP loss.
Disadvantages:
- Delivers minor damage.
- Low mobility.
Basic information on the spec:
A Restoration Shaman has one key resource – Mana. Mana is spent on healing, protective and auxiliary spells.
Glossary
Main abilities
Talents
General information. On achieving several new levels you’ll get access to new talent ‘Tiers’. Talents may have different effect on abilities: add new features, replace old ones, modify passively different effects and spells. Talents can be changed in Sanctuaries or any recreational zones. However, if you don’t have any of those places nearby you can use the Codex of the Tranquil Mind which allows you to switch channels within a minute. You can’t change talents in combat. You can’t change a talent if the talent you’ve picked in the last Tier is on Cooldown. You’ll have to wait until it’s restored first.
Tier 1. Lvl 15.
- Torrent. Increases the efficacy of Riptide‘s instant healing by 30%. It is a situational talent for a raid if you need to heal a target more than using AOE healing. Sometimes this talent is used in mythic +.
- Undulation. Every third Healing Wave or Healing Surge restore additional 50% of Health. A great talent for mythic + that allows to heal up party quickly.
- Unleash life. Restores a great amount of hp to an ally for 800 mana. The next direct heal spell on that target will be increased by 35%. Cd is 15 sec. The best talent for raiding because of improved next spelled which is usually Chain heal.
Tier 2. Lvl 30.
- Echo of elements. Riptide, Healing stream totem and Lava burst now have 2 charges. Tidal waves now have 10% chance to gain Riptide charge. The best choice in this tier for raiding and mythic+ because it grants second charge of a very strong healing totem and a good bonus for Riptide.
- Deluge. Chain Heal is 20% more efficient to the targets within your Healing Rain or under your Riptide. It is not a bad talent but less effective than Echo of elements because of HPS. Having this talent requires you to have someone in your Healing rain which doesn’t happen often.
- Earth shield. Protects the target with an earthen shield, increasing your healing on them by 10% and healing them when they take damage, has 9 charges. Earth shield can only be placed on one target at a time. This talent is not good because it is a very situational talent for moments when your tank has not enough healing and you are his last chance.
Tier 3. Lvl 45.
- Spirit wolf. While transformed into a wolf you gain 5% increased movement speed and 5% damage reduction every 1 sec, stackin up to 4 times. The best choice in the tier for raiding because of reduced time for movement and minor save for 20%.
- Earthgrab Totem. Install a totem in a selected area within a 35m range for 20 secs. It pulsates once every 2 secs and immobilizes every enemy within an 8m range for 8 secs. For its second action on an enemy, instead of stunning, it will slow yjem down by 50%. CD 30 secs.The best choice for mythic+ because it helps your tank to survive and kite mobs.
- Static charge. Reduces the cooldown of capacitor totem by 5 sec for each enemy it stuns, up to a maximum reduction for 20 sec. A situational talent that would be useful only if you need to stun mobs in m+ and there is no other AOE stun.
Tier 4. Lvl 60.
- Ancestral Vigor. Each time your Healing Wave, Healing Surge, Chain Heal or your Riptide‘s primary heal restore Health to your ally, their max HP grows by 10% for 10 secs. A situational talent for a raid that requires additional HP buff to survive bursting damage on boss.
- Earthgrab Totem. For 2200 Mana, allows you to install a totem with a major amount of Health for 15 secs. From each attack caried out within the 10-m range of the totem, a minor amount of damage will be redirected off your allies onto the totem. CD 1 min. The best choice for raiding and m+ because it allows to absorb a lot of damage in the totem that has a short cd and could be ready for any difficult moment in a fight.
- Ancestral Protection Totem. For 2200 Mana, allows you to install for 30 secs a totem that would increase the Health stock for each group or raid member within the 20-m range. In case an ally dies within the totem’s active range, the totem will be spent and will allow your ally to resurrect with 20% Health. Does not combine with combat resurrection. The resurrestion effect won’t work if the fatal damage dealt to the dead ally was catastrophically large. CD 5 min. A situational talent that could be useful only if the boss fight could be easier after an ally dies
Tier 5. Lvl 75.
- Nature’s guardian. When your health is brought below 35% you instantly heal for 20% of your maximum health. Cannot occur more than once every 45 sec. Not that important talent for a resto shaman but could be useful if you need more survivability.
- Graceful Spirit. Reduces CD for your Spiritwalker’s Grace by 60 secs and increases the moving speed within it by 20%. The best m+ choice for frequent movements, also if the raid doesn’t need sprint from Wind rush totem this is the best talent.
- Wind Rush Totem. Install a totem in a selected area within a 40m radius. The totem will exist for 15 secs and have the active area of 10m. Any Ally within that area increase their Haste by 60% for 5 secs. The effect is renewed when they enter the area for the next time. CD 2 min. Sprint for raiding is a situational choice that could be useful on some bosses.
Tier 6. Lvl 90.
- Flash flood. When you consume Tidal waves, the cast time of your next heal is reduced by 20%. A weak talent that grants small HPS increase, it is not used anywhere.
- Downpour. A burst of water at the target location heals up to 6 injured allies within 12 yards for 5 sec. Cooldown is increased by 5 sec for each target effectively healed. It is a pretty weak talent because when using it properly it has 35 sec cd which is a lot for such average healing amount.
- Cloudburst Totem. Replaces Healing stream totem. For 1720 Mana, a totem is placed by your side. Over 15 secs, the totem will be accumulating the power of your healing spells. Once the time is over, or it’s destroyed, or upon an attempt to use the ability for the second time, the totem explodes and restores 25% of the total healing delivered by you over the totem’s lifetime to every member of the group/raid. The whole heal is distributed evenly between all the allies within the 40-m radius. CD 30 secs. The best choice for raiding and m+ that increases your healing additionally and could be used to heal up raid right after the raid members got damaged.
Tier 7. Lvl 100.
- High tide. Every 0 mana you spend brings a High tide, making your next 2 Chain Heals heal for an additional 20% and not reduce with each jump. A standard choice for raid and m+
- Wellspring. For 4000 Mana it creates a wave that moves forward and restores a major HP count to friendly targets within a wide sector before you. CD 20 secs. Not a bad talent but it is difficult to manage it for 100% because usually in raids players are located in different spots.
- Ascendance. Allows you to transform into a Water Ascendant for 15 secs, and in this form, your healing efficiency is double and distributed evenly between the allies in close vicinity of you. A great choice for raiding if you need great bursting heal.
So we can have a build like that:
Azerite traits
In BFA typical sets were removed and Azerite armor took their place. Now every chest/helmet/shoulders have a few rings for a trait.
- Overflowing shores. Increases Healing rain radius up to 12 yards that restores health to allies in the targeted area instantly. It is a standard raiding choice because it increases radius of AOE healing and grants it instant healing effect. You can have a couple of Overflowing shores.
- Bonded souls. Your spells and abilities have a chance to trigger a Soulbond for 15 sec. During Soulbond, every 5 sec you and your nearest ally are both healed and get haste buff. A great trait that increases haste and heals you and an ally with an often proc.
- Spouting spirits. Spirit link totem radius is increased by 15%, and it restores health to all nearby allies 1 second after it is dropped. The best resto shaman trait because spirit link also starts healing with it. Preferably to have 2 -3 of such trait, it is a very good trait that restores raid hp quickly.
- Soothing waters. Your chain heal heals its primary target for an additional healing. It improves one of your primary healing abilities. You can have 1 – 2 of this trait.
Essences
MAJOR
- Memory of Lucid Dreams (Source: Nazjatar questing) is best for raid progression
- The Ever-Rising Tide (Source: Nazjatar reputation) is good for raiding too, but it should be used at mythic+
- Life Binder’s Invocation (Source: Mythic+ dungeons) is a good option, when you need to increase your healing over all raid
MINOR
- The Ever-Rising Tide (Source: Nazjatar reputation) is your basic choice at any type of combat
- Memory of Lucid Dreams (Source: Nazjatar questing) is a good choice, if you are not using it in major slot already
Gameplay:
Your healing priorities are very much dependent on the current situation – your group/raid’s position, the strength and frequency of damage incoming, whether the damage is dealt to the tank or the group, etc. We will try to review healing models for the most common situations:
- Weak or average incoming damage to the raid:
- Riptide per CD. In its turn, Riptide generates a charge of Tidal Waves that stacks twice. It is advised that you keep one charge, just in case.
Never renew Riptide on the target – unless you urgently need instant heal on a target like that. - Earthgrab Totem to prevent damage.
- Cloudburst Totem per CD.
- Gift of the Queen, provided the use is justified at the moment. Always combine it with Cloudburst Totem.
- Unleash life per CD
- Healing Rain, provided it’s going to heal 6 allies during the whole active period.
- Massive incoming damage to the raid:
- Riptide per CD.
- Healing Rain per CD.
- Earthgrab Totem per CD.
- Cloudburst Totem per CD.
- Unleash life per CD.
- Healing Stream Totem per CD.
- Chain Heal, provided High Tide is talented.
- Healing Wave.
- Healing Surge.
- Chain Heal, untalented.
- Medium incoming damage on a single target:
- Riptide per CD regardless of the duration of the periodical effect casted upon the target.
- Cloudburst Totem per CD.
- Healing Stream Totem per CD.
- Healing Wave or Healing Surge combined with Tidal Waves depending on the speed of damage reception by your tank.
- Utilizing cooldowns:
This is a very simple and effective cooldown as once you’ve cast it, it does everything else on its own. Mana-cheap, instant, delivers massive healing. When to use:
- When your raid is receiving massive damage.
- After your raid has received massive damage.
- When your Mana is low, and you do need to heal the raid.
- During short runs accompanied by the raid receiving damage.
* It is advised you always to combine it with Cloudburst Totem.
Helps you keep the victims of HP loss alive at the expense of other raid members who are in better Health conditions. It can also be used for as simple as a 10% cut on the incoming damage. When to use:
- When your raid is located compactly in one area, and there’s burst damage coming up onto the raid.
- When the raid is compactly located in one spot, and suffers massive unplanned damage.
- When your tanks have lost massive HP, in order to share their HP with other raid members.
- When the raid is located compactly in one spot and suffers continuous massive damage.
Ancestral Guidance and Ascendance.
Both cooldowns are better always combined with Cloudburst Totem. It is recommended to activate Healing Rain on the largest ally group before utilizing these bursts.
- Damage Dealing.
Quite often in Mythic+ or in raids whenever you’re not healing, you need to deal damage.
Priorities:
- Maintain Flame Shock.
- Lava Burst per CD.
- Lightning Bolt or Chain Lightning, if there are several enemies.
* Keep in mind that Flame Shock and Lava Burst cost Mana, so in case you are short on Mana, keep it down to Lightning Bolt.
In the encounters where your raid is located compactly and is not suffering a lot of damage at the moment, don’t hesitate to deal damage yourself. Quite often maintaining Healing Rain and a few Riptides is enough while in between those you may feel free to utilize your DPS abilities.
Stats
The basic priority rating for the characteristics is as follows:
Crit > Mastery = Versatility > Haste > Intellect
This specialization’s Mastery increases the efficiency of your healing to the targets with lower HP levels.
Critical healings allow you to refill your Mana via Resurgence.
Haste reduces GCD, casting time, allows you to deal more ticks with your Healing Tide Totem, Healing Stream Totem and Riptide. Haste is not that bad a stat at all, actually. It’s just that when there’s a lot of it, the value of other characteristics grows rapidly. It is always good to have a bit od Haste.
Versatility increases the whole heal and damage you deliver, and also reduces your incoming damage by half that amount.
- Gems:
- Chants:
- Weapon: Machinist’s Brilliance
- Rings: Accord of Critical Strike
- Food:
- Raid feast for 131 intellect or Mech-Dowel’s “Big Mech” Crit
- Flasks and Potions:
- Greater Flask of Endless Fathoms 360 intellect for 1h
- Potion of Replenishment best for restoring the mana
- Coastal Mana Potion if you need to restore mana immediately
- Superior Battle Potion of Intellect gives you better healing output for 25 sec
Macros
To begin with, you should get mouseover macros for all your healing spells meaning whenever you cast a spell, it will be applied to the target your cursor is on at the moment. For example:
#showtooltip Riptide /cast [@mouseover] Riptide
Since a Restoration Shaman still has abruptions and dispels, it would be of great convenience to be able to use a focus or a mouseover macro for Wind Shear and Purge, whichever sticks better with you:
#showtooltip Wind Shear /cast [@focus] Wind Shear
What’s next?
- Leveling. If your character has been inactive since the previous expansions, the best option to level up it is by Timewalking dungeons. You will gain a lot of experience, but there is one big disadvantage of leveling this way. Timewalks are available only for one week during a month, but Overgear is always here.
- Equipment. At high level, the most important thing for you will become your gear. WoW is a multiplayer game, that’s why we recommend for you to play it with your friends, or to find a new friends for mythic+ runs. If you have any trouble with it – Overgear may help you to find not just friends for a run, but a complete well geared and experienced group that also will be glad to trade all the loot you need.
- Raids. Raids are the top-tier PvE content in the game. That’s why the equipment’s base ilvl is higher than anywhere else. These dungeons require knowing all the tactics and have a good gear to kill the bosses. The possibilities of Overgear might let you skip those criteria.
Azerite. It is also not the best idea to forget about the Heart of Azeroth and not to feed it with more Azerite. Ignoring this won’t make your character stronger. The easiest way to do it – just complete all the world quests with Azerite rewards everyday. You can get extra azerite from Island Expeditions. Companions can be found at Overgear.