Site icon Epiccarry Blog

WoW Restoration Shaman Healing Guide – Dragonflight 10.1

  • Epiccarry
    • WoW Restoration Shaman Guide
    Wow Restoration Shaman Healing Guide

    Before crafting each guide, EpicCarry’s team consistently consults top players regarding their guides and specializations. Curiously, every time a player discusses their class, they often criticize it, claiming that their class is subpar compared to others that deal more damage or heal more rapidly. Restoration Shamans are no exception to this trend. However, as we delve into the intricate realm of the WoW Restoration Shaman healing guide, we discover that they belong to the A-Tier category.

    In our sincere assessment, Restoration Shamans not only rank among the finest healers in World of Warcraft but also stand as one of the most user-friendly classes in the game. Why, you ask? Because:

    1. Tank-elemental.
    2. They can create enough damage while they’re healing.
    3. Their heal mechanics are the most logical.

    And they remain within the A-Tier of healers, nearly at the pinnacle. Doesn’t that sound like a compelling incentive to delve into learning how to play a Restoration Shaman?

    We’re also recommend to view our Mythic+ Compendium, with all the Dungeon tactics and M+ Loot.

    From this guide, you will acquire knowledge about:

    1. Why do Shamans predominantly appear in “Blue logs” on WorldofWarcraftLogs?
    2. Utilizing restoration shaman damage rotations without compromising HPS.
    3. Crafting a comfortable build for optimal performance.
    4. The rationale behind maintaining a repertoire of at least two distinct builds for a raid.
    5. Coping with the awareness of possessing only one cooldown to safeguard the tank.

    And various other aspects, including gearing, leveling, statistics, builds, macros, and the implementation of Weak Auras! Now, rise up and embrace your healing role – don’t be a lethargic Shammy

    Restoration Shaman Class Overview

    First and foremost, shamans have now gained independence from Vesper Totem. But what does this signify? It means their rotations have logically returned to a more familiar state. However, if you’re a new player and aren’t acquainted with the significance of Vesper Totem, consider yourself fortunate!

    So, what can this class offer to newcomers?

    Note: Drawing from subjective experience, proficient restoration shamans often possess more interrupt actions than tanks and other classes equipped with interrupt capabilities. This phenomenon isn’t solely due to their skill; rather, it’s because shamans in AvG keys and raids tend to be more relaxed, allowing them ample time and focus to disrupt nearly all casting attempts.

    However, if all of these attributes are indeed impressive, why aren’t shamans considered the reigning champions of Warcraft? There are reasons for that:

    If you’re prepared to accept these trade-offs, then you’re more than welcome to explore the world of the restoration shaman!

    Restoration Shaman in Tier list of healers

    Before you proceed to read a tier list of healers, keep two crucial points in mind. The first point is that the best healer is not the one with the highest HPS (Healing Per Second), but rather the healer with the highest DPS (Damage Per Second). This is because many classes have their own forms of healing and mitigation abilities. As a result, you shouldn’t recklessly spam buttons to heal all the mistakes made by your group.

    The second point to consider is that the tier list is based on an absolutely ideal situation. In the context of Mythic Keystone dungeons, this ideal scenario refers to running with a coordinated party that excels at executing large AoE (Area of Effect) pulls. However, when you’re playing with Pickup Groups (PUGs), the situation can vary significantly, and even a class ranked as S-tier might not fully realize its potential. On the other hand, a Restoration Shaman, classified as an A-class healer, can shine in such circumstances.

    Remember, these points underscore the importance of adaptability and situational awareness in your healing endeavors!

    Mythic+ Keys

    It’s not as dire as you might think. In Mythic+ keys, Shamans consistently secure a strong second place. The only reason they don’t claim the top spot is due to Holy Paladins being capable of contributing some DPS magic during significant AoE pulls.

    Buy Mythic+ Dungeons Boost

    Claim New Loot And Great Vault Rewards

    However, when it comes to playing with Pickup Groups (PUGs), Restoration Shamans tend to outshine Holy Paladins. This is primarily because Shamans are less reliant on external boosts and function slightly better as group healers.

    This distinction highlights the versatility and effectiveness of Shamans in different scenarios, demonstrating their value in various team compositions and playstyles.

    An intriguing observation indeed. Monks have found themselves towards the bottom of the list for the last two expansions. However, it remains to be seen whether Blizzard will eventually provide them with significant improvements, potentially elevating them to at least an A-list position.

    This anticipation reflects the player community’s hope for a resurgence in the performance and viability of Monks in the coming updates or expansions. It underscores the dynamic nature of game balance and the anticipation that each iteration brings..

    Raids

    Unless you’re a Holy Paladin or a Holy Priest, raiding might feel like a struggle. The other healing specializations appear to be relatively on par with each other. This balance is largely due to the raids’ demand for a combination of powerful single-target healing and various forms of mitigation. However, the landscape is always subject to change with the arrival of new patches.

    PvP

    Are there any doubts as to why Holy Paladins consistently secure the top spot? Perhaps it’s because all Paladins are gays? Now, let’s carefully examine the list once more. Upon closer inspection, we observe that Restoration Shamans are just a step away from achieving meta status

    However, always bear in mind that in World of Warcraft PvP, the skill of the player’s hands holds far greater value than the choice of class.

    Buy WoW RBG Boost

    Boost your RBG rating with a pro team

    The Best Race for Resto shaman in 10.1

    There’s nothing groundbreaking to report. Over the past ten expansions, the optimal selection for playing a Restoration Shaman in the world remains consistent:

    For Alliance, Dwarves stand out with their Stoneform ability. This skill grants a healer immunity to bleeding, poisoning, and disease effects.

    On the Horde side, Taurens hold appeal due to their short-range stun, known as War Stomp. This ability can be advantageous for kiting situations when the tank loses threat control.

    This enduring choice highlights the value of racial abilities that align well with the role and playstyle of a Restoration Shaman in various situations.

    To correct your rotation, use the Dummy or Simcraft. We also have our WoW Sims actual guide to correct your SimulationCraft Logs.

    How to play Restoration shamans in 10.1 | Basics

    Nothing revolutionary here. The aim is simple: eliminate mobs while keeping your group members alive. Sounds straightforward, doesn’t it?

    However, to be candid, if you aspire to excel as a Restoration Shaman in high-level keys or raids, you must create macros for all your healing spells. You need to master the art of executing instant heals and efficiently tending to single-target healing for your tank during challenging moments.

    You should become adept at utilizing Cloudburst Totem judiciously and effectively communicating with your group through Discord to encourage them to stack closely. Numerous other intricacies demand your attention as well.

    Your rotation is inherently tied to cooldowns, specific situations, and the type of content you’re engaged in. Your proficiency in casting harmful spells becomes secondary if you neglect employing healer frames, such as Grid or Healbot.

    Within this guide, you’ll discover valuable recommendations for optimizing your rotation. You’ll learn when it’s more effective to employ Earth Shield, whether to prioritize praying for a critical strike, and whether it’s wiser to maintain maximum health for all group members or focus on aiding those at lower health.

    However, our focus doesn’t extend to Poison Cleansing Totems, Lightning Shield, and the one-hour weapon buff. Cleansing Totem is context-dependent, and the weapon buff should be instantaneously applied to yourself.

    These insights provide a comprehensive overview, guiding you toward becoming a proficient and effective Restoration Shaman, prepared for a range of scenarios.

    Priority of Abilities

    Given how restoration shaman skills work, always go for the most beat-up allies. Not only will it save their sorry hides, but it’ll also supercharge your healing mojo.

    1. Cast Healing Rain on cooldown when your buddies gather up. And hey, with the Acid Rain talent, make those pesky enemies taste the rain too!
    2. Keep Earth Shield on the tank, and if you’ve got Gust of Wind talent, throw it on yourself too. Gotta love that protection!
    3. Use Spirit Link Totem as often as you can when you know healing’s coming up soon.

    Remember, pop Spirit Link Totem after Healing Rain, not before. Gotta do things in the right order!

    If you got the talent Totemic Revival, use it after popping Spirit Link Totem. 

    Spam those short cooldown abilities whenever possible. They rock way more than filler stuff. Check ’em out:

    Restoration shaman damage rotation for almost all the situations

    As we notice before, almost all, in keys, in the open world, in the raids, the more damage a shaman can deal, the better he is! So we’re preparing for your restoration shaman damage rotation for almost all the situations! With talents, links and explanations.

    Critical situation — active healing.

    If someone fuckups, you always need a plan “B”. So here’s a rotation for this “B”-plan

    As you can see, healing is quite straightforward… cough, cough… Oh, I almost forgot about the Water Totem, calculating mana costs for optimal spell usage, incorporating damaging spells to not only heal but also contribute as a damage dealer. Additionally, you must be diligent in interrupting abilities, monitoring the global cooldowns to ensure the timely casting of Bloodlust at the right moment.

    Raid bursts

    Ok, then the raid boss bursts, you should know how to burst your healing without periodic healing totems, and heal all the incoming raid damage. As you’re not only one healer in the raid, the situations when you need to provide extremely efficient healing do not happen often. So it was enough to keep your burst to a critical situation.

    Buy Amirdrassil Heroic Boost

    Obtain premium loot with expert help

    Spread your bursts throughout the fight—don’t blow all four powerful abilities on one health dip, or you’ll be burstless for the next three minutes. Use one or two raid cooldowns roughly every minute, like this (below is one of the possible patterns):

    Yup, you still have a small healing cooldown, and it was enough to use at least one burst a minute for almost all situations. If you need to cast spells to burst more often, it might mean that you’re not sufficiently geared for that instance, or raid.

    Not more often than one burst in one minute. But if the situation is critical for now, you of course can break bad, and burst more, but then you’d become an abuser for your raid.

    Restoration shaman guide for Leveling

    Okay, just like any other class, there aren’t specific guides tailored for leveling Restoration Shamans. We strongly discourage relying solely on guides, as true understanding of how Restoration Shaman works often comes through personal experimentation.

    You’ll gain insights into maximizing your party or raid members’ health and effectively utilizing abilities like Mana Tide Totem and other minor enhancements that boost your healing prowess.

    However, if you’re seeking the best advice for leveling a Restoration Shaman, here’s a succinct and straightforward approach: Choose Restoration only if you’re leveling through dungeons with Pickup Group members. For quest-based leveling, consider opting for Elemental Shaman for quicker and more efficient mob clearing in the open world.

    Don’t overlook the Wolf Spirit ability that boosts your movement speed. This skill can be a crucial asset in raids or high-level keys, where increased movement speed might rescue your group from a potential wipe.

    Buy WoW Level Boost!

    Let professionals expedite your power leveling

    Should you decide to play Restoration Shaman in the open world, prioritize mana-efficient spending, utilize Cloudburst Totem, and activate Lightning Shield. These factors can make your open world journey somewhat smoother.

    However, always bear in mind that playing a healing class in the open world can often be a challenge and require strategic management of resources and abilities.

    Restoration shaman stats with explanation

    Alright, brace yourself for a potentially surprising revelation. In the world of Warcraft: Dragonflight, playing as a Restoration Shaman comes with a notable twist – there are no rigid requirements for caps on primary or secondary stats. Regardless of your gear, you’ll remain equally effective, with the difference in healing output being a mere fraction of a percentage overall.

    However, fear not, for there are recommendations that can significantly enhance your gameplay experience. Let’s delve into these to make your restoration shaman journey even more rewarding.

    First and foremost, focus on accumulating… LEECH! Despite being categorized as a tertiary stat for restoration shamans, leech serves as a remarkable asset. It’s not limited to damage-dealing moments; it bolsters your healing spells as well, presenting a clear advantage for all your healing endeavors.

    If leech-focused items are unavailable, prioritize items with higher item levels and intellect over other parameters. The reason is straightforward: intellect enhances your spell power, augments the potency of your damage-dealing filler spells, and simplifies the process of healing groups with heightened intellect. It’s a tip that’s as evident as daylight.

    Now, let’s touch upon the topic of secondary stats in the Restoration Shaman guide. Given the absence of caps, feel free to collect secondary stats that align with your personal playstyle and preferences. This flexibility empowers you to tailor your character to your unique approach, enhancing your effectiveness as a restoration shaman in Dragonflight.

    But the armory of top 10 resto shamans in the Dragonflight season 2 says to us:

    1. Collect for about 30% of critical strike.
    2. Collect about 20% of haste. It decreases the cast time.
    3. Collect for about 20% of versatility,
    4. And all others put for mastery.

    Please note that these characteristics and their quantities are derived from the top 100 world restoration Shamans, utilizing the highest possible gear. This implies that collecting an ample amount of these secondary stats may prove to be somewhat challenging.

    Haste effectively reduces spell casting times, resulting in a gameplay experience that’s not necessarily simpler but considerably more fluid. Additionally, it boosts your attack speed.

    Critical strike assumes greater significance for damaging skills and for enhancing your impactful single-target heals.

    Versatility stands out as a highly specialized stat, particularly valuable for high-end game content. It might even hold slightly more importance than critical strike, as it provides an extra layer of defense against random boss area-of-effect casts, increasing your chances of survival and preserving your group members.

    As for mastery… Well, in the current season, mastery holds little to no value. It’s possible that its importance might be reinstated in upcoming seasons with significant changes. However, for the present, it’s advisable to avoid prioritizing mastery in your stat allocation.

    Best Restoration Shaman Builds

    The foremost aspect to comprehend about Restoration Shaman talent builds is that there isn’t a singular, universal build for every type of content. Therefore, when approaching raids, it’s essential to have a minimum of two distinct talent builds at your disposal and be ready to switch between them as you progress from one boss encounter to another.

    This adaptability ensures that your talents are finely tuned to address the unique challenges and requirements presented by each boss, maximizing your effectiveness as a restoration shaman and contributing significantly to your group’s success.

    Resto shaman talent tree for Mythic+

    This serves as your primary build for nearly all Mythic+ keys. However, it’s not the sole option available. Do you know why? Because it bears a slight drawback – it depletes your mana, necessitating the need to consume food between battles.

    BgQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIpJJJJplQKSSTCNIpEESJJEog0kASiSSSIBtA

    That’s why when you move to the really high keys, like 20+, you have to switch your restoration shaman in the World of Warcraft Dragonflight Addon to the next build.

    This build is notably more resource-efficient than the previous one. Consequently, there’s no requirement to consume food and drink after every battle, potentially allowing you to trim off around 3-4 minutes from the overall key run. Such time savings could prove critical for a successful run in exceptionally high-level keys.

    Resto shaman talent tree for Raids

    Build #1 — based on the chain heal, and no it doesn’t mean that you should use only Chain heal.

    BgQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIRSiSCpRSTSRLKJRQQJBAINJppkIIJJJh0C

    Build #2 – This setup is primarily centered around the enhanced Primordial Wave ability, affording you optimal opportunities to heal your group, particularly when they find themselves spread out. Moreover, you can also employ this build as your primary choice for single-target healing as a Restoration Shaman in the World of Warcraft: Dragonflight.

    BgQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIRSCJlkSSUSUSjWQQQJBAINJppkIIJJJhI

    Restoration Shaman Enchants and Consumables

    The best part of each guide is always a part about gearing, and enchants. Because there can’t be a mixed answer in which of restoration shaman enchants to choose.

    Gems for resto shamans

    Gems now come in two types – unique epics, which are crafted through an order table, and regular ones, which can be bought at the auction house. It’s best to use gems of the highest quality. You can only have one epic gem in your entire equipment.

    Enchants for resto shamans

    Note: Kindly recall that in the World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, Blizzard has modified the Enchantment system, resulting in distinct qualities for each potential enchantment. Thus, when purchasing them from the auction house, it’s essential to bear this fact in mind.

    Similar to all preceding expansions, enchantments might represent a smaller portion of your DPS, HPS, and overall survivability. However, lacking enchantments can significantly impact your acceptance into keys or raids. Therefore, ensure you familiarize yourself with a compilation of the finest enchantments tailored for Restoration Shamans in the World of Warcraft: Dragonflight.

    WeaponSophic Devotion or Spore Tender
    LegsTemporal Spellthread 
    RingsDevotion of Critical Strike
    CloakRegenerative Leech
    BracersDevotion ofLeech
    BootsPlainsrunner’s breeze
    BeltShadowed belt Clasp
    ChestplateWaking Stats

    Food & runes for restoration shamans

    For food, you should consider using the following:

    As for weapon enhancements, oils are no longer used; instead, runes are the way to go. However, keep in mind that they don’t work with the Earthen Vitality talent.

    Now, you’re all set to power up and conquer the challenges that lie ahead! Enjoy the buffs and keep slaying!

    Promodrial stone gems for resto shamans. 

    Primordial Stone Gems are currently irrelevant for Restoration Shamans in 10.1 and will remain so in the future. Therefore, there is no need to concentrate on them at this time.

    Restoration Shaman Gearing

    Ok, as you found in the previous parts, just collect critical strikes and all would be fun. But if you need some exact recommendations, here they’re. Sim yourself. Use QE.

    Is this the best gear? It’s quite possible if the number one-ranked Shaman is wearing it. We can’t suggest anything superior to the gear chosen by the top-ranked Shaman. Additionally, this serves as a reminder that consulting guides for your future endeavors can prove invaluable.

    Buy New Season PvE Gearing

    Quickly secure the latest season gear

    The best Restoration shaman Addons, Tips and Hints

    Across all regions, the integration of addons significantly elevates the World of Warcraft experience. Our professional WoW Best Addons Dragonflight guide offers a curated selection of the finest addons for WoW: Dragonflight retail. This guide serves as a comparative resource, outlining the necessity and functionality of each addon within this expansion’s context.

    Given that the Restoration Shaman is a healing class, it demands more than just knowing when to deploy a Mana Tide Totem or when to utilize an Earth Shield. It calls for a comprehensive integration of addons, GUI optimizations, Weak Auras, and Macros, more so than any other class.

    Within this guide, you’ll find an assemblage of the finest restoration shaman utilities available. However, please note that it’s not merely a matter of installing these Weak Auras and macros; you must also invest time in mastering their usage to enhance your stacked healing through these innovative tools.

    This underscores the importance of not only acquiring these utilities but also honing your skill in implementing them effectively, resulting in a truly potent and efficient restoration shaman experience

    Addons for Restoration shaman in the world of Warcraft: Dragonflight

    Healing addons for raid and group frames: Note install just one of them. Not all at the same time.

    Other addons to stay effective:

    And it’s just a starter pack. When you become a professional restoration shaman healer, you’ll install something new.

    WeakAura for Restoration Shaman

    If you want to build-up a maximal effective restoration shaman, pay attention to the next weak auras.

    From Luxthos

    From Afenar

    Macros for resto shaman

    Macro for casting different spells on enemy and ally:

    #showtooltip

    /use [@mouseover,nodead,harm] Fire Shock;[@mouseover,nodead,help] Swiftness;[@target,nodead,harm] Fire Shock;[@target,nodead,help][@player] Swiftness

    Mouseover macro for attacking spells:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@mouseover,harm,exists,nodead][] Fire Shock

    Mouseover macro for healing filler spells:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@mouseover,noharm,exists] [@target,noharm,exists] [@player] Healing Surge

    Nature’s Swiftness and Chain Heal on one button:

    #showtooltip Chain Heal

    /cast Nature’s Swiftness

    /cast [@mouseover,harm,exists,nodead][] Chain Heal

    Macro for instantly casting totems at the cursor position:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@cursor] Totem of Condensation

    Applying a debuff to the focus target, and if there is no focus, applying it to the boss frame. Useful for maintaining Fire Shock on two targets during encounters:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@focus,exists,nodead,harm] [@boss1,exists,nodead,harm] Fire Shock

    Interrupting the cast on the focus target, and if there is no focus, interrupting the target under the mouseover. If there is no enemy under the mouseover, interrupting the current target:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@focus,exists,harm,nodead][@mouseover,harm,exists,nodead][] Wind Shear

    This macro allows you to cast Fire Shock on the nearest target without changing your current target. It chooses the closest target to you, in the direction your camera is facing. This macro won’t work if there is only one target:

    #showtooltip

    /targetenemy

    /cast Fire Shock

    /targetlasttarget

    Applies Windfury Totem right under your character, allowing you to immediately gain the speed bonus without wasting time on totem placement:

    #showtooltip

    /cast [@player] Windfury Totem

    This macro lets you place Reincarnation on your action bar to monitor its cooldown:

    #showtooltip Reincarnation

    Uses Ancestral Spirit out of combat, and Engineer’s battle resurrection, Jeeves, in combat:

    #showtooltip

    /use [combat] Jeeves; [nocombat] Ancestral Spirit

    Final Conclusion — East or West, Sham is best!

    In conclusion, what can we deduce about the Shaman class? It remains one of the most user-friendly classes to play. Similar to several other expansions, it retains its pre-meta status. Shaman possesses the ability to deal damage, prove valuable in high-level keys, display limited utility in raids, and exhibit a somewhat discomforting performance in PvP and open-world endeavors.

    If you possess an affinity for Shamans, you likely comprehend their intricacies and excel in their utilization. For those less acquainted, we hope that this guide assists you in grasping at least the fundamental rotation.

    Moreover, let’s not overlook a unique feature: among all character abilities, only Shamans possess a distinct hearthstone, which, while not groundbreaking, serves as an extra perk during the leveling phase.

    Exit mobile version