Restoration shaman: Gear, talents, and more

[Vitandus]

Let's move this discussion from guild chat to these forums, esp. as the former was not entirely constructive.

I know nothing about the class, so pulled builds from guys in other guilds (ok, OneEar has a toon in HDL, but you know what I mean):

0/13/58
0/16/55

What pre-raid Heroics gear do you recommend?

[Winchcombe]

Head: Helm of the Lightning Halls.  There's at least one in the gbank.

Neck: The pvp necklace is fine until you either have spare badges or get a raid drop.

Shoulders: Epaulets of Market Row.  BOE shoulders from heroic CoS.

Chest: A cloth piece from Naxx is fine.

Wrist: You're straight.

Gloves: See above answer.

Belt: Sash of Blood Removal from heroic Gundrak.

Pants: I would suggest the Legguards of Nature's Power from heroic CoS for some much needed SP and crit.

Boots: Revenant's Treads.  Crafted, 'nuff said.

Ring 1: Annhylde's Ring from heroic UK.

Ring 2: Band of Guile from heroic CoS.

Trinket 1: Egg of Mortal Essence.  Badges, badges, badges.

Trinket 2: There's a trinket from heroic HoL that gives a ton of static mp5.  I don't have it because HoL is the devil, but it's pretty good.

Weapon: Titansteel Guardian.

Shield: The badge shield is fine.

Totem: The badge totem is cheap and fantastic.


OH RIGHT A CLOAK.

Wispcloak is crafted and nifty, but your pvp cloak is fine, I guess?

[One Ear]

Depends on what is needed, really. Spellpower, int, mp5, crit/haste. For heroics and 10 mans, IMO....

Raw spellpower for all healers is something you need as a priority until your heals hit for enough to keep a tank up on something like Meathook from Strath or some other hard hitter. Chain Heal, even with low spellpower, is usually enough aoe heals for most heroics. (Loken is not about aoe heals as much as everyone else paying attention). Things like timed Strath runs are about regen (MP5 and/or int with Replenishment in the party) more than raw spellpower. Crit, while very nice with Improved Water Shield and Improved Shields, etc. is not going to be a life saver in heroics normally. And crit is a poor substitute for regen especially since 3.0.8 and the nerf to LHW IWS procs on crits. Haste is extremely good, but like in BC it can eat mana and requires a little balance with regen (MP5 and Int) unless the fight is a straight burn and MP5 is not an issue. Once you hit a level of passive regen, though, more MP5 is somewhat of a waste, though. But if you are undergeared, you aren't even close to that yet. So, MP5 is really something to look for.

IMO, Titansteel Guardian is poorly itemized for most undergeared shaman (unless you are solely spamming LHW or HW for short fights). Heroic Nexus's War Mace of Unrequited Love is much better all around. MP5 and int in exchange for some (not an insignificant amount, though) spellpower and crit.

http://www.wowhead.com/?compare=37169;41384

Note on Glyphs: recommend Chain Heal (hawt. Especially for 5 mans), LHW or HW (depend on how you like to heal single targets), Glyph of Water Mastery (REALLY SWEET!), Glyph of Water Shield (keeps you casting Water Shield less on some fights. i.e. less GCDs wasted.)

On Oneear, I have raw spellpower gear, MP5 gear, int gear, and haste gear. When I was running heroics for gearing up, I was constantly shifting gear around for each fight. Little more regen for this fight. Little more spellpower for this fight. All haste for this fight. Not everyone does that, though.

Pots/Food: If you are running a lot of heroics while undergeared, I suggest potting and/or food buffs up to get what you need. Spellpower or MP5 mainly. Running out of mana, then MP5. Spellpower if not.

Depending on professions, the Alchmist trinket (while being a blue) is nice. The JC-only trinket is not terrible and can be gemmed for what you need.

The JC rings are quite good, available to everyone, and relatively inexpensive.

Je'Tze's Bell is a BOE epic trinket that is EXPENSIVE. But it is a BIS and will last a long time.

[Winchcombe]

P.S.  For a stunning example of how NOT to do it, I encourage you to run a raid with Heliotrope from the guild "she looked level xviii".  She is a self-proclaimed "heal princess" who "doesn't need silly toys like Healbot to run a raid, just a little bit of awesome".  To call her vaunted self-congratulations "unfounded" would be enormously generous.

I've been more than enough of an asshole already tonight, so let's leave it at that.  Healbot is your friend.  No healbot is your enemy.

[xecution]

i use http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=hZ0xxIZxzeuVxoxkrIRt 0/16/55

and for gear wise the other guy pretty much summed it up
but if your into saving some money, the mace from H nexus id recommend, because titansteel guardian has no stats and no mp5. id personally sacrifice the 50 + healing for 19 mp5 and 49 int.

chest you can just jump into a voa 10/25m and grab that along with legs and gloves. voa is very simple and you can be carried easily.

grind out the rep for argent crusade and you get a good ring that will last you for a while. signet of hopeful light.

gloves - wyrmrest accord rep exalted.

if you dont have luck with legs dropping in voa, knights of the ebon blade exalted has good ones.

belt - badge one is second best to the best in slot (if you put a belt buckle on it)

[Winchcombe]

Dude's not in the guild anymore.  He was kicked on account of stunning faggotry. 

wtb threadlock pls

[flambe]

I'm not going to lock a thread that can be useful to a further generation of shammies!

[WowSherri]

Great information thanks for sharing.  I now need to go and get some new glyphs for my shammy and her restoration set lol.