Shamans as tanks
From WoWWiki
A shaman tank (or Shamatank) is a player who uses the shaman class to fill the role of Main Tank or Off-Tank in a party or raid. While in many cases a shaman tank is inferior to standard tanking classes (druids, paladins, and warriors), with a proper tank gear and the right talent decisions, shamans can successfully tank instances up through level 70 (including heroics) and some level 70 raid content (such as Karazhan).
Shaman tanking is generally the result of either a lack of qualified tanks that are available and/or a player or group of players looking for a unique challenge. In either case, a prepared Shaman and able group can work together to accomplish the goals set before them. This will normally include content found in 5-man outdoor quests, instances, and in extreme cases, raids.
Like all other tanks, a shaman tank will rely on some combination of high armor, stamina, and avoidance in order to minimize strain on the party's healers. In addition, tanks must also have some method of aggro generation that keeps the tank highest on every target's threat list. Failure to do so will put less armored characters at risk, which creates difficulties for healers, lowers the party's overall damage output and in many cases can cause a full wipe.
Shamatanks require a party that understands the fundamental problems facing a Shaman attempting to tank:
- Inability to use Plate Armor
- Lack of a true single-target or area-of-effect taunt ability
- Mana endurance in long fights
A party that follows the instructions of their Shamatank will encounter far fewer problems than a party which assumes a Shamatank plays like any other tanking class.
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Talent Tree and Gear Options
Shamans interested in tanking can be found to have points in any and all of the Shaman talent trees. The only significant result of talent tree decisions revolves around the Elemental Shields talent, which with three points can lower your chance to be critically hit by 6%. This reduction essentially makes the Shaman immune to critical strikes from monsters up to three levels higher than the Shamantank (ex. Level 70 Shaman can tank Level 73 creatures).
Gear Options are typically limited to one of three choices:
- Feral Druid armor, socketed with +stamina and +defense gems
- PvP armor, either from the Honor System or the Arena_PvP_System, socketed with +stamina gems
- Mail armor focusing on spell damage and spell critical chance stats, socketed with +stamina gems
Gear Choices for "Elemental Shields" Talent Builds
Thanks to the immunity to critical strikes that this talent provides, Shamantanks utilizing a build with Elemental Shields can focus on mail armor and high levels of stamina. This may include selecting mail gear with +spell damage and +spell critical strike chance (typical Elemental Shaman DPS gear) and socketing it with +stamina gems. Doing so will maximize the benefit to Frost Shock, the main tool for Shaman aggro generation, and Chain Lightning, the main tool for Shaman AoE aggro generation.
A Shaman choosing this route will need a high amount of stamina to make up for a lack of avoidance abilities (dodge, parry, block) that certain gear can provide. This spec will not require extra +int gear, as the talents required to get Elemental Shields gives the player many opportunities to reduce the cost of Frost Shock and Lightning-based spells as well as increase their potency. Also, for maximum benefit to aggro generation, the best available one-handed +spell damage weapon should be wielded.
Gear Choices for Other Talent Builds
Shaman not choosing to use the Elemental Shields talent must, through +defense and +resilience stats, achieve the required 6% critical chance reduction required to tank Level 73 creatures. It is very important to note that there is a significant difference between +defense and +resilience stats, in that +defense also adds to parry, dodge, and block. However, you need more +defense stats to achieve the 6% required than you would with an equal number of +resilience stat points. Fortunately, the 6% critical strike chance reduction can be achieved by stacking the bonuses from +defense and +resilience, so a combination of both stats is acceptable.
Examples of gear that can help achieve this goal are the Heavy Clefthoof Armor Set, Violet Signet, and numerous other pieces that can either be used by tanking druids or go in non-plate equipment slots (weapon, shield, neck, cloak, rings, and trinkets).
Strategy
Note: This section may use phrases and acronyms, tactics, and techniques that would be unfamiliar to those with no prior tanking experience. Please see WoWWiki's collection of articles stemming from the "Tank" page for reference.
Overall, a Shaman will need to utilize a handful of abilities to maximize his tanking ability. These include:
- An Elemental Weapon enchantment (Windfury Weapon or Flametongue Weapon)
- Lightning Bolt or Chain Lightning for pulling
- Frost Shock for high threat generation
- Water Shield for mana regeneration
- Shamanistic Rage for damage reduction (Enhancement Shaman only)
- Protective Totems
- Stoneskin Totem for damage reduction OR Strength of Earth Totem for increased attack power and shield block
- Wrath of Air Totem for stronger frost shocks OR Grace of Air Totem for higher armor and dodge avoidance
- Mana Spring Totem for mana regeneration
Remember, totems do not add to the Shamatank's aggro generation!
The Initial Pull
After targets have been selected for crowd control, begin the pull by using chain lightning or (to avoid breaking a rogue's sap crowd control) lightning bolt, and follow up with a frost shock on the target you intend to have the group defeat first. Make sure the group gives the Shaman tank time to gain aggro over the targets, just as they would with any other tank type.
Combat
The shaman tank should continue to frost shock the main target until a comfortable lead over its party members' aggro generation is achieved. This buffer should be utilized to strike other targets actively being tanked in order to ensure both the healer(s) and any members using area-of-effect attacks are protected. The tank should try and keep all targets to the front in order to take advantage of parry and block percentages. When the tank believes the party will down the target very soon, a switch should be made to the next target to be attacked. This allows a head start in aggro generation, which is useful in the event of unexpected critical strikes by the party or when frost shock is resisted by the target.
In order to maintain enough mana to continue to use frost shock, utilize water shield as often as possible, unless a restoration shaman is your healer, as this will overwrite the Earth Shield healing spell. Try to time shocks so that they're used while under the effect of a mana-reducing talent, such as Shamanistic Focus or Elemental Focus. Also, always be sure that the mana spring totem is in effect.
Utilize totems that counter strengths of the particular target. This includes the totems that add resistence to a specific elemental damage type, Grounding Totem, and Tremor Totem. Tremor totem and/or the PvP trinket is a must for any target that can cause fear effects.
Raiding (and Crushing Blows)
Generally, a shaman looking to fill the tank role in a raid will have to accept duties in an off-tank capacity. This is primarily due to the fact that shamans are forced to eat crushing blows from raid bosses like druid tanks, but without the high armor or stamina that protects that class. There is currently no way to raise a shaman's avoidance high enough to prevent crushing blows effectly like the warriors or paladins can. With enough stamina, however, anything is theoretically possible, so don't be afraid to make the effort -- just be sure the raid you're with understands the risks!
Recommended Interface Add-ons
- A threat meter (such as KLH Threat Meter or Omen)
- A totem management system (such as Totemus)
- A Windfury/Stormstrike/Elemental Shock cooldown tracker
Useful Links
Cherokey's Shaman Tanking Guide, inspiration for many points listed above and pioneer in the art of Shamatanking
