[Peren]

Hello all! I'm a newcomer, so please bear with me if these questions have already been asked *blush*

I'm looking for a fun healing support class that is a good benefit to a group. Not to much interested in soloing (I'll be playing with my boyfriend who is rolling a dreadknight) and shaman caught my eye.

From what I've read, it seems that cleric and disciple are considered the most powerful, but I wanted to shy away from the norm and play something a little different. Pretty much, I'm just wanting to verify that shaman is a good choice for a group healer...unless anyone who's been playing thinks they're nerfed all to hell and not to waste my time with them.

Thanks in advance! And I look forward to seeing you all ingame!

oh btw, any particular race that seems to be a stand out combination with this class?

[Multiplex]

Originally Posted by Peren

Hello all! I'm a newcomer, so please bear with me if these questions have already been asked *blush*

I'm looking for a fun healing support class that is a good benefit to a group. Not to much interested in soloing (I'll be playing with my boyfriend who is rolling a dreadknight) and shaman caught my eye.

From what I've read, it seems that cleric and disciple are considered the most powerful, but I wanted to shy away from the norm and play something a little different. Pretty much, I'm just wanting to verify that shaman is a good choice for a group healer...unless anyone who's been playing thinks they're nerfed all to hell and not to waste my time with them.

Thanks in advance! And I look forward to seeing you all ingame!

oh btw, any particular race that seems to be a stand out combination with this class?

I have a shaman I enjoy playing it very much. You get a couple of powerful single target DoTs, medium power nukes, and a great melee skill to supplment your magic damage. 30% run speed at level 8 means that you can outrun bad situations without blowing sprint (which is on a 5 min timer) and you can kite hard mobs. If you do start one don't get discouraged early, the game changes for Shamans at level 15 whenever they get to chose their totem, which grants them a bunch of really sweet class abilities when in their totem. When not in totem form they can also summon their totem pet.

One thing about Disc and Cleric atm is that they are kind of FOTM (flavor of the month) and a lot of people are already crying nerf... look for the nerf bat to hit them soon. I think Shaman is in a stable state in the game so it probably won't change much at all.. at least you know what you're signing up for.

[Peren]

Originally Posted by Multiplex

I have a shaman I enjoy playing it very much. You get a couple of powerful single target DoTs, medium power nukes, and a great melee skill to supplment your magic damage. 30% run speed at level 8 means that you can outrun bad situations without blowing sprint (which is on a 5 min timer) and you can kite hard mobs. If you do start one don't get discouraged early, the game changes for Shamans at level 15 whenever they get to chose their totem, which grants them a bunch of really sweet class abilities when in their totem. When not in totem form they can also summon their totem pet.

One thing about Disc and Cleric atm is that they are kind of FOTM (flavor of the month) and a lot of people are already crying nerf... look for the nerf bat to hit them soon. I think Shaman is in a stable state in the game so it probably won't change much at all.. at least you know what you're signing up for.

Thanks so much! I'm about to grab the game now....any thoughts by the way on racial ? And! I've been reading about totems...of the three, wolf bear or phoenix, what seems to be a pretty good choice? Insofar as long term gameplay goes? (I tend to pick a game and stick with it for the long haul, and don't do a lot of alts so any info on this would be most appreciated).

[Magpie]

I've just started my shaman, so take this with a grain of salt, but think about what play style you enjoy and plan according to that. It seems to me that the bear form is more tankish, the wolf form is more melee damage, and the phoenix form is for casters. All 3 choices are viable, although the phoenix needs a little work, according to posts on the shaman board. As to race, pick a face you like and go with that. In these games usually stats don't mean much, it's all about the gear. I don't find the shaman overpowered at all, compared to some classes, but they are just right in a duo or group

One thing you might want to consider is that for some races, travel is not so easy at low levels. You might find it convenient for you and your BF to choose the same race.

[Dradiin]

Originally Posted by Peren

Hello all! I'm a newcomer, so please bear with me if these questions have already been asked *blush*

I'm looking for a fun healing support class that is a good benefit to a group. Not to much interested in soloing (I'll be playing with my boyfriend who is rolling a dreadknight) and shaman caught my eye.

From what I've read, it seems that cleric and disciple are considered the most powerful, but I wanted to shy away from the norm and play something a little different. Pretty much, I'm just wanting to verify that shaman is a good choice for a group healer...unless anyone who's been playing thinks they're nerfed all to hell and not to waste my time with them.

Thanks in advance! And I look forward to seeing you all ingame!

oh btw, any particular race that seems to be a stand out combination with this class?

Ahh the Shaman....

If most players knew all there extensive abilities i think the nerf bat would be whistling towards our heads soon.

Think on this, as a bear specced (lvl 17) shaman i can... (long list) Heal, Root, DoT, DD, Rez, Tank (yes my armor in bear form is huge just don't hold agg very well), Summon a pet, Buff STR/CON, Buff Speed, Buff Energy, Buff Melee Attk Power, Water Breathing, Do Melee dmg on par with any Defensive fighter, Cast an orb to give to players so they can rez me (can save grps from wipes), and last but not least i can summon party members to me while inside dungeons.

Our heals are jsut as good as Clerics. If you go 1 hand with shield you take minimal melee dmg.

So there ya go, if you go Shaman might i suggest go bear, there amazing.

[Blackmoon]

Shamans are great, but if you want to "shy away from the norm" they are not the best class. They are very popular to play. I was in a group yesterday with 3 shamans. However I see even more clerics (on Tharridon). There are far fewer bloodmages and disciples are at the bottom of all classes for popularity, though that may be changing as people see how good they are.

Shamans and Druids are the best "jack of all trades" classes in the game, shamans if you want to be primarily a healer, druid if you want to be more offensive.

Bear shamans seem the most powerful combatants to me at the moment, though hayatet gets an energy regen which is obviously a huge boon for healing. Rakurr has most travel utility with 30% bonus speed and stealth at lv25. O I should add both bear and wolf means you spend alot of time meleeing. Hayatet is the sit-back-at-range and blast style shaman.

Enjoy.

[Bamilus]

If you ever played EQ 1, Shamans are a lot like those but a lot better at healing. You get pets, pet forms, great DoT's, really good heals, speed buff (think SoW), really good buffs, and a lot more. Great overall rounded class and a great healer. You'll enjoy playing one. We can also solo very well, especially once we get our pet.

[nickademas]

Very much enjoying my Goblin Shaman.
Still torn tween wolf and bear and the time to choose is fast approaching.

[Specter]

Originally Posted by Bamilus

If you ever played EQ 1, Shamans are a lot like those but a lot better at healing.

A lot better at healing, and they can actually melee. The difference in melee between eq1 shamen and vanguard shamen is major.

[Taffy]

Originally Posted by Specter

A lot better at healing, and they can actually melee. The difference in melee between eq1 shamen and vanguard shamen is major.

I played a phoenix in beta and loved it, but after getting a taste of warrior in beta, wanted that too. So, I got wolf for release.

Not only melee, but travel speed.

Shaman were revamped in beta and received some abilities that they were sorely lacking. Now we have buffs, faster healing abilities and two special hammer attacks. Used to be you'd roll a shaman and die several times within the first level.

They're lots of fun. If you are a magic user, go Phoenix. If you enjoy melee, go Rakurr. And if you like tanking, go Turgin. Check out the website at vanguardshaman.com

It's fun levelling to ten. At ten to 14, just stay with it. You'll get there and then at fifteen, get your patron.

Then the fun really starts

[hawkeye_pierce2]

Originally Posted by Peren

Hello all! I'm a newcomer, so please bear with me if these questions have already been asked *blush*

I'm looking for a fun healing support class that is a good benefit to a group. Not to much interested in soloing (I'll be playing with my boyfriend who is rolling a dreadknight) and shaman caught my eye.

From what I've read, it seems that cleric and disciple are considered the most powerful, but I wanted to shy away from the norm and play something a little different. Pretty much, I'm just wanting to verify that shaman is a good choice for a group healer...unless anyone who's been playing thinks they're nerfed all to hell and not to waste my time with them.

Thanks in advance! And I look forward to seeing you all ingame!

oh btw, any particular race that seems to be a stand out combination with this class?

Are you cute? Just teasing (mostly). Enjoy Vanguard, lucky guy that boyfriend of yours

[ZNICK]

Originally Posted by hawkeye_pierce2

Are you cute? Just teasing (mostly). Enjoy Vanguard, lucky guy that boyfriend of yours

No wonder most women don't tell anyone that they're female.

Z

[hawkeye_pierce2]

Originally Posted by ZNICK

No wonder most women don't tell anyone that they're female.

Z

lol, touche.

[crank]

I skipped over what others said so this might just be repetitive, but nevertheless here is my opinion. Im currently 21 shm, I chose the bear patron as it seemed to give me more options for soloing. Now from all my group adventures I am very welcomed in my groups, normally known more as a DD and a backup healer then a main healer. But i do kep gear on me for main healing if needed. As for soloing or tanking, talking to everyone in my LS I can pretty much solo anything someone else could at the same level. And I usually kill whatever it is much faster making it easier to solo grind for exp.

The main reason for this is in bear form you gain so much atk, str, def you kill very fast, and can take hits well also. Putting in perspective I can solo 3, 3 dots of the same level or 1 above at the same time. Granted I will prolly be close to zero mana at the end of this but I wont die or have to run. Some people say the bear shaman is over powered but the truth is at some levels we are, because the str is a % add its a flat amount so when we first get the form it adds alot compared to the low stats we currently have, as you level you start becoming less powerful as the overall stats raise.

If you chose shaman Im sure you will love it, its a wonderful class. If you need more information on shaman try http://www.vanguardshaman.com/

[Slyde_Rule]

I love playing a Shaman (Vulmane, level 16 Rakuur).

I solo 90% of the time, do a lot of quests, and have only died 19 times in 16 levels. (1300+ kills)

The 170% run speed I have as a Vulmane Rakuur lets me escape if I get in over my head. Most of my deaths have been while in a group (because I never bail then).

Shaman is a fun class, easy to solo, and easy to find a group.