Shaman Tank Raid Guide - Serious Look at Shaman Tanking

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I’m Caperfin. Got questions? see my Livestream: www.twitch.tv/caperfin

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Intro: Can Shamans tank in Vanilla? The short and to the point answer is, yes. You might be rubbing your eyes right now in disbelief of this answer. Perhaps concocting up an entire four page manifesto around how only warriors can and should tank. Although, I could go on a long rant about how there are many other classes that can tank, today, I will be focusing on our totemic friend, the shaman.

Caperfin's Shaman Tank

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Video: Tank Races - Video Explanation
You’ll be staring at your character for a long time. So, consider your character’s appearance as a key factor as it may entice you to play more. All races have assets but they’re minor compared to other aspects. There is no wrong race. See Video to learn more about race options.


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Video: Professions
Engineering for: Goblin Sapper Charge, Masterwork Target Dummy, Force Reactive Disk,
Gnomish Battle Chicken, etc… It also helps if party engineers use Gnomish Battle Chicken since Battle Squawk stacks to 25%. As a second profession, pick an easy or high gold generating one, this helps you buy powerful potions.


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Video: Tank Threat - YouTube
We can increase threat in many ways, notably: Earth Shock, Stormstrike, Rockbiter Weapon & Lightning Shield. Install a threat tracking addon, ex: ThreatClassic2. Consumable items deal threat, ex: Major Rejuvenation Potion based on half of the Health & Mana gained. Damage items, ex: Goblin Sapper Charge deals threat equal to the damage so do reflective Buffs, ex: Thorns. Lastly, certain items ex: Gift of Arthas deal threat each time their Debuff is triggered. (see the Threat List).

Video: Ally Threat
Allies can reduce their threat, through items, ex: Fetish of the Sand Reaver. Mage have: Burning Soul. Shaman: Tranquil Air Totem. Rogue and Hunter wipe threat with Vanish & Feign Death and so can Flask of Petrification. Items prevent aggro: Limited Invulnerability Potion & redirect aggro Masterwork Target Dummy (taunts the mob). Classes in the 30-40 yard range won’t get aggro t'ill they surpass the threat level of the mob’s current target by 30%, as opposed to 10% for melee classes. (see More)


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Video: Totems
Totems can’t deal threat for you. Common totems: Grace of Air Totem, Stoneskin Totem & Healing Stream Totem. AoE Tanking: Stoneclaw Totem followed by Fire Nova Totem. To learn more about totems, see the Video.


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Video: Tank Talents
The talent setup (16/35/0) has steady threat per second for raids & excels on short fights.


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Video: youtube.com/watch?v=aNHiqdqbKUg
  1. Pre-Pull: Cast Lightning Shield. Get all Buffs the group can give. Cast Rockbiter Weapon. Place: Stoneskin Totem, Grace of Air Totem & Healing Stream Totem. Mark the mobs in front of you by right-clicking their portrait, pick Raid Target Icon, pick from either a Skull = kill first, a red X = kill second, a blue square = Freezing Trap or a moon = Polymorph.
  2. Pulling: Cast Lightning Bolt, followed by as many Lightning Bolt possible to trigger, Elemental Focus. Lastly, Earth Shock.
  3. Combat: For raids, use Nat Pagle's Broken Reel to assure the first few Earth Shocks hit. In a fight, use relevant ranks of Earth Shock that suits your mana & threat. Stormstrike can’t be downranked but is also used in similar cases. If Lightning Shield expires, cast it. If you suddenly might die, equip a defensive weapon, ex: Spineshatter w/Enchant Weapon - Agility & Rockbiter Weapon, use Masterwork Target Dummy (taunts boss), use Juju Escape, possibly Major Healthstone & Major Rejuvenation Potion. To learn more, see the Video.
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Video: Buffs
There’s a max of 32 Buffs, avoid nearing the max as it may result in Buffs getting pushed off, the addon: Buff Cap Tracker helps. Use Buff Cap Calc to see what Buffs stack. Prioritize getting defensive Buffs, ex: Elixir of Fortitude before getting Threat Buffs, ex: Juju Might. Here's a detailed (List of Buffs).


Video: Debuffs
A max of 16 Debuffs can be on a mob. Reaching the max is major in raids. There’s defensive Debuffs: Insect Swarm & threat Debuffs: Faerie Fire among others. To learn more, see the Video. With the raid leader’s consent, suggest ideal Debuffs without overstepping. We can apply Gift of Arthas & Stormstrike.


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Video: Gear - Youtube
Cement defensive stats when gearing, threat is second. It’s advised to get 4k HP & 5k Armor unbuffed for Molten Core. Blackwing Lair, ~4800 to 5k HP and 6500-7k Armor. For reliable threat, 3% melee Hit is advised for dungeons. For Raid tanking, 4% Melee Hit. See the Gear List. You can only equip a weapon & shield in combat, enabling the swap to a defensive weapon, ex: Spineshatter, if survival seems grim.


Video: Enchants
There are two types of enchants, defensive, ex: Enchant Gloves - Superior Agility. And offensive, ex: Enchant Gloves - Threat. See the extensive List of Enchants.


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Video: AoE Tanking
Many actions can further solidify AoE cases, ex: Oil of Immolation, Force Reactive Disk, Thorns etc… It’s crucial to switch and attack another target ever so often. (see a full List). In combat, items & spells giving health or mana deal 50% threat divided by each mob. Items also help until a decent amount of threat is gained on all mobs, ex: Masterwork Target Dummy.


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Video: Raid Comp
With the raid leader’s consent, offer an ideal raid comp without overstepping. In our group, Warlock: Blood Pact, Warrior: Battle Shout, Shadow Priest: Vampiric Embrace, Resto Shaman: Mana Tide Totem. To learn more, see the Group/Raid Comp List. For damage dealing classes, we prefer ranged classes over melee. If melee are needed, rogues are best.


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Warden Discord: discord.gg/CJ6c893y5h
Shaman Tank Youtube: youtube.com/caperfin
Shaman Tank Gameplay: twitch.tv/caperfin

Burning Crusade Shaman Tank

Melee Hunter DPS only:
 
Last edited:
Shaman tank guide has been updated, let me know what you think. Also in the process of creating the TBC Shaman Tank Guide.
 
OP here,

Guide is now reflective of Phase6.
Thanks for the feedback, it's especially important as I prepare the Burning Crusade Shaman Tank guide. Also feel free to ask me questions about TBC shaman tanking.
 
Good luck convincing the masses that you can tank on a shaman. You will be laughed at and ridiculed, hell you can barely get into a raid on a ret paladin or balance druid. For anyone who wants to maintank as an enhancement shaman in classic wow or tbc may god have mercy on your soul.

Also I like the idea of shaman tanks it sounds very interesting to me and this guide is very well written, but as someone has said I trust a blueberry more than a shaman lol.
 
I am not interested in convincing the masses, any half-experienced players will know a shaman can tank. There's plethora of videos of shaman tanking on youtube and proof out there, if that's not enough convincing, I don't know what is.

Voidwalkers are substantially weaker in every aspect compared to shaman tank.

If you'd like me to answer a specific questions of yours, drop by the stream.
 
Shaman Tank Guide has been updated!

I'm also working on the Burning Crusade Shaman Tank guide.
If you have any questions, feel free to let me know.
 
This guide will continue to be updated with changes happening on the Classic-era realms. Be sure to stay tune for my upcoming TBC shaman tank guide.
 
Guide has been updated.

- Added Suffering to the Debuff list.
- Refined the Stat priority on gear.
- Added a 2handed weapon progression (yes it's a thing).
- Blacksmithing recently discovered to be the 2nd best Profession.
and much more!

If you have questions, please let me know.
Feedback is welcomed.
 
Shaman tanking worked up until cata came around pretty much, then they zoinked all the threat out of their abilities :(

I shammy tanked ICC 25m at the end of wotlk, sure everyone was geared up but it was still fun as hell
that cant be right, shamans dont have any threat talents in 3.x
i mean, if you have enough hunters/rogues, anything can tank but yea
 
Shaman tanks were in wotlk, thats true.
The last I heard of them tanking was Trial of the Crusader, and it was viable.
ICC would have been hard but I can't doubt that seeing as they were able to tank most fights up till then. The raid comp an strategy changes needed made most people go for real tanks so it was taboo

Quick Google search brings up multiple vids from '09
 
normals its w/e but any hardmode/heroic, good fucking luck
 
Shaman tanking worked up until cata came around pretty much, then they zoinked all the threat out of their abilities

I have yet to do intensive research on Cata shaman tanking, so I can't say anything definitive, but I can advocate for Shaman Tank legitimacy in Wotlk. The discoveries over the years that have improved Wotlk Shaman tanking have been massive (more threat, more survival, etc.) incomparable to how it was in Original Wotlk.
 
as some1 whos all but beat 3.x endgame, i can assure you that it's :OMEGALUL:
 

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