[Guide] Gearing for T4 Content as a Resto Shaman

[Phaase]

Welcome to my guide, here we will discuss gearing for Tier 4 25man raids, as a Resto Shaman. I have raided up to 5/9 BT, so to a certain degre i know what i'm talking about. If you find anything incorrect about this, dont hessitate to tell me.


Tips
The skill you will be mainlyis Chain Heal, to maximize heals per mana, you should be using a ranked down Chail Heal. Even for single target healing its the most Heals per Mana. When healing a tank you should always Chain Heal because chances are your melee DPS wont be on full HP, so you will get heals on them as well.




Resto Shaman Specs
Now, There are a lot of different specs, how ever i'll be going over the most effective one.

1.0/7/54 - Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft
This is a very nice spec, basic raid build with an added instant ghost wolf, because hey, lets face it, who doesnt want instant ghost wolf.

Stats
Now the key stats you should be going for are (in order of most important) +Heals, MP5, Haste and INT. Obviously Haste isnt going to be an issue with people only gearing for kara, because there is not enough sockets and no gems to allow for enough stacking of haste.

+Heals, This is by far the most useful stat for obvious reasons. This stat directly effects your shamans healing out put, so all your enchants should be going towords this.

MP5, This stat is going to also reflect directly on your healing out put, because it allows you to gain more mana which will keep you healing for the longest amount of time possible.

Haste, the more of it the better, it basicly speeds up your casting. But you shouldn't really stack this untill you can maintain at least 2200 +Heals, which i dont think you could get if you were prepairing for T4 n_n

Int, this is a very useful stat for shamans, as it transfers into +Heals as well. The more the better, you should aim for a mana pool of about 10k Unbuffed, but it isn't that important if you can't manage that.

Enchants/Gems
Now, There aren't a huge range of enchants so ill just go over what you need.

Helm: [Glyph of Renewal]
Sholder: [Greater Inscription of Faith] Greater Inscription of the Oracle]
Cloak: -
Chest: [Enchant Chest - Expetional Mana]
Bracer: [Enchant Bracer - Superior Healing]
Weapon: [Enchant Weapon - Major Healing]
Shield: [Enchant Shield - Intellect
Gloves: [Enchant Gloves - Major Healing]
Legs: [Golden Spellthread]
Boots: [Enchant Boots - Vitality]
Rings: Enchant Ring - Healing Power]


Now for gems, your going to want either of these in any slot.
[Teardrop Crimson Spinel]
[Royal Shadowsong Ametherst]

They are really the only 2 gems you should be using, Obviously if you can't afford those, you can go for the blue versions.
[Teardrop Living Ruby]
[Royal Nightseye]

Gear Recmendations

This has been copyed from http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2007/...commendations/ . I copyed because i didnt feel it would be worth writing out myself.

Head

Living Dragonscale Helm (+81 Heaing, 14 Mana Per 5): It’s a craftable item made by Leatherworkers with a 365 skill which is bind on equip. It’s quite costly but you’ll be using this head piece for a while. The required materials to create it are:

* 6x Heavy Knothide Leather
* 28x Nether Dragonscales
* 12x Primal Life
* 12x Primal Mana
* 1x Primal Nether

The pattern is also a random world drop.

Headdress of the Tides (73 Heaing, 9 Mana Per 5): If you’re unwilling to acquire all the materials to create the above Helm, you can try your hand at running Heroic Underbog repeatedly until you get this. You’re looking at Ghaz’ran, the hydra boss in the middle so set aside a good portion of your time for it.

Neck (Recycled from Priest Page)

Necklace of Eternal Hope (+48 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): This one will set you back about 25 heroic badges. If you don’t think you’re geared properly enough for heroics yet, then try the next one which is a little longer to get.

Natasha’s Guardian Cord (+55 Healing, 6 Mana Per 5): You can get this neckpiece from Blade’s Edge Mountains. It’s at the end of a ridiculously long chain quest which starts when you find a Mask on the Ground that you hear voices from. The 9th step in the quest will reward you with this decent neck.

Shoulder

Pauldrons of Surging Mana (No Healing, 13 Mana Per 5): Check the Auction House as you are levelling up. You might be able to snag these discount shoulders for a good price before you work your way up to something better. I picked up my Shoulders for about 17 Gold. They’re not very popular, so expect a slightly lower price. But that will depend on your server population.

Various PvP Shoulders: Just bite the bullet and either do some Arena’s or general BG PvP. The next decent upgrade you can acquire will be in Karazhan. Otherwise, your option is…

Mantle of the Sea Wolf (+51 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): Ugh. Heroic Mana Tombs. Kill Tavarok.

Back

White Remedy Cape (59 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5): Easiest cape you can possibly get. It’s a tailoring BoE blue. The pattern itself is a world drop. If you put a tell in trade chat, hopefully you’ll be able to find someone who can create it on your server. It’s Level 69 so you can start shopping for it a little earlier. If you’re on Ner’Zhul, look up Mallet and I can craft it for you. Here’s the mats requirement:

* 6 Bolt of Imbued Netherweave
* 6 Primal Life

Chest

Void Slayer’s Tunic (+88 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): This one requires a group quest to complete. You need to complete a fairly long quest chain which involves killing Dimensius the All-Devouring way out in Netherstorm.

Earthpeace Breastplate (+92 Healing, 16 Mana Per 5): A slight edge in healing and twice the mana per 5 as the Void Slayer’s Tunic gives the one the slight edge. Unfortunately, this chest piece has no stats on it. I highly recommend using this one in environments where you know you won’t take a lot of damage, or if you do minimal at best.

Bracer

Primal Surge Bracers (+37 Healing, 6 Mana Per 5): You can get these from the last boss in Black Morass, Aeonus himself. Expect multiple runs. But it might be better off…

Veteran Ringmail Bracers (+42 Healing, No Mana Per 5): …For you to spend a day or two grinding out Alterac Valley or some other Battleground and pick up these instead.

Gloves

Fathomheart Gauntlets (+55 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5): The last boss in normal Steamvaults, Kalithresh drops these gloves. Again, these ones may take a while to pick up just because he’s a pain to get to.

Belt

Stillwater Girdle (+53 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): Ugh, Resto Shamans really don’t have it easy when it comes to gear do they? This one comes from of Heroic Mana Tombs of all places. Furthermore, you have to clear all the way to the end and kill Nexus-Prince Shaffar to pick it up.

Pants

Oceansong Kilt (+84 Healing, No Mana Per 5): The Reinforced Chest you get after dropping Vazruden and Nazan will have a chance to reveal these pair of pants.

Feet

Wavefury Boots (+55 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): The last thing you need from a heroic instance will be the easiest to get out of all the ones listed. Chances are, it will be super easy for you to find groups to go into Heroic Slave Pens and kill Rockmar.
Rings

Keeper’s Ring of Piety (+42 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5): This one’s easy to get. If you’ve been following your Karazhan attunements, then you will have this one by now. The Quest is given by Sa’at in the Caverns of time after you’ve completed Hero of the Brood.

Ring of Convalescence (+57 Heaing, 4 Mana Per 5): Requires you to be Revered with Honor Hold (Or Thrallmar). Will cut into your gold pouch with a price of about 18G. Pick it up from the Quartermaster.

Trinkets

Lower City Prayerbook (+70 Healing): Yeah the on use effect sucks. But just look at the passive ability! Besides, -22 mana isn’t that bad. Any mana saved is mana that can be used later. Think of endurance fights. Think of how often you you will use it and think of what that mana can be used for later. Requires a Revered Reputation with Lower City (Shadow Labs loves you). Remember that this item isn’t unique so you can pick up two of them.

Scarab of the Infinite Cycle (+70 Healing): Spell haste rating is cool. It makes your spells go faster. Too bad it requires running Black Morass a couple of times.

Weapons (1 Hand))

The Essence Focuser (+227 Heaing, 11 Mana Per 5): Scout your local auction house as it is a world drop. Unfortunautely, no stats.

Gavel of Pure Light (+299 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): Do lots of Mechanar runs to increase your rep. You need Exalted to be able to buy this from the Quartermaster. This will really make your wallet hurt with a near 192G cost. If you’re lucky, you might be able to get Hammer of the Penitent to drop off of the Mechano-Lord in Mech. Either way, you’ll get a good mace to use.

Shield (Off hand)

Crystal Pulse Shield (+35 Healing, 6 Mana Per 5): Check your Auction House for this other great BoE drop. It’s a great early shield and will last you before you upgrade to the one from Chess.

Totems

Totem of the Plains (+79 Healing): Note that the increase in healing is only applied when you cast Lesser Healing Wave. Once you kill Tusker and turn in the quest, it should be a no brainer to pick up this reward.

Totem of Spontaneous Regrowth (+88 Healing): The increase in healing is applied after you cast Healing Wave. To get it, you’ll be wanting to visit Mennu the Betrayer in Heroic Slave Pens.

Tips for Totems in Kara

Karazhan

Prince: Give the tank Grace of Air since the Prince hits hard and can do burst damage.

Nightbane
Tremor: Will break Bellowing Roar (fear). You can stand at max healing range to avoid it.
Stoneclaw: Works on the skeletons
Earth Elemental: Works on the skeletons
Earthbind: Works on skeletons

Illhoof
Fire Elemental: Use to AOE the imps.
Earth Shield: Put on the warlock or mage who is AOEing the imps to reduce spell pushback.

Netherspite
Healing Stream: Drop at the end of the portal phase while you still have the +healing buff from the green beam.

Searing Totem:Aggro resets at the end of the banish phase. If a Searing totem was down during the banish phase, Netherspite will attack it and give your tank time to get control of the boss. A Searing Totem can also be dropped before the banish phase and used to tank Netherspite during the banish phase (assuming your raid does no DPS to Netherspite while banished).

Aran
Grounding: Absorbs Aran’s Frostbolts (3500-3400), Fireball (3910-5290) and Arcane Missiles (6300-7700 total) from Aran. Also absorbs water bolts from the Elementals (1000-2000)
Earthshock: Interrupts Aran’s Frostbolts, Fireballs and Arcane Missiles. You can't interrupt his Pyroblast.

Maiden
Grounding: Absorbs Holy Fire
Searing: She will target your searing totem instead of a player. Totem is destroyed. She does not target other totems (such as mana spring, etc.)
PVP trinket: Will not work to break Repentence

Wizard of Oz
Fire Elemental: Extremely effective on Strawman, who gets disoriented after taking fire damage
Searing totem: Will disorient Strawman
Magma: Does not work on Strawman beyond the first pulse
Frost Resist: Dorothee casts Water Bolt (2025-2475)
Tremor: Breaks Dorothee fear
Earth Shock: Will not work on Dorothee’s Water Bolt

Big Bad Wolf
Tremor: Breaks fear (Terrifying Howl)

Romulo and Julianne
Earth Shock: Interrupts her heal (Eternal Affection)
Earth Shock: Inerrupts her stun (powerful attraction). Best one to not interrupt
Earth Shock: Interrupts her holy damage (blinding passion ~6000)
Purge: Removes her Devoation (increased damage)

Remove Poison: Removes his Poisoned Thrust (which stacks)
Purge: Removes his Daring (increased damage)

Moroes
Poison Cleansing: Removes the Blind he casts on a target in melee range. If you are an enhancement shaman and no one else in the raid can remove poison, you MUST have this totem down since he could blind you. Resto and Elemental shamans can stand further away to avoid being blinded. Be quick to remove the poison from the tank because if the off-tank is gouged, he will run rampant on your healers.

Purge: Will remove any buffs cast by the paladins on Moroes

Earthbind: Slows the adds

Earth Shock: Interrupts the Mana Burn of Baronesss Dorothea Millstipe (shadow priest).

Trash

Spectral Stallion (before Attuneman)
Purge: Removes the buff the horse gets from the debuff Absorb Vitality

Spectral Charger (before Attunman)
Tremor: Removes Howl of Terror (fear)
Also note he charges the farthest player so don’t back up too far

Concubine (before Maiden)
Tremor: Breaks her Temptation (seduce)
Please note that the auras of the Wanton Hostess are not purgeable

Skeletal Usher (before opera)
Grounding: Will Absorb Ice Tomb but the ushers will still de-aggro off the tank targeted

Spectral Performer (before opera)
Grounding: Absorbs Bad Poetry
Tremor: Removes Bad Poetry
Fire Protection: Reduces damage from Curtain Call (2775-3225)

Trapped Soul (before Curator)
Frost Resist: Can resist Cone of Cold attack



The Following has been copyed from "Skyhoof" of Elitest Jerks

FAQ
1. Which gear is better? X or Y?
2. Should I choose Aldor or Scryer?
3. Who should I Earth Shield?
4. How much +healing and mp5 do I need for a heroic or Kara?
5. Can I make a macro to drop four totems at once?
6. Can I make a macro to remove poison and disease with one button?
7. Do Healing Stream and Mana Stream stack? What about…
8. How do I heal in the arena and battlegrounds?
9. Is the necklace I get from being exalted with the Shatter Sun any good for Aldor/Scryer?

1. Which gear is better? X or Y?

For a simple comparison, go to Loot Rank. Enter the stat weights for your level that I give in this post. The only items that it won't rank correctly are trinkets and I have a whole section in this post about healing trinkets.

2. Should I choose Aldor or Scryer?
For the purpose of healing, it makes absolutely no difference. What does matter is that you become exalted with that faction so you have access to the best shoulder enchant.

3. Who should I Earth Shield?

During raids, I have cast my Earth Shield on every single class. Normally, I put it on a tank or off-tank who will take constant damage. However, sometimes the tank is getting so many heals that it’s more effective to use it on another player. And remember it will give casters an additional 30% chance to ignore spell interruption. I often Earth Shield mages and warlocks when they AOE trash. I sometimes use it on a hunter who will be kiting mobs out of range of healers. And sometimes I put it on myself or another healer when we pull aggro on trash.

Casters: Moonkin, Elemental Shaman and Shadow Priests have no talents to prevent spell pushback, which can sharply reduce their DPS in some fights. They will benefit the most from Earth Shield to boost DPS. Destruction warlocks have 70% resistance with talents. Elemental shaman with four pieces of Season 3 arena gear (Vengeful Gladiator) get 50% resistance on lightning bolts.

Mages have talents to reduce spell pushback in both the fire and arcane trees.

* Arcane mages have a first-tier talent to gives 100% resistance to spell pushback on Arcane Missiles.
* Fire mages have a third-tier talent that gives 70% resistance to spell pushback on all fire spells.
* There are no talents to reduce spell pushback on frost spells.
* With two pieces of Tier 4, any mage will have 100% spell pushback resistance on Frostbolt and Fireball spells.


Tanks: All paladins have a passive ability called Spiritual Attunement that restores mana equal to 10% of the healing they receive. Since Patch 2.1.0, they have received mana back from the healing done by Earth Shield (and Prayer of Mending). Each point of mana restored generates 0.5 threat.

4. How much +healing and mp5 should I have?

It depends on the make-up of your group. How many healers do you have? How fast do you usually kill a boss? Here are some (unbuffed) ranges:

Pre-Kara
Health 5000-6000
Mana: 7000-8000
Mp5 while casting: 115-145
Healing: 1200-1500

Tier 4
Health: 7000-7800
Mana: 8500-9600
Mp5 while casting: 125-150
Healing: 1750-2000

Tier 5
Health: 7500-8200
Mana: 9000-10,000
Mp5: 150-200
Healing: 1900-2100

Tier 6
Health: 8500-8700
Mana: 9500-10,500
Mp5: 150-300
Healing: 2000-2300
Haste: 0-200


5. Can I make a macro to drop four totems at once?
No. You can click one button four times and it will go through a cast sequence and drop four different totems.

6. Can I make a macro to remove poison and disease with one button?
No. However, there will be a talent in the resto tree in Wrath of the Lich King that will allow you to cleanse poisons, diseases and curses with one spell. For the moment, you can bind poison to one key and use a modify to make that same key when used with shift, control, alt remove disease. You can also use /castrandom if you can live with the limitations (see Macro section).

7. Do Healing Stream and Mana Stream stack? What about…
Healing: Yes
Mana: No
Mana Spring stacks with the Paladin’s Blessing of Wisdom
Tranquil Air stacks with the Paladin’s Blessing of Salvation (total of 44% threat reduction)
Healing Focus' spell interruption protection of 70% stacks with the Paladin's Aura of Concentration (35%) to provide 100% spell pushback protection (105% technically). This is one of the few mechanics in the game that is additive rather than multiplicative.

In conclusion, you should be going for Heroic/PvP Gear obviously you should be aiming for the Sunwell Badge gear as it is T6 equiv, Stacking +Heals & MP5 to begin with, no gear will have haste at this level so theres no need. You should be using Chain Heal, Ranked down one (I believe its rank 12) as this is the most Heals per mana. Gem for +heals/mp5 or just +heals. Generally I watershield my self for the MP5, and Earth Shield a tank or someone who will be taking heavy damage.


Now i'll update this if I see something wrong, But thats mainly it. If theres anything you would like help with dont hesitate to ask me.
Thankyou for reading my guide and I hope it helped someone

[Fadelol]

I just read through this quickly but I can see at least one bit missing. You say the guide is "Gearing for T4 content" yet it completely lacks a gear list. The other thing that strikes me is that you without trying to back it up claim that healing enchants and int enchants are better than the mana regen enchants on bracers and chest. Would you care to elaborate on that? Because as a shaman you will want a certain amount of mp5 from gear to completely skip the enchants giving mp5. At the very least I think you should bring them up as alternatives should you feel that you run out of mana too quickly .

As for haste and shamans, it's really not worth getting haste at all before you have items to boost your haste. You touched this but I think you should make it more clear .

Anyways, it is not a bad guide( I would change the colours though ) but it is seriously lacking a gear section.

[spike999]

I noticed that too... i was just about to +Rep you, but i realized all you did was say enchants/gems, and advice on how to do it.

[Phaase]

Okay i just added the recomened gear,
anything else?

sorry this is my first guide :/