Shaman Totem Guide

[Bossman4]

Ok just to let everyone know this is NOT my guide i did copy it from another site. Only doing this to contribute to our forums.

A) Totem Types

Totems come in four different elemental flavours:

Earth - These totems are usually protective, but there is also a useful strength buffing totem here! The most used ones (at least by my lvl 60 shaman) are; Strength of Earth ( +strength in nearby area) Stoneskin (reduces melee damage) Stoneclaw (taunts mobs away - great for escapes!) and Earthbind (slows enemy move speed - stops them escaping!)

Fire - These totems are offensive, acting as a source of extra damage! These include Searing Totem (ranged fire attack) Magma Totem (area effect fire damage) Fire Nova (a one shot AE "nuke" totem) and Flametongue Totem (gives allies in area the Flametongue weapon buff)

Water - These are support totems, including Healing Stream (heals over time in an area) & Mana Spring (restores mana over time) Also in this school are Resistance totems to Poison and the Poison Cleansing Totem

Air - these totems have a range of useful effects. There is an agility buff (Grace of Air) and another weapon buffing totem (Windfury totem) There are also Fire resistance totems in this school and the Grounding totem (helps absorb harmul spells)

This list is not exhaustive, there are other useful totems as well! These are just some that I use more frequently!

You can have one totem from each school active at any one time - so up to 4 going at once!

B) Totem Quests

To cast each totem type, you must carry the totem from that school in your inventory! Once you have them all you will always have 4 inventory spaces filled. These totems are earned through completing quests! I'll go through the quests now!

Call of Earth

This quest is picked up in your starting camp at level 4 (Camp Narache in Mulgore for Tauren; Valley of Trials in Durotar for orcs/trolls) For the orcs and trolls the quest is the same, you are given an "Earth Sapta" which will allow you to see otherwise invisible earth elementals. Take this and go to the southwestern corner of the Valley - you will find a path leading up into the hills that is marked by a stone monument. Go up this path until you come to a clearing, then drink the Sapta. You will see a group of earth elementals appear! Talk to the big one in the middle - he will give you a shard to take back to the quest giver in the valley! Once you do you get
your earth totem!

I am not sure about the Tauren version as my shaman is an orc - any of my Tauren bretheren please add to this post (and my knowledge) with the Tauren side of things!

Call of Fire

You get this quest at level 10 by speaking to any Shaman trainer! Most likely for Tauren this will be the shaman trainer in Bloodhoof Village in Mulgore, for orcs/trolls the Shaman trainer in Razor Hill, Durotar! They will direct you to the same person, an orc called Kranal Fiss who can be found at Grol'Dom Farm in The Barrens. This quest is a bit more of a challenge - to do it at 10 you will likely need help, if you want to solo it you can at lvl 12 (some of the mobs you will fight are this level)

This place is a short distance north-east of the Crossroads - for orcs/trolls coming from Durotar, cross the Barrens bridge, keep following the road up the hill to the west. Just before you reach a watch tower at a road junction, turn to the north and you should find the farm buildings!

For Tauren unfortunately the trip is a bit trickier (and longer!) but head east from Bloodhoof and go up into the Barrens. Keep following the road to Camp Taurajo (keep an eye out as the thunder lizards on either side of the road will be much higher level than you at this point!) Once in camp Taurajo, don't forget to speak to the Flight master NPC there (thanks Blizzard for patching him in - the Barrens was a long walk before him!) You will then pass through and at the fork in the road turn NORTH (do not go SOUTH unless you have a death wish) and while in the Southern section of the Barrens (until you come to the bridge) keep to the road - the mobs on either side of the road will again be considerably tougher than you! Go over the bridge and keep following the road northwards until you reach the Crossroads (another flight master here to talk to) Once done here (plenty of quests to pick up here too) head on the northern fork of the road until you reach the road junction with the tower, head east a short way then turn north for the farm!

Once at Kranal Fiss he will send you to a Troll who is found up a mountain in Durotar! Go to Durotar and head south along the riverbank on the Durotar side (watch out for crocs!) The path up the mountain is again marked by a stone and winds around the mountain. Climb to the top and speak with the Troll. He will tell you he will mix the Fire Sapta for you but needs 2 reagents!

The first is Fire Tar, which is dropped by the Razormane spellcasters (quillboars) in the Northern Barrens. Look for the big hill with thorns all over it (called Thorn Hill - duh!) The quillboars are camped all around it. The spell casters are Water seekers, thornweavers and geomancers - the tar is a random drop from one of them! They start at lvl 10 but the harder hitting geomancers are level 12-13 ... also watch out for the patrolling hunters they can ruin your day in a hurry!

The second is a Reagent Pouch, carried by one of the Burning blade spellcasters inside a small cave in the hills of Durotar. Go out the back of Razor Hill past the Warlock trainer and walk northwest trhough the hills - dont drop down into the canyon. You should find the cave above Drygulch Ravine. Fight into the cave (the fighters are lvl 9, the casters lvl 10 and protected by imp pets) One of the casters will drop the pouch.

Take both items back up the mountain to the troll, who mixes the fire sapta for you. You are given a torch you will have to light. Drink the sapta - you will see a lvl 12 fire elemental. Defeat it and light the torch from the brazier. Take the torch back to the troll.. who then sends you back to Kranal Fiss who will give you your fire totem!


Call of Water

This quest is picked up at lvl 20 from the shaman training area in the valley of wisdom in Orgrimmar. But to solo this quest you probably want to be more like level 23-24 as you will fight plenty of mobs of this level!

You are sent to see Islen Waterseer, a female tauren who camps out at the Tidus Stair along the Barrens coast (behind the pirate camps south of Ratchet) There is a big shark hanging up at her camp! She will then send you on to see Brine, who camps up the side of a hill in the Southern Barrens. She is deep in the south (keep heading south along the road past the Field of Giants) Her hill is on the west side of the road, between field of giants and the Quilboar camps of Blackthorn Ridge, overlooking a small pool. The mobs that prowl this area though (a mix of flying serpents, hyenas and thunder lizards) are all 22-24! Getting to her at level 20 I found too difficult! I waited until level 22 to do this quest and it was hard enough then! Here Ghost Wolf is your best friend!

She needs you to collect 3 water samples for her. The first is found from the pool right below her camp - but to get at it you'll have to kill a few mobs! Take it back to Brine.

The second is from the well in the town square of Tarren Mill in Hillsbrad Foothills. Journey there via zeppelin to Undercity from Org, then on foot from Undercity, heading south, through Silverpine Forest (get the flight path at the Sepulcher if don't have it already) then further on into Hillsbrad Foothills. Watch out for the lvl 22-24 lions and bears that may wander near the road and follow the road past Hillsbrad and then take the turning for Tarren Mill. Once there draw the water... get the flight path and fly back to Undercity unless you want to do that trudge again (I do hope by now you've visited the bat master in Undercity!) Again, return to Brine.

The third is from a shrine in southwestern Ashenvale that is protected by level 22-23 water elementals! To get there go north from Crossroads into Ashenvale. At the turning, head east for a moment to pick up the flight path at Splintertree Post if you don't have it!

If you've already done the 'Warsong Reports' quest this helps a lot as you cut out a lot of walking and the need to dodge around Astranaar (the Night elf settlement in the zone that blocks the road) You should have the flight path to Zoram'Gar on the western Ashenvale coast if you have done this quest and can fly there from Crossroads! If not then keep heading west... but once your see the gates of astranaar coming up give the town a wide berth and jump into the lake around it.. then swim around the town and get back to the path on the other side.

Keep heading west and the shrine is found south of the road before you turn the bend. But if you dont have the Zoram'gar flight path follow the road for a bit past Maestra's post then head west to the coast and Zoram'gar.

Go to the shrine, fight your way past the water elementals and draw your sample from the 'bird bath' in the centre! Return with the water to Brine!

No you're not done yet! You need to take the water sapta (which is made from the 3 water samples) and go back to Sepulcher in Silverpine Forest. Go to the coastal area directly west of the town and search for North Tide's Hollow and the shipwreck. Here you will find a small inlet. Drink the sapta and you will see a level 23 water elemental and his minions. Kill the big guy (it's not easy - he has a frost nova and also frost attacks that slow you down - and is immune to your frost shocks!) Loot the item you need from his body and take it back to Islen Waterseer who gives you your water totem!


Call of Air

This quest is obtained from Seann Firewarder in the shaman training area of Orgrimmar at level 30 - get ready for a LONG bastard of a chain quest!

He sends you to see a tauren who is just outside a small cave halfway up the wall of one of the canyons of Thousand Needles. Head south through the Barrens and down the Great Lift (if you haven't already been to Freewind post there yet) Otherwise just fly to Freewind!

From Freewind you want to head roughly east - following the path along the northern edge of the Needles Zone. The right path will take you past some cloud serpents - and you are in the right area when you start seeing Gravelsnout Kobolds as you make your way towards Shimmering Flats (the salt flats section of thousand needles).

There will be a small path that leads up the canyon wall a bit more than halfway to the flats. head up it and you will find your NPC there! She then gives you the Air Totem! (HA HA! I was only JOKING with you - compared to Fire and Water this quest is laughably easy!)

This is only PART 1 i will get PART 2 when it comes out.
Enjoy

[Bossman4]

Ok this is PART 2 and agian this is NOT my guide. Just contributing to our forums.

Now in Part 2 we'll look at some tactics and tips on good use of totems! (based both my own experience with my lvl 60 Shaman Wraithwulf and also on discussions with other Shaman players)

Totems for n00bs - what to use, when to use it and why!

I'll be looking at the commonly used totems that I mentioned in part 1 earlier! Just like in Part 1 - this will be sorted by which school the totem is in.

a) Earth

Strength of Earth - A very commonly used totem, as it gives a sizable boost to strength for friendlies within a 30 yard radius of it. You'll use this in solo/grouping/PvP play very often. In fact, it's my earth totem of choice unless the tactical situation calls for a different one! Improves melee fighting power substantially (good both for you and the tanks in your party - drop it where it can cover all of you!) If using a shield, it also allows you to block more damage because of the +str bonus!

Stoneskin - this totem reduces the melee damage you (and friendlies within 30 yds) take from melee mobs. Again is quite commonly used, and some shaman use this in preference to strength of earth a lot of the time.
It's your choice between you (or your party) dealing more melee damage or taking less of it - but remember it's only effective against melee mobs. If the threat is from ranged attackers/casters this totem does nothing!

Stoneclaw - Sometimes it all goes BAD - even HORRIBLY WRONG - and a fast exit is needed! The Stoneclaw can allow you (and your party) to escape in true Houdini style! Simply put, it taunts mobs to attack it instead of you or your friends! As long as you all stop doing anything to generate further threat and RUN - the stoneclaw will stand fast and die gloriously for you giving you breathing space! Note: it is somewhat less effective against ranged attackers as it only has a limited radius in which it generates threat - and those attackers might be outside that! It can also be resisted sometimes - and if being chased by a whole crowd of mobs it won't pull them all off you! Still it's very helpful in many PvE situations where escape is needed! You won't use this in PvP though as players will just ignore it!

Earthbind - This totem slows enemy move speed within its radius (similar to that of the stoneclaw's hate radius!) This can be used solo/group/PvP to stop runners (damn I have owned flag runners in WSG with this baby!) but shines in PvE instance runs where you are up against humanoids that run in fear - eg. Scarlet Monastery/Zul Farrak/Sunken temple/Strat Live. The last thing you need here is adds brought in by their friends - slow em down and chop em down before they get too far! Combine this with a Frost Shock for even greater effect! Also of course highly useful in stopping Alliance escapees in PvP! It can also be used to cover an escape - as it slows down what's chasing you and friends hopefully allowing you get away! I often combine this with a stoneclaw in PvE - first the stoneclaw to taunt the melee chasers, then as the stoneclaw dies, an earthbind to further slow them when they start chasing you again!

b) Fire

These totems all create damage. Be warned - they can pull additonal hate you don't want - so in some parties in tightly packed instances you may be asked to watch what you're doing with them or even lay off using them!

Searing totem - A good early totem as it throws a ranged fireball attack up to 30 yds. But once you get access to the Magma Totem I would advise using that more often - this totem does have the annoying habit of blasting ANY hostile in its radius even if that mob was ignoring you at the time! This means using this totem can often pull in extra adds you don't want when you're trying to take a breather to heal/regroup! Still has it uses in later game though - as because of its range it's more helpful when you are in a shooting war with just ranged attackers! Also there are certain times in instances - when you've cleared everything else in the area and are pulling a named/boss mob that it will dish out more damage than the magma totem! Of course it's more used in PvP because there range is your friend and you're not really worrying about adds!

Fire Nova totem - this totem "nukes" an area with an AE fire attack 5 seconds after it's laid! The damage is impressive! What isn't so impressive is that it creates a MASSIVE amount of threat as soon as you drop it and is quite often taken out before it detonates! To use it well means waiting until all the mobs in the area you want to "nuke" have their attention well and truly occupied and won't kill your Nova totem as soon as you drop it! So in solo I've found it pretty useless - but it can be used in groups if you have good tanks/DPS who are keeping themselves high on the threat list! Also of course it can be used in PvP if the enemy doesn't realise you've dropped it - just a little smart positioning is all it takes! Then sit back and marvel at the "warmth" you bring to your targets' lives - ahhhhh I love the smell of napalm in the morning! MUHAHAHAHA!

Magma Totem - My fire totem of choice once you get access to it - level 24 from memory! It burns all hostiles in an 8 yd radius for fire damage - while the amount is not as large as Searing totem it does that damage to ALL within the area of effect - excellent if facing multiple melee mobs! As it doesn't have a long reach it doesn't have the add drawing problem of the Searing totem either - so is safer to use in many situations! And if you like getting up close and personal in big PVP tussles - then you can get 2 or 3.. or even 4.... Alliance for the price of one! Of course it's best used once you close to melee range!

Flametongue Totem - The shaman can imbue his own weapon with Flametongue for added fire damage on each hit - this totem grants the effect to your nearby allies! This effect does not stack on your own weapon though if you are using Flametongue or another buff like Rockbiter/ Frostbrand/Windfury - sorry! Because of this I don't use this totem in solo - I just use the buff spell! But in groups/large-scale PvP battles it is useful - especially in PvE instances where other fire totems are creating too much hate - this allows you to dish out the fire damage indirectly (and in a far less threatening way) through the melee attacks of your party/raid members!

c) Water

Healing Stream - Heals all friends in a 30 yd radius over time! Whilst primary healing classes like the Priest/Druid have better heal over time spells this one works in an area! The totem also produces little threat in PvE! It can provide the small edge in damage mitigation needed to overcome a tough fight! Usuable in solo/group/PvP. You will use this one a lot - it is the most common water school totem I use! Multiple heal totems (from multiple shamans) will overlap and stack their effects!

Mana Spring - restores mana in 30 yd radius over time! It's just a small amount but can help! As you will probably have Healing Stream up during battle - this one is more used "post battle" when you (and your party) are resting and trying to recover mana! The mages and primary healers in your group will love you if you drop this totem near them every time the group pauses to rest/replenish, as it helps them conserve their mana drinks if they have the opportunity to rest near the totem long enough! Also if in a large raid there is more than one shaman - if you are the one on "priest guard" use this totem to extend their healing usefulness!

Poison resistance/poison cleansing - The first raises the resistance of you and your allies to poison damage within the totem's radius - the second cures poison effects from allies in that radius. Both accomplish the same end - saving you (and your allies) from mobs that deal large amounts of poison damage! This is especially true against those green dragons and in Zul'Gurub - along with other high end battles! You will only use these totems when the tactical situation calls for it - but at that time they will become your best friends! I wouls suggest using the poison resistance totem more - as you can then use your Cure Poison spell to lift the effect - but posion resistance reduces the damage somewhat until you do that!


d) Air

Grace of Air - This is my most commonly used (and the same for many other shaman) air totem. Available at level 42 it confers a large Agility buff to allies within 30 yds. This buff of course adds to armor, increases crit chance and increases dodge chance- useful for all the melee fighters in the area! You can also drop one near your party hunters (if you have a few) to max out their ranged DPS! Used in any type of play!

Windfury Totem - Also is used quite a bit in groups/large PvP battles! Windfury weapon buff is my weapon buff of choice - as it grants a chance for 2 extra attacks (with increased attack power!) on each swing! This totem grants the effect in a more limited way to all nearby melee fighters! If you choose so you can drop this one instead of Grace of Air and watch the melee damage numbers of your party go berserk! It can be a tough call which one - but I see it used more in groups where there are 2 (or more) shaman - one drops Grace of Air while the other uses Windfury Totem - true melee carnage is the result here - MUHAHAHAHA!

Grounding Totem - This totem will (every so often) absorb a harmful spell directed at an ally in the area. If you are in a spell slinging war - this totem can come in handy! It's one less DD spell you are hit by - and if facing casters that use nasty debuff/DOT spells it's one less of these you and your party will have to worry about dispelling/enduring! Useful in solo/group/PvP - but would probably only be used where the threats are all spell based! If facing any melee threats most shaman will choose one of the two listed above. Again, seen used more in large raids with more than one shaman - as one shaman can use his air totem for some magic protection whilst others drop Grace/Windfury!

Fire Resistance - Molten Core... Onxyia... need I say more?

There are some other useful totems too that are not used that often - but in certain situations are extremely useful! Here are a couple more you'll probably want handy on toolbars for when you need them!

Tremor totem - earth school - this totem shakes the ground in an area - "waking up" any friend nearby who has been hit with a sleep effect! It can also help dispel Fear and Charm effects as well by shaking some sense into those affected! Useful in any situation where these spells are cast - but in solo you won't use it as if you are sleeping/feared/charmed you can't drop a totem! You'll use it in groups/PvP support

Windwall totem - air school - if you and your allies are taking a lot of damage from ranged attackers (not spellcasters) this totem creates a 'wall of air' in front of you that absorbs a part of the ranged damage being dealt to you! If you're not facing any real threats other than ranged shooting - you may choose to use this one to reduce the damage you (and your friends) will take! Best used against those damn Alliance hunters in PvP!

Well that's part 2! Please, any comments/suggestions/corrections are most welcome! I hope this guide gives some advice to all shaman about how to use one of the important assets in their arsenal! In part 3 we'll look at totem combinations and U.I setup!
I will get PART 3 soon.
Enjoy

[Bossman4]

Here is PART 3 of the guide.

Now for the final instalment in Wraithwulf's Totem Guide - how to combine them for best effect and communicate with your party about which one you will use.

A/ Communication

This is very important for all party characters of course - and doubly so for the shaman as he may be fulfilling more than one role much of the time! Commonly I find myself doing 2 or even 3 at once - acting as a secondary healer, providing support with my totems and even off-tanking!

You need to both maintain awareness of the situation and keep up communication with your team members so that you are doing what the party needs you to be doing!

For example you may have been off-tanking, but then your party's primary healers announce they are low on mana! You have to step up here and start casting more heals until they are back on-line!

Your party may also ask you to drop certain kinds of totems, or refrain from using others. You may also need to change which totem you are using if the situation calls for it!

And another way communication comes in important is if you are in a party/raid with multiple shaman! Now remember, each shaman can only have ONE totem from EACH of the four elements active at once - but you shouldn't all be dropping the same one! (unless you have to!) As you have more than one shaman you want to combine support effects!

I gave some examples of this in my "n00b shaman totem guide" (see part 2) but we'll look at them again!

Earth - with more than one shaman, work out who will use strength of earth and who will drop stoneskin. This way you are getting both useful effects on the melee units!

Water - You might all be near the melee fighters - in which case you would all probably use Healing Stream - but one of you might be camped near the casters/healers protecting them! This shaman should use Mana Spring instead as it's more useful for the characters he's near!

Air - Both Grace of Air and Windfury Totem are useful buffs - work out which shaman will use which one to get both effects!

This should be done before beginning the instance! It's worth a few minutes to discuss which of you will use each totem and when - also where you will be positioned when you drop them!


Also multiple shamans might also be specced differently - you may have one who is a "shaman nuker" - that is - most talent points spent in Elemental combat and another who is heavily Enhancement specced and much better at tanking! So you should all discuss what each other's primary spec is and therefore which role YOUR shaman will be doing! In the above case the "nuker" will stay out of melee range, casting lightning/shocks/searing totems (and heals if required) and the enhancement beast will step up and off-tank - using good melee support totems (and heals if required)


B/ Totem Combos

(in order earth/fire/water/air)


Melee support - Strength of Earth/Magma Totem/Healing Stream/Grace of Air

(this is my most frequently used combo as being a shaman with a shield and fair enhancement spec I'm near the front line usually!)]

Alternatives for melee support include using Stoneskin totem, or one of the weapon buffing totems - either Flametongue (fire) Windfury (air)

Caster/priest support - Stoneskin/Searing Totem/Mana Spring/Grace of Air

Here Stoneskin affords some protection for your cloth wearers if they are meleed, while grace of Air does the same through some increase in armor and dodge chance. Mana Spring is better here to keep their mana levels up.. and as you are out of melee range here use your ranged fire attack totem!

DPS combo (when tanking)

Strength of Earth/Flametongue/Healing stream/Grace of Air -

This gives the strength (for power) and agi (for more crits) buffs.. as well as a weapon buff that further adds to DPS. Another combo that does the same thing is SoE/Magma/Healing/Windfury... Windfury totem gives the chance for extra attacks with more power, and Flametongue is replaced here by Magma for AE fire damage. Note: You should never use two "weapon buffing" totems together... it's a waste of a totem as weapon buffs cannot stack! This also applies if you have more than one shaman working close together.. only one of you should use a weapon buff totem.. choose who will be dropping it (and which one it will be!) beforehand!

Protective Combos

Stoneskin/Healing/Fire resist (earth/water/air)

This would be a Molten Core combo! Reduced melee damage, healing and fire resistance! I have left out a fire totem here as most mobs in the Core are resistant to fire - save that mana for an extra heal or two!

Stoneskin/Magma/Posion resist/Grace of Air

This is for those fights against the Green dragons and also in Zul'Gurub where poison is a problem! Protection thru reduced melee damage, higher armor and dodge chance, more damage thru magma and higher crit chance.. and poison resist to protect you from poison!

Of course there are many possible combos - I've just outlined a few here that are effective! Experiment and come up with your own!

C/ U.I setup for good totem use

A shaman is one class that wants as many action bars visible as possible! Use the standard WoW interface options menu to display at least 3 (possibly even four) action bars! Also use any U.I layout mods of your choice to lay them out in a way that works for you!

I use a setup like this:

Bar 1 (main action bar) - Here I have melee attack (slot 1) lightning spells (L. Bolt, Chain Lightning, L.Shield) (slots 2,3,4) shocks (earth shock and frost shock are the two i use) in 5 & 6 then weapon buffs Windfury/Rockbiter/Frostbrand(7,8,9) and lastly heals (Heal Wave, lesser heal wave and Chain Heal) (0, - and =)

Bar 2 - Common totems (with standard U.I at bottom left of screen)

Here I place my commonly used totems like Strength of Earth, Stoneskin, Magma, Healing Stream, Mana Spring, Grace of Air. These are totems I use frequently! I will also probably put Stoneclaw here so i know where it is if I need it! As well on this bar you might use Purge (to remove enemy buffs)

Bar 3 - Specific situation totems (bottom right of screen)

These totems are still very useful but only applied in specific situations so i don't use them as much. These include the resistance totems, Earthbind, Tremor, Windwall and weapon buffing totems!

Bar 4 - Useful actions (right of screen below mini-map)

Here I place all my assorted useful actions like Ancestral Spirit (rez spell) Ghost Wolf, Cure poison, Cure Disease, Water breathing/walking Astral Recall (teleport home) and my mount up key for my wolf! The last two slots here have health/mana pots dragged to them in case I need them!

On the fifth bar I would put trade skills (primary/secondary) This bar could be hidden beneath Bar 1 (after all if you are taking the time to use tradeskills you usually aren't fighting and can switch bars!) Besides having them out of sight means you won't try and make that Blue dragonscale Breastplate while facing down Nefarian/Ragnaros/Hakkar! (hehe!)

Note: Macros and totem combos!

I have heard of one mod "Totem Stomper" which allows you to cast your totems in sets - great if you have a totem combo or two you use a lot! Then you could tie the totem combo to one macro button which you could have on your toolbars. I have never used this mod or made macros for totems - if anyone knows more on this please add to this post!

Well I hope this guide on totems has given you some good tips on what totems to use, when and how to use them and how you should keep them ready for use!

So let the spirits guide you fellow shaman!

This guide was originally made by Doogmeister. And contributed to our forums by um...um...um...oh yeah ME.

[Cypher]

Bossman4, you're going to the other extreme now, lol. You don't need to have big disclaimers saying it isn't your guide, just as long as you don't say it is your guide.

[Bossman4]

God Damit i gotta quit doing this stuff. OK from now on i'm not saying if its my guide or someone elses.