Shamans

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General

Totems

Earth

Strenght of earth

Strenght of earth is probably the earth totem that will be used most of the time, it has the best effects for just about any situation and can be up all the time. At level 65 (max level) it has a mana cost of 300 and increases the strength of party members by 86. The range is 20yd.

Stoneskin

Stoneskin is considered to be the most useless totem. While at early levels it can block about 50% of the damage taken, at higher levels the effect is only minimal and hardly worth it for raiding. At level 70 (max level) it has a mana cost of 295 and reduces melee damage taken by 43. The range is 20yd.

Earthbind

Earthbind is a semi useful totem. It can be used for kiting mobs, but since in raids most mobs will probably be immume to this effect it is fairly useless in raids. There is only one rank with a mana cost of 40, it lowers speed by 50%. Range 10yd.

Tremor

Tremor will replace stenght of earth in special cases. As it removes fear/sleep/charm effects. The effect isn't constant, instead it "shakes" every 4 seconds. It can still be used for instant removal as it "shakes" just after its been put down. 75 mana cost and 20yd range.

Earth Elemental

Earth elemental totem is an extremly powerful totem, but has a very long cooldown (20 minutes). It is useful in some cases. The earth elemental has a sort of taunt that can actually take the agro of a well geared warrior. While its armor and health isn't nearly as good as a warrior it can tank some 5 man instance bosses for quite a while. 705 mana cost and 20 minute cooldown. Lasts for 2 minutes.

Water

Mana Tide (Restoration spec only)

Key totem in the resto tree at 31 talent points. Restores 6% health every 3 seconds for 12 seconds to the entire party. This totals out at 24% mana restored to the entire party and is the reason resto shamans should be place in parties to use mana. It has a 5 minute cooldown and its use should be adapted to the fight. In relativly long fights it should be used early on so it recharges later on in the fight. In shorter fights its usually sufficient to save it for emergencies. Costs 44 mana and has a 20 yd range.

Mana Spring

Mana spring is the totem that should be used most of the time until mana tide is needed. It should be reaplied after mana tide goes down. The totem restores 12 mana every 2 seconds, which comes down to 30 mp5. With restoration talents this is buffed to 15 every 2 seconds equaling to 37 mp5, just slighty less then blessing of wisdom. Slight advantage over wisdom is that it procs more often and is not dispellable. Stacks with wisdom. (combine with shadow priest for ultimate mana regen madness!). Lasts 1 mintute. 20 yd range. Costs 120 mana.

Healing Stream

Healing stream is HoT totem and can possibly be the most mana effecient heal in the game. This totem should be used if you expect your party to take small amounts of damage. In some raid situations this can help your group heal up after they take damage from for example Firemaws Flame buffet. It restores 18 health every 2 seconds. But it affected by +healing (6% of +healing is added per tick) and after the +healing is aplied it is boosted again by resto talents. Rougly this comes down to 100-150 a tick healing at level 70 with resto spec and healing gear. Depending on if your entire party is taking damage this can heal for 15000 to 22500 over 1 minute for 95 mana. Lasts 1 min. 20 yd range. Costs 95 mana.

Disease Cleansing

The disease cleansing totem is pretty straightforward. It cleanses disease of party members every 5 seconds (it procs for the first time when it is cast). Could be useful when there is alot of disease going around and the disease is very harmful. If the disease doesn't do that much mana spring and healing stream are much better. Lasts 110 seconds. Costs 75 mana. 20 yd range.

Poison Cleansing

The poison cleansing totem is pretty straightforward. It cleanses poison of party members every 5 seconds (it procs for the first time when it is cast). Could be useful when there is alot of poison going around and the poison is very harmful. If the poison doesn't do that much mana spring and healing stream are much better. Could for example be used against romulo so other healers don't have to cure it, but generally its not worth losing the healing/mana totem. Lasts 110 seconds. Costs 75 mana. 20 yd range.

Fire Resistance

Gives 70 FR to the entire party, much like the paladins FR aura. As resistance stacking is very weird this totem is generally not useful and takes up the very useful water slot. It does not stack with MotW and paladin auras or any other buff except those from racials, flasks and gear. Costs 225 mana. 20 yd range. Lasts 1 min

Air

Windfury

Windfury totem is perhaps on of the most powerful totems in the shamans arsenal. It can give a huge boost to melee dps, and should be used when the shaman is placed in parties with a large amount of melee. Windfury puts an "enchant" on the main hand weapon of everyone in the party who is in range of the totem. This enchant lasts for 9 seconds, but is constantly reaplied as long as the player is in range of the totem. This "enchant" has the disadvantage to not stack with other temporary weapon effects, such as rogue posions, wizards oil, mana oil and sharpening stones, but is generally much better then any of these effects for melee dps. (Best for the shaman to ask for people in his party to remove such effects, most people aren't aware of how windfury totem works). The description of windfury totem states that it has a 20% chance to give an extra attack with 445 extra attack power. The totems attack power bonus can be boosted by the improved weapon totem talent in the enhancement tree. The totem costs 325 mana and lasts 110 seconds.

Wrath of Air

Wrath of air gives the entire party +101 Spelldamage/Healing. This should be used if the shaman is in a party with spellcasters to boost their damage and healing. Costs 320 mana. 20 yd range. Lasts 2 minutes.

Tranquil Air

Reduces the threat generated by the entire party by 20%. Could be useful in raid situations where the dps or healers generate alot of threat or if the tank is getting hit by threat reducing abilities and has a hard time keeping agro from the healers and dps. It does stack with the paladins blessing of salvation, but the effect of this is not 50% (30+20) as might be expected, but can instead be found by doing a simple calculation (1-30%)x(1-20%) = 56% of normal threat, so its a 44% threat decrease. The totem costs 190 mana. lasts 85 seconds. has a 20 yd range.

Windwall

Reduces ranged attack damage by 101. 20yd range. costs 198 mana. lasts 2 minutes. Not really all that useful.

Nature Resistance

Gives 70 NR to the entire party, much like the hunters aspect of the wild. As resistance stacking is very weird this totem is generally not useful and takes up the very useful air slot. It does not stack with MotW and aspect of the wild or any other buff except those from racials, flasks and gear. Costs 225 mana. 20 yd range. Lasts 1 min

Grounding Totem

Absorbs spells cast on the party. It is immume to spell effects and will absorb fear, polymorph and even most DoTs without being destroyed. It will draw damage spells to itself, but will take full damage from the spell. It has 5 hp and can only be used to absorp a damage spell every 15 seconds. Perhaps it can be used to take hateful bolts from curator. (untested theory). costs 80 mana. lasts 45 seconds.

Grace of Air

Grants party members 77 agility. Grace of air versus winfury is always a hard choice and really depends on the people in your group. Grace of air is probably more useful if you have hunters in your party. It is also much more useful for tanks then windfury, as it increases their armor and chance to dodge. Costs 310 mana. lasts 2 minutes.

Sentry Totem

Lets a shaman switch view between him and the totem. also warns when enemies attack it. Only really useful in pvp.

Fire

Flametongue

Fire nova

Magma

Searing

Frost resistance

Wrath

Fire elemental