Shamans and HoT

[Akos1896]

Hey!

In Vanilla, class balance and flavor comes from the things which a class can do well and from the things it can't do.
Shamans are in a weird spot though and the reason behind it is healing stream totem.
It gives the party members a negligeable HoT but it is so bad that noone uses it over other water totems.
If you are a deep resto, after spending 5 talent points in it, it will heal 17-18 health every 2 sec for 1 minute. Unaffected by +healing power.
So in theory, shamans are HoT-capable. This is the direction Blizzard took later and it enabled abilities like riptide or earthliving weapon.
In practice, shamans don't do HoT and by design it remained something druids excel at but priests can also do.
I think it is important to clarify this for design changes. If we consider shamans HoT-capable than some iconic abilities like riptide could be included with later class changes. If we don't think shamans and HoT are a good pair, something should be done with healing stream totem to stop giving a precedent to shaman HoT.

The options I can think about:
* Either removing heaing stream totem or changing it to a one time, delayed healing totem. Stating that shaman is not a HoT-class.
* Ignoring this and saying that shaman is not a HoT-class.
* Not considering any HoT addition for shamans but considering them a HoT-class because of healing stream totem.
* Considering shamans a HoT class and adding HoT to them via later class changes. Either copying Blizz and choosing later options like riptide or coming out with something unique.
* Since healing stream only works within the party, giving shamans a weird label of party-HoT-capable, enabling them to HoT party members but noone else. Either giving them other party-only HoT later on or keeping things as they are.

What do you think?

[Allwynd01]

I play Alliance and my experience with Shaman is very limited, I only played Shaman it WoTLK, but after playing Paladin on Ture WoW, I keep saying that Shaman needs to be buffed to make it more desirable, as well as giving it an ability to be a direct counter to the Paladin as well as making it a more desirable Healer.

I think it's the unique Horde class that never got as much love as the unique Alliance class.

In my opinion, Shaman is in real need of some buffing, so much so that Paladin players start complaining about it, and all this withou even nerfing the Paladin.

[Burunduk]

Turtle devs are affraid of shamans, so forget about HoT and other buffs.
In next class changes (in 7-8 months) you will get only new icons for some totems.

[Akos1896]

I feel you guys but this topic is not about buffing shamans. I have my own opinion about that and will see what TWOW devs will do.
I'm cuious about people's opinion if shaman is a HoT class because of healing stream and balance changes could add HoT to them or is it far-fetched from the class fantasy (at Vanilla level).

[Burunduk]

Shamans don't use Healing Stream Totem because DPSmate and logs don't see it.
Even buffed version will be useless.

[Terras]

This is a little satirical, but here is my recipe for Healing Stream Totem Gumbo.
Remove from the standard totems, Place as a late resto talent, Add a dash of lightwell, Give bonus healing, Make everyone who clicks on it dance like a troll to receive healing, Let rest 2 minutes, Repeat.