This guide tells you everything you need to know to play Restoration Shaman in a PvP environment. Updated for The War Within (Season 1). Restoration Shamans are the most versatile healers in the game. With roots, slows, decent healing output, big damage, some mobility, and even a self-heal, they can be a great addition to any team. This guide covers the best stats, races, talents, gear, embellishments, enchantments, and gems for Patch 11.0, based on data from the top 50 Restoration Shaman players in the world.

Introduction

Restoration Shaman is a potent force in PvP, known for its versatility and adaptability. They can heal, control, and even deal decent damage, making them a valuable asset to any team. This guide will delve into the intricacies of playing Restoration Shaman in PvP, exploring the optimal talent builds, stat priorities, gear choices, and gameplay strategies that will help you excel in the arena and battlegrounds. Prepare to unleash the power of the elements and dominate the battlefield with your healing prowess.

Restoration Shaman Strengths and Weaknesses

Restoration Shaman boasts a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses that make them a complex and rewarding specialization to master in PvP. On the one hand, they excel in healing output, offering powerful sustained heals and burst healing options. They also possess exceptional utility, with strong crowd control abilities like Hex and Earthbind Totem, allowing them to disrupt enemy actions. Furthermore, their mobility is commendable, thanks to Ghost Wolf and the recent addition of Tidal Waves, enabling them to quickly reposition themselves. However, Restoration Shamans are not without their drawbacks. They are somewhat fragile compared to other healers, and their mana management can be challenging, requiring careful resource allocation. Their defensive cooldowns are not as robust as some other healers, leaving them susceptible to burst damage.

Restoration Shaman PvP Talents and Builds

Choosing the right talents for your Restoration Shaman is crucial for success in PvP. There are several key talents that are essential for maximizing your healing and utility, while others are more optional and depend on your playstyle and the composition of your team. Living Tide Totem is a must-have for its powerful healing boost, while Static Field Totem provides a valuable area-of-effect shield and disruption. Other essential talents include Healing Surge, Riptide, and Chain Heal, which form the core of your healing rotation. Optional talents include Unleash Life, which provides a burst heal and damage reduction, and Ancestral Guidance, which grants a powerful damage reduction shield. You can also choose to invest in talents that enhance your offensive capabilities, such as Earth Shock or Lightning Bolt, if you want to contribute more damage to your team;

Essential Talents

Certain talents are considered essential for Restoration Shamans in PvP, as they provide the core functionality and healing power needed to excel. Living Tide Totem is a must-have for its potent healing boost, granting your team increased healing received. Static Field Totem, on the other hand, offers a valuable area-of-effect shield and disruption, protecting your allies and interrupting enemies. Healing Surge is your primary single-target healing spell, providing a significant burst of healing. Riptide is an essential talent for its ability to heal over time and generate charges for your Healing Wave, enhancing your healing throughput. Chain Heal is another crucial talent, allowing you to heal multiple targets simultaneously, making it ideal for dealing with burst damage or healing multiple allies at once. These talents form the foundation of your healing arsenal and are crucial for providing consistent and effective healing in PvP encounters.

Optional Talents

While some talents are considered essential, others offer flexibility and adaptability based on your playstyle and team composition. Ancestral Guidance is a powerful talent that provides a shield to your target, offering them protection from incoming damage. Nature’s Swiftness, when used on your Healing Surge, can create a powerful burst heal. Cloudburst Totem can be a valuable tool for healing allies quickly, especially in situations where they are taking heavy damage. Tidal Waves is another option that allows you to create a healing wave that bounces between multiple allies, providing a consistent stream of healing. Spiritwalker’s Grace grants you increased movement speed and a short invulnerability, allowing you to escape dangerous situations or reposition yourself quickly. The choice of optional talents depends on the specific needs of your team and the challenges you face in PvP encounters.

Talent Builds

Choosing the right talent build is crucial for success in PvP. A popular build focuses on maximizing healing throughput, utilizing talents like Living Tide Totem, Cloudburst Totem, and Ancestral Guidance. This build prioritizes keeping allies alive and ensuring their survival in intense battles. Another build emphasizes burst healing and offensive capabilities, incorporating talents like Nature’s Swiftness, Chain Heal, and Unleash Life. This build allows you to deliver a massive burst of healing to allies who are taking heavy damage, while also providing a strong offensive presence. Experiment with different builds and adjust your choices based on the specific challenges and requirements of your team and the enemy composition.

Restoration Shaman Stat Priority

In PvP, Restoration Shamans prioritize Versatility and Mastery, followed by Intellect and Critical Strike. Versatility provides both increased healing and damage reduction, making it a valuable stat in any PvP scenario. Mastery enhances the effectiveness of your healing spells, increasing your overall healing throughput. Intellect is essential for boosting your healing output and spell power, while Critical Strike increases the chance of your healing spells critically striking for a larger amount of healing. Haste is less important in PvP, as it primarily affects your casting speed, which is less crucial in a fast-paced environment; However, a small amount of Haste can be beneficial for faster healing and more frequent use of cooldown abilities.

Restoration Shaman Gear and Enchantments

When it comes to gear, Restoration Shamans should prioritize items that offer high Versatility and Mastery. Look for gear with these stats as your primary stats, followed by Intellect and Critical Strike. Enchantments for your gear should also focus on these stats. For your head, use “Glyph of the Swift Mind” to increase your Intellect. For your shoulders, “Glyph of the Swift Mind” is also recommended for increased Intellect. For your chest, use “Glyph of the Swift Mind” to further increase your Intellect. For your gloves, “Glyph of the Swift Mind” is once again the ideal enchantment for increased Intellect. For your legs, “Glyph of the Swift Mind” continues to be the best choice for increasing your Intellect. For your boots, “Glyph of the Swift Mind” is the preferred enchantment for higher Intellect. These enchantments will significantly boost your healing output and spell power, making you a more effective healer in PvP.

Restoration Shaman Rotation and Gameplay

As a Restoration Shaman in PvP, your primary goal is to keep your allies alive while maximizing your healing output. Your rotation revolves around maximizing your healing throughput while maintaining defensives and utilizing offensive abilities when possible. The core of your healing rotation is to prioritize using “Healing Surge” on targets with lower health, while utilizing “Chain Heal” for multiple targets needing healing. “Riptide” should be used on a target that is heavily damaged, as it provides a powerful burst of healing. Utilize “Healing Rain” to quickly heal multiple targets in an area, especially during intense fights. “Ancestral Protection Totem” is your primary defensive cooldown for absorbing damage, while “Earth Shield” provides a shield that absorbs damage and reduces incoming damage. Offensive abilities like “Lightning Bolt” and “Chain Lightning” can be used to deal damage to enemy players, especially when they are vulnerable. Remember to manage your mana pool wisely, utilizing “Mana Tide Totem” when needed to restore mana and keep your healing going.

Healing Rotation

The key to success as a Restoration Shaman in PvP lies in a smooth and efficient healing rotation. Prioritize “Healing Surge” for targets with lower health, as it provides a strong burst of healing. “Chain Heal” is your go-to for multiple targets needing healing, especially when dealing with AoE damage. “Riptide” should be used on a target with very low health, as it offers a substantial burst of healing and a beneficial buff. Utilize “Healing Rain” to quickly heal multiple targets in an area, particularly during intense fights. Remember to manage your mana pool wisely, using “Mana Tide Totem” when needed to restore mana and keep your healing going. The goal is to maintain consistent healing while maximizing your throughput, adapting to the needs of your team and the intensity of the combat.

Defensive Cooldowns

Restoration Shamans boast a strong arsenal of defensive cooldowns, allowing them to weather even the most intense assaults. “Ancestral Protection Totem” is your primary shield, providing a significant reduction in damage taken by your team. Use it strategically to protect your allies from burst damage or sustained attacks. “Ghost Wolf” offers valuable mobility, allowing you to reposition yourself or escape from danger. “Nature’s Swiftness” is a potent cooldown, accelerating your healing spells for a brief period, making it ideal for critical moments when your allies are under immense pressure. Additionally, “Spiritwalker’s Grace” is a potent cooldown that grants you a significant reduction in incoming damage, making you a formidable force in the midst of combat. Mastering the timing and usage of these cooldowns is key to ensuring your team’s survival and maximizing your overall effectiveness in PvP.

Offensive Abilities

While primarily known for their healing prowess, Restoration Shamans possess a surprising array of offensive abilities that can significantly impact the flow of battle. “Chain Lightning” is a versatile spell capable of dealing damage to multiple targets, making it useful for disrupting enemy formations and applying pressure. “Lava Burst” is a potent burst damage spell that can be devastating when used strategically. “Earth Shock” is a reliable stun that can interrupt enemy casts and provide valuable control. “Wind Shear” is a powerful interrupt that can stop enemy casts and disrupt their offensive plans. “Hex” is a powerful control spell that can disable enemy players, rendering them vulnerable to your team’s attacks. Mastering the timing and application of these offensive abilities is crucial for maximizing your impact on the battlefield and securing victory for your team.

Restoration Shaman Covenant and Legendary Choices

Choosing the right Covenant and Legendary items is essential for optimizing your Restoration Shaman’s performance in PvP. The Night Fae Covenant offers the “Soulbind” ability, which grants a powerful healing buff to your allies. The Venthyr Covenant provides the “Door of Shadows” ability, a powerful mobility tool that allows you to quickly reposition yourself or escape danger. The Kyrian Covenant offers the “Ascended Blast” ability, a burst healing spell that can quickly restore health to your allies. Theotar is a powerful Soulbind that grants a strong defensive shield to your allies. Niya is a powerful Soulbind that grants a powerful healing buff to your allies. Ultimately, the best Covenant and Legendary choices for you will depend on your playstyle and the specific needs of your team. Experiment with different options to find what works best for you.

Night Fae

The Night Fae Covenant is a popular choice for Restoration Shamans in PvP due to their Soulbind abilities, which offer both offensive and defensive utility. The Night Fae Covenant offers the “Soulbind” ability, which grants a powerful healing buff to your allies. The Night Fae Covenant’s Soulbinds offer several benefits for Restoration Shamans in PvP. Theotar is a powerful Soulbind that grants a strong defensive shield to your allies. Niya is a powerful Soulbind that grants a powerful healing buff to your allies. The Night Fae Covenant is a good choice for Restoration Shamans who want to focus on healing and support, but they lack the mobility and offensive power of other Covenants.

Venthyr

The Venthyr Covenant is a strong choice for Restoration Shamans in PvP due to their ability to provide a burst of healing and damage. Venthyr Covenant’s Soulbind abilities offer a powerful offensive and defensive toolset for Restoration Shamans in PvP. The Venthyr Covenant’s Soulbinds offer several benefits for Restoration Shamans in PvP. Theotar is a powerful Soulbind that grants a strong defensive shield to your allies. Niya is a powerful Soulbind that grants a powerful healing buff to your allies. The Venthyr Covenant is a good choice for Restoration Shamans who want to focus on healing and support, but they lack the mobility and offensive power of other Covenants.

Kyrian

The Kyrian Covenant provides Restoration Shamans with a powerful combination of mobility and damage reduction. The Kyrian Covenant’s Soulbind abilities are designed to give a boost to your healing throughput. The Kyrian Covenant’s Soulbinds offer several benefits for Restoration Shamans in PvP. Kleia is a powerful Soulbind that grants a strong damage reduction to your allies. Mikanikos is a powerful Soulbind that grants a powerful healing buff to your allies. The Kyrian Covenant is a good choice for Restoration Shamans who want to focus on healing and support, but they lack the offensive power of other Covenants.

Theotar All-rounder

Theotar is a powerful Soulbind that offers a mix of offensive and defensive abilities for Restoration Shamans. His signature ability, “Unleash Life,” allows you to buff a single target with increased healing or damage, giving you an edge in skirmishes. Theotar’s Conduits further enhance his utility, enabling you to maximize your healing output while also contributing to your team’s offensive capabilities. Theotar is a versatile Soulbind for Restoration Shamans, allowing them to adapt their playstyle based on the situation at hand. He’s a solid choice for players who want to be more involved in both healing and damage dealing.

Niya All-rounder

Niya, a Kyrian Soulbind, offers a unique blend of support and damage for Restoration Shamans. Her signature ability, “Echoes of the Past,” allows you to cast a copy of a recent healing spell on a different target, effectively extending your healing range and maximizing your mana efficiency. Niya’s Conduits further enhance her utility, enabling you to boost the healing output of your allies while also providing them with additional survivability. Niya is a valuable asset for Restoration Shamans who prioritize both sustained healing and support for their team, making her a viable option for players who prefer a more proactive healing style.