Sincewehaveaboutaweek,IfigureditmightbeagoodideatotalkaboutthestartingzonesforWrathoftheLichKing,especiallyforpeoplewhoareintendingtogotothemwithashamanwhoislevel68orsoorwhowillotherwisebelookingatthegearasupgrades.We'lllookatthetwostartingdungeons(TheNexusandUtgardeKeep)andsomeofthequestsinthestartingzoneswithaneyetowardslootthatwillhelpundergearedshamanscatchuptoonesthathavebeen70forawhile.Wewillofcoursetryandstayasspoilerlightaspossiblewhiledoingthis.We'llalsowonderwhywekeepsaying%26#8216;we'whenit'soneguywritingthis.
InaturnofeventsIfindalmostastonishing,I'vemostlyplayedrestorationonbothmydraeneiandorcshamans.I'vebeenrunningfivemansforachievementsIdon'tpersonallywant(ah,achievementmania,youfuelburstsoflastminuteheroics)andraiding,mostlyin10mansandPuG25's.ThethrillofbeingkilledbyFatalAttraction!IpickedupmyDarkBlessingthisweekinaPuGsoI'mdoingreasonablywellforhealinggearnow(Icancomfortablyhealina10or25manraidwithoutfeelingtoomuchstrainonthemanapool,anyway)andambasicallytryingtodecidewhatI'mgoingtodowithmyselfoncetheexpansionhits.WillIbelevelingenhancement?Ormaybe,ifdualspecsarrive,I'llgowithelementalforlevelingandrestorationforinstancing.
HowlingFjord
UtgardeKeep
TheotherstartingleveldungeoninNorthrendisfullofbloodthirstygiantvikingswhoworshiptheLichKing.IrecommenddoingtheFjordifonlytohearthechillingopinionoftheLichKinghimselfaboutshamanism.AswasthecasefortheNexusyou'llbesentintoUtgardeKeeponavarietyofquests.
HordeonlygetthequestAScoreToSettleaskingyoutokillPrinceKeleseth.Therewards?TheRunecaster'sBracers,withalltheirspellpowerandMP5forthecastingshamansamongus.BothHordeandAlliancegetDisarmament,whichitsvarietyofnecklacesforshamans.TheRazor-BladePendantisn'tasgoodasitwouldhavebeennowthatweonlyget1APperpointofSTR,buttheAmuletoftheTranquilMindisn'tbadforarestorationshamanandtheNecklaceofFragmentedLightseemsgoodforanelementalshamantome.Finally,bothHordeandAlliancehaveachancetopickupsomeringshere.TheExecutioner'sBandwillserveyourenhancementshamanwell(mydraeneireplacedhisKarazhanepicwithit)whileIwouldpersonallychosetheSIgnetofSwiftJudgementforbothcastershamanspecsovertheRingofDecimation.
Asfordropsthemselves,theArmBladeofAugelmirisbetterthantheSeason2PvPweaponandnotthatfarfromthebadgerewards.Andwhileyou'retryingtogetthatforyourenhancementshamandon'tignoretheDragonStabler'sGauntlets,whicharecomparabletothe75badgegloves.Eventhoughtheirleather,theHolisticPatchworkBreecheswouldworkforashaman,buttherealprizesforourcastershamanareKeleseth'sBladeofEvocationandtheOverlaidChainSpaulders.Whetheryoulikehealingthewoundedorcausingtheirwounds,thesearenicedrops.
GeneralQuestRewards
WhatstandsoutintheFjordforyoutopinefor?Well,there'stwoquestchainsthatgiveoutaniceassortmentoftrinketstolookover.HelptheTuskarroutandthey'llsendyoubacktoAtuik:hisrewardsconsistofaveryniceMP5trinketwithaspellpoweronuse,ahasterating/APtrinket,andahasterating/spellpowertrinket.ItooktheMP5trinket.
Ifyou'dratherassassinateapirateleader(oraregoingtodoboth)there'sacritrating/spellpowertrinket,anMP5trinketwithahasteratingonus,andanAPtrinketwithhasteratingonuse.ItooktheMP5trinketagainonmyorcbutwentwiththeAPformydraenei.
BoreanTundra
TheNexus
ThereareseveraldropsinTheNexus,thefirstdungeonavailableintheBoreanTundrazone(technicallyit'sinColdarra,homeofAzureShieldsandlotsandlotsofbluedragons)isaloreexplosionofdragonsatwarovermagic.Butwe'remoreinterestedinthelootavailable.BecauseIamaheartlessmercenarywhowillkillwhateverIhavetoforloot,yesIam,andIdon'tdenyit.
Forstarters,thereareseveralqueststhataskyoutogointotheNexus.PrisonerofWaristheendofafunColdarraquestlinethatgetsyouupcloseandpersonalinsidehowdragonswagewar(theydon'tmessabout)andyieldsthreerewards,allofwhichmaybeofinteresttoashaman.TheShroudofFluidStrikesisaimedatmeleeandhasdecentAPandhaste,whileboththeMantleofKeristraszaandCloakofAzureLightscouldappealtoyourcaster/healershaman.(IwouldprobablygettheCloakofAzureLightstopulldoubledutyforme,asspiritisn'tasimportanttoshamansasitistoothercasters.)
Anotherquest,TheQuickening,doesnotaskyoutocutofftheKurgen'shead.Itdoes,however,offerupanicepairofspellpowerboots,theSpikedTreadsofMutation,whichseemaimedtorestorationwiththeMP5andthelackofcrit.Butthey'llcertainlyworkforelementalshamansaswell.There'salsotheTreadsofTornFutureifyou'rehurtingforenhancementbootsanddon'tmindleather.Finally,thequestPostponingtheInevitableoffersupanicepairofenhancementgloves,theBindingsofSabotage.
Asfordropsintheinstancethemselves,therearefourthatstoodouttome:theBandofGltteringPermafrostwhichhaseverystatarestorationshamanwouldwant.TheBeltofDraconicRunesisleather,butcouldcertainlyserveforeitherelementalorrestoration(really,whilesomegearmaybemoreidealforonespecovertheothernow,mostgearthatcouldserveforonespecworksfortheotherthankstotheunificationofspellpower-I'dalwaysgivethenodtospellhitandspellcritforelementalbutit'snotasbigadealanymore).TheCleatedIceBootsareyourenhancementbooties,(soI'dtryfortheseratherthantakingthoseleatherquestboots)whiletheGauntletsofSerpentScalesareprettysolidlyaimedatelementalshamansbutcouldservearestorationshaman.(SomeenhancementmightevenwantthemfortheAPfromint,althoughalmostcertainlytheBindingsofSabotagewouldservethembetter.)
GeneralQuestRewards
Listingeverygreendropthatcouldbenefitashamanwouldtakeusaneasy1000wordsjustinBoreanTundraalone,soI'lljustfocusonafewexceptionalrewardsandmoveon.
FromtheHordequestHellscream'sChampion(anditsAlliancebrother,LastRites),youcanfindseveralpiecesthatwillserveshamans.Ifyouareenhancementandhaven'tgottenabadgeweaponoraPvPweaponyet,theBoreanSmasherisasgoodasaPrinceMalchezaar/HeroicMagister'sKael'Thasdrop.Forourcaster/healercontingent,therearetwostavestochoosefrom,theToweroftheInfiniteMind(DPSflavored,inmyopinion)andtheStaffofthePurposefulMendicant.Igenerallypreferweapon/shieldcombosmyself,butthesearesomeprettynicesticks.
Ifyou'reinthemoodtokillaguyyoumightrememberfromlayingonhisbackbemoaningascratch,thenyoucangetsomegoodringsforit.TheBandofIndignantRageisaprettysweetdealforanenhancementshaman,especiallysincewelostourmajorhittalentinrestoration.TheBandofWholeseomePreservationhaseverystatIassociatewithrestorationnowaswellascritratingforAncestralAwakeningprocs(althoughthecritandspellpoweraren'texactlybadforelemental)andtheActivist'sSignetofBlastinghasnicestamaswellasspellpowerandhaste.Eitherringcouldserveeitherspecdependingonwhatyouwantedtogearfor,really.
Finally,ifyou'reanAllianceshamanthere'sthequestCalltoArms!which,sadly,doesnotseemtohaveaHordeequivalent.Boo.Hiss.Whatitdoeshave,however,aresomeprettynicenecks.TheChainoftheTollingBellhashitrating,expertiseandAPforyouenhancementshamanslookingforasolidneck.Theothertwonecks,theIndomitableChokerofLightandthePendantofRevolutionaryThought,mirrortheringsaboveinthateithercouldworkforeitherrestorationorelemental.I'dsayI'dtaketheIndomitableChokerasresto(hitratingisn'tthatnecessaryforhealing)buteitherneckcouldworkforelemental,againdependingonwhatyourgearprioritiesare.
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