Restoration Shaman Talent & Gear Guide

NOTE: I only list pre raid instance gear! This guide is meant for people who have not yet been to ZG or MC!

With this guide you should be able to get the best restoration gear outside of raid instances. The guide should prepare you for end game instances.

Why would you make a restoration shaman?
In almost all endgame content shamans are considered healers and party support with totems, so if you want to play endgame content then the best talent build you can get is restoration focused.

I have been a restoration shaman for like 7 or more months and here is MY point of view on a Restoration-shaman. This doesn't mean this guide is 100% perfect.

Before I start, you need to realize this is not a 1-60 leveling guide, it's just a guide that will help you get your shaman in gear!, if you need a leveling guide, the best ones are: Joana's 1-60 Horde leveling Guide for horde, and Brian's 1-60 Alliance Leveling Guide for alliance.

Enhancement Talents
Ancestral Knowledge - rank 5/5
Thundering Strikes - rank 5/5
Two-Handed Axes and Maces - rank 1/1

Why would a restoration-shaman get enhancement points?
Simple, a shaman is a hybrid class and there for is sometimes expected to do more then just heal. When a raid is lacking on dps (damage per second) or has enough healers, shamans can use a good 2H axe or mace so that he can do some DPS and heal when needed

Restoration Talents - 40 points

Tidal Focus - rank 5/5 (so you save mana and therefore heal more)
Totemic Focus - rank 3/5 (The more mana you save the more you can heal)
Ancestral Healing - rank 5/5 (shamans usually spam lesser healing wave on MT and this will proc a lot then)
Eventide - rank 5/5 (needed to get mana tide)
Improved Lesser Healing Wave - rank 5/5 (Good during battles where you get hit)
Tidal Mastery - rank 5/5 (5% more crit means ancestral healing proc’s more and is needed for NS)
Improved Mana Spring Totem - rank 5/5 (needed for mana tide and nice bonus on the mana totem)
Nature's Swiftness - rank 1/1 (very good for emergencies)
Purification - rank 5/5 (more healing power is always useful)
Mana Tide Totem - rank 1/1 (best totem in the game :D Give your whole party + 1K mana)

Note: In patch 1.10 our healing wave will get a buff, so depending on how big the buff is maybe we should get talents in imp healing wave from then

Oke, well that was he talent build, but now you need the gear that fits with it. The Elements set is good of course, but there is better gear out there witch is a lot easier to obtain.
All the gear posted below is found outside endgame instances if you got this gear you have a very good base of gear to do instances like Molten core and Onyxia. For Blackwing lair you need some Earthfury witch you can find in MC.
First Blackwing lair boss is stronger then Ragnaros so before you start there you should have already farmed MC a lot.

What stats are important in endgame raid instances?
1.The most important thing in these instances is mana regeneration. You got a lot of items that got stats like: Restores X mana every 5 sec. The reason that these items are so important is because they regenerate mana even when you’re casting, unlike Spirit.
2.Intellect, of course a great mana pool is always important.
3.+healing spells. If you got a lot of +healing on spells you heal more DOH you might say, but if you got a lot of it you can use lower ranks of healing wave’s to save a lot of mana!
4. Spirit. Even though it doesn’t regenerate while you’re casting it is still important to have some of it.

How does spirit work?
Well I just said that spirit isn't a main priority for a shaman. Spirit works like this. When you’re NOT casting (not finishing spellcasts) 8 spirit regenerates 1 mana every second. When you start casting (this means finishing a spellcasts and losing mana) spirit does not regenerate mana at all. You have to take a 5 second break for spirit to regenerate mana. So after a 5 second break spirit will regenerate at the normal rate until you start casting (this means finishing a spellcasts and losing mana)again. Since most shamans still spam lesser healing wave to give tanks the armour buff and heal them up fast you will not often have much time to take a long healing break, so in order to have less down time (time when you have to regenerate mana) you should focus on getting as much gear with X mana every 5 seconds.

How does plus healing work?
"Increases healing done by spells and effects by up to 42." Also referred to as +healing or +damage.

What does this mean? Counter intuitively, it doesn't mean casting a healing spell grants a random bonus between 1 and 42 for that particular cast. Each healing spell will get a particular, fixed benefit from this "up to 42." This benefit can be calculated mainly from casting or channelling time.

Actual Benefit = Advertised Benefit * (Casting Time / 3.5)

Casting Time above 3.5 is ignored for this equation

So for example you have an item witch has +42 healing and your using lesser healing wave witch has a cast time of 1.5 seconds. The actual benefit you would have from this particular item would be:

42 * (1.5/3.5)=18 +healing.

On the other hand if your using healing wave witch has a 3 second cast time you get the following benefit:

42 * (3/3.5)=36 +healing

SO if you have a lot of plus healing you have to use the healing wave to get more benefit from the plus healing. Since healing wave isn't more mana efficient at this point in time shamans are mostly using lesser healing waves. They got a shorter cast time so you have more change of actually landing one at the correct time and you cast two times as many witch give you a better change to get of a crit heal and give your target a 25% armour bonus witch is very good for tanks.

As i read on some forums that in the priest patch our healing wave is also gone get a buff so maybe after patch 1.10 shamans will use healing wave more but till that time I will take mana regeneration over plus healing anytime from the simple fact that shamans don't benefit that much from it wile using lesser healing wave.

NOTE:
Well then we got special bosses like Ragnaros and Onyxia witch require a lot of Fire resistance. Restoration shaman’s are counted as casters at these bosses since the heal from a distance, so they should have about 100+- FR. Do not take crappy items that only got fire resistance!! You also need mana regeneration, intellect, +healing and spirit!

Good items you can find outside 20+ raid instances:

-Trinket:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35819 Mind tap Talisman: Very easy to farm in DM west. Drops of the boss called Magister Kalendris and has a +-6% drop change. They are not unique so you can wear two of them. It will take some time to get them but it is the best trinket for end game raid instances!

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=52068 Enamored Water Spirit It is a shaman quest reward. The only disadvantage is that you can only use this trinket totem or a water totem at the same time.

-Ring:
One of the best rings is http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35710 Ring of Demonic Guile:This ring is pretty easy to farm also drops from the final DM east boss. His name is Alzzin the Wildshaper. This ring is also not unique so you can wear two of them.

An other very good ring is http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35701 Emerald Flame Ring: This has plus healing and alot of intellect so the combination is very nice. It drops of the final boss in Dire Maul West side. He is called Prince Tortheldrin.


An other good ring is http://www.thottbot.com/?i=38657 Band of Rumination. It drops of rend in UBRS. It is unique so you can only get one of these.

Other good rings are:
http://thottbot.com/?i=18600  Ring's Seal This ring is obtained from the Tirion quest line. He can be found in Easter Plaguelands.

http://thottbot.com/?i=40658  Advisor's Ring You need to get honoured with Warsong gulch to get this once.

-Neck peace:
I prefer this neck peace http://www.thottbot.com/?i=40399 Frostwolf Advisor's Pendant. You can buy it in Alterac Valley when you’re honoured.

Second choose would be http://www.thottbot.com/?i=20126 Tooth of Gnarr drops of drakki in UBRS.

Third I would choose http://thottbot.com/?i=37252 Animated Chain Necklace drops of Ramstein the Gorger, he is one of the last bosses in Stratholme (undead side).


Fourth choose would be http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35769  Elder Magus Pendant. This also has FR!, so it might be nice to get this for Ragnaros or Onyxia!. This drops from the trinket boss, so wile your farming Magister Kalendris for the trinkets you will probably get this neck peace as well.

-Back:
First choice as resto shaman would be http://www.thottbot.com/?i=36157 Hide of the wild.

The back that’s almost as good is http://www.thottbot.com/?i=51082 Faded Hakkari Cloak. It is very easy to obtain. First you need to do all the quests you get from Yeh'kinya then all the quests you get from Prospector Ironboot they are both located at Tanaris (Steamwheedle port).

-Shield:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=10451 Rhombeard Protector It drops of the dog boss (Gizrul the Slavener) in LBRS.

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=38455 Gizlock's Hypertech Buckler It is very easy to obtain it drops from Tinkerer Gizlock in Maraudon.

-Weapon:
A good weapon that fits good with one of the shields is:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35617  Lorespinner. It is a quest reward check for the chain Thottbot for more details.

A other good 1H weapon is http://www.thottbot.com/?i=51996 Cold Forged Hammer It was the AV quest reward for the korrak quest, but since the quest has been deleted you can get if FREE in AV!

An other good 1h weapon is http://www.thottbot.com/?i=17773 Gift of the Elven Magi it drops from the final boss(Balnazzar) in Stratholme (scarlet part).

You could also get a nice staff i prefer http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35686  Quel'dorai Channeling Rod It drops from Lethtendris in DM EAST. You can farm her wile your farming for the rings.

-Armour sets:
Well a good armour set for raid instances can be elements set, but you need almost the hole set to get a good set bonus. Other none set items combined are probably a lot better and easier to obtain. Look below for some good armour pieces.

-Feet:
I prefer http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35714  Merciful Greaves . They drop of final boss in DM east (Alzzin the Wildshaper), so you can get them wile farming for the rings.

-Legs:
There aren’t really any good mail restoration shaman legs, so the best pants for restoration shaman are made of leather. They drop of Jandice in Scholomance. http://www.thottbot.com/?i=23232 Ghostloom Leggings

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=17565 Kilt of Elements will do.

Or check out these legs:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=23876 Maelstrom Leggings drops in Scholomance from Ras Frostwhisper (lich)
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35730  Silvermoon Leggings They drop of Prince Tortheldrin in DM West you need to do a full DM west run to be able to kill the Prince.

-Waist
First choice would be http://www.thottbot.com/?i=14045 Detention Strap . They drop of the final boss in Scholomance (Darkmaster Gandling)
My second choice would be http://www.thottbot.com/?i=15664  Cord of Elements they drop in BRS but you can also find it in AH.

You can also check this + healing waist. http://www.thottbot.com/?i=37274 Barrage Girdle dropped in Stratholme scarlet from Cannon Master Willey.

-Hands:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=52099 Spitfire GauntletsThese are very nice they are crafted with any kind of LW. I think you need honoured with Cenarion Circle in order to reserve the recipe.

You could also have a look at these hands they got a lot of +healing
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35839 Harmonious Gauntlets They drop of King Gordok in DM north.

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=19646 Gauntlets of Elements will have to do they drop of the fire elemental called Pyroguard Emberseer in UBRS.

-Wrist:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=52101  Spitfire Bracers It is crafted with LW you can get the recipe in Silithus when you get friendly with Cenarion Circle or you could just farm auction house.

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=36425 Flarecore Wraps they are cloth but the best mana regeneration wrists in the game.

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=19391 Loomguard ArmbracesVery nice + healing wrist drops from Kirtonos the Herald in Scholomance.

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=13424 Bindings of Elements will also do nicely. They random drop in Stratholme, but can also be found in AH.

-Chest:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=52102 Spitfire Breastplate Very nice mana regeneration chest peace! These are very nice they are crafted with any kind of LW. I think you need revered with Cenarion Circle in order to Revered the recipe.

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=24137  Vest of Elements Drops of draki final boss in Upper Blackrock Spire

http://thottbot.com/?i=25619  Dreamwalker Armour It is world drop, so the best place to look for it is the Auction house.

Look at the new instance AQ you could also get this chest:
http://thottbot.com/?i=52103  Dreamscale Breastplate This chest peace is crafted you need to be exalted with Cenarion Circle. It is also binds when picked up so it is very hard to get.

-Shoulders:
My first choice is http://www.thottbot.com/?i=14040  Drakesfire Epaulets , but they are a world drop and pretty hard to get.

Second choice is
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35759  Denwatcher's Shoulders they drop of Guard Slip'kik in DM North so you will have to do some guard killing in north to get them.

These shoulders will also do nicely.
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=17563  Pauldrons of Elements They drop in UBRS of rend.
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=23552  Royal Cap Spaulders very nice + healing shoulders. These drop of Jandice Barov Scholomance.

-Head
My first choice is http://www.thottbot.com/?i=14049  Coif of Elements drops of final boss in Scholomance (Darkmaster Gandling)

Here is an other super head called http://www.thottbot.com/?i=8807 Horns of Eranikus

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35653  Clever Hat Nice leather mana regent head. They drop in DM east of the demon boss called Zevrim Thornhoof

Well that was the “normal” gear get all these items and you got good gear for raid instances.




Now the FR gear.
We don’t want FR gear with crappy stats so i will just post a list of good FR items.

-Neck:
Drakefire Amulet 15 FR (Onyxia key)
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=35769  Elder Magus Pendant drops DM west 10 FR

-Rings
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=18398  Tidal Loop You get it from the water elementals quest chain once you completed the quest where you have to collect the hands of the MC bosses. 15 FR

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=37407 Dimly Opalescent Ring of Fire ResistanceA very nice ring. Drops from the final bosses in Scholomance has a real small drop change so GL. 17 FR

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=18064 Jasper Link of Fire Resistance World drop farm AH. 19 or 20 FR

-Trinket
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=18471  Royal Seal of Eldre'Thalas Shaman book from DM gets you this. 10 FR
http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=2802 Blazing Emblem World drop will be hard to get. 15 FR
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=10516 Smoking Heart of the Mountain Recipe can be made by enchanters7 FR

If your got Engineering as profession you can make this trinket:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=37473 Hyper-Radiant Flame Reflector 18 FR

-Chest
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=25219 Red Dragonscale Breastplate 12 FR

-Legs
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=13083  Searingscale Leggings 10 FR

-Hands
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=24655  Storm Gauntlets Drop off Ambassador Flamelash10 FR

For Vaelastrasz these are an option since you need to stats from him:
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=13140 Molten Fists 10 FR

-Boots
There no real mail restoration boots with FR so you could get these though they got not restoration stats.

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=39132 Flame WalkersThey drop of Goraluk Anvilcrack UBRS10 FR

http://www.thottbot.com/?i=28132 Black Dragonscale Boots You need honoured at Thorium Brotherhood and dragon scale leatherworking 25 FR

-Waist
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=27636 Fiery Chain Girdle Crafted with armour smiting you can obtain the recipe from thorium brotherhood 24 FR

-Shoulders
http://www.thottbot.com/?i=36833 Fiery Chain Shoulders ] Crafted with armour smiting you can obtain the recipe from thorium brotherhood 25 FR

If you don't have the shoulders above then get these. It is a world drop, so I guess AH is the best place to grid them :) http://www.thottbot.com/?i=14040  Drakesfire Epaulets10 FR

-Back
We will try to get everyone an http://www.thottbot.com/?i=36050  Onyxia Scale Cloak 16 FR

If you’re really low on FR and don't have Onyxia scale cloak get this: http://www.thottbot.com/?i=20121  Wildfire Cape . If you got enough FR don’t use it. 15 FR

-Wrist
I got these wrist, they are cloth but the stats own. http://www.thottbot.com/?i=36425  Flarecore Wraps 7 FR

If your low n FR get these:http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?witem=11765 Pyremail Wristguards of the Owl 10 FR

ALSO IMPORTANT
If you get Revered with argent dawn you can get +5 FR Enchant on shoulders.

You can also get +20 FR enchanted on head and legs with http://www.thottbot.com/?i=4934 Libram of Resilience

Don’t forget for every important enchants for restoration shamans
Bracers:
Mana Regeneration (+4mp/5secs): 16xIllusion Dust, 4xGreater Eternal Essence, 2xEssence of Water
Or
Healing Power (+24 healing): 2xLarge Brilliant Shard, 20xIllusion Dust, 4xGreater Eternal Essence, 6xLiving Essence

Well this was about all I got at he moment.
I hope this helps shamans to get some good end game gear.
Now get busy grinding :D