TBC Classic Guide
Shaman class icon

Restoration Shaman

Healer very high demand

A chain-healing powerhouse that excels at keeping melee groups alive and provides essential totems.

How It Feels to Play

Restoration Shaman is the chain healer. Your signature spell, Chain Heal, bounces between injured targets and is absurdly efficient when people are clumped together. In melee-heavy fights where multiple people are taking damage, you're the healer that keeps everyone topped off with a single spell.

The playstyle is about positioning and target selection. Chain Heal bounces to the most injured nearby targets, so you want to aim it at someone standing near other injured players. Learning to pick the right initial target is what separates a good Resto Shaman from a great one. You also have Earth Shield, a powerful buff that heals the target when they're hit, which is perfect for tanks.

Beyond healing, you bring all the Shaman utility: totems and Bloodlust. Mana Tide Totem restores mana to your entire party, which is a lifesaver on long fights. Restoration Shamans are always in demand, and many raids want two or three. Your combination of strong healing, totems, and Bloodlust makes you one of the most complete healers in the game.

Complexity

Strengths

  • Chain Heal is the best group healing spell in the game
  • Earth Shield provides excellent passive tank healing
  • Mana Tide Totem benefits your entire healing group

Pain Points

  • Weak single-target healing compared to Paladins
  • Chain Heal is less effective when the raid is spread out
  • Totem management is an extra layer of complexity

Demand & Supply

very high demand

Chain Heal is elite, and Shamans bring totems and Bloodlust on top of strong healing. Every raid wants 2-3 Resto Shamans. Combined with the class's lower population, Resto Shamans are always in demand.

Talent Build

Standard Restoration Healer

0/5/56
Earth Shield
Protects a target with an earthen shield, healing them when they take damage. Set it on the tank and forget it
Mana Tide Totem
Summons a Water Totem that restores 6% of party members' total mana every 3 seconds for 12 seconds
Nature's Swiftness
Your next Nature spell becomes instant-cast. Emergency button for a big instant Healing Wave
Healing Way
Your Healing Wave spells have a 100% chance to increase the effect of subsequent Healing Wave spells on that target by 18%, stacking 3 times

56 into Restoration for Earth Shield and Mana Tide, 5 into Enhancement for Ancestral Knowledge (Intellect increase). Earth Shield on the tank provides passive healing. Chain Heal is your primary raid healing spell. It bounces to 2 additional injured targets. Mana Tide Totem restores mana to your group on a 5-minute cooldown, so coordinate usage with other healers.

Stat Priority

+Healing
100
MP5
90
Intellect
85
Spell Haste Rating
65
Spell Critical Strike Rating
55
Stamina
35

+Healing makes your Chain Heal hit harder and bounce stronger. MP5 is critical because Chain Heal is expensive and you'll spam it constantly. Intellect provides mana pool. Haste can speed up your Chain Heal casts. Crit provides mana back through Tidal Mastery.

Pre-Raid Best in Slot

Slot Item Source
head Hallowed Crown Hallowed Crown Harbinger Skyriss - The Arcatraz (Heroic) Harbinger Skyriss - The Arcatraz (Heroic)
neck Necklace of Eternal Hope Necklace of Eternal Hope Revered - Lower City Revered - Lower City
shoulders Hallowed Pauldrons Hallowed Pauldrons Quagmirran - The Slave Pens Quagmirran - The Slave Pens
back Cloak of the Ancient Spirits Cloak of the Ancient Spirits Quest - Shutting Down Manaforge Ara Quest - Shutting Down Manaforge Ara
chest Hallowed Garments Hallowed Garments Exalted - The Aldor Exalted - The Aldor
wrists Bracers of Havok Bracers of Havok Crafted - Tailoring Crafted - Tailoring
hands Hallowed Handwraps Hallowed Handwraps Warlord Kalithresh - The Steamvault Warlord Kalithresh - The Steamvault
waist Cord of Sanctification Cord of Sanctification Crafted - Tailoring Crafted - Tailoring
legs Hallowed Trousers Hallowed Trousers Murmur - Shadow Labyrinth (Heroic) Murmur - Shadow Labyrinth (Heroic)
feet Slippers of Serenity Slippers of Serenity Exarch Maladaar - Auchenai Crypts Exarch Maladaar - Auchenai Crypts
ring Seal of the Exorcist Seal of the Exorcist 25 Spirit Shards - Auchindoun 25 Spirit Shards - Auchindoun
ring Ring of Convalescence Ring of Convalescence Revered - Honor Hold / Thrallmar Revered - Honor Hold / Thrallmar
trinket Essence of the Martyr Essence of the Martyr 41 Badges - G'eras (Shattrath) 41 Badges - G'eras (Shattrath)
trinket Warp-Scarab Brooch Warp-Scarab Brooch Darkweaver Syth - Sethekk Halls Darkweaver Syth - Sethekk Halls
main hand Shockwave Truncheon Shockwave Truncheon Murmur - Shadow Labyrinth (Heroic) Murmur - Shadow Labyrinth (Heroic)
off hand Windcaller's Orb Windcaller's Orb Revered - Cenarion Expedition Revered - Cenarion Expedition
ranged Totem of Healing Rains Totem of Healing Rains The Slave Pens (Heroic) The Slave Pens (Heroic)

Rotation & Priority

56 into Restoration for Earth Shield and Mana Tide, 5 into Enhancement for Ancestral Knowledge (Intellect increase). Earth Shield on the tank provides passive healing. Chain Heal is your primary raid healing spell. It bounces to 2 additional injured targets. Mana Tide Totem restores mana to your group on a 5-minute cooldown, so coordinate usage with other healers.

Progression Path

1
Level to 70

Quest through Outland, run dungeons for gear along the way.

2
Normal Dungeons

Farm reputation to Revered for Heroic keys. Replace leveling greens.

3
Heroic Dungeons

Collect your Pre-Raid BiS gear and Badge of Justice items.

4
Karazhan & T4

Enter your first raid. Collect Tier 4 tokens and epic drops.

5
T5 & Beyond

Progress into SSC, Tempest Keep, Black Temple, and Sunwell.

View the full dungeon progression guide →

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