Mid-level weapons for a Shaman

[phobus]

Currently I'm level 27, wielding a Poison Wind Censer. I mostly solo by dotting and meleeing/tanking. I'm thinking of switching that out for Blight, Hammer of the Scourge at level 30 but would like to know if anyone has done any parsing to see how the DPS compares between these two?

Alternatively, since a Granite Face Grinder isn't much more than Blight, should I just try for one of those?

I suppose this comes down to how often the Blight hammer procs. I have 90 dex unbuffed right now. I could probably add another 20 or so without spending a lot or giving up much AC, and Rising Dexterity adds another 30. So I'd be looking at around 140 dexterity, buffed. How much of a difference will that make?

Finally, what about a one-hander plus a good shield, like Clay Guardian Shield? The problem here is that one-handed DPS is usually far below that of 2HB. As a Shaman I'm not actually doing that much DPS in melee to begin with, but I figure once I get my pet I'll be meleeing most of the time anyway. Is the loss in DPS worth sacrificing for 25 shield AC?

Edit: this is for an Ogre, BTW. Otherwise I'd be saving for a Barbarian Spiritist's Hammer and wouldn't have bothered with this post. :)

[webrunner5]

I can't afford any of those toys yet for my Shaman. But I would think the Granite Face Grinder with haste would be pretty hard to beat. Its on my top want list if some kind soul is just tired of using his lol.

[skorge]

I can't afford any of those toys yet for my Shaman. But I would think the Granite Face Grinder with haste would be pretty hard to beat. Its on my top want list if some kind soul is just tired of using his lol.

Yes, forget about the Blight Hammer as the small ticks Blight will do to the mob, you will outdamage the mob in melee damage with the GFG or even the Poison Wind Censor. These two weapons have far better ratios. In fact the only shaman weapon better in damage would be the Barbarian only 2HB.

[Siegfried]

Personally I find the tanking as a shaman to be not as effective as root rotting. I would suggest maybe a jade prod or slime coated harpoon for a cheapish mid level weapon for a shaman, perhaps a howling harpoon if you have money to burn.

[phobus]

Forgot to say that this is for an Ogre, so the Barb hammer is out.

I've done some root-rotting, and it's definitely more effective for higher-con mobs that would chew me up in melee. But it seems like I'll have no choice but to tank for at least part of the fight once I get a pet, so I'm planning for that as well as keeping my melee skills maxed.

[Galelor]

I started using the ykeshan war club once it started procing. Doesn't always proc, but it can. Most of my DPS comes from the pet and dots, so I prefer the added stats of a shield (30s-40s).

My soloing usually goes like this:
Pull with malo
send pet
cast slow while mobs runs up to me
tank with attack on while I cast dots
Root
tank with attack on if root breaks

[skorge]

I started using the ykeshan war club once it started procing. Doesn't always proc, but it can. Most of my DPS comes from the pet and dots, so I prefer the added stats of a shield (30s-40s).

My soloing usually goes like this:
Pull with malo
send pet
cast slow while mobs runs up to me
tank with attack on while I cast dots
Root
tank with attack on if root breaks

The fastest way to level as a shaman is to invest in a strong 2hb, from the get-go (level 1). That's one of the most important tools you can invest in as a shaman, because a strong weapon means you kill faster, and killing faster = more exp.

From 1-10 every shaman should melee. From 10-20, most likely the same if you have a strong weapon. From 20-34, if you have good equipment and a strong weapon, you can still get away with meleeing, if not root-rotting will be a good idea (no pet yet).

At 34+ you are almost always better to stand face to face with the mob, using your pet as a dot, meleeing the mob, using your dots, and slow. If you are heavily twinked the only thing you will need to do is toss a regen and haste buff on yourself, pull mob with a dot, and go to down (im talking heiro cloak, rbg, fungi tunic, gfg)...this is the fastest way for a shaman to level.

When I hit 50 on this server pre-kunark, I even used the above strategy...hell im using it now on red and im 49. It's just better to use the spells your shaman has (slow). I'm using a Gatorsmash Maul on red btw.

[phobus]

Thanks, Skorge. You pretty much confirmed what I thought I knew, so that's nice. :)

Are haste items worth pursuing for a Shaman? I figure the higher level I get, the more often I'll be casting in a fight, which means fewer chances to swing regardless of attack speed.

[Extunarian]

I figure the higher level I get, the more often I'll be casting in a fight, which means fewer chances to swing regardless of attack speed.

You got it. Haste is for the most part wasted when you're casting a lot. And once you get a JBB it's basically worthless.

The good news is FBSS prices don't change much, so you could use it for lower levels and then resell it or pass it to a twink.


The scourge hammer sucks. Your best upgrade to melee would be fbss+GFG, but like I said, you can lose the haste when you find your attacks are constrained by your casting, and not by weapon delay.