Game Guide: Shaman Healing 101

Introduction to Shaman Healing in World of Warcraft

Resto-shamans have come a long way since Burning Crusade. No longer are we classed as mere support healers. Since WotLK has come out resto-shammies are now viable main healers. Even better, we are the healing class that raid buffs! What I"m going to do is list a few tips and tricks to better help one understand what the shaman class entails and what it needs in order to provide kick arse heals for your raid.


Major Glyphs:
Glyphs are as always situational in raids. For the starting heroics/raids these are the norm to go with until Ulduar Hard modes.

1. Glyph of Earth Shield: Increases the amount healed by your Earth Shield by 20%

2. Glyph of Chain Heal: Your Chain Heal heals 1 additional target.

3. Glyph of Healing Stream: Your Healing Stream Totem heals for an additional 20%

4. Glyph of Water Mastery: the passive mana regeneration of your Water Shield spell by 30%

5. Glyph of Mana Tide Totem: Your Mana Tide Totem grants an additional 1% of each target's maximum mana each group member. I would only get this if the raid is having issues with mana. The downside is that a shaman can really only drop it once per fight in 90% of boss fights. Instead  Water Mastery would be the best choice if you are having any sort of mana issues.

6.Glyph of Lesser Healing Wave: +20% more heals when your target has Earth Shield
This is a very popular glyph within the resto shaman community but not necessarily the best choice. This glyph actually gives less healing bonus then the Glyph of Earth and Healing stream. However if a shammy has mana issues this is the go-to glyph until the mp5 is at a comfortable rate.

Minor Glyphs:
are also situational and more of a convenience save for one in particular. And this is Glyph of Water shield. Do not argue, grab it and bask in the amazingness of it. Otherwise there is Water Walking/astral recall (for convenience), and Renewed Life (to avoid carrying ankhs). Take your pick from those per choice but water shield is absolute priority.

Gemming:
Overall the stats to look for in a resto-shammy is Spell power to Mp5 to Intellect to Haste and last, Crit. Mp5 and Intellect are pretty close and could easily be swapped. Again, it really depends on your role and what you are doing.

Meta
Insightful Earthsiege Diamond: +21 Intellect and Chance to restore mana on spellcast

Red
Runed Scarlet Ruby or Luminous Monarch Topaz

Yellow
Brilliant Autumn's Glow or Luminous Monarch Topaz

Blue
You would only use this kind of gem to meet the requirement of the meta gem.

Note: Don't neglect your shammies stamina. It's unfortunate but even with the recent buff that Blizzy gave to shaman stamina.. we still have less than a pansy cloth-wearing mage. =|  Absolutely gem for a hybrid stamina/intellect gem and especially if you have 16K HP. Heroic Loken hits for that much in one smack you can bet that the raid bosses deal much more. Remember, dead shammy can't heal squat!


Enchants

Head - Arcanum of Blissful Mending (30sp 8mp5 / The Wyrmrest Accord (revered) ) or Arcanum of Burning Mysteries (30sp 20 crit / Kirin Tor (revered) )
Go with the Wyrmrest rep first with uncomfortable mp5 and the latter when you have more than enough to spare.

Shoulders - Greater Inscription of the Crag or Greater Inscription of the Storm (Exalted versions). At least get the Lesser Inscription of the Crag and only require honored reputation with Hodir.

Cloak - Greater Speed (23 haste rating)

Chest - Powerful Stats (+10 to all stats) or Super Stats (+8 to all stats)

Wrist - Superior Spell Power (+30 sp) or Greater Spell Power (+23 sp) Fur Lining (Leatherworker only / +67 Spell Power)

Gloves - Exceptional Spellpower (+28 sp)

Belt - Eternal Belt Buckle - Extra Gem

Legs - Sapphire Spellthread (+50 sp / +30 stam)

Feet - Greater Vitality (6mp5)

Shield - Greater Intellect (+25 intell)

Weapon - Mighty Spellpower (+63 sp)


Totems

As the raid buffers we need to be acutely aware of each boss encounter and every possible situation in order to drop totems accordingly. We are definite raid utility and should think about what we can do to help out the raid. Also there are two important things to consider which are:

1. Compostion of your group. If you are melee heavy or the top dps is all melee classes then drop Windfury over Wrath of air.

2. Make sure your totems are not wasted or being overidden. Holy Paladins that have Improved Blessing of Wisdom will overwrite our mana tide totem. Our option is to drop down Healing Stream instead. If there is a DK they will sound off their Horn of Winter. When this is activated it makes our Strength of the Earth totem pretty useless. Use Stoneskin totem to add some extra armor to especially make the tanks squee with joy. 

Macro #1 of all
The Ohhhh SHIT button: This is the 'Tank took 35K WTF hit to his 40K HP' instant big heal. In this case Nature Swiftness will be our tank's life saver. Adding trinkets into the macro is good and recommended so here's an example from WoW Wiki.

/stopcasting
/use 13
/use 14
/cast Nature's Swiftness
/cast Healing Wave

13 is the upper trinket slot and 14 is the lower trinket slot. If you do not have a trinket that has a use, then the macro will just skip over it.


Spell Selection:

Earth Shield -should always be up on one of the tanks. Especially if you have it glyphed..it's just beautiful. Do not neglect it!

Water Shield - 24 hours a day keep this thing up. Whenever you get a free global cooldown try to refresh it. Even when you have two stacks up - refresh it.

Riptide - is more often used on someone you know will take some damage over time or just to quickly top their health.

Lesser Healing Wave - is your main direct heal. This spell properly used and cast often will be able to land fully effective heals.

Nature's Swiftness - Shammies should have the above macro ready for those dangerously tight situations in conjunction with Healing Wave. If you can couple this with Tidal Force it  will have a deliciously higher chance to crit.

Chain Heal - is much more viable now. I wouldn't recommend spamming it as it can be Mp5 intensive but it now has such a large output it makes up a good portion of the shaman heals.

Healing wave - Even glyphed, this is just a very slow heal. I would only use it if you have tidal waves proc as its ineffective to cast it otherwise. Haste certainly makes it better but LHW is much bettef for direct fast heals.



Conclusion:
I don't consider myself an endall expert nor do I perform healcraft like other number crunchers but I like to think that my experience with healing and bit of knowledge might help others along their path to becoming an even better healer.