WoW Forever DB

World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide

Restoration Shaman: Leveling

Client build 1.60.1.70425 · updated

Level as Enhancement: it is the fastest Shaman spec.

How this works

Up to 20 it is a two-hander with Rockbiter Weapon, Flame Shock and Earth Shock, and a lot of drinking. Shamanistic Focus at 20 cuts Shock costs by 45%, Stormstrike at 25 gives you a real strike, and at 30 Windfury Weapon and Improved Stormstrike's in-combat mana are the big jump. Heal yourself with Healing Wave between pulls. The XP curve is the same as Classic's, and levels 20–30 cost 331,800 XP, twice all of 1–20. Dungeon quests still pay about 2.2 times Classic's XP. The spells and ranks in each band come straight from the client's trainer data.

How Restoration fights is on its rotation page.

Level by level

Your race

Other bands: Classic routing on Forever zone levels

1–10Earth at 4, Fire at 10

Learn the elements

Lightning Bolt, Rockbiter Weapon and Healing Wave at 1, Earth Shock at 4, Earthbind Totem at 6, Stoneclaw Totem and Lightning Shield at 8, then Flame Shock, Strength of Earth Totem and Flametongue Weapon at 10. A totem spell needs its element's totem item in your bags, so do the Earth quest at 4 and the Fire quest at 10.

Where
Skyborne (Windshaper): Zephras Isle (1–12), the Skyborne island. Trainer Windshaper Boro in Thendal Grove. Earth totem at 4 from Boro: drive off the Al'Aketh converts for a Signet of Akir, drink the Earth Sapta at the Rise of Spirits, and bring the Rough Quartz back (3 quests, 810 XP). Fire totem at 10 from Olariaan Swiftburn at the Shrine of Flames in the Gustberry Lowlands: Skypriest Faladiel's heart, Kuramaa's mask from the Shen'dar Highlands, then the Eternal Flame ritual.
Orc: Valley of Trials, then Razor Hill in Durotar. Earth totem at 4 from Canaga Earthcaller in the Valley of Trials: 2 Felstalker Hooves, then the Earth Sapta at Spirit Rock (3 quests, 990 XP).
Troll: Valley of Trials, then Sen'jin Village and Razor Hill in Durotar. Earth totem at 4 from Canaga Earthcaller in the Valley of Trials: 2 Felstalker Hooves, then the Earth Sapta at Spirit Rock.
Tauren: Camp Narache, then Bloodhoof Village in Mulgore. Earth totem at 4 from Seer Ravenfeather in Camp Narache: 2 Ritual Salves from Bristleback Shamans, then the Earth Sapta at Kodo Rock (3 quests, 900 XP).
Dwarf: Coldridge Valley, then Kharanos in Dun Morogh. Trainer Teo Hammerstorm inside Anvilmar. Earth totem at 4 (new chain): 2 Iceclaw Bear Pendants from the Frostmane trolls' cave, the Earth Sapta at the Spirit Stone up the hidden mountain path, and the Rough Quartz back to Teo (3 quests, 990 XP).
New spells
Lightning Bolt 1 Rockbiter Weapon 1 Healing Wave 1 Earth Shock 4 Stoneskin Totem 4 Earthbind Totem 6 Stoneclaw Totem 8 Lightning Shield 8 Flame Shock 10 Searing Totem 10 Flametongue Weapon 10 Strength of Earth Totem 10
New ranks
Healing Wave 2 6Lightning Bolt 2 8Earth Shock 2 8Rockbiter Weapon 2 8
Talents
Thundering Strikes 5/5 10–14
Tips
  • Rockbiter Weapon on a two-hander; Flame Shock, then melee; Earth Shock to finish or interrupt.
  • Stand at the edge of melee range: until the known issue is fixed, enemies can parry and block you from behind at close range.
  • Pull with a rank-1 Lightning Bolt and melee the rest: casting stops your mana regeneration for 5 seconds.
11–20Ghost Wolf at 20

Fire totem, then the mana fix

Fire Nova, Purge and Ancestral Spirit at 12, Cure Poison at 16, Tremor Totem at 18. At 20: Ghost Wolf, Call of the Elements, Totemic Recall, Frost Shock, Frostbrand Weapon, Healing Stream Totem and Lesser Healing Wave, and Shamanistic Focus with your 11th point.

Where
Skyborne (Windshaper): Finish Zephras Isle at about 12 (the Fire totem is done there), then take the skycutter to Skywatcher Plateau in Mulgore and quest in the Barrens from the Crossroads (10–25). If you left the isle before 10, a trainer sends you back with the skycutter.
Orc: The Barrens from the Crossroads (10–25). Fire totem at 10–13 (Classic chain): Kranal Fiss in the Barrens, Telf Joolam in Durotar wants a Fire Tar and a Reagent Pouch, then the Minor Manifestation of Fire and the Torch of Eternal Flame back to Kranal Fiss.
Troll: The Barrens from the Crossroads (10–25). Fire totem at 10–13: Kranal Fiss and Telf Joolam, as for Orcs.
Tauren: Mulgore to 12, then the Barrens from the Crossroads. Fire totem at 10–13: Kranal Fiss in the Barrens and Telf Joolam in Durotar.
Dwarf: Loch Modan from Thelsamar (10–18). Fire totem at 10–14 (new chain, 5 quests, 4,545 XP): Bruegs Kindleborn in a cave above South Gate Outpost, then Braldir Ashmantle on the peak near Stonesplinter Valley wants Fire Tar (Tunnel Rat Geomancers, Silver Stream Mine) and a Reagent Pouch (Stonesplinter Seers). The troggs go up to 14 and swarm, so bring your partner.
Dungeons

Alliance: Hall of Thanes 13–18 (new, under Ironforge) · Wailing Caverns 17–24 · The Deadmines 17–26

Horde: Ruins of Lordaeron 15–20 (new, in Undercity; six Horde quests) · Ragefire Chasm 13–18 (Horde) · Wailing Caverns 17–24 · The Deadmines 17–26

New spells
Fire Nova 12 Purge 12 Ancestral Spirit 12 Cure Poison 16 Tremor Totem 18 Call of the Elements 20 Frost Shock 20 Totemic Recall 20 Frostbrand Weapon 20 Ghost Wolf 20 Healing Stream Totem 20 Lesser Healing Wave 20
New ranks
Healing Wave 3 12Lightning Bolt 3 14Earth Shock 3 14Stoneskin Totem 2 14Rockbiter Weapon 3 16Lightning Shield 2 16Stoneclaw Totem 2 18Flame Shock 2 18Flametongue Weapon 2 18Healing Wave 4 18Lightning Bolt 4 20Searing Totem 2 20
Talents
Thundering Strikes 5/5 10–14 Tidal Focus 5/5 15–19 Improved Ghost Wolf 2/2 20–21
Tips
21–30Beta cap

Water, Stormstrike and Windfury

Totemic Projection, Cure Disease, Water Breathing and Poison Cleansing Totem at 22, Stormstrike with your 16th point at 25, Magma Totem and Mana Spring Totem at 26, Flametongue Totem at 28. At 30: Windfury Weapon, Reincarnation, Astral Recall, Grounding Totem, Nature Resistance Totem and Call of the Ancestors, plus the Air totem quest. Levels 20–30 cost twice all of 1–20.

Where
Skyborne (Windshaper): Horde road: the Barrens (20–22) → Hillsbrad (22–24) → Ashenvale (24–27) → Thousand Needles (27–30). Water totem at 20–23 (Classic chain, 9 quests, 9,590 XP): Islen Waterseer south of Ratchet → Brine in the Southern Barrens → waterskins at Brine's hut, the Tarren Mill well and the Ruins of Stardust in Ashenvale → the Brazier of Everfount in Silverpine. Air totem at 30: Call of Air sends you to Prate Cloudseer in Thousand Needles (2,450 XP).
Orc: As Skyborne: the Barrens → Hillsbrad → Ashenvale → Thousand Needles. Water totem chain from Searn Firewarder in Orgrimmar to Islen Waterseer (20–23); Call of Air from Searn Firewarder at 30, to Prate Cloudseer in Thousand Needles.
Troll: As Orc: the Barrens → Hillsbrad → Ashenvale → Thousand Needles, with the Water chain at 20–23 and Call of Air at 30.
Tauren: As Orc: the Barrens → Hillsbrad → Ashenvale → Thousand Needles. Call of Air also starts in Thunder Bluff, from Xanis Flameweaver.
Dwarf: Redridge (20–22) → Wetlands (22–24) → Duskwood (24–28) → Ashenvale (28–30). Water totem at 20–23 (new chain, 9 quests, 9,590 XP, about two hours of travel): Norric Lochthane in Loch Modan → Hervdana Saegrund in a cave behind the Wetlands falls → waterskins from her falls, Stonewatch Falls in Redridge and Astranaar's lake in Ashenvale → the Forgotten Shrine at Stendel's Pond in Westfall. No Alliance Air totem quest is in the data yet.
Dungeons

Alliance: Shadowfang Keep 22–30 · Blackfathom Deeps 24–32 · Stockade (Alliance) · Razorfen Kraul and Gnomeregan 29–38 · Scarlet Monastery Graveyard 30–38 · Excavation Site: Wetlands 26–31 (new) · Razorfen Downs (25+) · Uldaman (30+)

Horde: Shadowfang Keep 22–30 · Blackfathom Deeps 24–32 · Razorfen Kraul and Gnomeregan 29–38 · Scarlet Monastery Graveyard 30–38 · Excavation Site: Wetlands 26–31 (new) · Razorfen Downs (25+) · Uldaman (30+)

New spells
Totemic Projection 22 Water Breathing 22 Cure Disease 22 Poison Cleansing Totem 22 Frost Resistance Totem 24 Magma Totem 26 Far Sight 26 Mana Spring Totem 26 Fire Resistance Totem 28 Flametongue Totem 28 Water Walking 28 Call of the Ancestors 30 Astral Recall 30 Grounding Totem 30 Nature Resistance Totem 30 Windfury Weapon 30 Reincarnation 30
New ranks
Fire Nova 2 22Earth Shock 4 24Rockbiter Weapon 4 24Stoneskin Totem 3 24Lightning Shield 3 24Strength of Earth Totem 2 24Healing Wave 5 24Ancestral Spirit 2 24Lightning Bolt 5 26Flametongue Weapon 3 26Stoneclaw Totem 3 28Flame Shock 3 28Frostbrand Weapon 2 28Lesser Healing Wave 2 28Searing Totem 3 30Healing Stream Totem 2 30Reincarnation 2 30
Talents
Improved Ghost Wolf 2/2 20–21 Totemic Focus 5/5 22–26 Mindfulness 3/3 27–29 Water Shield 1/1 30
Tips
31–40Rage of the Farseer at 40

Thirties: Chain Lightning, Windfury Totem, the capstone

Chain Lightning and Windfury Totem at 32, Sentry Totem at 34, Windwall Totem at 36, Disease Cleansing Totem at 38. At 40: Call of the Spirits, Chain Heal, mail armour, a mount, and Rage of the Farseer with your 31st point. Maelstrom Weapon fills the 25-point row on the way.

Where
Arathi Highlands (30–40), Stranglethorn Vale (30–44), Desolace (30–39), Alterac (27–39), then Dustwallow Marsh, Badlands and Swamp of Sorrows (36–45). Riverglades (36–44) is a new contested zone with over 150 quests (announced).
Dungeons
Scarlet Monastery wings · City of Dalaran 28–33 (later beta update) · The Drowned City 35–40 (new) · Razorfen Downs
New spells
Chain Lightning 32 Windfury Totem 32 Sentry Totem 34 Windwall Totem 36 Disease Cleansing Totem 38 Call of the Spirits 40 Chain Heal 40
New ranks
Lightning Bolt 6 32Fire Nova 3 32Purge 2 32Lightning Shield 4 32Healing Wave 6 32Frost Shock 2 34Rockbiter Weapon 5 34Stoneskin Totem 4 34Earth Shock 5 36Magma Totem 2 36Flametongue Weapon 4 36Ancestral Spirit 3 36Lesser Healing Wave 3 36Mana Spring Totem 2 36Lightning Bolt 7 38Stoneclaw Totem 4 38Strength of Earth Totem 3 38Frostbrand Weapon 3 38Frost Resistance Totem 2 38Flametongue Totem 2 38Flame Shock 4 40Searing Totem 4 40Chain Lightning 2 40Lightning Shield 5 40Windfury Weapon 2 40Healing Wave 7 40Healing Stream Totem 3 40
Talents
Concussion 5/5 31–35 Reverberation 3/5 36–38 Elemental Alacrity 3/3 39–41
Tips
41–50Grace of Air at 42

Forties: Grace of Air and the rest of the toolkit

Grace of Air Totem at 42, new ranks of every shock and totem. The levelling order adds Ancestral Knowledge, then Tidal Focus 5/5, Totemic Focus and Mindfulness.

Where
Tanaris, Feralas, the Hinterlands, Searing Gorge, Swamp of Sorrows and Azshara.
Dungeons
Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45 (new) · Uldaman · Zul'Farrak · Maraudon · Alcaz Prison 48–53 (new)
New spells
Grace of Air Totem 42
New ranks
Fire Nova 4 42Fire Resistance Totem 2 42Windfury Totem 2 42Lightning Bolt 8 44Rockbiter Weapon 6 44Stoneskin Totem 5 44Nature Resistance Totem 2 44Lesser Healing Wave 4 44Frost Shock 3 46Magma Totem 3 46Flametongue Weapon 5 46Windwall Totem 2 46Mana Spring Totem 3 46Chain Heal 2 46Earth Shock 6 48Stoneclaw Totem 5 48Chain Lightning 3 48Lightning Shield 6 48Frostbrand Weapon 4 48Flametongue Totem 3 48Healing Wave 8 48Ancestral Spirit 4 48Lightning Bolt 9 50Searing Totem 5 50Windfury Weapon 3 50Healing Stream Totem 4 50
Talents
Elemental Alacrity 3/3 39–41 Elemental Focus 1/1 42 Call of Flame 3/3 43–45 Eye of the Storm 3/3 46–48 Trial by Fire 2/2 49–50
51–60Last ranks

Fifties: Water Shield and the last ranks

Water Shield with the 11th Restoration point, the top ranks of everything at 52–60, and the Elemental points (Concussion, Call of Flame) last.

Where
Un'Goro Crater, Felwood, Burning Steppes, Western and Eastern Plaguelands, Winterspring and Silithus.
Dungeons
Sunken Temple · Blackrock Depths · Dire Maul · Blackmaw Hold 55–60 (new) · Lower Blackrock Spire · Scholomance · Stratholme · Shaper's Terrace 58–60 (new)
New ranks
Flame Shock 5 52Fire Nova 5 52Strength of Earth Totem 4 52Windfury Totem 3 52Lesser Healing Wave 5 52Rockbiter Weapon 7 54Stoneskin Totem 6 54Frost Resistance Totem 3 54Chain Heal 3 54Lightning Bolt 10 56Magma Totem 4 56Chain Lightning 4 56Lightning Shield 7 56Flametongue Weapon 6 56Windwall Totem 3 56Grace of Air Totem 2 56Healing Wave 9 56Mana Spring Totem 4 56Stoneclaw Totem 6 58Frost Shock 4 58Frostbrand Weapon 5 58Fire Resistance Totem 3 58Flametongue Totem 4 58Earth Shock 7 60Flame Shock 6 60Searing Totem 6 60Strength of Earth Totem 5 60Nature Resistance Totem 3 60Windfury Weapon 4 60Grace of Air Totem 3 60Healing Wave 10 60Ancestral Spirit 5 60Healing Stream Totem 5 60Lesser Healing Wave 6 60
Talents
Earthbound 1/1 51 Lightning Overload 3/3 52–54 Elemental Reach 2/2 55–56 Lava Burst 1/1 57 Elemental Fury 3/5 58–60

Talents above follow the Restoration leveling order. The 1–60 levelling order for Restoration, spent for the current tree (Call of Thunder gone, Tidal Focus first so Totemic Focus and Mindfulness unlock, Reverberation 3 instead of 5, Fury 3). With the Talented legacy perk every step comes up to five levels sooner. Guide's pick, untested Step through it in the talent trees.

Class quests and mounts

  • Level 4, Earth totem. Skyborne (Windshaper): Windshaper Boro on Zephras Isle (new). Orc and Troll: Canaga Earthcaller, Valley of Trials. Tauren: Seer Ravenfeather, Camp Narache. Dwarf: Teo Hammerstorm in Anvilmar (new chain). Each ends with a Rough Quartz and the Earth Totem, and teaches Stoneskin Totem. Live in beta
  • Level 10, Fire totem. Skyborne: Olariaan Swiftburn on Zephras Isle (new; a Skyborne who has left is sent back by skycutter from Mulgore). Orc, Troll and Tauren: Kranal Fiss in the Barrens and Telf Joolam in Durotar (Classic). Dwarf: Bruegs Kindleborn in Dun Morogh and Braldir Ashmantle in Loch Modan (new, 5 quests). Teaches Searing Totem. Live in beta
  • Level 20, Water totem. Horde: Islen Waterseer in the Barrens, 9 quests through the Barrens, Tarren Mill, Ashenvale and Silverpine (Classic). Dwarf: Norric Lochthane in Loch Modan, 9 new quests through the Wetlands, Redridge, Ashenvale and Westfall. Teaches Healing Stream Totem. Live in beta
  • Level 30, Air totem (Horde): Call of Air from Searn Firewarder in Orgrimmar or Xanis Flameweaver in Thunder Bluff sends you to Prate Cloudseer in Thousand Needles (Classic, 2,450 XP). The air totems still need it in your bags. Live in beta
  • Level 30, Air totem (Dwarf): no Alliance Call of Air is in the quest data. Check before counting on air totems on Alliance. Unconfirmed
  • Level 30, Rage of the Storm: a new rare two-handed mace in the client (35.6 dps, 3.60 speed, +15 Stamina, "Increases the damage dealt by your Stormstrike ability by 10%"). Players call it the reward of a new level-30 Shaman quest; the quest itself is not yet known. Rumoured
  • Reincarnation at 30 is trained, as in Classic, and each use takes an Ankh. Live in beta

Weapons on the way

  • 1–30: a slow two-hander with Rockbiter Weapon. Two-handed axes and maces are baseline in Forever; there is no dual wield. Live in beta
  • 11, Tauren: Stalk With The Earthmother (new, Thunder Bluff) gives a choice of Hoof-Holstered Blade or Valley Cosh. Live in beta
  • 15–20: Corpse Chopper (two-handed axe) from Bjork in Ruins of Lordaeron, and the Forsaken Greataxe from a Ruins of Lordaeron Horde quest. Live in beta
  • 20s: Smite's Mighty Hammer (Deadmines), Corpsemaker (Razorfen Kraul) and the Manual Crowd Pummeler (Gnomeregan) for Enhancement. Live in beta
  • 26–31, Excavation Site: Wetlands (new): Heavehammer (Horde quest Elder Knowledge, Alliance Lost Relic Carry) and Ironwood Destroyer (Alliance): the best quest two-handers at the cap. Live in beta
  • 30: Rage of the Storm, see the class quests. Rumoured
  • Relic slot: Polished Driftwood Icon (Enchanting, Merchant's Favor recipe) helps early mana; Totem of Charged Flames is reported from the Horde quest Meddlesome Mages (not checked). Live in beta

How to level well

  • Do every totem quest on time. A totem spell can't be cast without its totem item, and the Water chains are long: plan them into your route.
  • Heal with mana you won't need: Healing Wave between pulls beats eating, and you can still cast it mid-fight through pushback.
  • Mind the 5-second rule: finish weak mobs with melee instead of a spell so your mana keeps regenerating.
  • Interrupt healers and casters with Earth Shock; a rank-1 Earth Shock still interrupts, but low ranks get less from spell power and proc talents less often.
  • Improved Ghost Wolf 2/2 by 20. With no mount until 40, instant indoor Ghost Wolf is a big time saver.
  • XP extras: the Cozy Sleeping Bag (+3% for 2 hours), well-fed food with +5% kill XP, and the Well Rested and Talented legacy perks once you have legacy points.
  • Professions: Skinning and Leatherworking (Camp Chair and Camp Tent at campfires), or Herbalism and Alchemy (Mana Well), plus Cooking and First Aid. Enchanting makes the Polished Driftwood Icon relic.
  • Elemental and Restoration can level with Lightning Bolt, Flame Shock and Fire Nova, but both are slower solo than Enhancement before 40.