Shaman (character class)

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This article is about the character class of role-playing games. For other uses, see Shaman.

In role-playing games, a Shaman is a character class that is generally portrayed as using spirit-based magical abilities that involve healing and enhancing the combat abilities of fellow players, and damaging and diminishing the combat abilities of enemies. A Shaman generally wears mid-level or chainmail armor, and wields spears and clubs.

1 Age of Conan
2 EverQuest
3 EverQuest II
4 Vanguard
5 World of Warcraft
6 Other Games
7 References

[edit] Age of Conan

Overview: in Age of Conan, the Bear Shaman is one of the three Priest archetypes, and like other healing classes, it also comes with good offensive abilities - in the case of the Bear Shaman, this is based on melee and melee enhancement.
Races: Only a Cimmerian may learn the ways of the Bear Shaman.
Equipment: The Shaman wears "medium" armor (versus light, heavy or cloth) and wields two-handed blunt (and ranged) weapons, but may not use shields. ^[1] ^[2]

[edit] EverQuest

Overview: In EverQuest, the Shaman class - Like the Druid and Cleric classes - is of the Priest or Healer archetype. Like the Druid, the Shaman has many secondary utility abilities at the cost of not healing as well as the Cleric. These abilities include "debuffing" (diminishing) the offense of an opponent by slowing or decreasing its attack rate, attack rating and spell resistance, as well as "buffing" (enhancing) allies by speeding up or increasing their attack rate, attack rating and spell resistance. The EverQuest Shaman would be considered neither "good" nor "evil" in overall lore.
Races: The Shaman class is only available to those races which are tribal, or closer to nature than to technology. Originally restricted to Barbarians, Ogres and Trolls, players were given the option of playing additional Shaman-capable races in the following expansions: Iksar (lizard people) with "Ruins of Kunark"; Vah Shir (cat people) with "Shadows of Luclin"; and Froglocks (frog people) with "Legacy of Ykesha".
Equipment: The Shaman wears chainmail or scalemail, primarily wields blunt or piercing weapons, and may use shields. ^[3]^[4]

[edit] EverQuest II

Overview: In EverQuest II, Shaman actually describes two Priest classes - Mystics and Defilers. Mystic wards, abilities and spells are more defensively oriented, and their lore is generaly good (vs evil). Defiler wards, abilities and spells are more offensively oriented, and their lore is generally evil (vs good).
Races: EverQuest II does not limit classes to certain races, so any of the 19 races can become a Shaman.
Equipment: Both Mystics and Defilers wear chainmail or scalemail, wield blunt or piercing weapons, and may use small shields. ^[5]

[edit] Vanguard

Overview: in Vanguard, the Shaman is of the Priest or Healer archetype, chooses one of three patron spirits: Tuurgin the Bear grants abilities based on physical strength and robustness; Rakurr the Wolf grants abilities based on stealth and speed; Hayatet the Phoenix grants abilities based on mana (magic) and fire. This choice determines which spells and abilities will be available as the character advances, as well as which statistics will be considered most important.
Races: Shaman may be Goblin, Lesser Giant, Mordebi (a Human variety), Orc, Varanjar (a Human variety), Varanthari (a Human variety), Vulmane (wolf people) or Wood Elf.
Equipment: The Shaman wears "medium" armor (versus light or heavy), wield blunt or piercing weapons, and may use shields. ^[6] ^[7]

[edit] World of Warcraft

Overview: in World of Warcraft, the Shaman class is very versatile, and one can specialize in Elemental (spell casting), Enhancement (melee damage) or Restoration (healing) abilities, and uses Totems to provide benefits to allies (or diminishing opponents' abilities) for a certain range.
Races: Originally restricted to the Horde ("evil") races of Orc, Tauren (ox-like people) and Troll, players were given the option of playing the Shaman-capable Alliance ("good") race of Draenei (blue-skinned, hooved humanoids) with the "Burning Crusade" expansion.
Equipment: The Shaman wears leather armor until level 40, at which time mail armor may be equipped; wields maces and staffs (but can train to use axes, daggers and more); and may use shields. ^[8] ^[9]