Quote (Hajonston @ Dec 2 2009 04:34am)
No, thats not the point.
If you teleport into a fire sorcs fireballs, you will die. If you teleport into a hammerdins hammers, you will die. If you let yourself get hit by rabies, you will (eventually) die. This is not a guide to a class that says "everyone simply drops dead". If thats what you want, go stack an auradin or aurasorc. The point of the shaman is to have tactical advantage, not to insta-win. It is not a build that takes little skill and gives high rewards- it is a build that takes high skill and gives even higher rewards. You win by not putting yourself into the position that a fireball sorc is going to hit you. It is easier to wear her down with fissures, easier to land a volcano/bear combo than it is for her to hit you. Thats tactical advantage.
The foremost thing about a shaman is realizing that it is a build that takes a lot of skill to use. A class like a joderdin might seem good because it takes absolutely no skill and will still give you fair number of kills- a Shaman is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Unless you're a very good dueler, you'll simply die a lot. But in the hands of a good dueler, a shaman can do things that no other build can come close to- that is its advantage. So if your PvP experience boils down to "run headlong into fireballs and pray she dies first" it is not the character for you.
That no other build can come close to. Like losing to a bearsin and a Nats sin