Restoration Shaman 10.2.6 Guide
Introduction
This guide presents an in-depth view of the Shaman's Restoration Specialization in WoW Dragonflight patch 10.2.6! You will learn everything about the spec, such as how to gear, prepare, and then min-max your Restoration Shaman for the most challenging PvE content in World of Warcraft, Season 3.
First, we'll check out the specialization's particularities and see why the Resto Shaman is one of the best healers in Dragonflight's latest season. Then you'll learn how to gear your Restoration Shaman, what stats to prioritize, and the best talents and rotations for different circumstances.
Finally, we'll discuss min-maxing your character for the end-game content and teach you what gear to use for Mythic Raiding and Mythic Plus dungeons. By the end of the guide, you will become a Restoration Shaman master! Sounds good, right? Let's get started!
Table of Contents
- Restoration Shamans: Strengths and Weaknesses
- Restoration Shaman Stat Priority
- How to gear your Resto Shaman
- Restoration Shaman Rotations
- Best Resto Shaman talents for Mythic Raiding and Dungeons
- Restoration Shaman in Dragonflight - FAQ
Restoration Shamans in Dragonflight: Strengths and Weaknesses
In World of Warcraft, the Shaman class has three specializations: Enhancement, Elemental, and Restoration, and they use Mana as their spending resource. The Restoration specialization serves the healer role.
In World of Warcraft, healers have a major responsibility: they use their healing abilities to buff the allies, keep them alive and save them from death. The Restoration Shaman represents one of the best healer classes for Mythic Dungeons and Mythic Raiding in Dragonflight Season 3, providing excellent stacked group healing.
Regarding weapons, the Resto Shaman uses daggers, one-handed axes & maces, two-handed maces, axes, shields, and staves. As for raid gear, the shaman shares the Protector Tier Token with Warriors, Hunters, and Monks for legacy content. In the Dragonflight's latest expansion raid, shamans share the Venerated Tier Token with Paladins and Priests.
In the table below, we present the strengths and weaknesses of the Restoration Shaman specialization:
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| + Various talent builds and customizations perfect for any activity | - Requires a lot of keybinds and mistakes are punishing |
| + Excellent flexibility with powerful single-target and 2-6 multi target cleave specialization | - Limited options for higher counts, AoE tools cap out at 6 |
| + Offensive and Defensive dispelling options + low CD ranged interrupt | - No naturally regenerating resource - no "immunity" and long CD on defensive abilities |
| + Great group utility using buffs for healing and mobility | - Provides weak damage compared to other healer specs |
| + Perfect mobility, can get out of any situations | - No defined strategy; every build has a degree of unavoidable RNG |
Best Resto Shaman Races
When it comes to races, with so many options to choose from, you are probably wondering what would be the best race for your Restoration Shaman. In World of Warcraft, each race has different racial abilities and spells, but no races offer an immediate advantage compared to others regarding the Resto spec. I highly recommend choosing the race you like the most, aesthetically speaking.
Now, if you want to make an idea of what race players generally choose for their Restoration Shamans:
- For Alliance: Draenei, Dwarf, Dark Iron Dwarf, and Pandaren.
- For Horde: Orc, Troll, Tauren, and Vulpera.
Restoration Shaman stat priority
Regardless of the class and spec you roll into in World of Warcraft, the stats are a key component when gearing up and min-maxing your character for the end-game content. Restoration Shamans wear Mail gear with Intellect as the main stat.
As a shaman, the Intellect stat increases the power of your spells and abilities, in other words - the healing you are providing to your allies. Also, please note that a higher and adequate item level will better impact your character's performance than a perfect stat distribution, so always keep an eye on the gear's item level!
Restoration Shaman Stats priority
- 1. Intellect
- 2. Critical Strike
- 3. Versatility
- 4. Mastery
- 5. Haste
So as a Restoration Shaman, you will primarily value item level for Intellect as the primary stat, then Critical Strike, followed by Versatility, Mastery, and Haste as secondary stats.
In other words: Intellect > Critical Strike > Versatility > Mastery > Haste.
Restoration Shaman Stats Breakthrough
Intellect: Increases your spell power and, therefore, all the healing you are providing to your allies
Critical Strike: Doubles the effects of your heals
Versatility: Increases healing and damage dealt and reduces damage taken
Mastery: Increases the effectiveness of Mastery: Deep Healing
Haste: Lowers the cast time of your heals and your global cooldown
Moving on to the next chapter, we will focus on how to gear your Resto Shaman, the tier set, and best in slot items for mythic raiding and mythic dungeons.
How to gear your Restoration Shaman
In World of Warcraft, gearing is one of the most important aspects that enhances your character's overall performance by providing massive amounts of stats, armor, procs, and set bonuses. This guide will teach you how to properly gear up for the most challenging content in WoW Dragonflight, Mythic Raiding, and Mythic+ Dungeons.
Restoration Shaman Tier Set Bonus
To start with, what is a tier set in World of Warcraft?
In WoW, a tier set is a unique class armor set with powerful 2-set and 4-set specific bonuses for each specialization of that particular class. Tier set bonuses change based on the character's active talent specialization, ensuring that the bonus is appropriate and useful to that spec.
So to recap, tier sets are unique pieces of armor that, when equipped simultaneously, provide you with a bonus, different for each spec of the chosen class. This bonus is based on the number of pieces from the set you have equipped, with most tier sets providing bonuses when equipping 2 or 4 pieces.
How to get the Resto Shaman Tier Set in Dragonflight Patch 10.0
There are three ways you can get tier set items in WoW in the Dragonflight expansion:
- Raids: You can get tier set items found as class tokens from specific bosses in the Dragonflight raids.
- Revival Catalyst: You can craft Tier armor from non-set pieces of the same item level using the Revival Catalyst crafting system.
- Great Vault: You can obtain tier set items from all activities that typically reward Great Vault, such as raiding, Mythic+ dungeons, and PvP.
The fastest way to obtain tier set items is to take advantage of these three sources that can reward you with the Restoration Shaman Tier Set items. The best advice is to complete the raid weekly - this is probably the fastest way to get your hands on the desired tier armor. In case you don't have a team to raid with, complete some Mythic+ Dungeons or some PvP matches.
Mythic dungeons and PvP are highly beneficial because even if you can't drop the set items while participating in these activities, you increase the chances of getting your set items at the Great Vault or the Revival Catalyst console in Thaldraszus. At the revival catalyst console, you can convert the non-set pieces obtained in dungeons or PvP into tier set items.
Let's have a closer look at the Great Vault feature:
And this is what the Revival Catalyst looks like:
Back to our Restoration Shaman Tier Set. Now that you learned how to obtain the tier set, let's see some set bonuses and particularities, shall we?
The Resto Shaman Tier set is called Vision of the Greatwolf Outcast. It comes with the following bonuses for two pieces and four pieces equipped:
- 2-Set: Tidal Reservoir - Chain Heal - Healing Surge, and Healing Wave mark their initial target with a Tidal Reservoir causing them to receive 15% of all Riptide healing you deal for 15 seconds.
- 4-Set: Riptide healing is increased by 25%. If Riptide is active on the same target as Tidal Reservoir, its heal over time effect has a 6% chance to create a new Riptide on a nearby ally.
In the table below, we present you the sources for Restoration Shaman Tier Set items:
| Slot | Tier Piece | Source |
| Helm | Greatwolf Outcast's Jaws | TIndral Sageswift, Seer of the Flame |
| Shoulders | Greatwolf Outcast's Companions | Smolderon |
| Chest | Greatwolf Outcast's Harness | Nymue, Weaver of the Cycle |
| Gloves | Greatwolf Outcast's Grips | Igira the Cruel |
| Legs | Greatwolf Outcast's Fur-Lined Kilt | Larodar, Keeper of the Flame |
The remaining tier set items (Cloak, Wrists, Waist, and Boots) can be obtained by using the Revival Catalyst in Thaldraszus.
As previously stated, you unlock the tier set bonuses for your Restoration Shaman when you equip any two or four pieces of the Vision of the Greatwolf Outcast set. For itemization and build optimization, your four pieces of tier set as a Resto Shaman will be the Shoulders, Chest, Helm, and Gloves.
Raid Best in Slot (BiS) Gear for Restoration Shamans
In the table below, you can find the best item to use in each slot from the raid as a Resto Shaman:
| Slot | Item Name | Encounter |
| Helm | Greatwolf Outcast's Jaws | Tindral Sageswift |
| Neck | Ouroboreal Necklet | Volcoross |
| Shoulders | Greatwolf Outcast's Companions | Smolderon |
| Cloak | Inflammable Drapeleaf | Gnarlroot |
| Chest | Greatwolf Outcast's Grips | Gnarlroot |
| Wrists | Adaptive Dracothyst Armguards | Crafted by Leatherworking |
| Gloves | Greatwolf Outcast's Grips | Igira the Cruel |
| Waist | Forlorn Leaf Clasp | Gnarlroot |
| Legs | Allied Legguards of Sansok Khan | Crafted by Leatherworking |
| Boots | boots of the Molten Hoard | Fyrakk, the Blazing |
| Ring #1 | Band of the Burning Thorns | Larodar, Keeper of the Flame |
| Ring #2 | Signet of the Last Elder | Igira the Cruel |
| Trinket #1 | Smoldering Seedling | Larodar, Keeper of the Flame |
| Trinket #2 | Pip's Emerald Friendship badge | Council of Dreams |
| Weapon | Vakash, the Shadowed Inferno | Fyrakk, the Blazing |
| Shield | Defender of the Ancient | Gnarlroot |
Mythic+ Best in Slot (BiS) Gear for Restoration Shamans
In the table below, you can find the best item to use in each slot from the Mythic+ Dungeons as a Resto Shaman:
| Slot | Item Name | Location |
| Helm | Greatwolf Outcast's Jaws | Revival Catalyst |
| Neck | Raven Filigree Pendant | Black Rook Hold |
| Shoulders | Greatwolf Outcast's Companions | Revival Catalyst |
| Cloak | Shadowfeather Shawl | Black Rook Hold |
| Chest | Greatwolf Outcast's Harness | Revival Catalyst |
| Wrists | Adaptive Dracothyst Armguards | Crafted by Leatherworking |
| Gloves | Greatwolf Outcast's Grips | Revival Catalyst |
| Waist | Waistguard of Deteriorating Grave | Waycrest Manor |
| Legs | Allied Legguards of Sansok Khan | Crafted by Leatherworking |
| Boots | Whelp Handler's Lined Boots | Darkheart Thicket |
| Ring #1 | lord Waycrest's Signet | Waycrest Manor |
| Ring #2 | Thornwoven Band | Waycrest Manor |
| Trinket #1 | Echoing Tyrstone | Dawn of the Infinite: Murozond's Rise |
| Trinket #2 | Coagulated Genesaur Blood | Everbloom |
| Shield | Portal-Ripper's Staff | Dawn of the Infinite: Murozond's Rise |
| Weapon | Key to the Halls | Dawn of the Infinite: Galakrond's Fall |
Best in Slot (BiS) Trinkets for Restoration Shamans
The best Restoration Shaman trinkets for end-game content are:
| Tier | Item Name | Location |
| S | Echoing Tyrstone | Dawn of the Infinite |
| A | Pip's Emerald Friendship Badge | Amirdarssil, The Dream's Hope |
| A | Coagulated Genesaur Blood | The Everbloom |
| A | Sea Star | Throne of the Tides |
| A | Idol of Life-Binder | Crafting |
| A- | Revitalizing Voodoo Totem | Atal'Dazar |
| B+ | Smoldering Seedling | Amirdrassil, the Dream's Hope |
| B+ | Mirror of Fractured Tomorrows | Dawn of the Infinite |
| B | Lady Waycrest's Music Box | Waycrest Manor |
| B- | Rashok's Molten Heart | Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible |
| C | Blossom of Amirdrassil | Blossom of Amirdrassil |
| F | Leaf of the Ancient Protectors | The Everbloom |
This wraps up everything you should know about gearing your Restoration Shaman: the stats priority, how to obtain the tier set, and what items to use in the end-game activities. Moving on to the next section of our guide, we'll teach you what talents and rotations to use as a Resto Shaman in Dragonflight patch 10.0. Sounds good, right? Let's dive in!
Best Restoration Shaman Rotations in Dragonflight 10.2.6
Restoration Shaman Leveling Rotation
Let's check out how you should prioritize your abilities. Here is the basic single target rotation for a Restoration Shaman:
- Restoration Shamans in Dragonflight prioritize both self-preservation and efficient single-target healing while leveling. They maintain a constant shield of defense and self-healing with active buffs like Lightning Shield, Earth Shield, and Earthliving Weapon.
- Flame Shock is applied to the enemy for consistent damage over time.
- When needed, they can interrupt enemy spellcasting with Flame Shock.
- For large health point restoration, they prioritize Lava Burst.
- Lightning Bolt serves as their primary damage spell, and they can use Frost Shock to slow down enemies or cast it while moving.
And this is the basic AoE leveling rotation for a Restoration Shaman:
- Restoration Shamans in Dragonflight adapt their strategy for area-of-effect (AoE) healing while maintaining their defenses. They prioritize keeping their core shields – Lightning Shield, Earth Shield, and Earthliving Weapon – active for constant protection and self-healing.
- To damage enemies, they unleash Acid Rain for area-of-effect damage over time. Their primary attack becomes Acid Rain, which they cast repeatedly to electrocute multiple enemies in a chain.
- Don't forget the mighty cooldown, Stormkeeper, which unleashes a powerful wave of both AoE damage and healing whenever it's ready.
In the pictures below, you can see the best leveling talents for the Restoration Shaman:
In the next section of our Resto Shaman Guide, we'll present the best talents to use for PvE end-game content, such as raiding and Mythic+ dungeons. In the end game, it's crucial to use the right talents and prioritize the skills you use depending on the activity. Choosing the best talents will significantly impact your performance as a healer!
Best Restoration Shaman End-game Talents in 10.2.6
From the PvE perspective, there are two main end-game activities we'll take into consideration: Mythic raiding and Mythic+ Dungeons. We'll treat them separately to keep things clear and avoid confusion.
Best Talents for Mythic Raiding in Season 3 (patch 10.2.6)
In the pictures below, you can see the best talents for mythic raiding as a Restoration Shaman:
Chain Healing build
Healing Wave build
Best Talents for Mythic+ Dungeons in Season 3 (patch 10.2.6)
As a Resto Shaman, these are the talents you must use to maximize your healing in M+ Dungeons:
Damage Focused build
Healing Focused build
Restoration Shaman in Dragonflight - FAQ
1. Are Restoration Shamans good in Dragonflight 10.2.6?
Yes, Resto Shaman represents one of the best healer specs in WoW Dragonflight for mythic raiding and mythic dungeons.
2. Is Restoration Shaman easy to play?
Not really. Like all healer classes, the Resto Shaman specialization is gear-dependent, uses a complex rotation, and requires some advanced skills and knowledge for the end-game.
3. What is the stats priority for Restoration Shamans?
The Resto Shaman stat priority is: Intellect > Critical Strike > Versatility > Mastery > Haste
4. Which shaman spec is best for leveling in patch 10.2.6?
The Elemental Specialization is the best spec for shaman leveling.
5. What is the best race for Restoration Shamans in Dragonflight?
- Alliance's best Resto Shaman races are Draenei, Dwarf, Dark Iron Dwarf, and Pandaren.
- For Horde, the best Resto Shaman races are Orc, Troll, Tauren, and Vulpera.
Final thoughts
This wraps up everything you should know regarding the Shaman's Restoration specialization in World of Warcraft Dragonflight for Season 3, patch 10.2.6. By reading this guide, you should now better understand the Restoration Shaman's spec and particularities and how it performs in certain circumstances and different end-game activities. It's one of the game's strongest healing specs in Dragonflight, so I encourage you to try it!
