Forge Shaman Guide

Forge Shaman Guide by nucu

Sup guys,
I´m nucu, maining Shaman. I started playing with Alpha release, supporting the game as much as I can. You may have seen me playing on EU Server or spamming the forum.

Because Shaman is the most awesome drunken dwarf I played in a game so far, you need to love him as much as I do. (That´s the guides objective for sure)
Unlike in other games Shaman isn´t the guy who places totems, shapeshifting around and even does damage when he wants to.Playing Shaman in Forge means your are responsible for keeping you and your team alive, while you are the focus target most of the time.
You need to be aware of your mana, all the health bars floating around and all the action going on around you (There is a shitload).
That means the Shaman is a dedicated healer with few support abilities, leaving him very vulnerable and team-dependent as fuck. That fact will make you rage more than one time in public-play for sure.

1.0 Lore

As one of the three most ancient practices of the Vaklndr, not all of their history is known. What is known is that the first structures built by the Vaklndr of stone were temples constructed by the Shaman. The very first of which were located high in the mountains on a peak named Ymil’s Throne. To help ease their shift into the realm of the dead, the Shamans are hearty drinkers, giving them a husky frame that belies their abilities in battle. Shamans worship Ymil through their ancestors, each choosing a pantheon of ancestors to act as conduits to various facets of Ymil’s power. Outsiders to the Shaman’s way of life consider them mad, blaming it on their constant communing with the dead. They’re partially correct. Shamans are changed, seeing both the realm of the living and that of the dead at once, but they have not all gone mad from it.

2.0 Abilities

2.1 Spiritual Balance [SB]
> gives 20 Mana per hit
> no cool down
> 50 DMG
> heals
Assassin / Pathfinder for 10 HP/Tick
Pyromancer for 9 HP/Tick
Warden / Shaman for 7 HP/Tick
> 15% speed increase per hit (stacks up to 3 times)

2.2 Block
> 10 seconds cool down
> blocks next incoming attack for 1.5 seconds
> works only for your last target which was in your crosshair

2.3 Heal [H]
> costs 30 Mana
> no cool down
> instant 160 HP heal

2.4 Spiritual Burden [SBu]
> costs 20 Mana
> 10 seconds cool down
> 4 seconds duration
> slows enemies in a small AOE around you
> release you from gravity (you are able to jump much higher)
> reveals stealthed enemys in range

2.5 Seed of Healing [SoH]
> costs 30 Mana
> 5 seconds cool down
> heals you  for 25 HP/Tick (total of 175 HP)[initial Tick for 50 HP]
> only source of selfheal

2.6 Spiritual Bond [SBo]
> costs 9 Mana
> no cool down
> 1 second cast time
> ally need to be in “blue point on nameplate” range, it´s canceld if you are out of range
> limited mana regeneration (won´t regenerate above the point where you casted it)[mana gain still possible with M1-hits]
> shares heal and damage with bonded target 50%/50% (armor is applied for you when getting damage)

2.7 Blessed Aura [BA]
> costs 20 Mana/Tick
> 4 seconds cool down
> heals allies for 60 HP/Tick in a small AOE around you

2.8 Dome of Protection [DoP]
> costs 40 Mana
> 20 seconds cool down
> lasts 20 seconds
> absorbs all incoming attacks (ranged and melee) for everyone standing in the shield
> absorbs 330 DMG from start
> if someone is healed inside -> heal goes into dome (that means you can keep up Dome
of Protection the whole 20 seconds while being attacked, but can´t heal someone standing inside)

2.9 Spiritual Fervor (aka MOST AWESOME OP SHIT) [SF]
> costs 20 Mana
> 10 seconds cool down
> 4 seconds cast time
> lasts 10 seconds on ally
> 50% more DMG for ally

2.10 Sacred Ground (Companion) [SG]
> costs no Mana
> 60 seconds cool down
> deals 40 DMG per use
> heals all friendly units on the map for DMG done

3.0 How to: Control the drunk skunk

> Watch your position all the time. You need to find a spot where you can target and heal your allies while being out of LoS (Line of Sight) for enemies. While standing on an exposed spot try to keep [DoP] up all the time, and get the fuck out from there. Try to stand on an edge if possible, just for the Shadow Leap attempts from Assassins which will always leap onto your back.

> Your M1 is your main source for getting Mana. You need to hit it all the time. I´m serious, practice it, really, do it. For successful casting it you need to click while an ally is in your crosshair and stay in LoS with him all the 1.5 seconds. Keep your Mana as high as possible all the time. Even cast it on 100% allies to gain Mana. Dare you to cast it on friendly stealthed Assassins which are about to engage someone. (They will gain those “bubbles” on the ground, making them visible to enemies)

> If all your mates are 100%, your Mana is also filled up, and your position is kinda o.k., use your M1 to dish out big damage. No seriously, if there is a possibility to get some DMG off, use it.

> Keep [SF] up all the time. There is no excuse for not doing. It means 50% for your lucky target, that´s immense, huge, awesome, insert random positive word.

> Use your [SBu] to get out of hairy situations. Wall jumping while using it is funny as hell.

> Decide what´s useful for your team not for you in person. Either healing yourself using [SoH] or spend your last 30 Mana before you die for keeping up an allied with [H].

> Use Block for obvious incoming CC´s. Learn them by playing other classes too.

> Keep up your [DoP] all the time. It´s your best friend. You can´t be damaged but you can heal and damage outside the dome. Sounds pretty cool right ? Well it is.

> For a successful M1 cast you have to target your enemy/ally, click and stay in LoS all the time.

> For a successful Heal you need to mouseover your ally.

> Spiritual Fervor can be casted through walls. You don´t need to be or stay in LoS, just target your ally and cast.

> While casting Spiritual Bond you need to be and stay in LoS with your ally while casting it. It´ll break once you leave the range (BlueDotNearNameplate).

> Blessed Aura and Spiritual Burden share the same AoE radius. Dome of Protection is about three times larger then those AoE´s.

4.0 Losing your 1v1´s like a Bauwz

You will lose most of your 1v1, deal with it. Shaman isn´t supposed to kill another class in 1v1. That´s
why he is so team dependent.You need them to get rid of those sticky Assassins and stuff. But
nevertheless here are some tips on how to manage such situations.

That were my initial thoughts about Shaman 1v1 after playing him for about a week after Alpha release. I just learned how to manage 1v1´s and to be honest, it doesn´t seems to be that bad. Use your [DoP] in every matchup. Stay inside it for the full duration while M1´ing the shit out of your enemys. When the enemy tries to LoS you, you´re able to leave your dome and heal yourself.

4.1 Shaman – Block his M1´s on cool down, he has no hard CC. Use your [SoH] on cool down. Try to use [SBu] as often as possible to hold him in place. To be true: Mirror matching a healer is annoying as fuck.

4.2 Assassin – You will die. That´s a fact. Your job is to stay alive as long as possible with [SBu], [SoH] and M1 spamming. Get on a bridge, pillar and turn your back to an edge, he will fall down while trying to Shadow Leap. Wait for your team there. If no one is left, say goodbye to your health, due to Panteras Kiss.

4.3 Warden – Easy matchup, block his Charge (Feet starts glowing right before). Spam M1, he won’t reach you due to your speed buff and can´t out damage you. His M1 reduces Healing done up to 30%, try to stay out of range to avoid it.

4.4 Pyromancer – Block his Molten Bola. You can use your companion to block the final damage from Curse of Flame. Abuse LoS to have a slight (Note: a very slight) chance in this duel. If he don´t catch you in the open you may come up as the winner.

4.5 Pathfinder – Block Caltrops and Pin Foot if possible. Same as with Pyro: Abuse the fuck out of LoS. Will be a Sniper duel which can go on for quite a while. Take care for his Poisoned Arrow, try to don´t move while the Dot is active.