AM v Shaman / Blorc v SM Questions

[BlindMonk]

Hi, after browsing the forums for a few days there are still some things I don't understand.

From what I can see shaman is considered to be a top 1v1 pick as well as an excellent healer, but AM is considered to be the weakest healer on order and only a decent dps, why?

How does SM 2h compare to Blorc 2h? From my understanding SM should do significantly more damage because spirit is a more desirable damage type and armour stacking is recommended for a lot of classes. Is this correct? Blorc also gets a silence whereas SM doesn't, is this a make let down or it not that important because of diminishing returns on CC?

I'm mostly interested in scenarios/ 6v6 If I ever get there. Are AM/2h SM good picks for this?

[EsthelielSunfury]

The answer to AM vs Shaman is right in your first sentence. You've been browsing for days and there's no answer to be had because there aren't a lot of players maining an AM healer compared to Shamans because they're simply better. Safe to assume that most AM healer mains have either switched to WP, have stopped bothering asking for changes that will never come, or have simply left the game in frustration. That's the end of it.

[Telen]

Both Shaman and AM are great 1v1. AM will always beat shaman due to cleanse mismatch. Shaman can survive much better than AM and dead healers dont heal. As a dps Shaman have better burst, much better assist due to superor tactics and group abilities, also Shaman dont suffer from the damage stat problem dps healers have, not having a dmg stat tactic, by having a dot that also buffs it. AM is very much a solo class with very little utility for a group. Its a choice of being the worst healer in the game or a pretty poor dps class. Where as Shaman can be decent healers or pretty poor dps class. Thats why you see the disparity.

SM uses and debuffs a damage type which as you say nobody stacks. SM also have Whispering Winds which most groups want.

[malorn]

SM also get baseline Dazzling Strike, which is a 50% build-time increase that's spammable and easy to apply to casters and healers. The closest BO get to that is a tactic that adds 20% build-up to their AOE debuff stance 2 ability Big Swing (the equivalent ability for SM is Wrath of Hoeth which debuffs spirit resist). So in addition to a silence in the Hoeth mastery, they also get something that will consistently impair casters regardless of CC immunity. Though I've never been on the receiving end of that, so I have no idea how disruptive it is to healers and casters.

Edit: Correction about SM silence

[zenzo]

On my side, I've rerolled from WP to AM healer because of the fun and gameplay.
If you're main objective is to top healings, for sure WP is way easier, though AM is still usefull as healer, and really fun to play
And Shaman is really better for escape from battle and mobility, but less single target heal Burst (though everything on this game is about aoe)

[Sulorie]

So while SM don't get a silence, they do get something that will consistently impair casters regardless of CC immunity.

How do you think that SM have no silence?

You might have only copied the OP but why are classes being discussed without even knowing their skills?

[adamthelc]

SMs have a silence on their CD decreaser, but thats not really a good thing. BOs don't need to be in combat to use their CD decreaser, give anyone a non ideally timed immunity to get it off and can save their silence for when they want to use it. It does take a tactic slot though.

They can both be good, I always preferred SM, but that is nothing against a BO.

The biggest thing that turns me off to both of them is their punts, but people still make them work.

[malorn]

How do you think that SM have no silence?

You might have only copied the OP but why are classes being discussed without even knowing their skills?

I actually play an SM so this is embarrassing, but still new and haven't gotten that ability yet. I remember thinking they had one, just took the OP's word for it, my apologies. Though to be fair, that doesn't invalidate the rest of the post.

[nat3s]

AM is the better dps (by far) due to 1 more dot than sham + AM can cleanse sham dots but shams cannot cleanse AM. DPS AM is the best 1v1 class in the game currently. Shaman is the better healer though

[Sulorie]

Being the better dd by far, compared to shaman, is not true at all.