Cataclysm Classic Restoration Shaman Stat Priority (2024)

Last updated on May 19, 2024 at 00:00by Seksixeny

On this page, you will find out the optimal PvE stat priority for yourRestoration Shaman in Cataclysm Classic. We first present the statpriority, before delving into more complex explanations.

The stat priority for Restoration Shamanis as follows:

1. Intellect
2. Spirit
3. Haste (aim for specific breakpoints such as 7.15% for extra tick on Earthliving Weapon)
4. Mastery (especially good in progression / underhealing raid setups)
5. Critical Strike (above Mastery when using Ancestral Awakening)

Intellect is the new primary stat for all casters, including RestorationShamans, replacing Spell Power on every gear slotexcept for your weapon. Intellect increases your maximum Mana, which also increasesyour Mana regeneration through talents that regenerate a % of your maximum Mana,such as Replenishment.

Every point of Intellect gives one Spell Power, making it the best stat for Restoration.Your Intellect will also get further increased by raid buffs such as Blessing of Kings,making it the stat to stack above all others. You will get more of it on higheritem level gear, making that the main factor to consider while gearing.

Spirit is primarily a healer stat that grants increased Mana regeneration whilenot casting. As Restoration you get Meditation whichallows 50% of your Spirit Mana regeneration to continue while casting and,more importantly, Mana Tide Totem which multiplies your Spirit by 200% andgrants it to the whole raid group whenever used. For builds using it, it will alsoserve as your Spell Hit rating with Elemental Precision.

Due to all of these interactions, Spirit is your best secondary stat and youshould aim to have it on most of your gear. Your Spirit can also be further increasedby raid buffs such as Blessing of Kings.

Haste Rating is also a great secondary stat for Restoration,which allows you to quickly push out heals and make periodic ones such as Earthliving Weapontick more times within their total duration, as long as you are inside a breakpoint.The main downside of Haste is the added Mana costs derived from casting more frequently.Make sure you have enough Spirit to support the amount of Haste you have to avoidrunning out of Mana before a fight has ended.

At Level 85:

• 128.05 Haste Rating = 1% Haste

In Cataclysm, Haste adds additional ticks to damage over time and healing overtime spells if you reach certain breakpoint numbers. This increases the potencyof healing spells such as Healing Rain by giving them more healing withinthe same total duration.

The breakpoints will vary depending on what buffs or racial you have such asthe Dark Intent Haste buff, the Goblin racial Time is Money, Troll Berserking racial, Wrath of Air Totemraid buff, or Bloodlust / Heroism raid buff.

Hitting your closest Haste breakpoint is very important as Restoration,as doing so will improve both your total healing and also the Mana to Healing efficiencyof the spell which breakpoint you just hit. Try to avoid stacking Haste past a reachablebreakpoint, as that will increase the pressure on your Mana without the equivalentheal over time efficiency benefits.

Compare the Haste percentages on the chart below to the Haste % on yourcharacter sheet to gauge where you stand relative to the most common breakpointsin a raid setting with Wrath of Air Totem or a similar buff active.

Ticks Gained	Earthliving Weapon	Healing Rain	Riptide + Glyph of Riptide
1 Extra Tick	7.15%	4.74%	2.02%
2 Extra Ticks	30.97%	23.81%	15.65%
3 Extra Ticks	54.73%	42.84%	29.25%
4 Extra Ticks	78.52%	61.90%	42.89%

Mastery is a new stat added in Cataclysm for all specializations. It gives uniquebonuses, and Restoration Shamanshave Deep Healing, which increases your healing done proportionally tothe missing health of the target, making lower health targets be healed by muchmore than full health targets.

This makes it a very powerful stat when underhealing content, as you will beable to do more healing the more injured the raid is, but also means your abilityto top players off will be relatively weak and inefficient when stacking Mastery.

At Level 85:

• 179.28 Mastery Rating = 1 Mastery = up to 3% more healing on injured targets

Critical Strike Rating has synergy with multiple Restoration talents: Ancestral Awakening, Ancestral Healing, and Resurgence. It also has morevalue in Cataclysm as your heals over time can now critically strike for 200% healing.Ultimately the main problem with Critical Strike Rating is that you need a lot ofRating to get 1% more chance to land critical strikes and the other stats are allvery strong already as well, but it is not a bad stat by any means, especially in10-mans where you are likely to benefit heavily from Ancestral Awakening.

At Level 85:

• 179.28 Crit Rating = 1% Crit