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Hunter or Shaman: Which Should You Play in WoW Forever?
Pick the Hunter if you want simple, fast solo leveling and strong PvP. Pick the Shaman if you want to support a group with totems and healing, with the option to deal damage too.
Hunter vs Shaman verdict
4 Hunter 2 Shaman
For most players the Hunter wins. It levels faster, solos more safely, farms gold better and holds up well in PvP. It is also easier to learn.
The Shaman wins in dungeons and raids. Restoration is a strong healer, and every group benefits from your totems. If you see yourself in a regular group, the Shaman gives more back.
Hunter vs Shaman: head-to-head comparison
| Category | Hunter | Shaman |
|---|---|---|
| Leveling speed | Winner The smoothest ride in WoW Forever: pet tanks, you shoot, loot, repeat. Rapid Killing chains kills together. | Enhancement with a slow two-hander kills steadily with almost no downtime; totems ease most fights. Elemental bursts harder but drinks more. |
| Solo play | Winner Strong solo; mistakes rarely kill you. Much weaker without the pet, very strong with it. | Totems make most fights easier, but the class is flexible rather than hands-off. |
| Dungeons | Reliable ranged DPS, but one damage dealer among many. | Winner Totems are free stats and utility for the whole party, and Restoration can heal. Groups notice when they are missing. |
| Raiding | Marksmanship brings Trueshot Aura for ranged allies; still a DPS slot. | Winner Raids usually bring two. Windfury and Strength of Earth totems make the whole melee group stronger. |
| PvP | Winner Strong in PvP; Survival is built for it, with Strider Kick as a melee kick. | Weaker in PvP. Enhancement can surprise people, but lacks control. |
| Gold farming | Winner Pet tanks elites while Rapid Killing chains kill to kill. One of the best farmers. | Enhancement grinds steadily but slowly; totems buff the party, not your gold per hour. |
Playing Hunter in this matchup
Hunters level with a pet tanking for them. You shoot from range, rarely take damage and seldom stop to eat. Feign Death resets most bad pulls.
Beast Mastery levels, Marksmanship raids, and Survival brings traps and melee tools for PvP. Summon Hawk, Lone Wolf and Sniper Shot are new options.
Where the Hunter falls short
You only deal damage and bring little utility to a group, so raid spots are more competitive.
Playing Shaman in this matchup
Enhancement is the Shaman leveling spec. A two-handed weapon, Windfury, Stormstrike and Maelstrom Weapon kill steadily, and Healing Wave saves you when a fight goes wrong.
At 60 Restoration heals with Chain Heal, Riptide and Mana Tide Totem, Elemental uses Lightning Mastery and Lightning Overload, and every spec brings totems that buff the party.
Where the Shaman falls short
You manage more buttons than a Hunter, totems need placing every fight, and you drink more while leveling.
How WoW Forever's talent changes shift this matchup
Shamans changed on 2 November. Lava Burst was removed, Call of Thunder and Lightning Mastery now drive Elemental, Stormstrike hits for 150% weapon damage on a 6 second cooldown, Riptide is a heal over time on a 12 second cooldown, and Totemic Call brings your totems to you.
Hunters got more damage on their main shots, a higher Trueshot Aura and one shared 30 second cooldown for traps.
Which should you pick: Hunter or Shaman?
- You want the smoothest solo leveling.
- You prefer a pet companion over managing totem drops and repositioning.
- You want top-tier gold farming with chain-pulling.
- You like PvP and want a strong PvP class with Survival tools.
- You are new and want the most forgiving learning curve.
- You would rather be self-sufficient than be the group's force multiplier.
- You want to be one of the two shamans every raid brings.
- You like making the whole group stronger with Windfury and your other totems.
- You want melee, caster, and healer options on one character.
- Enhancement's Maelstrom Weapon hybrid playstyle sounds fun to you.
- You enjoy active, high-attention gameplay over autopilot grinding.
- You want the new Dwarf Shaman combo on the Alliance side.
Hunter and Shaman race options
Hunter has 8 race choices and Shaman has 5. Races marked new could not play the class in Classic Era. See the racials guide for what each race brings.
| Faction | Hunter | Shaman |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance | HumanNew, Dwarf, Night Elf, Skyborne High OrderNew | DwarfNew |
| Horde | Orc, Tauren, Troll, Skyborne WindshaperNew | Orc, Tauren, Troll, Skyborne WindshaperNew |
Plan your Hunter or Shaman build
Plan your points before paying for a respec. Open the Hunter talent calculator or the Shaman talent calculator, or try a starter build for your preferred role. The class picking guide compares all nine classes if you are still undecided.
Hunter vs Shaman: common questions
Which one is easier to learn?
The Hunter. You manage a pet and a handful of shots. A Shaman juggles totems, shocks, weapon buffs and heals.
If I roll shaman, am I stuck healing?
No. Enhancement and Elemental are both damage specs. Groups will often ask you to heal, but you can choose.
Which one contributes more to a dungeon group?
The Shaman. Totems help everyone, and you can heal if the group needs it. A Hunter adds damage and not much else.
Enhancement shaman or Beast Mastery hunter for solo grinding?
Beast Mastery Hunter is faster and safer. Enhancement levels steadily and can heal itself, but drinks more.
Which races can play Hunter and Shaman in WoW Forever?
Hunter: Human, Dwarf, Night Elf and Skyborne High Order on the Alliance; Orc, Tauren, Troll and Skyborne Windshaper on the Horde. Shaman: Dwarf on the Alliance; Orc, Tauren, Troll and Skyborne Windshaper on the Horde.
What is the best leveling spec for Hunter and Shaman in WoW Forever?
For leveling from 1 to 60, play Beast Mastery Hunter or Enhancement Shaman. On our leveling tier list, Hunter is S tier and Shaman is A tier. Each class leveling guide has a talent path from level 10 to 60.