The Spirit Realm

Knowledge to play your class
Skill to do the right thign at the right moment
Gear to save your hide.

It's the medley of this that makes a shaman a powerhouse capable of turning the tide in a raid or battle of any type.

It's mastery of our bundle of twigs that makes us a battering ram of power.

Edit: I voted skill

skill above all.
followed by knowledge, effort, and then equipment.

attitude affecting play is an illusion, some of the most sour people can pull you out of a bind at any moment...

i vote other

usually people get referred to as great as a result of either being the only one around at the time, or others that are around sucking. everbody knows somebody that's great. that's great. we're all great. everybody's great. GREAT

Skill implies knowledge.

I've never seen, wow that shaman, he did something so amazing that he didn't know what it was either...

Skill implies effort.

Wow, that guy only bought his level 70 shaman 2 hours ago..

Effort + Knowledge + Skill imply equipment.

Wow that guy is such a skilled shaman, it's amazing how much you can know about the shaman class w/o ever raiding..

I have to admit tho, I consider myself a skilled shaman, but I am humbled by Grizlor.. he's got all that's listed, +he can solo shit like a mofo.. me, I just can't do it, at some point I freak out, hit ancestral aid and start running around like a chicken with my head cut off..

I think skill and knowing your class makes you a great shaman. Gear only helps a little.

Where's the option "being Tharkis!" up there for me to vote on? =)


(voted for skill, though knowledge and effort add a lot to it)

A good shaman knows when to do what.

We are not the best healers, not the best nukers, not the best dotters, not the best tanks... but very good at buffing and slowing.
Our role in a group depends on what other classes there are... and requires us adapt to whatever any new situation may bring. Is there an enchanter in our group? Did the cleric just die? Did the puller just fail his attempt to singlepull? Your group's tank is a - rogue?

So most of the times we will find ourselves in multiple roles in the same group, even sometimes telling others to do stuff we might be doing better ourselves because we must give priority to something else (like sometimes healing). And we also must know when... slowing asap, but still letting tank get agro, landing a heal in time, medding, canning, planning ahead... what if?

Gear is nice, but won't help you if you don't know the rest.

I dont believe anyone should be considered "Great". If you have played a shaman up to lvl 70 then you should know what you are doing. Slows,heals,debuffs big deal. This is not rocket science. Some players are better than others because they have either experienced what the situation calls for or are smart enuff/lucky enuff to anticipate what needs to happen.