The choice of a hybrid class is one way of eliminating the regret that comes with selecting a role the player dislikes. The Shaman is an outstanding selection for players who like variety, or who may have an issue with committing to just one role.
   The Shaman can wield the mystic forces of nature as caster or melee characters to use nature to increase their physical prowess. As such, the Shamans are a formidable hybrid class; their role is defined by the selections the player chooses. The Shaman's 3 schools of talents are Elemental, Enhancement and Restoration. It's up to the players select how they prefer to assault their enemies.
What's your choice? From a long distance with a mystical elemental spell or up close and personal as an enhanced melee? Restoration speaks for itself; it's the healing abilities that Shaman can possess. Speaking of healing abilities, Shamans have the ability to resurrect players out of combat, they can also resurrect themselves. A little ability called Reincarnation, a fantastic ability for those times when encounters just don't go the way you or your party plan. There is a cool-down to Reincarnation, so don't use it as an excuse for reckless game play.
   The use of totems is the most distinguishing trait of the Shaman. Totems are the physical manifestation of the Shaman's power. Totems are represented by the four classic elements such as earth, wind, fire and air. As such, only one totem of any element may be present at one time, like the Shaman, the totems can be used for anything from dealing damage to healing and buffing party members. The totems do not move with the player, so positioning is crucial to the Shaman and the players he is looking to assist. The totems each have their own life expectancy depending on their function. Another drawback to these totems is that they may be physically attacked and destroyed. It's generally not a concern during PvE encounters but savvy PvP players may focus on removing a group's enhancements by destroying these totems.
   It is common to see Shamans wearing every type of armor from cloth to mail, which depend on the build of your character. The armor bonuses and statistics will dictate what the best armor is for your character, not just the material it is made from. As with their armor, the Shamans have a broad range of weapons to select from. There are only a few selections unavailable to the Shaman. If your choice is a complete melee damage dealer, the ability to dual wield weapons is another trainable option open to the Shaman. Shamans are limited to only melee weapons, guns and bows are not an option for the Shaman.
   With in-game option of changing your spec, the Shaman can fill in the gaps that groups may face. Throughout every major endgame encounter, you may group with Shaman who has acted as the primary and secondary healers. In addition, you may group with those who do extensive damage in the role of DPS and often off-tank for a bit. This also applies to the Shaman's function in PvP. Their high armor class potential gives them a bit of a longer shelf life then some other classes. With the dynamic motion of PvP, the Shaman's totems become a little bit more limited.
   It is well worth that the Shaman is a versatile class, which is one of their greatest strengths but such versatility comes with a price. Having a wide array of choices to select from, you will seldom be number one in the ranking of your choice.

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