Azami
Member
Hybrid classes are notorious for not being able to stay on par with pure DPS classes especially near end game content. Aside from perhaps itemization issues with certain classes it does logically make sense that a hybrid shouldn't be able to out DPS pure DPS classes(mages, locks, hunters, rogues).
For end game raiding guilds that I have seen they bring a fairly small amount of hybrid dps classes. Ret pallies, feral cat druids, elemental shamans, holy dps priests, and moonkins have been very few and far between for most end game guilds. The only exceptions are shadow priests and enhancement shamans because their utility and impact to their party helps out a ton.
Ret pallies do bring there buffs to the group but it sometimes seem to be outclassed by some other things. Like Proud says, ret pallies give an extra 3% crit, a blessing, and (for pally tanks) sanctity aura as well as being able to keep refreshing the judgments on a boss (hopefully that info is correct, I'm no expert on pallies).
Compared to enhance shamans, they come bring 2 buffing totems in Stregth of Earth (86 Strength base) and either Grace of Air (77 Agility base) or Windfury Totem and, if the shamans is willing, the melee team could get both grace of air and windfury (I know some tricks for shammies). They also have Unleashed Rage which gives the party 10% increased attack power each time the shaman crits which should probably stay up for most of the fight. And the kicker for them is their heroism.
They both suffer from a lack of agro wipe though. My feign death requires an ankh and has a 40 minute cooldown.
I can't advise you much on Ret pallies but you should do what you want to do. Proudfoot makes it work by absolute min/maxing and squeezing everything he's got. Tree and I make our classes work to the best it can as well. I go through alot of pots and drums to get the most I can out of my elemental shaman, so just hang in there.
(though, I would like to dabble one day as enhancement and see how that is, I did enjoy pwning warlocks on treechop...)
For end game raiding guilds that I have seen they bring a fairly small amount of hybrid dps classes. Ret pallies, feral cat druids, elemental shamans, holy dps priests, and moonkins have been very few and far between for most end game guilds. The only exceptions are shadow priests and enhancement shamans because their utility and impact to their party helps out a ton.
Ret pallies do bring there buffs to the group but it sometimes seem to be outclassed by some other things. Like Proud says, ret pallies give an extra 3% crit, a blessing, and (for pally tanks) sanctity aura as well as being able to keep refreshing the judgments on a boss (hopefully that info is correct, I'm no expert on pallies).
Compared to enhance shamans, they come bring 2 buffing totems in Stregth of Earth (86 Strength base) and either Grace of Air (77 Agility base) or Windfury Totem and, if the shamans is willing, the melee team could get both grace of air and windfury (I know some tricks for shammies). They also have Unleashed Rage which gives the party 10% increased attack power each time the shaman crits which should probably stay up for most of the fight. And the kicker for them is their heroism.
They both suffer from a lack of agro wipe though. My feign death requires an ankh and has a 40 minute cooldown.

I can't advise you much on Ret pallies but you should do what you want to do. Proudfoot makes it work by absolute min/maxing and squeezing everything he's got. Tree and I make our classes work to the best it can as well. I go through alot of pots and drums to get the most I can out of my elemental shaman, so just hang in there.
(though, I would like to dabble one day as enhancement and see how that is, I did enjoy pwning warlocks on treechop...)
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