As a hybrid class, the role of Shaman is defined by the selections the player chooses. The Shaman's three schools of talents are Elemental, Enhancement, and Restoration. Elemental and Enhancement focus on the damage that shaman can produce. It's up the player to select how they prefer to assault their enemies. Restoration speaks for itself; it's the healing abilities that shaman can possess. Not only have Shamans the ability to resurrect players out of combat, they can also resurrect themselves in regard to healing abilities. 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.
   As Shamans, the most distinguishing trait is the use of totems. Totems are the physical manifestation of the Shaman's power. Totems are represented by the four classic elements (earth, wind, fire, and air) and 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 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. In general it's not a concern during PvE encounters but savvy PvP players may focus on removing a group's enhancements by destroying these totems. Well let's face it, most savvy players will just kill the Shaman, and the totems will dissipate along with the Shaman's death.
   In the game, you are able to gain the ability to wear the second highest form of armor through leveling Shaman, granting them tremendous defensive capabilities. Depending on the build of your character, it is not uncommon to see shamans wearing every type of armor from cloth to mail. 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 as well. There are only a few selections unavailable to the Shaman. If your choice is to be 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 the in-game option of changing your spec, the Shaman can fill in the gaps that groups may face. Throughout every major end game encounter, we've grouped with Shamans who have acted as both the primary and secondary healers. In addition we've grouped with those who do extensive damage in the role of DPS, and can often off-tank for a bit. This 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.
   In short, the Shaman is a versatile class, which is one of their greatest strengths.