Shocking! Shamans get new Ascendance forms in WoW patch 11.0.5

Ask most Shaman how they’re eating in The War Within, and they’ll tell you that we’re eating good. With Restoration Shaman being extremely strong healers, Elemental Shaman are easier to play (and don’t need to cast Lava Burst every two seconds), and Enhancement Shaman… existing… (sorry Enhancement brothers and sisters, I love you all, but you got the short end of the totem so far in this expansion) it’s been a long time since the Shaman class felt this loved.

One thing that Shamans have been complaining about for some time, however, is that our Ascendance form has been pretty lackluster. The current Ascendance form is modeled from the Ascendant Council bosses in The Bastion of Twilight, only wearing different (more stylish) clothing. Considering that Cataclysm came out in 2010, these models are going to their first Prom and playing in the Homecoming game this year. It’s about time for a change.

Our begging finally paid off, and Blizzard announced new Ascendance form models for patch 11.0.5, to many mixed feelings in the community. At first, I wasn’t the biggest fan of these models either, as I felt they were very Drustvar-ish (though now I cannot help but see them as Marv from Home Alone 2). But it appears Blizzard has been listening, and the devs have announced another set of new, baseline Ascendance models.

Now, Restoration Shaman will get a new Water form, Elemental will get a new Fire form, and Enhancement will get a new Wind form. These new forms are a great mix of the original updates — indeed, it would appear that they keep the same basic armor and model style — but with a more tame facial expression, a helmet, and slicked back hair. Perhaps it could be said that the new models are the “power constrained” versions of the now dubbed “Energetic Ascendance” models, whereas those Energetic models are the ones where all power has been unleashed.

But what if you like the current teenage Ascendant Council form? Or what if the wild hair and crackling energy of the Energetic Ascendance form is absolutely your aesthetic? Well worry not, because Blizzard has stated that those forms will be available via glyphs.

• Glyph of Traditional Ascendance – This glyph keeps your original Ascendance form.
• Glyph of Energetic Ascendance – This is the wild haired, crackling energy form.

Which Ascendance form will you be rocking when 11.0.5 comes? For me, I’m really happy with the new baseline forms, so that’s where you’ll find my Shaman; but if I were running a Zandalari Troll Shaman instead, or a Kul Tiran Shaman? I’d definitely be using Energetic Ascendance.