Shaman vs Priest

[Xaqshnr]

I am planning to roll a healer on PvE Nostalrius, but I am undecided on Shaman or Priest. I have been tanking since TBC Retail so I am looking for a change of pace. I like that the shaman has the capability of being melee and ranged dps if I get tired of healing but I played an undead priest in Vanilla (never did any high level content with it) so the priest has would have more of a nostalgic feel to it for me.

What do you guys recommend... or what do you prefer playing Shaman or Priest and why? Which would be more beneficial to a raid team and which would be the most enjoyable playing for some just coming from tanking... mostly pally tanking with a little warrior tanking mixed in.

Thanks for any input!

[GlassGhost]

shaman
+ lot of available gear (cloth/leather/mail)
+ you can be healer/melee dps/ranged dps (not in raids, but you still can!=)
+ totems
+ travel form

- in raids you can play only resto

[Xaqshnr]

shaman
+ lot of available gear (cloth/leather/mail)
+ you can be healer/melee dps/ranged dps (not in raids, but you still can!=)
+ totems
+ travel form

- in raids you can play only resto

Great points. Playing only resto in raid is a non-issue. I plan to heal either way I go :-p

[GlassGhost]

and, if i remember correct PvP realm census, there was more 60lvl priests than shamans

[TwinHeadedKraken]

Priest pros
+best healers in general (people will disagree though)
+can level shadow and still heal dungeons
+mind control people off cliffs in AB
+Anathema/Benediction epic quest for kick ass staff
+Tailoring offers kick ass epic robes

Priest cons
+kind of slow leveling, lots of using your wand (so get good wands every 5 or 10 so levels)
+extremely slow leveling if you're not leveling as shadow
+priest have racial spells, so race can pigeon hole you (Dwarf for fear ward especially)

Shaman pros
+Chain Heal is the best raid heal especially for melee groups
+Windfury, need I say more
+Totems for utility
+Reincarnate is a built in Soulstone for wipe protection in dungeons/raids
+Collect multiple sets of gear for Resto/Enhance and if you're risque, Elemental (good luck competing with Mages/Warlocks though)
+Best looking PvP sets + Unstoppable Force and you'll be good in BGs as Enhance

Shaman cons
+Look hideous in pre-raid resto gear (you'll wear a blue dress with some leather and mail pieces, really tacky)
+Pigeon holed into one spec: Resto (maybe 1 Enhance, but very unlikely since the gear is difficult ie Nightfall and pre-raid BiS competition with Fury Warriors/Rogues/Hunters)
+Elemental is far below Mage/Warlock dps
+Enhance is really the only leveling spec since +nature damage/+sp damage is hard to come by in early levels
+Difficult to heal dungeons as Enhance since you'll go OOM quickly, so you either need to have some +Int gear or just fill DPS roles in dungeons

[Moozer]

+mind control people off cliffs in AB

And off the boat to Booty Bay.
And into the Lava in Blackrock Mountain.
And any other fatal spots you can think of.

[GlassGhost]

+mind control people off cliffs in AB

And off the boat to Booty Bay.
And into the Lava in Blackrock Mountain.
And any other fatal spots you can think of.

1 - not on PvE realm
2 - not on PvE realm
3 - same ^

but when you play shammy you can