WoW is probably the first really standard class-based, multiplayer RPG that I played. I'd played Quest for Glory back in the day - a Sierra adventure series in the style of King's Quest but with RPG elements and three classes to choose from, but which really leaned more toward the Adventure style than the RPG style.
The WoW Shaman is one of two nature-based classes in the game. The other, the Druid, is a more classic D&D-style class, and has some of the D&D Druid's iconic themes, like its animal forms, calling upon moonlight, and with its thematic focus on a connection to nature.
The Shaman, however, is tied to nature in a different way. While the Druid's focus is life and natural life - as well as a sort of secondary theme of celestial elements like the sun, moon, and stars - the Shaman is tied much more to the primordial elements and has a secondary theme of being tied also to ancestral spirits.
In D&D 5E, there are a number of classes that fill similar roles:
The Druid, of course, in D&D, is more versatile than the WoW Druid (to be fair, all classes are) and has access to a lot of the same elemental spells that the Shaman has. Indeed, even Wizards get things like Lightning Bolt.
I'd argue that Tempest Clerics actually might be the closest to Shamans thematically, as both a spiritual class and one that focuses on storm-themed magic. Meanwhile, the Storm Herald and Ancestral Guardian Barbarians both play into Shaman themes as well.
So from the outset, there is an argument to be made that the Shaman can already be recreated to a certain extent in 5E already, either by taking one of these classes or blending them through multiclassing.
But, for the sake of argument and the sake of an exercise, let's say that we want to make a Shaman as something separate from the Druid or Cleric (which I'd say are the two closest in nature.)
First, we should take a look at the defining themes and iconic abilities the Shaman has. We're going to be looking at the breadth of WoW history, as certain themes (you'll be able to tell which one in particular pretty easily) have been de-emphasized over the years.
Totems:
Totems are really the iconic thing Shamans put on the battlefield. Not only did it give them a niche as the people who put up stationary things as an ability, but it also played into the four-elements theme of the class.
Imbued Weapons:
Another thing that doesn't actually exist anymore was the Shaman ability to imbue weapons with certain powers. It was fun as a low level-player to have your little glowing weapon enchants long before the levels you'd actually get legit enchantments. And things like Windfury could also be very powerful effects.
Ghost Wolf:
While not the kind of combat-shapeshifting ability that Druids got, Ghost Wolf was a flavorful way to get across the battlefield or to travel before you got a mount.
Reincarnate:
The ability to self-rez is massive, and would really set the class apart in a lot of ways.
Four Elements:
This is at the core of the Shaman class, though admittedly it might be a little harder to emphasize in D&D rules. Even the modern Shaman often struggles to get each spec using all four - Enhancement and Elemental only opt in to use Frost spells rotationally.
Mystical Otherworldliness:
Admittedly something less emphasized in the abilities themselves, Shamans are lore-wise very aware of the spirit world, and thus I think it would make sense for them to have some kind of planar theme - probably focused on the Inner Planes.
With those elements in mind, I'm trying to think of how to build the class.
First off, I think that all Shamans are going to be pure casters. We should have a subclass that allows for melee characters as well as ranged casters and healers. The thing is, do we want to go the artificer route and really pigeonhole each subclass into those roles? Or should we build them to be a little more flexible?
I'm thinking we'll want one true melee subclass, which will get an extra attack and access to martial weapons. This subclass will probably focus on, or perhaps have exclusive access to, the weapon buffs.
Separating out the casting-focused subclasses, I think we could have one really focus on the spiritual side of things, while the other is more of an elementalist.
Flavorwise, I think that all Shamans are going to have some kind of Vision-quest theme, and so we can call the subclasses Vision of X.
To give the melee subclass a distinct identity beyond its mechanics, we should also come up with a lore theme. I think that it should be focused on honoring ancestors, perhaps Vision of Triumph.
The others I think would be Vision of the Primordial and Vision of Spirits.
Next, I think we would put these sub classes at level 3, with the flavor of a Shaman going through a Vision Quest as a rite of passage.
I think the Shaman would have proficiency in simple weapons, shields, and probably light and medium armor. Vision of Triumph would get Martial weapons, but I can't decide if they should also get Heavy armor. Something to mull over.
I'd also want to add a couple new spells - like a ranged Lightning or Thunder-based cantrip.
The spellcasting ability is an interesting question: Shamans in WoW sort of treat with elemental sprits, which I could see being a Charisma-based casting ability. On the other hand, they're also supposed to be attuned to the forces of nature, which makes Wisdom the more appropriate option. Wisdom would make it easier for them to multiclass with Druids, Clerics, and Rangers, but maybe that would feel redundant? (Of course, if it does, the class itself might be redundant.)
I think Wisdom is probably the right call here.
Anyway, I think this is a good start. I'll see what I come up with.
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