The lies blizzard post on officail site.

[Boomrooker]

Shaman are the spiritual leaders of their tribes and clans. They are masters of the elements, using spells and totems that heal or enhance their allies in battle while unleashing the fury of the elements upon their foes. Shamans can wear medium armor, and even wield massive two-handed weapons in combat. They are a versatile class that can wade into battle, restoring their allies while hurling elemental bolts of lightning at their enemies.

The old phrase "jack of all trades, master of none" is an excellent way to describe the Shaman; they are the only real "hybrid" class in World of Warcraft. While they do not excel at any one aspect of their repertoire, they function passing well when performing most tasks called upon by a party. Need a support healer? Looking for a secondary tank? After another damage-dealer? Have an empty slot that needs someone to support the group in general? The Shaman can provide. They have a number of utility spells as well that help make life easier for any party.

Look at the bolds print.
I wana see a shaman offtank?
This is still on afer the site reconstruction after the all these years.
Were shamies ever off tanks pre tbc?http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/shaman/

 

[Pitbull]

Look at the bolds print.
I wana see a shaman offtank?
This is still on afer the site reconstruction after the all these years.
Were shamies ever off tanks pre tbc?http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/shaman/

Lately no they can't

However, why do you think Shamans used to be such aggro magnets ?
I have tanked an instance on my shaman before . Just slap on a shield and tank. But with the latest changes and the lack of aggro it is no longer possible.

 

[Oculate]

Were shamies ever off tanks pre tbc?

Yeah, in vanilla they were. Stoneskin was effective back then along with a shield + rockbiter weapon for threat.

 

[Boomrooker]

Yeah, in vanilla they were. Stoneskin was effective back then along with a shield + rockbiter weapon for threat.

Was that at end game lvl 60 or are you talking lvl 20 WC and SFK tanking that i know can be done.

 

[Pitbull]

Was that at end game lvl 60 or are you talking lvl 20 WC and SFK tanking that i know can be done.

Does it make a difference ?

If you have a great healer, anyone in the group can tank tbh . But not endgame, that is just silly

 

[TheShogun]

Back in pre-BC at low levels Shaman could tank. They even had Aggro Gen on Rockbiter and Earthshock.

 

[vrapt0r]

Thats why shamans can wear mail back then mail was the best

 

[Skurm]

Woo shaman emo, I own that department!

Jokes aside, the class changed. I don't think blizzard lied. Before Paladins were Horde side, Blizzard needed a hybrid healer-slash-offtank for Horde (besides druids), so shamans sort-of filled that role. Even now, pre 60, shaman are pretty capable tanks for 5mans. The game isn't solely about endgame and raiding, ya know.

That said, i think they fooked up the class epically. Duel wielding makes no sense really, lore wise. Shamans are supposed to be spiritual, shamanistic healers and casters. Not pretend fury warriors. Every time I try and think what a class in WoW should be like, I compare it to it's WC3 cousin, and boy are shamans today nothing like their WC3 ancestors whatsoever. About the closest you can get to the old Warcraft 3 shamans, which were ranged dps and buffers, is to roll an elemental shammy.

 

[Jase]

lols at this QQ post

 

[Timken]

While it is unusual for a shaman to tank, it has been done before.

Here is a link to wowinsider, who has covered the story of the shaman tanking Kara back in the days before WoTLK came out.

http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/03/05/can-a-shaman-tank-karazhan/

 

[Boomrooker]

Woo shaman emo, I own that department!

Jokes aside, the class changed. I don't think blizzard lied. Before Paladins were Horde side, Blizzard needed a hybrid healer-slash-offtank for Horde (besides druids), so shamans sort-of filled that role. Even now, pre 60, shaman are pretty capable tanks for 5mans. The game isn't solely about endgame and raiding, ya know.

That said, i think they fooked up the class epically. Duel wielding makes no sense really, lore wise. Shamans are supposed to be spiritual, shamanistic healers and casters. Not pretend fury warriors. Every time I try and think what a class in WoW should be like, I compare it to it's WC3 cousin, and boy are shamans today nothing like their WC3 ancestors whatsoever. About the closest you can get to the old Warcraft 3 shamans, which were ranged dps and buffers, is to roll an elemental shammy.

DKs in Warcraft 2 Tides of Darkness was Clothies spell casters that did Death and Decay to counter mages blizzard.