Hunter vs. Shaman: Take II

Now that I have Ahami almost to 30 (one bar short of 29), I figured it was time for another hunter vs. shaman redux. I'll probably repeat this in two levels, because at 30, hunters get a few cool abilities (feign death, intimidation) and shaman get the air totem quest. But for now, let me compare up to 28.

I'm finding that I can do one-on-one stuff about the same. For example, the Ashenvale quest where you fight the demons on Felfire Hill: I went through that at the same level and about the same pace on Ahami as I did on Ideale (and I repeated the Alliance version with Tshaya to compare).

However, I'm finding that when I get hit with multiple mobs, even if they are lower level than I am, I'm having a lot less survivability. This is probably partially due to my spec (still resto), and I have the feeling that the air totem at 30 and chain lightning at 32 will pretty much compensate for this. The main problem, I'm finding, is that shaman heals take a while to cast and are pretty easily interrupted. With Ide, I could slap Mend Pet on Cinnamon pretty easily — it's an instant HoT, as opposed to a 1.5 or 2.5 second instant heal. So Cinnamon could tank and survive more easily (although I've noticed at 70 when he or Saff get targeted by an enemy player or NPC in AV, I really, really wish I had an instant heal sometimes). Still, being able to heal has pulled my butt out of a few places that Ide had trouble with, like vs. casters (ditto on Earth Shock, although the amount of resists I get with this on certain mobs is REALLY annoying).

I'm also finding that, as a shaman, I am having much more downtime. I blow through mana like it's going out of style, so even if, healthwise, I'm good to go, I still need to stop and drink. And buying stuff to drink has totally made up for the fact that I don't need ammo (as have my repair bills, which are higher than Ideale's often are at 70). On a hunter, even if you're low on mana, you can keep going as needed and still make it through. As a shaman, if I go out of mana mid-fight, I'm basically screwed. (I'm probably doing it wrong, but still.)

One thing, though, as a shaman: Unlike hunters, shamans have no problem finding groups. The two times I've looked, I've had a group within seconds. And tonight, I had to practically beat someone off — he begged me for several minutes to go to Scarlet Monastery and wouldn't back down even when I said I was going to bed. I finally had to log off. :-/ Total stranger. (And, after the two groups I got into cracked up almost immediately, one rather badly, I will no longer be grouping with strangers anyway. Guildmates or people on the friends' list only. If I decide to do instances at all.)

So, verdict at the moment? Well, shamans are kind of frustrating sometimes, and I think hunters are more fun overall, but I'm still really loving playing Ahami. Since "everyone" says shamans get fun in the mid-30s and I haven't even entered a battleground yet (I hate the twink brackets and figured I'd just skip on by them on Ahami — I've got Ide for my battleground fix), I don't think I'll have any problems taking Ahami to 70 or continuing to play her once I get there. I don't think she'll be challenging Ideale for my main character, though! Even if she does have a kitty now.

EDIT: Oh, and as for cool abilities? Much as I love Feign Death — probably a little too much, actually, since I like to cast it when I'm bored — being able to dance on water totally kicks its ass for coolness, as does dancing with four other shamans and two druids in Thunder Bluff while in Ghost Wolf form.