Guides

Shaman Leveling Guide (1-65)

The Shaman path from newbie totem-thrower to slow-stacking raid healer.

Leveling a Shaman on The Last Camp from 1 to 65.

The Shaman is the most-flexible priest class in EQ. Slow lands at 24 — the single most-valued debuff in the game (a 75% slow on a raid boss saves the tank's life every fight). Cannibalize at 12 lets you trade HP for mana, opening a solo loop where you bash a green, canni back to full mana, and never sit. Add buffs (HP, ATK, AC), heals comparable to Druid, DoTs that stack with Necromancer DoTs, and pet utility, and you're the most-recruited priest after Cleric.

Shaman leveling is slow. XP is mediocre solo because you're swapping HP and mana to sustain, and groups want Slow more than Heal until you're 24+. From 24+ you spike — Slow lands, every group needs you. From 49+ you have Torpor (the most-broken self-heal in the game). Plan your character around the Slow demand and the Canni-Dance solo loop. Bring patience.

At a glance

Field	Value
Solo strength	Strong (Canni Dance from 12+, slow + DoT from 24+)
Group demand	High (Slow stacks with Enchanter, second-best healer)
Hardest tier	1-15 (no Canni, no Slow, weak DPS)
Easiest tier	49+ (Torpor lands, raid Slow seat)
The Last Camp race options	All 16 (per server doctrine — see race notes below)

Tier-by-tier

1-10 (Newbie)

Solo: Newbie yard. Cast first DoT/heal on greens.
Group: Light grouping at 8-10.
Common race-class start: Canonical Shaman races (Iksar, Troll, Ogre, Barbarian, Vah Shir) start in racial city. The Last Camp-only combos like Halfling Shaman start in Rivervale — travel to Cabilis/Grobb for spells. Wood Elf Shaman starts in Kelethin — exotic combo, travel for spell vendors. Dark Elf Shaman starts in Neriak — travel to Cabilis/Grobb for high-tier spells.
Bind at hometown.
Buy a starter 1H Blunt (Shaman canonical weapon) + shield.
Skill up Meditate from level 4 onward.

10-20

Solo: Innothule Swamp (Troll), Field of Bone (Iksar), Everfrost Peaks (Barbarian), Crushbone Keep.
Group: Same zones; Shamans welcome at this tier.
Camps: Outdoor racial newbie zones, Crushbone outer.
Gear: Stat focus jewelry (STA + INT), magic robes.
Cannibalize at 12 — class transformation. Now you can solo forever via canni-dance.
Practice Canni-Dance: bash green → canni back to full mana → repeat.

20-30

Solo: Lake of Ill Omen, Innothule Swamp, Oasis, Najena.
Group: Befallen, Sol A, Najena, Upper Guk.
Camps: UGuk priest, Najena efreeti, LoIO sarnak.
Gear: Cloak of Flames if accessible, INT/STA focus jewelry, mana 4-6.
Slow at 24 — game-changer. Every group wants you for Slow alone.
Buff lines: HP, ATK, AC. Keep group fully buffed.

30-40

Solo: Upper Guk (canni-bash), Oasis, Lake of Ill Omen deep, Sol B outer.
Group: Sol B, Lower Guk, Mistmoore.
Camps: LGuk frenzied (FBSS), Sol B kobolds, Mistmoore basement.
Gear: FBSS, Fungi if accessible, INT/STA focus, mana 6-8 jewelry.
Pet at 34 — temporary spirit pet for tanking solo work.
DoT lines stack — pile DoTs on, heal yourself, watch the bar drain.

40-50

Solo: Lower Guk deep, Karnor's Castle entry, Burning Woods.
Group: Lower Guk deep, Sol B interior, Karnor's Castle, Chardok.
Camps: LGuk Ghoul Lord, KC torchbearers, Chardok royals.
Gear: Fungi, Cloak of Flames, mana 8-10 jewelry. Begin Epic 1.0 prep.
Begin Shaman Epic 1.0 (Spear of Fate) — Plane of Hate, Plane of Sky, Plane of Fear pieces.
Torpor at 49 — the most-broken self-heal in the game. Click, wait, full HP.

50-60

Solo: Karnor's Castle (Torpor + canni rotation), Chardok, Plane of Hate corners.
Group: Karnor's Castle, Old Sebilis, City of Mist, Velketor's Labyrinth.
Raids: Plane of Hate, Plane of Sky, Velious raid mobs as Slow seat (essential).
Gear: Spear of Fate Epic 1.0 by 55+. Velious chain. Top mana focus.
Epic 1.0 grants instant-cast Slow click — defining raid utility.

60-65 (PoP cap)

Solo: Plane of Storms corners, Bastion of Thunder.
Group: Plane of Valor, Halls of Honor, Bastion of Thunder.
Raids: Plane of Time progression (Slow seat critical for Phase 4), elemental planes.
Gear: PoP elemental Shaman gear, Time chain, top mana focus.
Burn AA on Cannibalize IV-V + Mnemonic Retention + Mental Clarity first.

The Last Camp any-race-class race notes

Canonical Shaman races (Iksar, Troll, Ogre, Barbarian, Vah Shir) all worship spirit-aligned gods (Cazic, Bertoxxulous, Tribunal, Mithaniel) and have racial Shaman guilds. The Last Camp unlocks Shaman for every race. Halfling Shaman is rare — small STR/STA but works fine; travel to Cabilis/Grobb for spells. Dark Elf Shaman worships Innoruuk and starts in Neriak; travel for high-tier spells.

High Elf Shaman is exotic — start in Felwithe, faction-hostile to most Shaman spell vendors. Erudite Shaman is the rarest — start in Erudin or Paineel. All races viable, faction grind is the main planning factor. The big Shaman races (Ogre, Troll, Barbarian) get base STR/STA bonuses that help the canni-dance loop survive longer between heals.

Equipment goals per tier

Tier	Weapon target	Armor target	Notes
1-10	Wooden hammer + shield	Cloth, STA focus	Bind at home, scribe Canni at 12
10-20	Decent 1H Blunt + shield	Stat focus jewelry	Crushbone belt
20-40	Quested INT/STA 1H, mana 4-6 gear	Fine chain, FBSS, Cloak of Flames	Slow group seat from 24
40-60	Spear of Fate (Epic)	Fungi, Velious chain, mana 8-10 jewelry	Epic by 55
60-65	PoP elemental focus, Time-tier 1H	Elemental Shaman gear, Time chain	Cannibalize V AA priority

Common mistakes

Casting Slow on summoning mobs — fizzle wastes mana, drop slow on melee mobs first.
Forgetting buffs in groups — that's 50% of your group value.
Canni-dancing past safe HP — you'll die to a back-attack.
Skipping Torpor at 49 — it's the defining Shaman power, scribe immediately.
Ignoring DoT line in solo — it's free damage on long fights.
Tanking the mob — Shaman has shield + AC but melts to 50+ mob hits.