Quick Facts

Screenshots

Videos

Ghost Wolf

Ghost Wolf
7.2% of base mana
Instant
Requires Shaman
Requires level 15

Turns the Shaman into a Ghost Wolf, increasing movement speed by 30%.

Buff

Ghost Wolf	Magic

Increases movement speed by 30%.

Spell Details

Duration

n/a

School

Nature

Mechanic

n/a

Dispel type

Magic

GCD category

Normal

Cost

7.2% of base mana

Range

0 yards (Self)

Cast time

Instant

Cooldown

n/a

GCD

1.5 seconds

Effect #1

Apply Aura: Shapeshift (Ghost Wolf)

Effect #2

Apply Aura: Increase Run Speed % - Stacks
Value: 30%

Effect #3

Apply Aura: Mod Minimum Speed %

Effect #4

Apply Aura: Increase Run Speed %

Effect #5

Apply Aura: Run Speed Limit %
Value: 1000%

Flags

Guides

A guide to the
Elemental Shaman
(PvE) [Outdated - 5.4.7]

Comprehensive Ashran Guide

Elemental Shaman Guide

Elementals in
Draenor: A Guide
to Elemental Shaman

Enhancement Shaman Guide

Ranged DPS
Overview -
Tips and Specs

Restoration Shaman Guide

Warlords of Draenor
Shaman Changes

Comments

Comment by Txero33

This can be dispelled by a priest, purged by a fellow shaman or even devour magic'd by a felhunter pet!

Comment by Sloshed

Also be aware that while in ghost wolf form you can be tracked by a hunter using 'Track Beasts' and will also be effected by any abilities that effect Beasts such as the flash bombs and hunter ability 'scare animal' which fear Beasts as well as the druid Hibernation spell which will put you to sleep.

Comment by sjuslepus

You can pick herbs while being in ghost wolf form, so its great for farming at the lower levels.

Comment by orsmshaman

A few fun things about ghostwolf, you can loot items such as chests, herbs, dead beasts, skinning and mining, and the crystals in Ungoro, also, two abilities cannot be cast on you while in the form, such as sapm, but also be aware that it can be dispellable

Comment by hellfirezkiv

Another special thing about ghost wolf is that you cannot be sapped while in this form. Very useful when guarding AB flag alone for some rogues can Sap and Cap the flag. Oh btw, does anybody know Draeneis turn into? because that would be wierd cuz wolves are from Azeroth, not Outland.

Comment by smokemonkey

can u attavk in this form?????

Comment by cyborg99

Anyone know if it influences speed while underwater or swimming?

Comment by Billa

This is imba in the 20-29 wsg, since you can hold the flag while being in this form.

Comment by Katalliaan

I use my ghost wolf all the time, and I seem to get dazed more often. Is this just me, or does it have the same downside as a hunter's aspect of pack/cheetah?

Comment by zebraf1

Any spellcast will now automatically cancel ghost wolf :)

Comment by mrdummy

With mining and perhaps skinning, the ghost wolf spell is removed. Not all work is in ghost wolf form possible. I know herb picking is possible in ghost form, because you don't need a tool for it.

Comment by shawarmakriger

Can't be used on a ship.

Comment by UnemMun

If you are dual wielding when you enter this form, you will still attack with both weapons.

Comment by Matadava

According to the 2.4 patch notes, ghost wolf form's cast time to be reduced to 2 seconds. Which means that, when talented, it will be instant cast. I am speechless.

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/test-realm-patchnotes.html

Comment by Datesta

Strictly arena:
The instant ghost wolf buff is in my mind a huge buff. The one thing that shaman doesn't have is mobility. They are stationary casters like paladins. Paladins have BOF and cleanse to get rid of slow effects or immobilizing effects (frost novas and such), while shamans is left with frost shock (not a viable option in arena due to heavy earth shock spamming) and earthbind totem to keep the enemies from getting close.

Claiming the buff is useless because it doesn't remove snares is just wrong. Shamans has the best healing and MP5 (water shield is insane) in the game. A skilled shaman can keep a caster from casting anything at all with earth shock and grounding totem rotations.

My point is: Shamans will be the best healers in 2v2 with this buff and will improve in all brackets. Why is the impact so big you might ask? Well, with a instant boost in speed and LOS meaning so much in arena it gives shamans a huge advantage. In patch 2.4 we will have a shaman that instead of just outhealing its opponents, can outrun them like a druid. If you combine that with the great tools shaman has we have a unstoppable healer that will run around and popping out of GW when a totem, interrupt, heal, purge or anything like that is needed then back with +40% run speed and hide behind a pillar

I will be playing my friends shamans alot more often in arena after 2.4 that's for sure!

Comment by MaDsPLoiTz

This spell does indeed now talent down to Instant Cast since 2.4 in the live build.

Comment by MrSatan

Awesome on Battlegrounds... You run, you kick ass, instant wolf , you'r running again.

For a shammy with High Burst damage this +tallent kick ass!

Comment by anothdae

You can block (if you have a shield equipted) in ghost wolf form.

Comment by Wildhorn

When you shift to Ghost Wolf form, you will attack with your weapon(s), but your weapon skills will get maxed out. This will prevent you to gain weapon skill points, but you will do full damage with them.

Comment by Beaux

Does anyone know if speed enhancements like boar's speed, the meta gem, or arathi basin boots stack with ghost wolf?

Comment by thorusa

Can you fight in Ghost Wolf form?,
But i know that you can do lightning shield in Ghostwolf form.

Comment by DuLLSoN

While you are in Ghostwolf form, u might howl randomly.That looks cool, is there a command to do that on purpose like /mountspecial?

Comment by trollsrlanky

Does this cancel when you go into the water like a mount? If it doesn't, do you go 40% faster in the water too?

Comment by Adalon

I've noticed that even with 2/2 Improved Ghost Wolf (Instant Cast), Mental Quickness will not reduce the mana cost of Ghost Wolf, even though it is made to be Instant Cast through talents.

Comment by aeoris

It is a reasonably small note, but still something worth mentioning. I have noticed recently that when I shift into ghost wolf my chance for melee crit goes up by a very small amount. Is there any explanation for this?

Comment by antropas

Something i've noticed under effect number 3;

: OBS Mod Intellect
Interval: 5 seconds

And then the glyph of ghost wolve states "an additonal 1% health every 5 seconds" Does this mean a new regen effect was added?

Comment by Kortiah

You can now be sapped in Ghost Wolf ; as of the new rank of Sap adds Beasts in the description.

Comment by fiote

Sorry to ask, but i cant find where its said that this spell remove imparing/snares effects.

Shamans got the Improved Earth BindTotem talent, but that was nothing to do with Ghost Wolf.

Comment by Punjab

You can drink potions in Ghost Wolf form.

Comment by skatyer

If the shamman have enough haste this spell can be instant cast?i ask if shammys can save 2 talent-points of this.

Comment by draconite

Effect 3 - Apply Aura: OBS Mod Intellect
Interval: 5 seconds

What is this?

Comment by veno3

Now trainable at Level 16 in Patch 3.2

Comment by araknidude

Something I noticed: when you duel-wield and go into Ghost Wolf form, and then shift out, your offhand weapon becomes invisible. You still attack with both weapons, however. I find it to be very distracting but it's just a visual bug.

Comment by zolikk

Ghost Wolf: Can now be learned at level 16. While in this form, snaring effects may not bring the shaman below base normal run speed.

Shamans, this is the change we've been waiting for. Let's just hope it stays.

If you've noticed, the wording implies that the new effect works like a reversed Judgement of Justice: While under the effect of Ghost Wolf, the Shaman may not go slower than 100% of movement speed.

It's actually better than Druid shapeshifting because it provides sort of an 'immunity' to snares (they only reduce movement speed from 140% to 100%, which is plenty for an escape if coupled with Frost Shock)

Considering that the wording does not imply otherwise, it's safe to assume that it will work on snares already on the Shaman when GW is cast, meaning that it also 'breaks' us out of snares.

The downside? It apparently doesn't work with roots. But that's fine and fair... ups and downs considered, it's still a great change.

Comment by Cooma

patch 3.2 this skill will be available to learn at lvl 16 thats awesome imo since i switched to a shamm :)

Comment by SandmanXC

You should see the /dance animation while in wolf form. It's hillarious!

Comment by Hapseleg

Ghost Wolf: Can now be learned at level 16. While in this form, snaring effects may not bring the shaman below base normal run speed.
from
http://www.wow-europe.com/en/patchnotes/
3.2.0

Comment by Mahmoud

daze effects will bring ghost wolf below normal run speed

Comment by najshu

If you have a Darkmoon Card: Greatness equipped as trinket, it will randomly procc while you're in Ghostwolf (you can also be AFK to get it). According to a GM this is a bug and will be fixed in a later patch.

Comment by ExEvolution

I have a level 19 shaman right now. In my spell book, its mana cost is listed as 10 mana, but when I cast it, it actually costs 20 mana. Just a small bug I suppose.

Comment by Aaro

This along with the Improved Ghost Wolf talent is definitely intended for and the most useful for PvP; however, it's a huuuuge quality of life spec too. In both my Resto and Enhancement specs, I just can't stand not having the ability to instant-wolf whenever I leave a building. Regular mounts are faster and more efficient over long distances, but this baby's instant.

I could get two extra points in healing or DPS talents, but... jeez, it's so fun being able to pop into a wolf at any time. I just had less fun when not spec'd into it, and realized that if you choose the more boring talent choices, you're not doing yourself any favors.

Go with your judgement and play style on this. Some will prefer to talent into extra DPS/heals, while others (like me) will be running around as a wolf, licking people. Do what you enjoy.

Comment by Joegoose

Just a fun fact; if you're in the ghost wolf form and control click on an item to view it, your character will appear as a "ghost" in the dressing room :D

Comment by sztwolf

so with the glyph i would generate 2% of my hp? sweet! not much but SWEET! ghostwolf spell is such a great spell especially when talented. I actually have survived more from ganked and actually also gank more in pvp server.

this is really a great spell when you dun hav time to cast your mount to escape.

Comment by Fawno

I think this spell could use a visual improvement like druid forms received.

Comment by Veltheris

Currently on the Beta of Cataclysm, Ghost Wolf is usable indoors as well as outdoors, Which makes it much better.

Comment by Likkan

Tested and only Frostband Weapon proccs while shapeshifted,even if it does heal your Earthliving Weapon wont procc eigther even if trinkets and such does.

Would thought the glyph would look more like this to looking like a ARCTIC wolf but the current one aint to bad eigther...

And im supprised nobody mentioned yett that Ghost Wolf looks pretty much exactly like Don Carlos's wolf.

Oh and the tooltip changes when you glyph it (both your spell and buff) unlike most other glyphs.

Comment by Skatman

My Arena team partner got all mad at this shaman after he Chains of Ice'd him and he didn't stop in Ghost Wolf. He made a level one Alliance guy and started abusing him for hacking. We won the game anyway...

Comment by rlindse5

1) Chains of Ice hasn't stopped movement for some time, it was changed to reduce movement speed by 95% (so lowered from 100% so players didn't have to re-input movement) and 10% less per second.

2)As a Ghost Wolf, the Shaman is less hindered by effects that would reduce movement speed.
as a ghost wolf, unless specifically rooted(i.e. druids roots, mages freeze) movement slowing effects won't bring he Shaman lower than 100% movement speed.

Edit: looks like on beta GW is being reduced to 30% -_- just when we had something over the druid forms with GW indoors

Comment by Eilonthay

Anyone else wish this scaled with your riding skill? I certainly do--I'd use it more often. Of course, a 310% instant cast ghost wolf zooming through Dalaran might upset the balance of the city such that it flings everyone off into empty space over Crystalsong. While hilarious, the Kirin Tor would complain. I'd settle for 100%. Unfortunately, doing so would alter PVP game play and we all know how much people complain when the PVP is affected, never mind that druids get a more powerful travel form than us no matter which side you look at it from. (Hahaha--just had a hilarious mental image of a 100% ghost wolf overtaking a druid travel form in WSG! Sorry, can't think of any cat and dog jokes at the moment.)

Back when you didn't get your first mount until 40, this and the druid's travel form were things to be envious of. How many of us still slogging our way to our mounts sent death glares at every druid or shaman buzzing past? I know I did. Then I eventually had my mount (when they dropped the requirement again to 30) and all was well, though I looked forward to the abilities when I finally started leveling a druid and shaman and used them every chance I got. Wait, I still do that... ;P

Now that the 60% mounts are available at 20, GW and TF have lost some of their longevity in terms of long distance traveling. Granted, you can get the skills at 16 now, but it's only for four levels, and they go by super fast these days with random dungeons. So after 20, you see those skills mostly in battlegrounds or when someone is mining/herbing/killing clustered mobs or running from the bank to the AH. Outside of those particular instances, it really is a neglected spell. I have discovered, however, that while questing in low level areas as an 80, hopping into ghost wolf form and killing mobs while using it speeds up the Loremaster drudgery. There's also something satisfying about it too. =D

So I'm thrilled to hear that they're blowing new life into the spell come Cataclysm (indoors ghost wolf!) and I hope it'll be really easy to talent into when the changes are made. If you've got two points to spare now, grab the talent and have an instant cast--it's a lot of fun and any shaman can find it useful, 80 or not.

EDIT: as of 10/11/10, MMO Champion is showing that there is a major glyph that increases the movement speed by 5% and a 2-pt. talent (still a second tier enhancement talent) that increases the movement speed to 15% and decreases the cast speed by 2 seconds. Woo! Incoming 60% insta-mount speed! Quite exciting. =)

Comment by calvarea

Now available at level 15.

Comment by Knabber

can now be used inside.

Comment by kalintohu

As of 4.0.1 it can be used no matter where you are, but increase the movement speed only by 30%. Similar to the hunter's Aspect of Cheetah.

Comment by triton456

"Effects that reduce movement speed may not bring you below your normal movement speed"

It's true that in Ghost Wolf form the CoI is (almost) ignored, however the Unholy talent Desecration that slows movement speed by 50% still gets you to 90% while in Ghost Wolf form. Asked it some other players and they said Ghost Wolf could reduce movement speed (refering to the word "may"). Imo this is a bit confusing, and still haven't been able to figure out if there is a chance of ignoring the reduce movement speed that makes you less than 100% while in Ghost Wolf form completely, or that some spells will be ignored and some aren't.

If anyone know this, please responce. ^_^

greetz,
Triton456

Comment by Protodrake

Just a little note - please watch out for debuffs while fighting DKs, this spell can be copied by them =) You will still change to wolf form but it won't be much use as the DK will be able to unleash that exact spell and it will be instant cast.
This is the spell that you need to watch out for: Dark Simulacrum.
Luckily it's on a 1 min cd and only 8 sec duration =)

Comment by Swordy

Level 25, talented and with the +5% movespeed Glyph makes for the fastest trips on your bank alt.

Comment by Woowey

Does not stack with other movement increasing effects.

Comment by Problimatic

Very effective for pve along with the obvious pvp for the instant cast. less time = less time in fire = more time killing stuff = less time being whined at in vent for being in the fire for 1 extra second = looting

Comment by guatafu

Sure this is slightly slower than the druid counterpart however, unlike the druid version, this can be used indoors as in raid/dungeon environment to stay out of the fire.

PvP wise, druids have the polymorph immunity and if resto also free's the caster from roots. However most classes have a way to slow you by 50% so the 140% speed goes down to 70% (~77% with the 4 piece feral set bonus) whilst as a Ghost Wolf you remain at least at 100%.

Keep in mind that travel form is innately instant whilst ghost wolf is on a LONG 2 seconds cast that can turn to instant at the cost of 2 talent points, however the mana cost is cheaper for GW. Also if you're interrupted during a LB cast, etc. you will be locked out of ghost wolf as well since it belongs to the nature school, whilst travel form is physical so can be used regardless of interrupts/silences.

Both have their cons and pros but in the current metagame I believe the druid version is more reliable for PvP.

Comment by Valer

Anyone thinking of rolling a shaman for PvP, this ability doesnt work in that you can still be slowed under 100% movement speed when using it.

Its bugged and I doubt blizzard will fix it anytime soon.

Comment by Traumatize

Scare beast and Hibernate both work on shamans in Ghost Wolf form

Comment by macros23

i would love it if they made this as fast as a mount, e.g. a mount

Comment by natonos

As of 4.3 ghost wolf seems bugged. I have noticed a lot beeing snared to 50%(100% should be normal) speed by hunters snares(dunno which exactly but will research it) in bgs even if its talented to be instant cast. I have aprox 45ms both latencies so no lagg justifies for 3-5 sec deadly snares.

Comment by Azavari

WolfSkinCoyote is the skin for Ghost Wolf. ~~WolfSkinArctic~~ WolfSkin_Ghost is the skin if you have the glyph.

I was in a dungeon on my Shaman, I was the only Shaman in the group, and there was a hunter too. I saw his Coyote running up to the mobs and didn't notice it wasn't spectral as the lighting wasn't great, and I was like "Wtf where did that other shaman come from?" Then I realized it was his wolf...

Comment by FHDH

Extremely old model; has probably been around since alpha. Will Blizzard update the models for two of Enhancement Shaman's primary abilities (Ghost Wolf and Feral Spirit) in WoD? Time will tell...

Comment by Aqureio

I always forget I'm not invisible with Ghost Wolf.............

Comment by Pipkins

Ghost Wolf can be used in a smart mount macro:
#showtooltip
/use drake of the west wind
/use Anglers Fishing Raft
/use green skeletal warhorse
/use ghost wolf
/script VehicleExit()
/dismount
This will summon a flying mount when in a flyable zone, a ground mount in a non-flyable zone, an aquatic mount (or any water travel item or ability) when swimming in a non-flyable zone and Ghost Wolf when in combat.

Comment by Cleptor

Is it me or does the icon for this spell really look more like a cat than like a wolf?

Comment by Eninia

WoD Ghost Wolf: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh2B2sqKuqw

Comment by Discoverer

First expansion to ever touch the look of the Ghost Wolf. For those Shaman who became a bit tired of the old look

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MOZ9Y1n4GDQ

Comment by nahkhaz

In Northrend, when you kill animals and get the Animal Blood buff (makes DETA not appreciate your presence), if you switch to ghost wolf while the buff is active the wolf is a base black with red paws and underbelly.

Comment by medouneu

As far as I know, there are only two Shaman spells you can cast while in Ghose Wolf form: Spirit Walk and Unleash Life / Unleash Flame / Unleash Elements. This is probably so we can take full advantage of Enhanced Unleash, giving a total run speed boost of 60% (from 100% to 160% in combat, without other buffs). Can be very handy when chasing or fleeing opponents in PvP.

Note that the Enhanced Unleash boost only applies in combat, and being in combat reduces your speed from 130% to 100%. Spirit Walk likewise stacks with Ghost Wolf, but not Enhanced Unleash. It gives +60% in combat, but only +30% out-of-combat (in other words, half of Spirit Walk's buff counters the -30% in-combat movement penalty).

Ghost Wolf

Buff

Spell Details

Guides

Related

Contribute