Versus

When Burning Crusade was about to come out, I remember there being a lot of QQing over the fact that the Alliance was getting Shamans and the Horde was getting access to Paladins. I also distinctly remember someone from Blizzard saying that since the classes were once available only to one faction (each) that the two classes had moved closer and closer to one another thematically for balance. Blizzard (or at least the alleged representative I recall) seemed excited that for once they'd be able to move these classes further apart so that they could be more thematically accurate.

A year has gone by. What evidence do we have that they've done just that?

To my unpracticed eye (my alt shaman is 29, my alt paladin is 8), I don't see much evidence. Not having played Horde much prior to BC, I can't say I'm an expert on Shamans. I can't really relate how they've changed since BC. I know in the little PVP I did prior to BC that they seemed to kill any of my characters with relative ease. Now that we're both 10 levels higher, shamans don't strike the fear that they once did. I mean, it's not like "Ohnoes. Run! It's a Shaman." Rather, I'm more like, "Okay, dead shaman coming up." All this says, is that to my unpracticed eye, this appears that most shamans still carry bruises from being beaten with the nerfbat. And reading over the changes it seems my analysis is mostly correct.

Paladins on the other hand have been greatly enhanced. The only viable spec for Paladins back in the day was holy. The added 10 levels have only allowed them to shine even more in this regard. The retooled trees also allowed them to effectively tank. And with recent changes, it seems like all three of their trees will be viable.

So, if by buffing paladins and nerfing shamans, Blizzard feels that they've thematically shifted the classes to where they belong, I think they've succeeded.