An Elemental Shaman uses the power of Fire, Earth, Air and Water in various forms to overcome difficulties on their way. They can also bind Elementals’ will and use it to fight enemies.
Introduction
Basic information on the spec:
Elemental Shaman damages from a distance. Just like Enhancement Shamans, they use 2 types of resources: Maelstrom as the main damaging resource, and Mana for auxiliary abilities.
Let’s take a closer look at the weakest and the strongest aspects of this specialization:
Advantages:
Good single target damage
Strong AOE
A standard build lets not to lose dps while moving
Average survivability
A great variety of useful talents
Disadvantages:
Depends a lot on azerite traits
No immune
No uniqueness of the class. It is easy to replace it
(Area of Effect) is basically the area where this of that effect is actuated regardless of whether its damage or healing. This command is usually used to act in a team/raid on several targets. It is also used to describe any ability of a Boss with the aforementioned effect.
Buff stands for any positive effect. Always reflected to the left of the mini-map, by its upper edge.
Burst is an ability to do – in multiple ways – massive damage within a short period of time.
Gear is what it is.
GCD (Global Cooldown) is the overall ability recovery time.
Debuff stands for negative effect. By default, it’ reflected to the left of the mini-map by its lower edge.
DoT stands for Damage over Time.
DPS (Damage per Second) is a measure that reflects the damage done within one second.
Cleave is an ability to damage secondary targets through damaging the main one with no (or minor) loss in the damage done to the main target.
Cooldown (often CD) primarily refers to the ability recovery time. Can be often applied to bursts and various protective abilities.
Melee and Range. Melee is the close-range combat zone, also used in the titles of all the classes and specs that do effective damage in this zone. Range usually refers to a zone that is not a close-range one and is used, respectfully, in the titles of all classes and specs that do effective damage remotely.
Trait is a name for the ‘talents’ your artifact has.
Lava Burst is a Fire spell, in its basic form, it is applied for 2 secs and is responsible for the major share of all of your outgoing damage. Generates 10 Maelstrom. If the target has Flame Shock on it, the damage is 100% critical.
Flame Shock tags a target with a Fire DoT. Basic duration – 24 secs. 6 sec CD.
Earthquake, for 60 Maelstrom, allows you to select its active are within a 40m range around you. In this area, your enemies will be subject to physical damage over 6 secs. There is a certain probability the enemies within that zone are going to be knocked over – stunned for 2 secs.
Earth Shockspends 60 Maelstrom and deals instant Nature damage to your enemy.
Frost Shock deals instant Frost damage to your enemy spending on it 0 to 20 Maelstrom and slowing the enemy down by 50% for the basic period of 5 secs. Damage and active time depend on the amount of Maelstrom spent on it. With 20 Maelstrom spent, you get a 100% empowerment.
Lightning Bolt is basically cast within 2 secs. Deals average Nature damage and creates 4 Maelstrom. This is your main filler on a single target and your Maelstrom generator.
Chain Lightning is similar to Lightning Bolt but it can damage several close-standing targets at a time (up to 5) jumping from one to another. It does not hit one target twice. Basic casting time – 2 secs. Generates 4 Maelstrom per hit target.
Bursts, important CDs and passive effects
Fire Elemental summoned for 30 seconds attacks your target. Generates 3 Maelstroms everytime Flame Shock deals damage. 2.5 min cooldown.
Bloodlust (a.k.a. BL) /Heroism. A raid buff increasing every raider’s or group member’s Haste by 30% for 40 secs, except for those subject to Sated. This effect is cast for 10 min after receiving any spell similar to Bloodlust.
Elemental Fury – The advantage over other classes. Critical damage of Elem shaman is now 250% and not 200% .
Elemental Focus makes your spells critical hits increase the efficiency of the next two spells by 10%.
Mastery: Elemental Overload basically gives you 15% chance of hitting a target with the cast spell twice. The second charge would do 85% damage as of the original one, and creates 75% Maelstrom of that of the original one.
Deffensive abilities
Astral Shift decreases the received damage by 40% for 8 secs. CD 1.5 min.
Earth Elemental, when summoned, plays the role of a tank. It wouldn’t taunt a boss, but it would take away all sorts of minor stuff. CD 5 min.
Healing Surge restores a substantial amount of Health to a friendly target within a 40m radius, and it spends Mana.
Utility abilities
Astral Recall has an action similar to that of Hearthstone, but the CD is not the same, though. This one allows quicker (the casting speed depends on your Haste rating) teleportation with lower CD to wherever your Hearthstone is bound.
Hex transforms a target within the 30m range into a frog for 1 min. The target gets paralyzed, and can’t cast a spell or attack. Damage done to it can cancel this effect. You can only cast this on one target at a time. CD 30 secs. Applicable on Humanoids and Beasts only.
Thunderstorm can be partially referred to as an attacking ability, but the damage is to little, and the throwing away mechanics is auxiliary. Once every 45 secs, it allows you to throw all your enemies 20m away from you slowing them down by 40% for 5 secs. It can be applied while stunned.
Tremor Totem– place a totem for 10 sec that removes Fear, Sleep and Charm effects from all the raid or party members within 30 yards. 1 min cd.
Far Sight moves your camera to the indicated place for 1 min.
Ancestral Spirit is your usual resurrection spell applied on an out-of-combat ally.
Cleanse Spirit cancels all Curse effects on your ally. Demands Mana. CD 8 secs.
Ghost Wolf allows you to transform into a Spirit Wolf. In this shape, your movement speed is 30% higher, and cannot go lower than 100%.
Wind Shear interrupts your enemy’s cast and keeps them from casting a spell from the same school for the next 3 secs. CD 12 secs.
Purge removes 1 magic effect from your enemy. Demands Mana.
Earthbind Totem installs a totem in the selected area for 20 secs. Action range – 40m. The totem slows down by 50% anyone who gets in its 10m active radius.
Water Walking buffs a selected ally by allowing them to walk on water surface for 10 min. Incoming damage cancels this effect.
Reincarnation is Shaman’s unique ability that allows them to resurrect after death with 20% Health and Mana. The effect works no more than once every 30 min. Does not affect Combat resurrection.
General information. On achieving several new levels you’ll get access to new talent ‘Tiers’. Talents may have different effect on abilities: add new features, replace old ones, modify passively different effects and spells. Talents can be changed in Sanctuaries or any recreational zones. However, if you don’t have any of those places nearby you can use the Codex of the Tranquil Mind which allows you to switch channels within a minute. You can’t change talents in combat. You can’t change a talent if the talent you’ve picked in the last Tier is on Cooldown. You’ll have to wait until it’s restored first.
Elemental Blast. Once every 12 secs it lets you cast a 2-sec spell that deals nice elemental magic damage on a target and entitles you to a 10-sec buff – increasing the rating of your Crit, Haste or Mastery by 2000.
Totem Mastery. Summons 3 totems for 2 mins. The totems increase the Haste rating by 2%, increase the Flame Shock ‘s damage by 10%, the chance of Mastery kicking in on Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning is 5% higher. It also generates 1 Maelstrom per sec. If you go over 40m away from the totem, you stop receiving these bonuses.
* The choice depends on the fight type. Totem Mastery is used on a single target fight and at raids encounters. To maximize AOE damage you should use Aftershock which is especially good in mythic +. Call the Thunder is not used.
Tier 3. Lvl 45.
Spirit Wolf. While transformed in Ghost wolf, you gain 5% increased movement speed and 5% damage reduction every 1 se, stacking up to 4 times.
Earth Shield. Protect the target with earthen shield, increasing your healing on them by 10% healing them when they take damage. Has 9 charges. This effect can only occur once every few seconds. Earth shield can only be placed on one target at a time.
Static Charge. Reduces the cooldown of Capacitor totem by 5 sec for each enemy it stuns. (up to 20 sec) .
* You should useSpirit Wolf, because it is the most effective survivability and moving talent. In the open world Earth Shield could be better. In dungeons you might need to stun enemies so Static Charge could work.
Storm Elemental. Replaces your Fire Elemental for Storm elemental that deals range damage. While the elemental is active, each time you cast Lightning bolt or Chain lightning, the cast time of these spells is reduced by 3%, stacking up to 20 times.
Liquid Magma Totem. Install a totem within the 40m range around you that would deal for 15 secs Fire damage to all your enemies within the 8m range.
*Master of the elementals currently is the best choice for almost all situations. Storm elemental could work to maximise bursting AOE but only combining with Primal Elementalist which does not suit standart Lava build. Liquid Magma Totem not useable at current state.
Tier 5. Lvl 75.
Nature’s Guardian. When your health is brought below 35%, you instantly heal for 20% of your maximum health. Cannot occur more than once every 45 sec.
Ancestral Guidance. Allows you, within 10 secs, to restore the lacking Health to the 3 closest members of the group or a raid as of 20% of the damage you deal or the healing you do. CD 2 min.
Wind Rush Totem. Install a totem in a selected area within a 40m radius. The totem will exist for 15 secs and have the active area of 10m. Any Ally within that area increase their Haste by 60% for 5 secs. The effect is renewed when they enter the area for the next time. CD 2 min.
*Your choice by standard is – Nature’s Guardian. If your group or raid needs sprint then take Wind Rush Totem. Ancestral Guidance could be used if your group or raid lacks healing, used in keys a lot while bursting damage.
Tier 60. Lvl 90.
Surge of Power. Earth Shock empowers your next spell for 15 sec: Flame shock also applies to 1 additional target within 8 yards. Lightning bolt will cause additional 1 -3 Elemental Overloads. Lava Burst reduces the cooldown of your storm elemental. Frost Shock freezes the target for 6 sec.
Primal Elementalist. Your elementals become 80% more powerful and you gain direct control over them. Fire elemental gets an ability Meteor,and storm elemental gets 2 abilities: Eye of the storm and Thunderstorm.
Icefury. Hurls frigid ice at the target dealing Frost damage and causing your next 4 “Frost Shock” to deal increased damage and generate 8 Maelstroms. Generates 25 Maelstroms. Can cause “Mastery: Elemental Overload”.
*Currently there are 2 options in this tier. Icefury is used on all not AOE encounters. It is also very useful on encounters where you need to move a lot. Primal Elementalist is used on AOE and multiDoT encounters because you have no time to use frost fury during spam of Chain Lightning and Earthquake, and additionally you can make your elemental to use Meteor on pack. Surge of Power has no advantages.
Tier 7. Lvl 100.
Ascendance. Allows you to transform into a Fire Ascendant for 15 secs. In this form, your Chain Lightning becomes Lava Beam, and your Lava Burst has no CD and deals extra damage equal to the probability of your critical hit. CD 3 min.
Stormkeeper. Charge yourself with lightning, causing your next 2 Lightning bolts to deal 150% more damage and also causes your next 2 Lightning bolts or Chain lightnings be be instant cast and trigger an Elemental overload on every target.
*For any situation only one talent is currently good – Stormkeeper. The rest talents are weak.
So, we can boil it all down to the following builds:
Azerite traits are additional improvements for your character that are available as 3 special azerite armor pieces – helmet, chest and shoulders. In Battle for Azeroth you will not find other amor with such slots.
Current shaman build depends on 3 traits Igneous Potential. But there are 3 other free slots that could be equipped with class traits like:
We recommend to use Herodamage and AzeritePowerWeight addon. Import the addon command from the site and you can easily compare your azerite in the game.
Essence of the Focusing Iris (Source: Mythic+ dungeons) – cool option, if you can keep stacks of haste from main target
The Crucible of Flame (Source: Heart of Azeroth level) – nice extra damage during the fight
Memory of Lucid Dreams (Source: Nazjatar questing) – can be used to provide more AoE at mythic+
Conflict and Strife (Source: Rated PvP) gives a good bonus to your versatility, which is very good by 2 points: increasing your single target dps with IF and also gives you more survivability
Vision of Perfection (Source: “Operation: Mechagon” drop) usable with Strom elemental for more often AoE burst
When playing with Primal Elementalist you should understand what your elementals can do. Also remember that you cannot use 2 elementals at the same time – the first summoned elemental will disappear.
Fire Elemental gets Meteor ability. It is impossible to set on autocast so make a macros and bind for it. You can use it once for an elemental summon.
Storm Elemental has 2 important abilities Call lightning and Eye of the storm . Call lightning is used by default but with a delay. You can fix it with a macros that you can find in the relevant article. This is an important spell because it increases all damage dealt by your elemental by 300% so it is important to cast it and then use another powerful ability Eye of the storm. You should choose the biggest hp target for it so the cast won’t be interrupted. Also its ability deals AOE damage so try to make it hit a lot of targets.
Earth Elemental becomes an effective tank that can hold a pack of mobs in mythic+ so be ready to help your main tank. Also remember about its very strong ability Harden Skin. This spell will decrease all damage received by shaman and his elemental by 40% for 10 sec. This ability can be set on autocast so turn it off to control your additional save.
*Haste also becomes very valuable stat at multiDoT encounters, because you need to get more Lava Surge procs
Mastery: Elemental Overload basically gives you 15% chance of hitting a target with the cast spell twice. The second charge would do 85% damage as of the original one, and creates 75% Maelstrom of that of the original one.
This is just the basic priority. But when you earn more of a characteristic, be prepared to see a picture where the stats that you have in lesser proportions are more valuable. This may slightly alter the basic proportion. That’s why is recommended, once you receive new equipment, you use Simcraft or Raidbots.com. There is no way to get a more precise answer to which stat to focus on first, but through a simulation.
Based on the aforementioned characteristics and results of your character’s own simulation results, you can draw conclusions on Gems, Chants and Raid Chemicals. Mostly, you’ll have to choose between Haste and Crit.
Kick with a modifier, with the Shift key held, the ability is applied on a remembered target, without – on the current one. You can make a macro like this for your Purge.
Leveling. If your character has been inactive since the previous expansions, the best option to level up it is by Timewalking dungeons. You will gain a lot of experience, but there is one big disadvantage of leveling this way. Timewalks are available only for one week during a month, but Overgear is always here.
Raids. Raids are the top-tier PvE content in the game. That’s why the equipment’s base ilvl is higher than anywhere else. These dungeons require knowing all the tactics and have a good gear to kill the bosses. The possibilities of Overgear might let you skip those criteria.
Azerite. It is also not the best idea to forget about the Heart of Azeroth and not to feed it with more Azerite. Ignoring this won’t make your character stronger. The easiest way to do it – just complete all the world quests with Azerite rewards everyday. You can get extra azerite from Island Expeditions. Companions can be found at Overgear.
