Elemental Shaman Guide for WoW Forever: Talents, Rotation and Raids

The Elemental Shaman is a ranged caster with strong burst windows and lots of AoE, but weak single-target damage. Lava Burst was cut just before launch, and Call of Thunder took its place. In return, Lightning Overload now procs 30% of the time, and Lightning Mastery takes Chain Lightning's cooldown away. Mana is what holds you back. The lists since launch have pushed Elemental down to C for raids.

Talents and builds

The links open the talent calculator with the finished build, including why the points go where they go.

• Leveling: Elemental leveling (points 33/7/11). The 'True Elemental' route for playing a ranged caster all the way. The calculator shows the point-by-point order below the tree.
• Raid: Elemental raid (Mana Tide) (points 31/4/16). Elemental with Mana Tide Totem as a raid cooldown for caster groups.
• Dungeons: Elemental dungeons (personal utility) (points 32/11/8).
• PvP: Elemental PvP (points 33/17/1). Deep Elemental with Earthbound and Earth's Grasp for kiting and crowd control, and little in Tidal Focus, since PvP needs less hit.

Where it ranks

• PvE DPS (raid): Drops from B to C: the simulations put it at B near the bottom, but most lists since launch say C or D. Lightning Overload was fixed on 9 November and has dealt its intended damage since.
• PvP (battleground/open world): Most lists say A; Earthbound turns a slow into a root. One list puts Elemental at the bottom.
• Leveling: B and C: a strong opener with Lightning Bolt and shocks, but mana often runs out after that.

The tiers combine several tier lists and level-60 simulations. Raid logs only exist from 9 December, so treat this as a snapshot. Every spec side by side: rankings.

Single-target rotation

1. Before the pull, drop all totems with Call of the Elements, Searing Totem last because it lasts the shortest.
2. Keep Searing Totem active. Magma Totem does slightly more damage but costs much more mana.
3. Keep Flame Shock on the target and only reapply it after it expires.
4. Lightning Mastery together with trinkets, potion and racial: for 15 seconds Lightning Bolt is 0.5 seconds faster and Chain Lightning has no cooldown.
5. Chain Lightning on a single target only outside that window, and only with Clearcasting or spare mana.
6. Lightning Bolt as filler.

Lightning Overload at 3/3 throws a free copy with half damage and no threat after 30% of your bolts. Since 9 November the Lightning Bolt copy deals its intended damage. Elemental Focus gives Clearcasting 10% of the time; spend the free spell on something expensive like Chain Lightning.

Multiple targets

Drop Magma Totem last, Lightning Mastery, then Chain Lightning and Fire Nova on cooldown. In Forever, Fire Nova is a spell that erupts around your active Fire Totem, so you always need a Fire Totem near the mobs. Flame Shock on targets without it, Lightning Bolt only with mana to spare. On long pulls, skip Flame Shock and Lightning Bolt to save mana.

Cooldowns

• Lightning Mastery as above, after totems and Flame Shock.
• Mana Tide Totem in the raid build: drop it once you have spent about 20% of your mana so nothing is wasted. It only affects your group.
• Earth Shock is your interrupt, Purge removes two buffs from the enemy.

Stats and mana

Hit rating to 17% against raid bosses. Tidal Focus already gives 5% at 5/5, leaving 12%, about 120 rating. After that, spell power and crit rating; guides disagree on the exact order. Elemental Fury raises your spell crit damage to 200%. Spirit is weak, mana per 5 seconds always ticks, and with 3/3 Mindfulness half your regeneration keeps running while you cast. Lower ranks of Flame Shock, Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning save mana, and mana potions and Demonic Runes are part of the plan.

Common mistakes

• Old builds or macros with Lava Burst.
• Spamming Chain Lightning, or leaving Magma Totem up on a single target.
• Wasting Clearcasting on a cheap spell.
• Dropping Mana Tide so early that mana overcaps.
• Refreshing Flame Shock before it has expired.
• Dropping totems the fight doesn't need, which costs mana and global cooldowns.

Leveling

Elemental levels slowly early on and is always short on mana. Guides therefore recommend Enhancement or a hybrid route. If you play Elemental anyway, take Tidal Focus, Mindfulness, Totemic Focus and Water Shield first for mana.

In groups and raids

Elemental is your AoE specialist: Fire Nova with Trial by Fire, Chain Lightning and the roots from Earthbound. Raid totems are the same for every shaman. Windfury Totem, Grace of Air Totem, Strength of Earth Totem, Flametongue Totem and the resistance totems affect the whole raid in Forever; Mana Spring, Healing Stream, Mana Tide, Stoneskin and Tremor only your group. Bloodlust and Heroism don't exist.

Further reading

• Shaman class guide: races, new abilities and every build of the class
• The other specs: Enhancement Shaman, Restoration Shaman
• Raid comp planner: put your raid together and see which buffs are still missing
• Shaman talent calculator: plan your own build and share it as a link