Elemental Shaman

The tree changed late

The 16 October build reshuffled the Elemental tree (ForeverDB). Lava Burst moved from tier 7 to tier 5, so it can be taken at level 30. Elemental Mastery returned in tier 7. It now cuts the cast time of Lightning Bolt and Lava Burst by 0.5 sec and removes Chain Lightning's cooldown for 15 sec (ForeverDB talents). Call of Thunder no longer exists. Guides written before then may still list it, or place Lava Burst at 40.

Talents

Icy Veins' 26-point Legacy build adds Earthbound, Lightning Overload and a point of Elemental Fury. Wowhead also offers a "Mana Management" build for levelling that takes no Elemental points. It mixes Enhancement and Restoration, and it is covered on the hybrid page.

Rotation: the guides

• Icy Veins: pre-place totems with Call of the Elements, Searing Totem (Magma for packs) last. Pull with Lightning Bolt, use Fire Nova on cooldown against three or more enemies, apply Flame Shock, cast Lava Burst on cooldown, then fill with Lightning Bolt.
• Wowhead (level 30): Strength of Earth Totem, Lightning Bolt at range, then Searing or Magma Totem. Spend Clearcasting procs on Fire Nova, its hardest-hitting spell. Alternate Flame Shock and Earth Shock, and melee while mana returns.
• ForeverDB (level 20): Earth Shock is your only interrupt and causes high threat, so save it for enemy casters. Use Totemic Recall after every pull (ForeverDB).

Rotation: the simulators

ForeverDB's simulator (level 30, one target, 60 sec): keep Searing Totem up (worth 9.8% of damage) and Flame Shock up (9.1%). Fill with Lightning Bolt, about 72% of damage, and spend Clearcasting on Lightning Bolt. At 20 to 29 the simulated Shaman spends about 10 sec of a 60 sec fight with no mana (ForeverDB).

WoWSims (level 60 default list): before the pull, drop Strength of Earth, Windfury and Mana Spring Totems, then Searing Totem for one target or Magma Totem for several. Then:

1. Mana potion below 80% mana, Demonic Rune below 70%.
2. Replace the Fire totem when it expires.
3. Fire Nova when there are several targets.
4. Elemental Mastery, Blood Fury and Berserking while Flame Shock is up.
5. Chain Lightning on several targets.
6. Lava Burst while Flame Shock is up.
7. Keep Flame Shock on up to three targets.
8. Earth Shock only when a proc called Revelation is active.
9. A lower rank of Lightning Bolt below 20% mana; otherwise the top rank.

The caster rotations use Flame Shock, a Fire totem and Lightning Bolt; Wowhead also offers a melee/caster levelling alternative. The remaining differences reflect different levels, targets and mana budgets:

• Clearcasting: Wowhead spends it on Fire Nova; ForeverDB's simulator spends it on Lightning Bolt.
• Earth Shock: Wowhead uses it for damage. ForeverDB keeps it for interrupts, and WoWSims casts it only on a proc.

Levelling

Wowhead calls Elemental a poor choice below level 40. Spells start weaker, quests give little spell power gear, and spell power weapons carry less weapon damage. For now it suggests meleeing with an imbued weapon, using shocks and pressing Fire Nova from a Fire totem. For dangerous melee elites, Icy Veins suggests circling an Earthbind Totem while shocking. ForeverDB uses Earthbound to root a mob that reaches you, and keeps Magma Totem for real packs because of its mana cost.

Gear and consumables

• Stat order: Icy Veins (levelling) gives spell damage, critical strike, hit, Intellect, mana per 5, Spirit, Stamina. ForeverDB puts hit first because no Elemental talent adds it.
• Simulator weights: the level-30 and level-60 models use different gear, targets and rotations. Their weights are not a shopping priority. In particular, do not buy spell penetration for ordinary quest enemies just because a model values it highly: the target must have relevant resistances. Recalculate for the actual target, hit shortfall and loadout.
• Gear: Icy Veins recommends Lightning's Grasp and Elementalist's Guard from the level 30 Call of Air quest. Wowhead likes the new Leatherworking patterns, and Enchanting for oils and the Polished Driftwood Icon relic. Forever also adds the Totem of Charged Flames relic, which makes Lightning Bolt cheaper.
• Consumables: ForeverDB's simulator rates Lesser Arcane Elixir (+5.9%) and Briny Seafood Stew (+5.5%) best at 30. Icy Veins adds mana potions, Spellblasting Potion and experience-boosting food. WoWSims' level 60 default uses Flask of Supreme Power, Nightfin Soup, Brilliant Wizard Oil and Major Spellblasting Potion.

Where guides disagree or are unsure

• Lava Burst at 30: Wowhead's build and the client say yes. Icy Veins' introduction says it is out of reach at 30, though its rotation still lists it. ForeverDB's older PvE guide puts it at 40.
• Elemental Alacrity: Wowhead's overview advises against levelling as Elemental until the late 30s, when Elemental Alacrity can be taken. The client puts it in tier 2 (level 15), and Wowhead's own level 30 build takes it.
• Lightning Overload: Wowhead quotes 1/2/3% in one guide and 3/6/10% in another. The client shows 3%, 7% and 10% (ForeverDB).
• Elemental Mastery: Blizzard's 7 October deep dive said it was removed. The final client and WoWSims both have the redesigned version.
• Above 30: Chain Lightning (32), Elemental Fury (35) and Elemental Mastery (40) are untested.