{Slightly Off-Meta} 31/0/20 Elemental Shaman

Class Builds
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This post is my personal take on the prospect of leveling from 1-60 as an Elemental Shaman. Unlike most of my other builds, this one is pretty close to the typical Meta for Elemental Shaman builds (albeit with a few changes).

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The BIG difference, which I’m sure the Well Versed™ will notice immediately is … this looks less like a PvE build and more like a PvP build (due to the talents in Elemental Tier 4). However, that isn’t the application that I’m aiming to advantage with this particular build plan.

In my experience, in PvE especially, even if you’re wanting to play a spellcaster class/build … when you’re soloing, almost every single fight (even if 1 on 1 in PvE) will somehow devolve into a melee for at least a portion of the engagement. It’s only when you’re in a party/league that this condition becomes optional, but when you’re soloing … YOU have to be your own tank.

Casting spells from max range can “whittle down” opposition so that you spend less time in melee, but if you haven’t got spell pushback protection (of some flavor) at some point you’re almost always going to wind up in melee with your foe(s). So spells are good to open with, but you aren’t going to be “free” to cast/channel your spells without pushback/interruption forever. Eventually, you have to start swinging your weapon around … even in PvE … except when you’re in a group with an aggro magnet who can draw all the attention onto themselves, leaving you free to just keep casting.

Seen in that light, the Elemental Tier 4 talents aren’t “just PvP” talents at all, but rather an efficient way for an Elemental Shaman to switch from spellcasting to weapon swinging (and back) in ways that can end PvE encounters more favorably. Only downside are the requisite Prayers to RNGesus, so performance is somewhat randomized rather than predictably consistent. :sweat_smile:

Another thing about this build that keeps it from being “properly Meta” is that against all the youtube channel advice that I could find on Elemental Shamans … I dropped Concussion (Elemental Tier 1) from the build plan. Pretty much every single youtube creator for the last several years/decades puts 5/5 Concussion in the MANDATORY category. However, I’m not convinced … for reasons that I’ll get into below. :thinking:

But enough blathering … on with the build plan! :wink:

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Level 60 Shaman ( 31 / 0 / 20 )

https://classicdb.ch/?talent#hxbuVfhqoZVcIz0x

Elemental (31 points)

  • Convection - Rank 5/5
    Reduces the mana cost of your Shock, Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells by 10%.
  • Earth’s Grasp - Rank 2/2
    Increases the health of your Stoneclaw Totem by 50% and the radius of your Earthbind Totem by 20%.
  • Call of Flame - Rank 3/3
    Increases the damage done by your Fire Totems by 15%.
  • Elemental Focus - Rank 1/1
    Gives you a 10% chance to enter a Clearcasting state after casting any Fire, Frost, or Nature damage spell. The Clearcasting state reduces the mana cost of your next damage spell by 100%.
  • Call of Thunder - Rank 5/5
    Increases the critical strike chance of your Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells by an additional 6%.
  • Improved Fire Totems - Rank 2/2
    Reduces the delay before your Fire Nova Totem activates by 2 sec. and decreases the threat generated by your Magma Totem by 50%.
  • Eye of the Storm - Rank 3/3
    Gives you a 100% chance to gain the Focused Casting effect that lasts for 6 sec after being the victim of a melee or ranged critical strike. The Focused Casting effect prevents you from losing casting time when taking damage.
  • Elemental Devastation - Rank 3/3
    Your offensive spell crits will increase your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 9% for 10 sec.
  • Elemental Fury - Rank 1/1
    Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Searing, Magma, and Fire Nova Totems and your Fire, Frost, and Nature spells by 100%.
  • Lightning Mastery - Rank 5/5
    Reduces the cast time of your Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells by 1 sec.
  • Elemental Mastery - Rank 1/1
    When activated, this spell gives your next Fire, Frost, or Nature damage spell a 100% critical strike chance and reduces the mana cost by 100%.

Enhancement (0 points)

  • None

Restoration (20 points)

  • Tidal Focus - Rank 5/5
    Reduces the Mana cost of your healing spells by 5%.
  • Ancestral Healing - Rank 3/3
    Increases your target’s armor value by 25% for 15 sec after getting a critical effect from one of your healing spells.
  • Totemic Focus - Rank 3/5
    Reduces the Mana cost of your totems by 15%.
  • Nature’s Guidance - Rank 3/3
    Increases your chance to hit with melee attacks and spells by 3%.
  • Totemic Mastery - Rank 1/1
    The radius of your totems that affect friendly targets is increased to 30 yd.
  • Tidal Mastery - Rank 5/5
    Increases the critical effect chance of your healing and lightning spells by 5%.
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Warning: WALL OF TEXT CRITS YOU!!!

You have been warned!
Although this time, it’s not quite as bad. :sweat_smile:

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Okay, about that “dropping Convection” from the typical 5/5 down to 0/5 thing, it basically involves a lot of number crunching, but my starting point of comparison was the notion that I could have either 5/5 Conviction OR 3/3 Call of Flame … but not necessarily BOTH, in the build 31 talent points invested into the Elemental tree. That then required doing an Analysis of Alternatives that pit the two options against each other (5/5 vs 3/3) in terms of “throughput” when used.

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Concussion - Rank 5/5
Increases the damage done by your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning and Shock spells by 5%.

Lightning Bolt

  1. (L1) 13-16 Nature damage … 5% = 0.65-0.8 extra damage
  2. (L8) 26-31 Nature damage … 5% = 1.3-1.55 extra damage
  3. (L14) 45-54 Nature damage … 5% = 2.25-2.7 extra damage
  4. (L20) 83-96 Nature damage … 5% = 4.15-4.8 extra damage
  5. (L26) 125-144 Nature damage … 5% = 6.25-7.2 extra damage
  6. (L32) 172-195 Nature damage … 5% = 8.6-9.75 extra damage
  7. (L38) 227-256 Nature damage … 5% = 11.35-12.8 extra damage
  8. (L44) 282-317 Nature damage … 5% = 14.1-15.85 extra damage
  9. (L50) 347-390 Nature damage … 5% = 17.35-19.5 extra damage
  10. (L56) 419-468 Nature damage … 5% = 20.95-23.4 extra damage

Chain Lightning

  1. (L32) 191-218 Nature damage … 5% = 9.55-10.9 extra damage to 1st target hit
  2. (L40) 277-312 Nature damage … 5% = 13.85-15.6 extra damage to 1st target hit
  3. (L48) 378-425 Nature damage … 5% = 18.9-21.25 extra damage to 1st target hit
  4. (L56) 493-552 Nature damage … 5% = 24.65-27.6 extra damage to 1st target hit

Earth Shock

  1. (L4) 17-20 Nature damage … 5% = 0.85-1 extra damage
  2. (L8) 32-35 Nature damage … 5% = 1.6-1.75 extra damage
  3. (L14) 60-65 Nature damage … 5% = 3-3.25 extra damage
  4. (L24) 119-128 Nature damage … 5% = 5.95-6.4 extra damage
  5. (L36) 225-240 Nature damage … 5% = 11.25-12 extra damage
  6. (L48) 359-382 Nature damage … 5% = 17.95-19.1 extra damage
  7. (L60) 517-546 Nature damage … 5% = 25.85-27.3 extra damage

Flame Shock

  1. (L10) 21 + 28 over 12s Fire damage … 5% = 1.05 + 1.4 extra damage
  2. (L18) 45 + 48 over 12s Fire damage … 5% = 2.25 + 2.4 extra damage
  3. (L28) 86 + 96 over 12s Fire damage … 5% = 4.3 + 4.8 extra damage
  4. (L40) 152 + 168 over 12s Fire damage … 5% = 7.6 + 8.4 extra damage
  5. (L52) 230 + 256 over 12s Fire damage … 5% = 11.5 + 12.8 extra damage

Frost Shock

  1. (L20) 89-96 Frost damage … 5% = 4.45-4.8 extra damage
  2. (L34) 206-221 Frost damage … 5% = 10.3-11.05 extra damage
  3. (L46) 333-354 Frost damage … 5% = 16.65-17.7 extra damage
  4. (L58) 486-515 Frost damage … 5% = 24.3-25.75 extra damage

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Call of Flame - Rank 3/3
Increases the damage done by your Fire Totems by 15%.

Searing Totem

  1. (L10) 9-12 Fire damage … 15% = 1.35-1.8 extra damage per attack
  2. (L20) 13-18 Fire damage … 15% = 1.95-2.7 extra damage per attack
  3. (L30) 19-26 Fire damage … 15% = 2.85-3.9 extra damage per attack
  4. (L40) 26-35 Fire damage … 15% = 3.9-5.25 extra damage per attack
  5. (L50) 33-46 Fire damage … 15% = 4.95-6.9 extra damage per attack
  6. (L60) 40-55 Fire damage … 15% = 6-8.25 extra damage per attack

Fire Nova Totem

  1. (L12) 48-57 Fire damage … 15% = 7.2-8.55 extra damage per target hit
  2. (L22) 102-117 Fire damage … 15% = 15.3-17.55 extra damage per target hit
  3. (L32) 184-209 Fire damage … 15% = 27.6-31.35 extra damage per target hit
  4. (L42) 281-318 Fire damage … 15% = 42.15-47.7 extra damage per target hit
  5. (L52) 396-443 Fire damage … 15% = 59.4-66.45 extra damage per target hit

Magma Totem

  1. (L26) 22 Fire damage … 15% = 3.3 extra damage per target hit per DoT
  2. (L36) 37 Fire damage … 15% = 5.55 extra damage per target hit per DoT
  3. (L46) 54 Fire damage … 15% = 8.1 extra damage per target hit per DoT
  4. (L56) 75 Fire damage … 15% = 11.25 extra damage per target hit per DoT

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Although this comparison isn’t “perfect” (being more of an apples vs apricots type of deal), it’s still an instructive thing to be looking at to notice general trends and get a handle on tactical strategies that favor one over the other. :thinking:

The thing that jumps out at me is that even by Level 20, a 5/5 investment into Convection is adding less than 5 damage per spell cast. That’s a pretty lousy rate of return on investment. Downranking (to Level 20 spells, to save mana) isn’t going to help this factor.

By contrast, the 3/3 investment into Call of Flame looks “equally lackluster” until you consider that the bonus damage numbers are per DoT tick (Searing and Magma Totems) or per Foe hit (Fire Nova Totem), rather than just per spell cast. What I mean by that is:

  • 5/5 Convection adds 4.15-4.8 extra damage to Lightning Bolt (Rank 4) @ Level 20.
    3/3 Call of Flame adds (1.95-2.7)x2=3.9-5.4 extra damage to Searing Totem (Rank 2) @ Level 20 with just 2 hits.
  • 5/5 Convection adds 17.35-19.5 extra damage to Lightning Bolt (Rank 9) @ Level 50.
    3/3 Call of Flame adds (4.95-6.9)x3=14.85-20.7 extra damage to Searing Totem (Rank 5) @ Level 50 with just 3 hits.

In a spreadsheet vacuum … that’s enough, but in actual gameplay you need to worry about magic schools and resistances (along with Fire and Nature Immunity in endgame raids). But while leveling, assuming (mostly) solo play with the occasional group opportunity for dungeons, that “damage buff per talent point efficiency” starts to matter. If you can’t (or won’t) do both, 3/3 Call of Flame consumes fewer talent points for similar rates of return from 5/5 Convection … and Convection doesn’t even REALLY justify the investment until reaching the mid-late game (because +5% to small numbers is still really small bonus!).

The flipside to this is that when playing PvE and needing to “be your own tank” as a Shaman, Call of Flame will allow you to inflict “more damage” (via Fire Totems) once a pull has turned into a melee where spellcasting might not be practical (for pushback/interrupt reasons).

  • Convection is better if you can cast spells without being harassed.
  • Call of Flame is better if you need to make use of weapon swings and can keep aggro on yourself.

There’s a fair bit of overlap between these two conditions, but they aren’t necessarily congruent, so there will be edge cases where one is better than the other … but if you can’t afford both (and you aren’t confronting Fire Immune Foes on the regular), Call of Flame 3/3 is the “less expensive” option for comparable returns (especially if adding in Improved Fire Totems 2/2 like I am).

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Earth’s Grasp 2/2 is chosen partly as a filler, but also as an option for the utility it brings (so you don’t have to just Stand & Deliver).

  • Youtube video links (Stoneclaw): 1 and 2
  • Youtube video links (Earthbind Kiting): 1, 2 and 3

Earthbind Kiting makes use of a Staff, rather than 1h+Shield, a practical option as a spellcasting Shaman. :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

However, in close quarters (where you don’t have running room to work with), you can always fall back on your other Earth Totem options. :grin: :+1:

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As previously alluded to, Elemental Devastation 3/3 is included in this build for the purposes of soloing in PvE in order to reduce exposure times to incoming damage once battles close to melee range.

Eye of the Storm 3/3 is included as a “backdoor” to achieving spellcasting pushback protection while engaged in melee.

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The choice between Improved Healing Wave and Tidal Focus in the Restoration tree is basically a toss up, but the way I figure it the tie breaker is reduced mana costs for healing spells.

Most builds will tend to reach for Totemic Focus 5/5 to minimize the mana cost for Totems, but I took an inventory of the casting costs for totems and only the Fire Nova+Magma Totems have really high mana costs (520-650 at max rank, because they’re AoE damage). Everything else is in the 100-300 mana cost range at max rank. So there IS a return on investment with Totemic Focus … especially if you’re going to be Totem Twisting like a mad dervish … in actual gameplay it might not be as magnificent a savings in practice as when envisioned in theory.

  • Totemic Focus: save 5 mana per 100 mana cost per talent point invested

My point here being that you’re definitely going to want SOME investment into Totemic Focus, but you aren’t going to need to go ALL IN on Totemic Focus 5/5 (or you’re a Bad Shaman™). :shushing_face:

By contrast, Ancestral Healing 3/3 yields +25% Armor (15s) buff after getting a critical on a healing spell … and Healing Wave (Rank 1) “counts” for this. So if you’re soloing and “need to be you’re own tank” you can fish for crit casting Healing Wave (Rank 1) prior to casting damage against a target and start fights with an armor bonus.

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Everything else in the talent build is “relatively standard” but I wanted to create something which can be both weapon preference and profession choices agnostic, while still delivering the Elemental Shaman experience. :face_blowing_a_kiss:

As I’ve discovered from playing Balance Druid … if you want to be a pure spellcaster, there are various “mana conservation tricks” that can be used. Druids get Entangling Roots, but those can be broken by damage … so the most Damage Per Mana (DPM) efficient way to spellcast is to:

  • Cast Entangling Roots
    Back up until at max casting range
    … WAIT … until the DoT has almost completed … in order to get out from under the 5 Second Rule of Casting and recover mana from Spirit while in combat …
  • Cast Wrath or Starfire (timed to align with the end of Entangling Roots DoT so as to not break early and get all the damage ticks)
    … repeat …

It’s SLOW … but reliable … and it conserves resources (health, mana) so you need to eat/drink less while going about your business.

Elemental Shamans can do something similar, but you “Fight Choreography” your strategy a bit differently. Instead, you start fights with spellcasting (which invokes the 5 Second Rule of Casting) but then deliberately encourage opposition to melee with you, during which you aren’t casting (much) … allowing your mana recovery from Spirit to work in your favor while swinging your weapon. So you’re less of a “pure” spellcaster and more of a “spellcast to pull” type of Shaman in PvE.

It’s always better to fight on YOUR ground (away from enemy mobs) than it is to fight on THEIR ground (where allies are close by to get help from when/if they choose to run). See: Murlocs, if the motives for this way of tactical fighting are unclear. :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

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Pallytime215 youtube channel videos number crunching Shaman leveling strategies:

TL;DR … Stamina/Spirit gearing is net beneficial to Shamans in a way that is even better than many other itemization strategies while leveling. Reason being that Shamans are better than Paladins at converting mana into damage (more Instant spells!), which then leans towards 1h+Shield + mana into damage being more efficient over time (less damage taken, less healing and downtime to drink needed) than 2h + strength build strategies because of how the itemization stack affects overall offense/defense/sustain.

At around 36 minutes into the first video, Pallytime215 explains how Healing “works differently” on Shaman than it does on a Paladin. He spends the latter part of the video fighting his way through the “Harpy Cave” in Thousand Needles for quest (lots of Silence and FAST respawns) and he solos his way through LIKE A BOSS in Stamina/Spirit gear (threatened only by lag!). And in the last couple minutes he talks about the difference between Healing Spring Totem and Mana Spring Totem for overall efficiency (use the totem to heal, instead of healing waves).

One of the comments on the first video is that Troll Shamans get even better use of Stamina/Spirit because of their 10% Regeneration in combat racial getting maximized by investing into Spirit, which then actually starts making a much bigger difference (and could be a “balance tip” in favor of Best Elemental Shaman = Troll). Regneration from Spirit during combat reduces the amount of mana that needs to be spent on healing (over time), leaving that mana available for causing damage in terms of efficient use of available (finite) resources … especially in “chain pull” situations with unwanted adds.

Video 2 starts with the premise that with Stamina/Spirit gear, you basically want to front load your mana consumption (because 5 Second Rule of Casting) and then just Auto Attack and let Spirit have plenty of time to recover the mana you spent up front so you have minimal downtime to eat/drink. However, as Time to Kill (TtK) increases, the more value you get out of Spirit gearing (and this also applies to Paladin play).

For me, the takeaway is that the BURST + eat/drink cycle “works” … so long as you aren’t getting swarmed/overrun by adds and respawns … but … that’s a vulnerability, because you need to stop to do it. By contrast, gearing for Spirit creates a kind of “background radiation” factor of health regeneration and mana recovery, and all you need to do is be mindful of how to minimize the “debuffs” that cause that regeneration+recovery working for you in your favor. Keeping health regeneration going, without stopping, is mostly a matter of in combat/out of combat (except for Trolls!) … but keeping mana recovery from Spirit going is mostly a matter of “shaping” your spellcasting (TETRIS style) over time in order to spend less time debuffed by the 5 Second Rule of Casting. The point is that Spirit is “more reliable” in the sense that it can be helpful during combat (depending on how you’re playing!), while eat/drink CANNOT be done in combat, so mana recovery from Spirit is less susceptible to getting “upset” by unanticipated/unwanted combat continuation (and is therefore more resilient in the face of adverse conditions).

Pallytime215 also does the math to compute if the Earthbind Kiting + 2h takes less damage than Stoneskin Totem + 1h+Shield, ignoring the “running room” factor needed for Earthbind Kiting (assuming there are no other mobs nearby that can join the fray) … and the answer that pops out, after doing some empirical testing is … yes, 1h+Shield yields better mitigation AND is less “fragile” situationally … and the Shield winds up costing less mana (in healing) than going 2h Weapon.

The curious thing then about the Earthbind Kiting option comparison is:

  • If you’re using a 2h … use Earthbind and kite.
  • If you’re using 1h+Shield … use Stoneskin (plus other totems as typical) and just Auto Attack without moving around.

And on balance, if your gear is up to date, the 1h+Shield option winds up being “safer” (on a variety of metrics) than the Earthbind Kite with 2h option.

And oh, hey look … the Green Dragonscale Armor set made by Dragonscale Leatherworkers is … Stamina/Spirit gear (with some Nature Resistance tacked on), with set bonuses of Mp5 and allows 15% of your mana recovery to continue while casting. Gimmie! :star_struck:

And when the mana → damage conversion efficiency of Fire Totems is incredibly high (for Instant spells!), that’s another argument in favor of Call of Fire 3/3 rather than Convection 5/5 that I mentioned above (while leveling and not up against Fire Immune) as an Elemental Shaman wearing lots of Spirit gear. :wink: