Enhance Shaman Overview & Changes

Enhance Shaman overview

Enhance rewards staying in melee, watching Maelstrom stacks and spending the resulting bolts without missing an interrupt or standing in a cleave. The proc's talent rank matters: five stacks at rank 1 still leave a cast time and mana cost, while rank 5 makes a five-stack Lightning Bolt instant and free. Build and play around the rank you have, not the one you intend to buy later.

On this page

The biggest changes from Classic

Your next Nature spell gets the benefit: Stormstrike adds 20% damage to your next Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning or Earth Shock. Other players no longer consume two shared charges, so your own bolt or Earth Shock has a timed window to collect the bonus.
Spend haste while you can reach the target: Rage of the Farseer speeds your melee attacks and spellcasting for 25 seconds. Activate it when you can keep attacking rather than just before the boss leaves melee range.
Rockbiter changes your threat: With Spirit Weapons, having Rockbiter Weapon active turns attack-threat reduction into an increase to all your threat. Check the imbue before a group pull, especially after soloing.

Enhancement Shaman

Melee and spell DPS

Classic Enhancement's normal melee play used weapon swings, Shocks and totems, with Stormstrike when talented and permitted by the raid's debuff plan. Forever lets damaging melee attacks prepare Lightning Bolt instead of making you stop for a hard cast. Keep the weapon attacks going and choose when the spell is worth spending.

Build your talents

Stormstrike before your next spell

Stormstrike strikes for normal weapon damage and increases the damage of your next Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning or Earth Shock by 20% for 12 seconds. Its cooldown is eight seconds. On a durable enemy, apply it before your Lightning Bolt or damage-focused Earth Shock when that does not delay an urgent interrupt. The cooldown is shorter than the effect, so you have room to refresh it while you keep swinging.

Original Classic Stormstrike had a 20-second cooldown and improved the next two sources of Nature damage on the target. Forever's personal effect is saved for your next one of those three spells without another player using up two shared charges. It does not strengthen Flame Shock's Fire damage or make another Shaman's spells part of your bonus.

The effect stays with the struck enemy. When you switch to a new durable target, apply Stormstrike there before planning a buffed follow-up. If the old target is about to die, do not hold a ready bolt just to force another strike first. Likewise, if a caster must be interrupted now, Earth Shock comes before setting up a larger hit.

Maelstrom stacks and Lightning Bolt timing

Maelstrom Weapon can proc when you deal damage with a melee attack. Each stack reduces the cast time and mana cost of your next Lightning Bolt, up to five stacks, with a 30-second duration. At rank 1 the reduction is 4% per stack; at rank 5 it is 20% per stack. Five stacks therefore give a 20% reduction at rank 1 and a 100% reduction at rank 5. Only the latter makes that bolt instant and free.

At rank 5, spend a five-stack bolt on a target that needs damage, preferably with your Stormstrike effect active. Five stacks cannot build a sixth, so holding the proc while you keep swinging can waste chances to prepare the next bolt. A brief hold can still be sensible if the target is about to become vulnerable or you must interrupt first.

Below five stacks, or with fewer talent points, decide whether you can afford the remaining cast time. Standing still to hard-cast can interrupt your melee pressure and expose you to enemy interrupts. During forced separation from a target, a partially shortened bolt can be a way to keep dealing damage from range; in uninterrupted melee, waiting for more stacks may avoid stopping your weapon attacks.

Watch the 30-second timer when a pack ends or a boss moves away. A proc that expires unused gives you no bolt, but chasing an unsafe target to spend it can cost far more. Maelstrom Weapon affects Lightning Bolt only. Chain Lightning and healing spells keep their own cast times and mana costs; a stack count is not an instant emergency heal.

Rage of the Farseer and melee crits

Rage of the Farseer grants 30% melee attack speed and spell casting speed for 25 seconds, on a three-minute cooldown. Use it after you have a safe position and expect sustained contact. Faster swings give you more chances to build Maelstrom Weapon, while faster casting helps bolts that still have a cast time. A rank-5 five-stack bolt is already instant.

This is your offensive cooldown. It is not party Bloodlust, a mana return or a damage-reduction effect. Start the window with enough mana for the strikes, Shocks and utility you expect to use, and leave dangerous ground even if that costs some haste uptime. Popping it into a movement phase spends a long cooldown on fewer attacks.

Flurry increases attack speed for your next three swings after a melee crit. Thundering Strikes improves crit with all spells and attacks, but a Lightning Bolt crit does not directly trigger Flurry. With Elemental Devastation, an offensive spell crit instead increases your melee crit chance for ten seconds; a later melee crit can then trigger Flurry. These are separate conditions, not one proc shared by every critical hit.

Mana between strikes, Shocks and utility

Shamanistic Focus reduces the mana cost of Shocks and Lightning Shield by 45%. Maelstrom reduces the cost of Lightning Bolt as stacks build. Those savings help sustain damage, but they do not discount every spell you might need. Purge, totem replacement and an emergency heal still need room in your mana bar.

At rank 1, Improved Stormstrike gives each Stormstrike a 50% chance to allow 50% mana regeneration while casting for 15 seconds. It also gives a 50% chance to reset Stormstrike's cooldown when you dodge or parry. The regeneration is a temporary effect, not an immediate refill; one cast is not guaranteed to activate it at that rank.

Reserve mana for Earth Shock when you are assigned an interrupt. Spending your last mana on damage leaves you unable to stop the next cast, even if a free Maelstrom bolt is available. If the target's dangerous cast is due soon, keep the Shock ready as well as the mana. Reverberation shortens Shock cooldowns if you take it, but does not make them always available.

Before a new pull, recover mana and replace needed utility rather than depend on an early Stormstrike regeneration proc. If you repeatedly run dry mid-fight, check how many bolts you cast without enough stacks, how often you refresh an unneeded Lightning Shield, and whether your group actually needs each totem replacement.

Shaman talent trees

Hover, focus or tap a talent to read its effects. Each badge shows the talent's maximum rank; this is the full tree, not a suggested build.

5

3

5

3

1

5

2

3

1

2

3

1

3

1

2

5

2

3

2

3

1

3

5

1

2

5

1

5

3

5

2

3

1

5

1

3

1

5

1

Spend your 51 points, try different paths and share your build in the talent calculator.

Build your talents

Read all talent descriptions

Elemental

Convection Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the mana cost of your Shock, Lightning Bolt, Lava Burst, and Chain Lightning spells by 2%.

Rank 2
Reduces the mana cost of your Shock, Lightning Bolt, Lava Burst, and Chain Lightning spells by 4%.

Rank 3
Reduces the mana cost of your Shock, Lightning Bolt, Lava Burst, and Chain Lightning spells by 6%.

Rank 4
Reduces the mana cost of your Shock, Lightning Bolt, Lava Burst, and Chain Lightning spells by 8%.

Rank 5
Reduces the mana cost of your Shock, Lightning Bolt, Lava Burst, and Chain Lightning spells by 10%.

Passive

Concussion Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Earth Shock spells by 1%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Earth Shock spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done by your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Earth Shock spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases the damage done by your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Earth Shock spells by 4%.

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

Passive

Elemental Warding Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces damage taken from Fire, Frost, and Nature effects by 3%.

Rank 2
Reduces damage taken from Fire, Frost, and Nature effects by 7%.

Rank 3
Reduces damage taken from Fire, Frost, and Nature effects by 10%.

Passive

Reverberation Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown of your Shock spells by 0.2 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Shock spells by 0.4 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces the cooldown of your Shock spells by 0.6 sec.

Rank 4
Reduces the cooldown of your Shock spells by 0.8 sec.

Rank 5
Reduces the cooldown of your Shock spells by 1 sec.

Passive

Call of Flame Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your Fire Totems and by your Flame Shock, Fire Nova, and Lava Burst spells by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your Fire Totems and by your Flame Shock, Fire Nova, and Lava Burst spells by 10%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done by your Fire Totems and by your Flame Shock, Fire Nova, and Lava Burst spells by 15%.

Passive

Elemental Devastation Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Your offensive spell critical strikes will increase your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 3% for 10 sec.

Rank 2
Your offensive spell critical strikes will increase your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 6% for 10 sec.

Rank 3
Your offensive spell critical strikes will increase your chance to get a critical strike with melee attacks by 9% for 10 sec.

Passive

Elemental Focus Maximum rank 1

Rank 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%.

Passive

Elemental Fury Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Searing and Magma Totems and your Fire, Frost, and Nature spells by 20%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Searing and Magma Totems and your Fire, Frost, and Nature spells by 40%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Searing and Magma Totems and your Fire, Frost, and Nature spells by 60%.

Rank 4
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Searing and Magma Totems and your Fire, Frost, and Nature spells by 80%.

Rank 5
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Searing and Magma Totems and your Fire, Frost, and Nature spells by 100%.

Passive

Improved Fire Nova Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your Fire Nova spell by 10% and reduces its cooldown by 2 sec.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your Fire Nova spell by 20% and reduces its cooldown by 4 sec.

Passive

Eye of the Storm Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Burst by 23%.

Rank 2
Reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Burst by 47%.

Rank 3
Reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Burst by 70%.

Passive

Call of Thunder Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Increases the critical strike chance of your Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells by 3%.

Passive

Elemental Reach Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the range of your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Fire Nova, and Lava Burst spells by 3 yards, and increases the range of your Flame Shock spell by 8 yards.

Rank 2
Increases the range of your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Fire Nova, and Lava Burst spells by 6 yards, and increases the range of your Flame Shock spell by 15 yards.

Passive

Lightning Overload Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives your Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells a 3% chance to cast a second, similar spell on the same target at no additional cost that causes half damage and no threat.

Rank 2
Gives your Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells a 7% chance to cast a second, similar spell on the same target at no additional cost that causes half damage and no threat.

Rank 3
Gives your Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells a 10% chance to cast a second, similar spell on the same target at no additional cost that causes half damage and no threat.

Passive

Earthbound Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Your Earthbind Totem Immobilizes nearby targets for 5 sec when cast.

Passive

Elemental Alacrity Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the cast time of your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Burst spells by 0.17 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the cast time of your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Burst spells by 0.33 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces the cast time of your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Burst spells by 0.50 sec.

Passive

Lava Burst Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
You hurl molten lava at the target, dealing 106 to 134 Fire damage. If your Flame Shock is on the target, Lava Burst deals 20% increased damage.

165 Mana | 30 yd range | 2.5 sec cast | 10 sec cooldown

Enhancement

Earth's Grasp Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the health of your Stoneclaw Totem by 25% and the radius of your Earthbind Totem by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the health of your Stoneclaw Totem by 50% and the radius of your Earthbind Totem by 20%.

Passive

Thundering Strikes Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Improves your chance to get a critical strike with all spells and attacks by 1%.

Rank 2
Improves your chance to get a critical strike with all spells and attacks by 2%.

Rank 3
Improves your chance to get a critical strike with all spells and attacks by 3%.

Rank 4
Improves your chance to get a critical strike with all spells and attacks by 4%.

Rank 5
Improves your chance to get a critical strike with all spells and attacks by 5%.

Passive

Ancestral Knowledge Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your Intellect by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases your Intellect by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases your Intellect by 6%.

Rank 4
Increases your Intellect by 8%.

Rank 5
Increases your Intellect by 10%.

Passive

Guardian Totems Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the amount of damage reduced by your Stoneskin Totem and Windwall Totem by 10% and reduces the cooldown of your Grounding Totem by 1 sec.

Rank 2
Increases the amount of damage reduced by your Stoneskin Totem and Windwall Totem by 20% and reduces the cooldown of your Grounding Totem by 2 sec.

Passive

Mental Dexterity Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases your Attack Power by an amount equal to 33% of your Intellect.

Rank 2
Increases your Attack Power by an amount equal to 67% of your Intellect.

Rank 3
Increases your Attack Power by an amount equal to 100% of your Intellect.

Passive

Improved Ghost Wolf Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the cast time of your Ghost Wolf spell by 1 sec, and Ghost Wolf may be used indoors.

Rank 2
Reduces the cast time of your Ghost Wolf spell by 3 sec, and Ghost Wolf may be used indoors.

Passive

Improved Lightning Shield Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage done by your Lightning Shield orbs by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage done by your Lightning Shield orbs by 10%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage done by your Lightning Shield orbs by 15%.

Passive

Elemental Weapons Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the melee attack power bonus of your Rockbiter Weapon by 7%, your Windfury Weapon effect by 13% and increases the damage caused by your Flametongue Weapon and Frostbrand Weapon by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the melee attack power bonus of your Rockbiter Weapon by 13%, your Windfury Weapon effect by 27% and increases the damage caused by your Flametongue Weapon and Frostbrand Weapon by 10%.

Rank 3
Increases the melee attack power bonus of your Rockbiter Weapon by 20%, your Windfury Weapon effect by 40% and increases the damage caused by your Flametongue Weapon and Frostbrand Weapon by 15%.

Passive

Shamanistic Focus Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Reduces the mana cost of your Shock and Lightning Shield spells by 45%.

Passive

Anticipation Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases your chance to dodge by an additional 2%.

Rank 2
Increases your chance to dodge by an additional 4%.

Rank 3
Increases your chance to dodge by an additional 6%.

Passive

Toughness Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your Stamina by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases your Stamina by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases your Stamina by 6%.

Rank 4
Increases your Stamina by 8%.

Rank 5
Increases your Stamina by 10%.

Passive

Flurry Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your attack speed by 5% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.

Rank 2
Increases your attack speed by 10% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.

Rank 3
Increases your attack speed by 15% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.

Rank 4
Increases your attack speed by 20% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.

Rank 5
Increases your attack speed by 25% for your next 3 swings after dealing a melee critical strike.

Passive

Stormstrike Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Instantly strike for normal weapon damage and increase the damage you deal to the target with your next Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, or Earth Shock spell by 20% for 12 sec.

125 Mana | Melee Range | Instant | 8 sec cooldown

Spirit Weapons Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Gives a chance to parry enemy melee attacks, reduces all threat generated by your attacks by 30% while Rockbiter Weapon is not active, and increases all threat generated by 30% while Rockbiter Weapon is active.

Passive

Mental Quickness Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases your spell damage and healing by up to 15% of your Intellect.

Rank 2
Increases your spell damage and healing by up to 30% of your Intellect.

Passive

Improved Stormstrike Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
When you Stormstrike, you have a 50% chance to gain 50% mana regeneration while casting spells for 15 sec, and Stormstrike's cooldown has a 50% chance to reset each time you Dodge or Parry.

Rank 2
When you Stormstrike, you have a 100% chance to gain 50% mana regeneration while casting spells for 15 sec, and Stormstrike's cooldown has a 100% chance to reset each time you Dodge or Parry.

Passive

Maelstrom Weapon Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
When you deal damage with a melee attack, you have a chance to reduce the cast time and Mana cost of your next Lightning Bolt spell by 4%. Stacks up to 5 times. Lasts 30 sec.

Rank 2
When you deal damage with a melee attack, you have a chance to reduce the cast time and Mana cost of your next Lightning Bolt spell by 8%. Stacks up to 5 times. Lasts 30 sec.

Rank 3
When you deal damage with a melee attack, you have a chance to reduce the cast time and Mana cost of your next Lightning Bolt spell by 12%. Stacks up to 5 times. Lasts 30 sec.

Rank 4
When you deal damage with a melee attack, you have a chance to reduce the cast time and Mana cost of your next Lightning Bolt spell by 16%. Stacks up to 5 times. Lasts 30 sec.

Rank 5
When you deal damage with a melee attack, you have a chance to reduce the cast time and Mana cost of your next Lightning Bolt spell by 20%. Stacks up to 5 times. Lasts 30 sec.

Passive

Rage of the Farseer Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Increases your melee attack speed and spell casting speed by 30% for 25 sec.

Instant | 3 min cooldown

Restoration

Improved Healing Wave Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the casting time of your Healing Wave spell by 0.1 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the casting time of your Healing Wave spell by 0.2 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces the casting time of your Healing Wave spell by 0.3 sec.

Rank 4
Reduces the casting time of your Healing Wave spell by 0.4 sec.

Rank 5
Reduces the casting time of your Healing Wave spell by 0.5 sec.

Passive

Totemic Focus Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the Mana cost of your totems and any spells that summon or move them by 5%.

Rank 2
Reduces the Mana cost of your totems and any spells that summon or move them by 10%.

Rank 3
Reduces the Mana cost of your totems and any spells that summon or move them by 15%.

Rank 4
Reduces the Mana cost of your totems and any spells that summon or move them by 20%.

Rank 5
Reduces the Mana cost of your totems and any spells that summon or move them by 25%.

Passive

Mindfulness Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Allows 17% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Rank 2
Allows 33% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Rank 3
Allows 50% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Passive

Natural Grace Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the threat generated by your spells by 5%.

Rank 2
Reduces the threat generated by your spells by 10%.

Rank 3
Reduces the threat generated by your spells by 15%.

Passive

Tidal Focus Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the Mana cost of your healing spells by 1% and improves your chance to hit by 1%.

Rank 2
Reduces the Mana cost of your healing spells by 2% and improves your chance to hit by 2%.

Rank 3
Reduces the Mana cost of your healing spells by 3% and improves your chance to hit by 3%.

Rank 4
Reduces the Mana cost of your healing spells by 4% and improves your chance to hit by 4%.

Rank 5
Reduces the Mana cost of your healing spells by 5% and improves your chance to hit by 5%.

Passive

Improved Reincarnation Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown of your Reincarnation spell by 10 min, increases your maximum health by 2%, and increases the amount of health and Mana you reincarnate with by an additional 10%.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Reincarnation spell by 20 min, increases your maximum health by 4%, and increases the amount of health and Mana you reincarnate with by an additional 20%.

Passive

Ancestral Healing Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases your target's armor value by 8% for 15 sec after getting a critical effect from one of your healing spells.

Rank 2
Increases your target's armor value by 17% for 15 sec after getting a critical effect from one of your healing spells.

Rank 3
Increases your target's armor value by 25% for 15 sec after getting a critical effect from one of your healing spells.

Passive

Healing Focus Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives you a 23% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any healing spell.

Rank 2
Gives you a 47% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any healing spell.

Rank 3
Gives you a 70% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any healing spell.

Passive

Water Shield Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
The caster is surrounded by 3 globes of water. When a spell, melee, or ranged attack hits the caster or when one of the caster's healing spells gets a critical result, 2% of maximum mana is restored to the caster, expending one water globe. Only one globe will activate every few seconds. Lasts 10 min. Only one Elemental Shield can be active on the Shaman at any one time.

Instant | 15 sec cooldown

Tidal Mastery Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the critical effect chance of your healing spells by 1%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical effect chance of your healing spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical effect chance of your healing spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases the critical effect chance of your healing spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Increases the critical effect chance of your healing spells by 5%.

Passive

Restorative Totems Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the effect of your Mana Spring Totem by 5% and increases the effect of your Healing Stream Totem by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the effect of your Mana Spring Totem by 10% and increases the effect of your Healing Stream Totem by 20%.

Rank 3
Increases the effect of your Mana Spring Totem by 15% and increases the effect of your Healing Stream Totem by 30%.

Rank 4
Increases the effect of your Mana Spring Totem by 20% and increases the effect of your Healing Stream Totem by 40%.

Rank 5
Increases the effect of your Mana Spring Totem by 25% and increases the effect of your Healing Stream Totem by 50%.

Passive

Mana Tide Totem Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Summons a Mana Tide Totem with 5 health at the feet of the caster for 12 sec that restores 88 mana every 3 seconds to group members within 30 yards.

10 Mana | Instant | 5 min cooldown

Healing Way Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the amount healed by your Healing Wave spell by 8%.

Rank 2
Increases the amount healed by your Healing Wave spell by 17%.

Rank 3
Increases the amount healed by your Healing Wave spell by 25%.

Passive

Nature's Swiftness Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When activated, your next Nature spell with a casting time less than 10 sec. becomes an instant cast spell.

Instant | 3 min cooldown

Purification Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the effectiveness of your healing spells by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases the effectiveness of your healing spells by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases the effectiveness of your healing spells by 6%.

Rank 4
Increases the effectiveness of your healing spells by 8%.

Rank 5
Increases the effectiveness of your healing spells by 10%.

Passive

Riptide Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Heals a friendly target for 485 to 533, an additional 445 over 15 sec, and increases the effectiveness of your Chain Heal casts directly on that target by 25%.

245 Mana | 40 yd range | Instant | 6 sec cooldown

Personal imbues and group threat

Elemental Weapons improves your own Rockbiter Weapon, Windfury Weapon, Flametongue Weapon and Frostbrand Weapon effects. Its bonuses differ in size and scope: it modifies the named weapon effects, not your total damage. It does not improve Windfury Totem for the party. Bringing a totem and choosing your personal imbue are separate decisions.

For group DPS with Spirit Weapons, keep Rockbiter off when you want the threat reduction. Without Rockbiter, the talent reduces threat generated by your attacks by 30%. With Rockbiter active, it increases all threat you generate by 30%. Do not extend the attack-only reduction into a blanket reduction for every spell or heal, and do not treat the two states as simultaneous modifiers to combine.

Rockbiter's threat increase is a cost when another player is tanking, even if its AP bonus looks attractive. Earth Shock also has high threat, so stop a dangerous cast when assigned but avoid using it to race the tank on a fresh enemy. A personal weapon imbue is no substitute for letting the tank get control.

Pick your imbue with the target's susceptibility in mind. Flametongue and Frostbrand add their named elemental damage; Stormstrike strengthens only your next Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning or Earth Shock, not those Fire or Frost effects. Windfury Weapon is a personal weapon effect rather than a party buff. For the separate totem assignments and coverage, use the Shaman group-utility chapter.

Weapon damage, Intellect and shared stats

Start a weapon comparison with its strike damage and sustained swings, then weigh the stats you gain or lose. Stormstrike uses normal weapon damage, and melee damage provides the trigger opportunities for Maelstrom Weapon. Trading away a strong melee weapon solely for more spell damage can weaken the attacks that prepare your bolts.

Ancestral Knowledge increases Intellect. Mental Dexterity adds AP equal to 33% of your Intellect at rank 1, while Mental Quickness adds spell damage and healing by up to 15% of your Intellect at rank 1. Both conversions start from Intellect. Extra AP from another source is not automatically converted into spell power by Mental Quickness.

That gives an Intellect item several possible benefits: mana, AP with Mental Dexterity, and spell damage or healing with Mental Quickness. Compare those benefits with the weapon damage and offensive stats you give up. A pure healing bonus contributes one-third as much added damage under Forever's item rules; do not count the full healing amount as Lightning Bolt damage gear.

Shared hit and crit can help both halves of your damage. Melee attacks and offensive spells still have different hit requirements, so solving one does not prove the other is covered. Tidal Focus can add hit to all spells and attacks if your build reaches it. Hit does not improve a heal, and broad item crit does not change Flurry's melee-only trigger.

Use only weapon types your Shaman can equip; caster swords remain unavailable. The absent Classic Two-Handed Axes and Maces talent is not a reason to assume lost two-handed access or new dual wield. Check weapon training rather than assemble a dual-wield setup from another expansion. See the parent for weapon and hybrid-stat changes and the removed Classic talent list.

Melee position, target changes and off-healing

Attack a tanked enemy from behind when the encounter allows it, staying clear of frontal attacks. Improved Stormstrike can reset your strike when you dodge or parry, but seeking those resets by standing in front puts you in danger and gives the healer more work. Treat that part of the talent as a benefit when you are already defending yourself, not a reason to take the tank's hits.

When the tank moves a pack, follow to a safe melee position before committing to damage. Improved Ghost Wolf allows indoor use and reduces Ghost Wolf's cast time, helping with longer gaps. For a short sidestep, simply moving may get you back to swinging sooner than changing form. Preserve melee contact where it is safe; do not chase one more proc through a boss mechanic.

Focus the group's priority enemy. Your Maelstrom spell is a single-target Lightning Bolt, so additional enemies do not turn the proc into free Chain Lightning. If you add Magma Totem or Fire Nova for area damage, wait for the tank to secure the pack and keep the damage away from breakable CC.

If a teammate will die before the healer can respond, stop attacking and heal. Mental Quickness can improve that healing, but Maelstrom does not remove its casting time. Move out of interrupt pressure if possible, and allow for the melee damage and proc opportunities you give up while casting. Off-healing is a response to danger, not mandatory healing between every few swings.

Damage talents and survival choices

Flurry requires Mental Dexterity, Improved Stormstrike requires Stormstrike, and Rage of the Farseer requires Mental Quickness. Plan those prerequisites alongside how many points you want in Maelstrom Weapon. Taking its first point gives a much smaller cast-and-mana reduction than completing all five ranks.

For damage outside Enhancement, Concussion strengthens Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning and Earth Shock. Call of Flame supports Flame Shock, Fire Nova and Fire Totems. Elemental Devastation lets offensive spell crits support melee crit. More Bolt weaving gives Concussion work on single targets, while Fire Nova and Magma Totem use gives Call of Flame more value on safe multi-target pulls.

Toughness increases Stamina, while Anticipation increases dodge. Stamina helps you survive damage that reaches you; dodge addresses avoidable attacks while an enemy is attacking you. In a tanked group where you rarely take swings, buying dodge instead of damage does little to improve your normal melee uptime. During solo play, that same avoidance can reduce healing needed between enemies.

Guardian Totems strengthens Stoneskin and Windwall and reduces Grounding Totem's cooldown. Take it for the defensive totems you need, rather than expecting Elemental Weapons to improve them. Parry and Rockbiter threat are not a reason to sign up as a raid tank; your damage build still needs a tank to hold dangerous group enemies.

Race and faction choice

Dwarf makes Enhancement available to Alliance players, but Horde and Alliance still cannot group together. Choose the faction that can play with your group before comparing racial bonuses. The Shaman racial chapter covers the defensive tools, haste and weapon conditions; a racial weapon bonus never grants permission to equip an otherwise unusable weapon.

Enhance Shaman questions

Does Stormstrike make my Flame Shock stronger?

No. Stormstrike increases the damage of your next Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning or Earth Shock only. Flame Shock deals Fire damage and is not on that list; Call of Flame is the talent that names it.

Will Maelstrom stacks keep building while I cast from range?

Maelstrom Weapon triggers from dealing damage with melee attacks. Casting Lightning Bolt from range does not supply that trigger. You can use stacks earned in melee before their timer runs out, but ranged spellcasting alone does not keep generating them.

Should I wait for five Maelstrom stacks before interrupting?

No. Interrupt with Earth Shock when the cast needs stopping. Maelstrom Weapon changes Lightning Bolt, not Earth Shock's readiness or cost. Letting a dangerous cast finish to preserve a damage sequence is a worse trade than spending the interrupt now.

Can Rage of the Farseer and Nature's Swiftness fit in one build?

No. Rage of the Farseer requires at least 31 Enhancement points and Nature's Swiftness requires 21 Restoration points. That totals 52, above the 51-point budget. An off-healing build choosing the instant Nature spell must give up the Enhancement capstone.

Enhance Shaman overview

The biggest changes from Classic

Enhancement Shaman

Stormstrike before your next spell

Maelstrom stacks and Lightning Bolt timing

Rage of the Farseer and melee crits

Mana between strikes, Shocks and utility

Shaman talent trees

Elemental

Enhancement

Restoration

Personal imbues and group threat

Weapon damage, Intellect and shared stats

Melee position, target changes and off-healing

Damage talents and survival choices

Race and faction choice

Enhance Shaman questions

Shaman spec guides

Plan the rest of your character