[PvE Guide] Elemental Shaman - Updated for 6.0.3

[psir]

When I cleave 2-3 mobs, I use the singel target dps rotation, except i use chain lightning instead of lightning bolt. My question is: Is it a dps increase to put down earthquake in the cleave rotation, like you write in your guide? This feels slow and weird.

After I did some testing on dummies, I did more damage not including Earthquake at all in a 2mob rotatation. Which basically means for the boss fights, that either you do the AoE rotation for 4+ targets (CL, EQ, CL, EQ) or you do the single target rotation (with cleave for 2 mobs). Perhaps it's a dps increase to include it for 3 mobs, but I'm guessing it's low and the mobs has to actually stand in it.

[Xorn]

When I cleave 2-3 mobs, I use the singel target dps rotation, except i use chain lightning instead of lightning bolt. My question is: Is it a dps increase to put down earthquake in the cleave rotation, like you write in your guide? This feels slow and weird.

After I did some testing on dummies, I did more damage not including Earthquake at all in a 2mob rotatation. Which basically means for the boss fights, that either you do the AoE rotation for 4+ targets (CL, EQ, CL, EQ) or you do the single target rotation (with cleave for 2 mobs). Perhaps it's a dps increase to include it for 3 mobs, but I'm guessing it's low and the mobs has to actually stand in it.

I feel like that's kind of a given, no?

[Deleted]

When I cleave 2-3 mobs, I use the singel target dps rotation, except i use chain lightning instead of lightning bolt. My question is: Is it a dps increase to put down earthquake in the cleave rotation, like you write in your guide? This feels slow and weird.

It is, assuming you hit two targets with your CL first and they stand in the full duration. EQ does 100% (+40% per target hit by Chain Lightning) SP per target, which assuming you hit two targets with CL is 180% SP Per Target, before Mastery increase of ~20% is put on. 360% SP is much more than you'll get from two targets hit by Chain Lightning and the resulting stacks, let alone the actual ~400% SP you are actually doing once you include Mastery. However, its not massive - considering its massive cast time and duration - so if you don't feel able to get good EQs down, CL spam instead works too.

[Mixe]

Has something changed about crit? Seeing as lava burst is 100% crit how come it is this high rated now compared to SoO?

[rokkshark]

Has something changed about crit? Seeing as lava burst is 100% crit how come it is this high rated now compared to SoO?

Lava burst now has a % chance equal to your crit to have a bonus single change multistrike. This stacks with normal multistrike, so it is possible to cast a single lava burst and have 4 hit the target (the original, 2x multistrike proc, 1x crit multistrike proc)

[SlippyCheeze]

Sorry for another question, but: I find myself semi-regularly in a position where I have ~ 0.5 seconds left on my Lava Burst cooldown, and only Lightning Bolt left to cast. In that situation should I delay to get Lava Burst off sooner, or cast the extra Lightning bolt at the cost of ~ one second later Lava Burst?

[Nykko]

Weird. I'm seeing everywhere that Elemental should be Multistrike > Crit > Mastery, and yet, the Elemental shamans I'm seeing in the top-tier guilds are going Mastery > Crit > Multistrike.
o_o

Though, it doesn't help that WoW armory's pages are completely wrong...

[Hirork]

Sorry for another question, but: I find myself semi-regularly in a position where I have ~ 0.5 seconds left on my Lava Burst cooldown, and only Lightning Bolt left to cast. In that situation should I delay to get Lava Burst off sooner, or cast the extra Lightning bolt at the cost of ~ one second later Lava Burst?

Never stop casting!

[Nykko]

Never stop casting!

Yup!... Even if it's a 0.5s remaining on the CD for Lava Burst, you get a better DPS outcome for spending those 0.5 seconds refreshing Flameshock, place Searing Totem, using Fulmination, or cast Lightning Bolt,

[Chipdaddy]

Should you use earthquake in your single target rotation like icy-veins says or nah?

[Tharkash]

No, Primal Elementalist does not affect the damage of your Storm Elemental Totem, it only adds control via the pet bar, and some utility.

http://www.wowhead.com/spell=117013 The tooltip does list storm ele as getting the 80% buff. So they either changed it or need to reword the tooltip as it is very misleading as it is now.

[SlippyCheeze]

Should you use earthquake in your single target rotation like icy-veins says or nah?

The math is complex, but "if you have enough haste and mastery, and it is buffed enough", then yes. Generally, unless you have an addon to tell you about it I would just assume the answer to be no, and move on.

(Go read the simcraft action list if you want the gory details of what makes it worth more than spamming LB.)

[Catbug]

Hi, I have a quick question regarding the usage of Shocks with the Elemental Fusion talent. Should I just go on with my normal rotation, buffing Flame Shock with Unleash and casting Earth Shock at +15 shield stacks or should I always use both shocks on two stacks of Fusion (read conflicting information about this). Also, I understand that you should always use flame shock with the unleash buff, but say Unleash is on cooldown and I got two stacks of Fusion, how much of a DPS difference is there between just casting Flame Shock with the two stacks and then use the Unleash on a Lava Burst?


Basically, is a Unleashed and two Fusion stacked Flame Shock the thing I should always aim to use or is there some leeway to it?

[Deleted]

http://www.wowhead.com/spell=117013 The tooltip does list storm ele as getting the 80% buff. So they either changed it or need to reword the tooltip as it is very misleading as it is now.

It is more powerful, its just the power is pure utility. I agree, its very poorly worded though because, unlike with damage/survivability increases like Fire and Earth Ele, you can't really quantify utility increases like that. However, they are right, the damage of Storm Elemental remains unchanged by Primal Elementalist.

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Hi, I have a quick question regarding the usage of Shocks with the Elemental Fusion talent. Should I just go on with my normal rotation, buffing Flame Shock with Unleash and casting Earth Shock at +15 shield stacks or should I always use both shocks on two stacks of Fusion (read conflicting information about this). Also, I understand that you should always use flame shock with the unleash buff, but say Unleash is on cooldown and I got two stacks of Fusion, how much of a DPS difference is there between just casting Flame Shock with the two stacks and then use the Unleash on a Lava Burst?


Basically, is a Unleashed and two Fusion stacked Flame Shock the thing I should always aim to use or is there some leeway to it?

The leeway in it comes in the fact you have a 9 second window in which to cast Flame Shock, which is enough time to cast two Shocks. Just remember that Flame Shocks damage isn't exactly HUGE, and whilst it is better to use UE on a 2 stack Flame Shock, you can still use it on Lava Burst for some bonus damage, and that bonus damage, plus any potential lost FlS ticks/Lightning Shield stacks will outweigh the extra FlS damage.

If you are at less than 15 Lightning Shield stacks, you should look to cast Flame Shock ASAP (as soon as Lava Burst stays on cooldown) as you are in no danger of overcapping if you cast FlS right now.

If possible you should use UE (assuming you have Unleash Fury, otherwise don't bother with UE at all) before casting that Flame Shock, even if it delays it a bit. However, if you start creeping over that 15 stack mark for Earth Shock, you are going to start burning Lightning Shield stacks in the shock cooldown, so the damage gained by UE is going to be eaten up by lost stacks. It sort of depends on your stat values and your reaction times to procs, but basically...

tl;dr - At less than ~13 stacks of Lightning Shield or you have over 6 seconds left on Flame Shock, and UE is up in a second or two, feel free to wait. If you are at more stacks than that, your Flame Shock has less time than that, or your UE is on cooldown for longer than that, you should just go ahead and cast Flame Shock right away. Letting Flame Shock fall off or letting yourself hit max stacks is worse than getting that UE with Flame Shock.

tl;dr the tl;drAbove all else never let Flame Shock fall off and endevour to never let yourself lose Lightning Shield stacks.

[Deleted]

It is more powerful, its just the power is pure utility. I agree, its very poorly worded though because, unlike with damage/survivability increases like Fire and Earth Ele, you can't really quantify utility increases like that. However, they are right, the damage of Storm Elemental remains unchanged by Primal Elementalist.

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The leeway in it comes in the fact you have a 9 second window in which to cast Flame Shock, which is enough time to cast two Shocks. Just remember that Flame Shocks damage isn't exactly HUGE, and whilst it is better to use UE on a 2 stack Flame Shock, you can still use it on Lava Burst for some bonus damage, and that bonus damage, plus any potential lost FlS ticks/Lightning Shield stacks will outweigh the extra FlS damage.

If you are at less than 15 Lightning Shield stacks, you should look to cast Flame Shock ASAP (as soon as Lava Burst stays on cooldown) as you are in no danger of overcapping if you cast FlS right now.

If possible you should use UE (assuming you have Unleash Fury, otherwise don't bother with UE at all) before casting that Flame Shock, even if it delays it a bit. However, if you start creeping over that 15 stack mark for Earth Shock, you are going to start burning Lightning Shield stacks in the shock cooldown, so the damage gained by UE is going to be eaten up by lost stacks. It sort of depends on your stat values and your reaction times to procs, but basically...

tl;dr - At less than ~13 stacks of Lightning Shield or you have over 6 seconds left on Flame Shock, and UE is up in a second or two, feel free to wait. If you are at more stacks than that, your Flame Shock has less time than that, or your UE is on cooldown for longer than that, you should just go ahead and cast Flame Shock right away. Letting Flame Shock fall off or letting yourself hit max stacks is worse than getting that UE with Flame Shock.

tl;dr the tl;drAbove all else never let Flame Shock fall off and endevour to never let yourself lose Lightning Shield stacks.

Think this is the bit I always struggle with and its really spooning my DPS up, is it better to just cast the FS when its -6 seconds or less even without EF / UF or is it okay to cap stacks momentarily to do so? I always tend to wait for EF / UF even if it means capping stacks.
Edit for clarity - tl:dr FlS only with 2 stacks of EF or just follow what Fetter said and FlS if -6 and UEs CD is longer than that

[Deleted]

Think this is the bit I always struggle with and its really spooning my DPS up, is it better to just cast the FS when its -6 seconds or less even without EF / UF or is it okay to cap stacks momentarily to do so? I always tend to wait for EF / UF even if it means capping stacks.
Edit for clarity - tl:dr FlS only with 2 stacks of EF or just follow what Fetter said and FlS if -6 and UEs CD is longer than that

FYI: You can actually FS at any point in the last ~9 seconds (last 33% of ticks).

In regards to your question, it really depends how long you have to wait. You should endevour whenever possible to make sure your Flame Shock is refreshed before ES hits above 15 stacks. If ES is ever above that, but Flame Shock is going to run out in the next 5 seconds, its best to get FlS up ASAP. As I said, if you are unsure, just go ahead and press Flame Shock. The damage you gain from using UE before (whilst not insignificant) isn't going to massively nerf your DPS, you are much more likely to nerf your DPS by holding on to it for too long.

[Deleted]

FYI: You can actually FS at any point in the last ~9 seconds (last 33% of ticks).

In regards to your question, it really depends how long you have to wait. You should endevour whenever possible to make sure your Flame Shock is refreshed before ES hits above 15 stacks. If ES is ever above that, but Flame Shock is going to run out in the next 5 seconds, its best to get FlS up ASAP. As I said, if you are unsure, just go ahead and press Flame Shock. The damage you gain from using UE before (whilst not insignificant) isn't going to massively nerf your DPS, you are much more likely to nerf your DPS by holding on to it for too long.

As always, a gent and a scholar. Thanks Fetter

[Deleted]

I sim best EM, UF and Storm Ele atm. And indeed on Butcher I get really nice dps (around 26 K) which is 100-200 close to my sim.
Anyways, I feel that those talents are a solid choise, but they are only good for Butcher and Ko'ragh, because on other fights I get to cleave:
Kargath - adds upstairs; Tectus - heavy cleaving; Brackenspore - big adds is always on top of boss; Twins - they are 70 % on top of eachother, Imperator - Volatile add always stacked on boss, plus all the minor adds.
So, for these cleave fights I was thinking of replacing UF with EB since it buffs my CL, EQ and Storm Ele if I get lucky (and LM for Tectus).
But what UF offered me over EB is movement! and on these fights (especially on Mythic) this is a big deal and I really like the small speed boost and positioning every 15 secs. I am torn between the 2: UF vs EB. Any feedback on this?

[Deleted]

It is more powerful, its just the power is pure utility. I agree, its very poorly worded though because, unlike with damage/survivability increases like Fire and Earth Ele, you can't really quantify utility increases like that. However, they are right, the damage of Storm Elemental remains unchanged by Primal Elementalist.

Interestingly I noticed yesterday while playing around that the Primal Elementalist version of Storm Elemental has the Call Lightning ability however it is not set to auto cast by default. Turning it on I noticed a marked increase in the elementals damage over a 1 minute period that put it not too far behind my Primal Fire Elemental. I think it may be possible to further improve its damage by using it manually (buff lasts 15 seconds but the cooldown is only 10 seconds) although I reckon that would need some serious micro management and not sure it's worth the effort.

[Mixe]

Anyone has a spreadsheet of stat weight? Like how close they are to eachother. For example when upgrading a 665 item to 670 how much does that intellect contribute when replacing crit for like mastery?