PTR Build 24076

[Deleted]

So we still dont see a change to the Elemental spec. I wonder why, it is clear that they lack Single Target damage because of low Lava Burst damage and generally bad proc rating of Lava Surge.

With the newest build we can also see a nerf to the current T19 4p Set bonus which is also something i question hard, since there is no change to Elemental spec overall. If this remain will Elemental be in an even worse place then before going in to ToS?
The T20 set bonuses looks decent, especially the 2p bonus, but that will generally be in burst phases. But that will not even near be enough to compete with other casters right now in the long run. All i can see right now to bring an Elemental is for AoE burst fights, and that will be for Elementals generally with the Seismic trait. Which most of the players should have right now if not recently reroll happened (Like for me) I tho have the Seismic trait.
Will Elementals only be used for 3-4+ Target fights? Based on Stormbreaker, Seismic and Lightning Rod?

Im pretty new to Elemtenal, so please correct me if im wrong!

And also please give me some insight on your opinions with current state of Elemental and for upcoming PTR builds and what do you feel should be changed?

[Seezer]

Look. People need to get this through their heads. You likely are not in the world first race. If you aren't, you're good to go. People look at what Method is bringing to their raids and if they don't see their spec they're like "MY SPEC SUUUUUUUUX". Ele has decent single target dps for heroics and a reasonable mythic pace. Ele is one of the strongest AOE specs in the game as well. If you don't like it, reroll.

[Deleted]

Look. People need to get this through their heads. You likely are not in the world first race. If you aren't, you're good to go. People look at what Method is bringing to their raids and if they don't see their spec they're like "MY SPEC SUUUUUUUUX". Ele has decent single target dps for heroics and a reasonable mythic pace. Ele is one of the strongest AOE specs in the game as well. If you don't like it, reroll.

I've been in and around World top 100 for the past 6-7 years and shit matters there aswell.
Did you see me write "My spec sucks"? No i did not. All i wrote is that Elemental IS not performing aswell Single Target right now, and coming from a DH u can really feel that Elemental is behind on Single Target.
So my post was more, what do you guys think should be done to make them more "viable" again? I myself enjoy the shit out of this spec, but you can both see and feel that they arent as strong as other specs right now.
So all i wanted out of this post was to see what the community thoughts were and what you guys think needs to be done and so on.

And i dont give a shit what Method and the other guilds are rolling, i have my own eyes and can judge if a spec is underperforming right now compared to other.

[Deleted]

Well on the other side elemental is VERY strong at cleave and AOE. Single target isnt that bad.

So i wouldnt say elemental is bad and needs changes. Wncounter design matters a lot though.

[Deleted]

Well on the other side elemental is VERY strong at cleave and AOE. Single target isnt that bad.

So i wouldnt say elemental is bad and needs changes. Wncounter design matters a lot though.

True. I just feel somehow especially single target that even tho if i have good rng with lava surge procs it still feels like its hard to race with other specs right now. I would like to see a damage buff to Lava burst or something or maybe even Lightning Bolt?

[Seezer]

I've been in and around World top 100 for the past 6-7 years and shit matters there aswell.
Did you see me write "My spec sucks"? No i did not. All i wrote is that Elemental IS not performing aswell Single Target right now, and coming from a DH u can really feel that Elemental is behind on Single Target.
So my post was more, what do you guys think should be done to make them more "viable" again? I myself enjoy the shit out of this spec, but you can both see and feel that they arent as strong as other specs right now.
So all i wanted out of this post was to see what the community thoughts were and what you guys think needs to be done and so on.

And i dont give a shit what Method and the other guilds are rolling, i have my own eyes and can judge if a spec is underperforming right now compared to other.

Elemental is extremely viable. Different classes and specs have strengths and weaknesses. Elemental is top notch at cleave/aoe. Single target is pretty decent too. Very few fights are single target tank and spank anymore.

[Deleted]

You have decent ST and topcontender on cleave and AOE, what are you whining about? Try enhancement and watch us struggle at both

[ingsve]

I'm suspecting the nerf to T19 4-piece is mostly meant to discourage people from feeling that they have to farm high titanforged t19 pieces rather than switching to T20 which some people have talked about.

[Deleted]

I'm suspecting the nerf to T19 4-piece is mostly meant to discourage people from feeling that they have to farm high titanforged t19 pieces rather than switching to T20 which some people have talked about.

This is pretty much on point and a good example of why our t19 is so strong and propping up our ST damage.

So we still dont see a change to the Elemental spec. I wonder why, it is clear that they lack Single Target damage because of low Lava Burst damage and generally bad proc rating of Lava Surge.

With the newest build we can also see a nerf to the current T19 4p Set bonus which is also something i question hard, since there is no change to Elemental spec overall. If this remain will Elemental be in an even worse place then before going in to ToS?
The T20 set bonuses looks decent, especially the 2p bonus, but that will generally be in burst phases. But that will not even near be enough to compete with other casters right now in the long run. All i can see right now to bring an Elemental is for AoE burst fights, and that will be for Elementals generally with the Seismic trait. Which most of the players should have right now if not recently reroll happened (Like for me) I tho have the Seismic trait.
Will Elementals only be used for 3-4+ Target fights? Based on Stormbreaker, Seismic and Lightning Rod?

Im pretty new to Elemtenal, so please correct me if im wrong!

And also please give me some insight on your opinions with current state of Elemental and for upcoming PTR builds and what do you feel should be changed?

For pure patchwerk encounters sure the spec will, as it always has been this expac, a lot weaker than others, that is a given. But it remains to be seen with what the fights in TOS offer. If they are all pure ST then sure the nerf to T19 will hurt us, but any sort of cleave/aoe/burst phase orientated fight is not really going to hurt that much over all.

My main concern is that the new traits are pushing the icefury build way way down in terms of output i.e ice fury or frost shock do not benefit from ED(which makes Ascendance so much better) or anywhere else in the tree for that matter, therefore on movement heavy fights we are going to suffer since the other two specs are far more turret orientated.

Also with the introduction of new legendaries that grant talents im calling one that grants Primal Elementalist as that will synergize greatly with T20 and aid our ST damage quite a lot.................tho if i'm right i'm not sure how i feel about such a band aid

[Ele man]

Ele is strong in Aoe, but most last boss battles do not consider aoe. Blizzard is overestimating AOE. This game is fundamentally important to ST damage.
Ele is not stable enough for all bosses. It only works for some bosses. This is why ele has not been used for years.

Therefore, people will prepare ele for emergency. However, it is not generally used.
This is the user's complaint in the top raid team.

[furiousferret]

As ele I can be top 3 on Heroic Skorp, Tich, and Spellblade (usually top) but the others I have to put in real work to be top 8. Our insane AOE doesn't make up for our lackluster Single Target; we're serviceable in those fights but then there are other specs that don't have as big a drop off from their specialty. Of course in Mythic + where trash is harder than bosses I'm a god, so I'll take that.

I don't think the class on the whole is in a bad spot, we're below average. Resto is good all the way around, and the class as a whole is doing well in pvp. The bad is our dps, which is average in Heroic and drops significantly in Mythic. On Mythic Gul'dan both specs are dead last and not getting a lot of parses. https://www.warcraftlogs.com/statist...ount&boss=1866

Going into tomb I don't think that's a terribly bad thing, it should be something that Blizzard looks at; if a spec isn't progressing and is considered a liability they'll look into it (of course they've proven me wrong many times).

This is all still important to us 'bottom feeders' not on the cutting edge. I'm not in a top tier guild, our guild still cuts people on Heroic Krosus. If you don't hit the dps check you're not going to fight Elisande and Guldan.

At least we're not as bad off as Enhancement, who are mid tier at single target and bottom tier at aoe. On certain fights (specifically Tich) the spec can be a liability, since their aoe burst just isn't up to par.

[Jotaux]

Look. People need to get this through their heads. You likely are not in the world first race. If you aren't, you're good to go. People look at what Method is bringing to their raids and if they don't see their spec they're like "MY SPEC SUUUUUUUUX". Ele has decent single target dps for heroics and a reasonable mythic pace. Ele is one of the strongest AOE specs in the game as well. If you don't like it, reroll.

People need to get it through their heads that competitiveness matters at all raiding levels. If you are a good player but play a crappy spec why should you have to play below your level in order to compete?

[Crysth]

The biggest problem with the spec and making adjustments to it is our potential swings in dps due to procs. We can have a pull of god-like procs, with tons of mastery procs, our CL proc'ing Static Overload regularly (even if we only cast it a few times, like on Gul'dan), etc., to pulls where we get barely anything. We go from crushing everyone with our big dicks to looking like we're afk in an corner. The swings in dps due to procs for other specs is much less impactful than to Elemental. Making a small buff to something like LB can end up with large changes. Even buffing LvB will just practically force you to take Ascendance, and require buffs to LR and IF to make them competitive.

I see people mentioning that our niche is being one of the top cleave/aoe spec, but the reality is that other classes are just as competitive for that WHILE having better sustained or on-demand single target dps. Our special niche isn't so much our niche anymore. Sure, we have some of the best burst aoe, but that requires SK and/or lucky procs (mentioned above). If we don't have SK or luck, then its decent but nothing that couldn't be replaced.

For reference about the potential swing in dps based off procs, check out this post. It tells you the potential swings in dps ranging from no procs/crits to "start align" everything proc'ing. It's pretty nuts.

- - - Updated - - -

Also with the introduction of new legendaries that grant talents im calling one that grants Primal Elementalist as that will synergize greatly with T20 and aid our ST damage quite a lot.................tho if i'm right i'm not sure how i feel about such a band aid

I'm calling either Primal Elementalist, Aftershock, or Earthen Rage... Or to piss us off, it'll give us Voodoo Totem

[Nyoken]

Ohhh man... get use to it. Ele is the spec that has received the LEAST changes since Vanilla, and is not likely to receive any changes now or in the future.

[Coldfire989]

So we still dont see a change to the Elemental spec. I wonder why, it is clear that they lack Single Target damage because of low Lava Burst damage and generally bad proc rating of Lava Surge.

With the newest build we can also see a nerf to the current T19 4p Set bonus which is also something i question hard, since there is no change to Elemental spec overall. If this remain will Elemental be in an even worse place then before going in to ToS?
The T20 set bonuses looks decent, especially the 2p bonus, but that will generally be in burst phases. But that will not even near be enough to compete with other casters right now in the long run. All i can see right now to bring an Elemental is for AoE burst fights, and that will be for Elementals generally with the Seismic trait. Which most of the players should have right now if not recently reroll happened (Like for me) I tho have the Seismic trait.
Will Elementals only be used for 3-4+ Target fights? Based on Stormbreaker, Seismic and Lightning Rod?

Im pretty new to Elemtenal, so please correct me if im wrong!

And also please give me some insight on your opinions with current state of Elemental and for upcoming PTR builds and what do you feel should be changed?

It is because the Elemental community got quite on Blizzard are the small fixes we got. Now that we are not making enough noise as other classes (looking at you Warlocks) we are getting no attention.

[Hellfury]

People need to get it through their heads that competitiveness matters at all raiding levels. If you are a good player but play a crappy spec why should you have to play below your level in order to compete?

*insert thank you gif*

Prepare to be even shittier as we lose our M+ spot as the new T20 set bonus does nothing for us in M+ outside of boss fights where we cant even use him everytime, that 20% damage you get procing on AOE its gona be lost.

[Socialhealer]

I'm calling either Primal Elementalist, Aftershock, or Earthen Rage... Or to piss us off, it'll give us Voodoo Totem

thinking about it, if blizzard have a fucking clue about elemental they will give us EB, because it just feels right, then again i don't think blizzard has 1 competent ele shaman so prove me wrong, or prove me right, either way i win blizz ;x