Is elemental as easy as it gets?

[jimmy valmer]

I mean, as far as I know elemental has to be the easiest spec out there to play. Not counting in pvp of course as they melee hard counter them but in pve I have not come across a spec this easy.

Not that I'm complaining but I should have played this earlier. It is THE spec imo. Far from the bottom of the dps, although I think it's their mobility keeping their dps in line with others but I could be wrong.

I have found my main...

[Raiju]

Assassination.

I'd put surv/BM below it as well.

But yeah it's a very easy spec. Their dps is really pretty meh in top end, but due to having *the* easiest aoe dps (and very flexible aoe dps), its very easy to keep up with other classes because you effectively skill cap way earlier. Single target has a more realistic skill cap though and you will likely see yourself fall behind fotm specs with similar skill/gear players.

Assassination doesn't have this problem! Neither does BM this patch.

[jimmy valmer]

I dunno BM seems to have a lot of buttons to press and keeping track of the pet so it don't bug out...

[Raiju]

I dunno BM seems to have a lot of buttons to press and keeping track of the pet so it don't bug out...

Every pet class can claim that, but it's not true. BM is an artificial copy of the other 2 specs, hunter basically playing almost exactly the same between specs just with a different "kill" button, and a different focus gain for MM as I recall. They play the same and follow almost exact same priorities though.

Try BM for 10 minutes and you will see what I mean, sure it's got more buttons than elemental but I'd say its easier to do good dps single target (1. because its easy to play 2. because it does better damage). Pets if anything are an argument for specs being easier, which is why a lot of people on the shammy forums scorn PE - it's a passive dps increase just pop it at the start then every cd afterwards and you're *close* to optimal use.

[jimmy valmer]

I probably would try it. Discounting rogue, melee isn't my taste.

[Deleted]

Rogue is even easier, rotation wise.

Some people seem to get confused with pets, thats why i would say Elemental is the easiest range class (dps wise).

Ofc most classes are easy to play, but hard to master. Elemental is no exception. Half the shammys I've meet in LFR dont even use Stormlash-Totem

[Raiju]

Ofc most classes are easy to play, but hard to master. Elemental is no exception. Half the shammys I've meet in LFR dont even use Stormlash-Totem

Well this even goes for assassination, or the wrath/cata arcane mages.

[Deleted]

probably one of easiest to play, but there are some tricks, timings, lining ups, shocks management, that you will need to find/get used to.

It's easy class, but i enjoy this one. Usualy its the harder the more interesting, but not here

[Deleted]

few classes / specs have to watch for stuff.. so every class/spec is easy 2 play. Just getting used to it takes a while, thats it.

[dryankem]

I've just come back to my Elemental Shaman after running a frost DK for most of MOP (also an extremely easy class but I was getting tired of melee and enjoy healing). Started leveling a new shammy for fun and I remembered why I loved the class (Chain Lightening for the win). Last night I had 34 kills in a random bg basically off of chain lightening and fulmination (was in AV and was able to turret from the back).

I found survival hunter to be very much like an elemental shammy (put up one dot and hit explosive shot whenever it procs, plus an extremely easy AOE) but I really haven't played mine in MOP that much, still only level 86 I think.

[Elestia]

I would say hunters, dks, assassination rogues, frost mages, are amongst the easiest specs to play.

Imo the elemental opener, macro combinations, totem utility, and off heals provide both complexity and depth that no other class has. This is something so commonly overlooked.

People that say ele shaman is easy either don't invest time in actually learning their subtleties, haven't played competitively/aggressively or never bother with utility. Because even if you're skill capped, and your raid is dying / failing mechanics, dps isn't going to matter. Ele is the essence of Blizzard reminding us that raiding is a team sport. You may only be as strong as your weakest link, but ele does a fair bit to reinforce the weak.

Examples, stressful fights, ie Thokk, conductivity with healing rain and water totem support helps tremendously. Or spoils / add fights, capacitor with earth grabs, or knockbacks to the tank, interrupts, etc. Totem utility all at its finest.

Stack the utility spells that Ele has against any other class / spec combination and we come out on top every time.

[Daffan]

hello

i am chain lightning

wahts that? 99.9% chain lightning?

ok

Assassin rogue is easier, but then you actually have to move instead of turret

oh wait my lightning bolt casts on the move, HUZZAH

[Orcbert]

Hands down, elemental is the easiest spec to play. Even with assassination there's a bit more cooldown management and watching timers. I took elemental blast to liven up the rotation a bit but honestly it does very little to complicate the already no-brainer spec.

Some posts above argue that the utility makes them more complicated but it really doesn't. Know when it's appropriate to use certain cooldowns and you'll be golden. It's not brain rocket science surgery.

[Txiv]

I would say hunters, dks, assassination rogues, frost mages, are amongst the easiest specs to play.

Imo the elemental opener, macro combinations, totem utility, and off heals provide both complexity and depth that no other class has. This is something so commonly overlooked.

People that say ele shaman is easy either don't invest time in actually learning their subtleties, haven't played competitively/aggressively or never bother with utility. Because even if you're skill capped, and your raid is dying / failing mechanics, dps isn't going to matter. Ele is the essence of Blizzard reminding us that raiding is a team sport. You may only be as strong as your weakest link, but ele does a fair bit to reinforce the weak.

Examples, stressful fights, ie Thokk, conductivity with healing rain and water totem support helps tremendously. Or spoils / add fights, capacitor with earth grabs, or knockbacks to the tank, interrupts, etc. Totem utility all at its finest.

Stack the utility spells that Ele has against any other class / spec combination and we come out on top every time.

Can't stress this enough when people complain about the "easiness" of ele . If Dps is all you care about then it is an easy rotation. But you should be thinking about so much more in terms of off healing/ totem utility/ mobility. That's what makes a great ele shaman

[dejec1989]

I would say hunters, dks, assassination rogues, frost mages, are amongst the easiest specs to play.

Imo the elemental opener, macro combinations, totem utility, and off heals provide both complexity and depth that no other class has. This is something so commonly overlooked.

People that say ele shaman is easy either don't invest time in actually learning their subtleties, haven't played competitively/aggressively or never bother with utility. Because even if you're skill capped, and your raid is dying / failing mechanics, dps isn't going to matter. Ele is the essence of Blizzard reminding us that raiding is a team sport. You may only be as strong as your weakest link, but ele does a fair bit to reinforce the weak.

Examples, stressful fights, ie Thokk, conductivity with healing rain and water totem support helps tremendously. Or spoils / add fights, capacitor with earth grabs, or knockbacks to the tank, interrupts, etc. Totem utility all at its finest.

Stack the utility spells that Ele has against any other class / spec combination and we come out on top every time.

Paste and copy this with minor changes for any spec/class/role/boss and every class is hard/easy.....

[Raiju]

I would say hunters, dks, assassination rogues, frost mages, are amongst the easiest specs to play.

Imo the elemental opener, macro combinations, totem utility, and off heals provide both complexity and depth that no other class has. This is something so commonly overlooked.

People that say ele shaman is easy either don't invest time in actually learning their subtleties, haven't played competitively/aggressively or never bother with utility. Because even if you're skill capped, and your raid is dying / failing mechanics, dps isn't going to matter. Ele is the essence of Blizzard reminding us that raiding is a team sport. You may only be as strong as your weakest link, but ele does a fair bit to reinforce the weak.

Examples, stressful fights, ie Thokk, conductivity with healing rain and water totem support helps tremendously. Or spoils / add fights, capacitor with earth grabs, or knockbacks to the tank, interrupts, etc. Totem utility all at its finest.

Stack the utility spells that Ele has against any other class / spec combination and we come out on top every time.

Sort of ironic that enhancement covers ALL of this but with a more complex opener and more complex priority list, so even with your heavy bias to the classes difficulties (yeah no other spec has utility right?), you're still outshined..

[Rizendragon]

I would say hunters, dks, assassination rogues, frost mages, are amongst the easiest specs to play.

Imo the elemental opener, macro combinations, totem utility, and off heals provide both complexity and depth that no other class has. This is something so commonly overlooked.

People that say ele shaman is easy either don't invest time in actually learning their subtleties, haven't played competitively/aggressively or never bother with utility. Because even if you're skill capped, and your raid is dying / failing mechanics, dps isn't going to matter. Ele is the essence of Blizzard reminding us that raiding is a team sport. You may only be as strong as your weakest link, but ele does a fair bit to reinforce the weak.

Examples, stressful fights, ie. Or spoils / add fights, capacitor with earth grabs, or knockbacks to the tank, interrupts, etc. Totem utility all at its finest.

Stack the utility spells that Ele has against any other class / spec combination and we come out on top every time.

Imo the Frost Mage opener, macro combinations, Alter Time utility, and strong CC provide both complexity and depth that no other class has. This is something so commonly overlooked.

People that say Frost Mage is easy either don't invest time in actually learning their subtleties, haven't played competitively/aggressively or never bother with utility. Because even if you're skill capped, and your raid is dying / failing mechanics, dps isn't going to matter. Frost Mage is the essence of Blizzard reminding us that raiding is a team sport. You may only be as strong as your weakest link, but Frost Mage does a fair bit to reinforce the weak.

Examples, stressful fights, ie spoils / add fights, Frost Nova with Ring of Frost, interrupts, etc.

Stack the utility spells that Frost Mage has against any other class / spec combination and we come out on top every time.

Do you see where I'm going with this? The same could be said for every spec and class in the game.

[Txiv]

Imo the Frost Mage opener, macro combinations, Alter Time utility, and strong CC provide both complexity and depth that no other class has. This is something so commonly overlooked.

People that say Frost Mage is easy either don't invest time in actually learning their subtleties, haven't played competitively/aggressively or never bother with utility. Because even if you're skill capped, and your raid is dying / failing mechanics, dps isn't going to matter. Frost Mage is the essence of Blizzard reminding us that raiding is a team sport. You may only be as strong as your weakest link, but Frost Mage does a fair bit to reinforce the weak.

Examples, stressful fights, ie spoils / add fights, Frost Nova with Ring of Frost, interrupts, etc.

Stack the utility spells that Frost Mage has against any other class / spec combination and we come out on top every time.

Do you see where I'm going with this? The same could be said for every spec and class in the game.

But what's you point? He was asking if ele was the easiest. If all you considered was Dps than it is on par with frost Mage. If you cared about being a good player and utilizing utility it's also as difficult as mastering a frost mage who cares about those things. If all you care about is Dps then frost Mage is pretty easy to play

[Gimlix]

Every pet class can claim that, but it's not true. BM is an artificial copy of the other 2 specs, hunter basically playing almost exactly the same between specs just with a different "kill" button, and a different focus gain for MM as I recall. They play the same and follow almost exact same priorities though.

Try BM for 10 minutes and you will see what I mean, sure it's got more buttons than elemental but I'd say its easier to do good dps single target (1. because its easy to play 2. because it does better damage). Pets if anything are an argument for specs being easier, which is why a lot of people on the shammy forums scorn PE - it's a passive dps increase just pop it at the start then every cd afterwards and you're *close* to optimal use.

BM is harder then you make it believe.
A friend of my tried out BM, and he is a boomkin and was overwhelmed what he actually had to do with all these buttons.

[Volitar]

I would say hunters, dks, assassination rogues, frost mages, are amongst the easiest specs to play.

Imo the elemental opener, macro combinations, totem utility, and off heals provide both complexity and depth that no other class has. This is something so commonly overlooked.

People that say ele shaman is easy either don't invest time in actually learning their subtleties, haven't played competitively/aggressively or never bother with utility. Because even if you're skill capped, and your raid is dying / failing mechanics, dps isn't going to matter. Ele is the essence of Blizzard reminding us that raiding is a team sport. You may only be as strong as your weakest link, but ele does a fair bit to reinforce the weak.

Examples, stressful fights, ie Thokk, conductivity with healing rain and water totem support helps tremendously. Or spoils / add fights, capacitor with earth grabs, or knockbacks to the tank, interrupts, etc. Totem utility all at its finest.

Stack the utility spells that Ele has against any other class / spec combination and we come out on top every time.

I think you are complicating things. Almost every class has and interrupt and some sort of utility, every hybrid has healing utility on top of that. We are not really so different from any other class except our main rotation is easier.

Also you never mention using Healing stream which is a very potent heal for 1gcd.