Is Elemental Shaman underpowered?

[Deleted]

They don't see us as a "raid booster" - we haven't been for an extremely long time. We are a DPS class, but do not have the luxury of (easily) switching specs if we happen to be lower on the meters (e.g. fire gets nerfed -> swap to arcane).

The only reason WoD has sucked so bad for Ele is that we got relegated into a sustained AoE role, while Enhancement got put in a very similar AoE role. With AoE already being a niche, plus burst AoE being much more useful than sustained AoE in 90% of encounters, we found ourselves specialized for a problem that rarely existed.

Obviously, we have other problems in WoD, such as poor target-swapping and horrible burst cooldowns (particularly amplified by the ring). But, the core of it was that we were simply designed for encounters that rarely existed. Hopefully, with specialization being done moreso in talents in Legion, most classes will be able to break out of their respective boxes and perform well in a wider range of roles.

I don´t agree to all of your points.
While we are a dps class, we are still considered no matter how you look at it, as a raid booster nothing more, nothing less. - if you think otherwise, then please uninstall the game.

We aren´t gonna come to shine again, cause the adds of which they add, are not up for a long time, or they are spreaded out, and we cannot get to cleave, which sucks.

[freddy090909]

While we are a dps class, we are still considered no matter how you look at it, as a raid booster nothing more, nothing less. - if you think otherwise, then please uninstall the game.

I don't know what you mean by "raid booster" then. There is no such thing as a support spec in WoW anymore. You're either DPS, healer or tank. We are a DPS and are balanced (and designed) as such. We don't buff the raid with totems anymore, we don't even provide spell power anymore (which was a major benefit in wrath/cata), we are simply there to DPS - hell, we provide some of the least utility of any DPS spec.

We aren´t gonna come to shine again, cause the adds of which they add, are not up for a long time, or they are spreaded out, and we cannot get to cleave, which sucks.

So you agree with me, then... it's a problem to be put into a sustained AoE role (which we fell into in WoD) because it is significantly less useful than burst AoE in almost all circumstances. That said, there's no reason to make assumptions that we will always be stuck that way (very recently, we were one of the best burst specs in the game).

[Deleted]

I don't know what you mean by "raid booster" then. There is no such thing as a support spec in WoW anymore. You're either DPS, healer or tank. We are a DPS and are balanced (and designed) as such. We don't buff the raid with totems anymore, we don't even provide spell power anymore (which was a major benefit in wrath/cata), we are simply there to DPS - hell, we provide some of the least utility of any DPS spec.



So you agree with me, then... it's a problem to be put into a sustained AoE role (which we fell into in WoD) because it is significantly less useful than burst AoE in almost all circumstances. That said, there's no reason to make assumptions that we will always be stuck that way (very recently, we were one of the best burst specs in the game).

I don't know what you mean by "raid booster" then. There is no such thing as a support spec in WoW anymore. You're either DPS, healer or tank. We are a DPS and are balanced (and designed) as such. We don't buff the raid with totems anymore, we don't even provide spell power anymore (which was a major benefit in wrath/cata), we are simply there to DPS - hell, we provide some of the least utility of any DPS spec.



So you agree with me, then... it's a problem to be put into a sustained AoE role (which we fell into in WoD) because it is significantly less useful than burst AoE in almost all circumstances. That said, there's no reason to make assumptions that we will always be stuck that way (very recently, we were one of the best burst specs in the game).

Yes and No, when i say a "Raid Booster" We don´t bring much to the current table other than a Ancestral Guidance, you are right my friend, that us Elemental shamans "were" one of the better sustained single-target and Burst classes, but that was long time before Valor Upgrades and Also During Progression, however even on Progression, by playing an Elemental you would still suffer, as excactly as you say, we got poor target swapping, due to the fact of how they made our increased damage done by our flameshocks, and also the GCD of Shocks overall, we cannnot swap targets with an empowered flameshock on any adds, simply because they 1: Die to Fast, 2: has no Hp.

Kill´Rog,
GoreFiend
Iron-Rever with Bombs.

You name it, where we do come to shine, would be:
Iskar, (because the adds stays alive for a longer time, and you can here get the instant cast of EQ when you hit x3 targets with CL)
Same again, For Xhul´Horac - The abberation boss, We did on progression do good, however now the Imps die within 2 seconds.
Same again for Mannoroth, During Progressin we were Really OP - However the Imps once again dies to fast.
Same Again For Archimonde, Phase 2, when the Dogs Spawns, you could save you Ascendance and Ham the Hp outta Those Dogs, However, you will Again loose damage, when Infernals Comes, And Void Stars in Nether Phase, Because what? - They have no Hp, and They Die very Fast.....

I´m Not implying that, you should not play an Elemental shaman, im merely making the facts and reality which is out there, and also the reason why everyone see less and less Elemental Shamans, which are currently Active - Me personally? - For manno and Archi progression i swapped my ele to a hunter, due to better Burst and Sustained damage, and target swapping - Ei. Infernals...

I hope this would Clearify what I originally Meant

[Suic132]

My opinion on the whole thing is pretty much the same as everybodys. The killed Ele in hfc to the point i was geared better than my raid peers but the dps was just jorrible to the point i wanted to cry.
I felt carried and absolute shit when I talked with other shamans and the simply told me to specc Enhance which I is for me the worst specc because melees just arent style.
I loved my shaman and as soon as a spot for Resto opened in my raid I switched so I could contribute at least smth to my raid instead of feeling useless.

My only hope is for Legion to make everything better because if they don't for the first time in 10 Years my Main wont be a shaman