Preliminary Mentions↑top

In this guide, we will offer you some quick and practical information for leveling up your Shaman from level 85 to level 90. We cover rotation, talents and glyphs. We do not, however, cover statistics, gear, or any information about the zones you should be questing in.

This guide requires a basic understanding of how the Shaman class works at level 85. This guide is not meant to reflect how you should play your character at level 90, or in a raid environment or dungeon.

While leveling up, you can complete 4 dungeons:

• Temple of the Jade Serpent;
• Stormstout Brewery;
• Shado-Pan Monastery;
• Mogu'shan Palace.

These dungeons have quests which reward you with vast amounts of experience.

In the next few weeks, we will extend this guide to cover the entire leveling journey, from level 1 to level 90.

In this guide, we only cover Elemental and Enhancement, as leveling up as Restoration is very inefficient and should be avoided.

1. Elemental Leveling Guide: 85-90↑top

1.1. Level 85

1.1.1. Talents and Glyphs

Before setting out on your leveling journey, you should take these talents and glyphs, for maximum efficiency. Obviously, this is not set in stone, and you have a lot of liberty.

For your third minor glyph, you should use which ever remaining minor glyph you like.

1.1.2. Rotation

You have to adapt your raiding rotation slighty, so that it works against targets which, generally, will not live very long. As an Elemental Shaman, you should try and kill enemies one by one and to avoid pulling mobs together. Follow this priority list.

1. Keep Flame Shock up on the target. Refresh when there are 3 seconds or less left.
2. Cast Lava Burst on cooldown
   • watch out for its cooldown being reset by procs of Lava Surge.
3. Cast Earth Shock when you have between 5 and 7 charges of Lightning Shield.
4. Keep Searing Totem up.
5. Cast Lightning Bolt as a filler. You can cast this spell while moving.

If you pulled more than 1 target, replace Lightning Bolt with Chain Lightning.

Imbue your weapon with Flametongue Weapon and keep Lightning Shield up.

1.1.3. DPS Cooldowns

When you need to kill mobs faster, you can use Stormlash Totem, Fire Elemental Totem, Earth Elemental Totem, and Bloodlust/ Heroism.

If you need mana, use Thunderstorm.

1.1.4. Surviving

When you are in danger of dying, you can use Astral Shift and heal yourself with Healing Surge. You can also use Ancestral Guidance and let your damaging spells heal you.

If you are attacked by several enemies, you can try to incapacitate one with Hex and another one with Bind Elemental. You can also summon Capacitor Totem or Earthgrab Totem and reset their cooldowns with Call of the Elements.

If you decide that running away is safer, summon Earthbind Totem or casts Thunderstorm, and activate Ghost Wolf.

1.2. Level 86-90

As you level up, a single change occurs. At level 87, you will gain Ascendance. This ability is a DPS cooldown. When you activate it, you should be ready to spam Lava Burst, if you are fighting a single enemy, or Chain Lightning, if you are fighting several enemies.

2. Enhancement Leveling Guide: 85-90↑top

2.1. Level 85

2.1.1. Talents and Glyphs

Before setting out on your leveling journey, you should take these talents and glyphs, for maximum efficiency. Obviously, this is not set in stone, and you have a lot of liberty.

For your third minor glyph, you should use which ever remaining minor glyph you like.

2.1.2. Rotation

You have to adapt your raiding rotation slighty, so that it works against targets which, generally, will not live very long. As an Enhancement Shaman, you should try and kill enemies one by one and to avoid pulling mobs together. Follow this priority list.

1. Summon and refresh Searing Totem.
2. Cast Lightning Bolt if you have 5 stacks of Maelstrom Weapon
   • against 1 enemy.
3. Cast Chain Lightning if you have 5 stacks of Maelstrom Weapon
   • against 3 or more enemies.
4. Apply and refresh Flame Shock after casting Unleash Elements.
5. Cast Stormstrike.
6. Cast Lava Lash.
7. Cast Earth Shock.

Imbue your Main-Hand weapon with Windfury Weapon and your Off-Hand weapon with Flametongue Weapon. Keep Lightning Shield up.

2.1.3. DPS Cooldowns

When you need to kill mobs faster, you can use Stormlash Totem, Fire Elemental Totem, Earth Elemental Totem, and Bloodlust/ Heroism.

2.1.4. Surviving

When you are in danger of dying, you can use Astral Shift and heal yourself with Healing Surge. You can also use Ancestral Guidance and let your damaging spells heal you. Finally, remember that Shamanistic Rage temporarily reduces the damage you take.

You can also easily heal yourself by consuming stacks of Maelstrom Weapon with healing spells or by summoning your Feral Spirit.

Thanks to Conductivity, you can also place Healing Rain at the location where you are fighting. Many of your damaging abilities will heal you, as a result.

If you are attacked by several enemies, you can try to incapacitate one with Hex and another one with Bind Elemental. You can also summon Capacitor Totem or Earthgrab Totem and reset their cooldowns with Call of the Elements.

If you decide that running away is safer, summon Earthbind Totem and activate Ghost Wolf.

2.2. Level 86-90

As you level up, a single change occurs. At level 87, you will gain Ascendance. This ability is a DPS cooldown. When you activate it, you will simply deal more damage with auto-attacks and Stormstrike.