Shaman Leveling Guide (MoP 5.4)

In this guide, we will offer you some quick and practical information for leveling up your Shaman from level 85 to level 100. 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 a high level. This guide is not meant to reflect how you should play your character at maximum level, or in a dungeon or raid environment.

While leveling up from level 85 to 90, you can complete 4 dungeons:

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

While leveling up from level 90 to 100, you can complete 4 dungeons:

• Bloodmaul Slag Mines;
• Iron Docks;
• Auchindoun;
• Skyreach.

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

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: 85-100↑top

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.

At Level 90, you unlock your Tier 6 talents and we advise you to choose Unleashed Fury, as it requires the least management from you.

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 12 and 15 charges of Lightning Shield.
4. Keep Searing Totem up.
5. Cast Lightning Bolt as a filler.

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

Keep Lightning Shield up.

1.3. DPS Cooldowns

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

At Level 87, you gain Ascendance, which you can use as a DPS cooldown.

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 of them with Hex. 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.

1.5. Perks

At levels 92, 94, 96, and 98 you will receive one of 4 perks, in random order. Below, we list the perks and quickly mention how they affect your playstyle.

Perk	Effect
Enhanced Chain Lightning	Use Earthquake after casting Chain Lightning or Lava Beam
Enhanced Unleash	Use Unleash Flame when you need a movement speed buff
Improved Lightning Shield	You now have 5 more charges of Lightning Shield, which means you need to let them stack for 5 more charges before you use Earth Shock to spend them.
Improved Reincarnation	You reincarnate with more health

2. Enhancement Leveling Guide: 85-100↑top

2.1. 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.

At Level 90, you unlock your Tier 6 talents and we advise you to choose Unleashed Fury, as it requires the least management from you.

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

Keep Lightning Shield up.

2.3. DPS Cooldowns

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

At Level 87, you gain Ascendance, which you can use as a DPS cooldown.

2.4. 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.

If you are attacked by several enemies, you can try to incapacitate one of them with Hex. 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.

2.5. Perks

At levels 92, 94, 96, and 98 you will receive one of 4 perks, in random order. Below, we list the perks and quickly mention how they affect your playstyle.

Perk	Effect
Enhanced Unleash	Use Unleash Elements when you need a movement speed buff
Improved Flame Shock	Watch out for Lava Lash's cooldown to be reset by Flame Shock
Improved Maelstrom Weapon	Does not affect your playstyle
Improved Reincarnation	You reincarnate with more health