Elemental Shaman DPS Gear and Best in Slot — The War Within Pre-Patch
On this page, you will find the best gear and best in slot items for your Elemental Shaman in World of Warcraft The War Within Pre-Patch.
If you were looking for WotLK Classic content, please refer to our WotLK Classic Elemental Shaman gear and best in slot.
- 9. Elemental Shaman Gear Upgrades in The War Within's Pre-patch
- 10. What to Craft as an Elemental Shaman in The War Within's Pre-patch?
- 11. Tier Set for Elemental Shaman in The War Within's Pre-patch
- 12. Best Trinkets for Elemental Shaman
- 13. Jewelry for Elemental Shaman
- 14. Weapons for Elemental Shaman
- 15. Professions for Elemental Shaman
- 16. Embellishments for Elemental Shaman
Gearing an Elemental Shaman
Welcome to our Gearing Page for Elemental Shaman. This section will cover everything you need to know about equipping your character correctly.
If you have a new piece of gear for which you need gems and enchant advice, you can find everything on our dedicated page below.
The Importance of "Simming Yourself"
At this stage in the game, there are so many variables and layers of optimization that you can apply to your character that there is no way for a guide or anything else to tell you exactly what gear you should wear. This is why we always recommend simulating your own character using Raidbots. The website can help you choose set bonuses, trinkets, and combinations in a way tailored completely to your specific character. Learning to use this tool is essential to maximizing your potential, as there is simply no other way to consider all the variables.
Evaluating Upgrades
The easiest way, and also the method we suggest, to compare multiple items is to use Raidbots' Top Gear. Here, you can input an export from the Simcraft AddOn, select the items to compare, and it will find out which of the items are best.
Stats
Many people overthink the distribution of their secondary stats. An important thing to remember is that a higher quantity of stats is nearly always better than a better quality of stats. Because of this, wearing higher item-level gear with worse stats tends to be better than lower item-level gear with great stats. Keep this in mind when considering gear. For more stats information, please refer to our dedicated page.
WARNING: Because of the recent Shaman rework, simulations are very much a WORK IN PROGRESS and you should expect our recommendations to change regularly until all the bugs and kinks can be sorted out. Thank you for your patience!
Disclaimer regarding BiS lists
We only provide "Best in Slot" lists as a mandatory requirement stemming from certain guilds and players thinking they absolutely need to blindly chase that one item in that one slot and nothing else will do. Sometimes, it is raid leaders enforcing a very strict "BiS list" for loot council without any nuance; other times, it is players themselves enforcing it on themselves.
BiS Gear for Elemental Shaman
BiS List for Elemental Shaman
This list contains the highest DPS setup from most sources for Elemental Shaman.
Crafted Items cap out at 525.
Very Rare Items from Final Bosses of a raid cap out at 535.
Note that 525+ iLvl items from Mythic+ can only be obtained from Great Vault, otherwise, they cap out at 522 when farming those dungeons at the highest ilvl threshold and upgrading them.
WARNING: Because of the recent Shaman rework, simulations are very much a WORK IN PROGRESS and you should expect our recommendations to change regularly until all the bugs and kinks can be sorted out. Thank you for your patience!
Slot | Item | Source/Note |
---|---|---|
Weapon | ![]() |
Fyrakk in Amirdrassil |
Off Hand | ![]() |
Echo of Neltharion in Aberrus |
Helm | ![]() |
Assault of the Zaqali in Aberrus |
Neck | ![]() |
Crafted embellished item with Jewelcrafting |
Shoulder | ![]() |
Revival Catalyst, Smolderon, Echo of Neltharion or Broodkeeper Diurna |
Cloak | ![]() |
Scalecommander Sarkareth in Aberrus |
Chest | ![]() |
Revival Catalyst, Nymue, Zskarn or Kurog Grimtotem |
Bracers | ![]() |
Crafted embellished item with Leatherworking |
Gloves | ![]() |
Revival Catalyst, Igira the Cruel, The Forgotten Experiments, or Dathea, Ascended |
Belt | ![]() |
Volcoross in Amirdrassil |
Legs | ![]() |
Revival Catalyst, Larodar, Keeper of the Flame, Rashok, or Sennarth, The Cold Breath |
Boots | ![]() |
The Nokhud Offensive |
Ring #1 | ![]() |
Jewelcrafting |
Ring #2 | ![]() |
Eranog in Vault of the Incarnates |
Trinket #1 | ![]() |
The Primal Council in Vault of the Incarnates |
Trinket #2 | ![]() |
The Forgotten Experiments in Aberrus |
Trinket #1/2 alternative (extremely close) | ![]() |
The Azure Vault |
Trinket #1/2 alternative (extremely close) | ![]() |
The Azure Vault |
Mythic+ Gear BiS List for Elemental Shaman
This list contains the highest DPS setup, with farmable gear from Mythic+ Dungeons. This is a great place to start on a relatively new character, as you can infinitely grind out these items from Mythic+. They do cap out at 522 item level, however. This list does not include crafted gear, even though, in practice, everyone should have some.
WARNING: Because of the recent Shaman rework, simulations are very much a WORK IN PROGRESS and you should expect our recommendations to change regularly until all the bugs and kinks can be sorted out. Thank you for your patience!
Slot | Item | Source/Note |
---|---|---|
Weapon (one-handed) | ![]() |
The Nokhud Offensive |
Weapon (one-handed) (alternative) | ![]() |
Neltharus |
Off Hand | ![]() |
Ruby Life Pools |
Weapon (two-handed) | ![]() |
Algeth'ar Academy |
Helm | ![]() |
Ruby Life Pools |
Neck | ![]() |
The Nokhud Offensive |
Shoulder | ![]() |
Brackenhide Hollow |
Cloak | ![]() |
Ruby Life Pools |
Chest | ![]() |
Neltharus |
Bracers | ![]() |
The Nokhud Offensive |
Gloves | ![]() |
Halls of Infusion |
Belt | ![]() |
Brackenhide Hollow |
Legs | ![]() |
Brackenhide Hollow |
Boots | ![]() |
The Nokhud Offensive |
Ring #1 | ![]() |
Brackenhide Hollow |
Ring #2 | ![]() |
The Nokhud Offensive |
Trinket #1 | ![]() |
The Azure Vault |
Trinket #2 | ![]() |
The Azure Vault |
Raid Gear BiS List for Elemental Shaman
This list contains the highest DPS setup, only using gear from Raids.
This list is mostly useful for informing your organized guild of what loot is optimal for you for loot distribution purposes. This list does not include crafted gear, even though, in practice, everyone should have some.
Note that Very Rare items from Final Bosses cap out at 535 instead of 528.
WARNING: Because of the recent Shaman rework, simulations are very much a WORK IN PROGRESS and you should expect our recommendations to change regularly until all the bugs and kinks can be sorted out. Thank you for your patience!
Slot | Item | Source/Note |
---|---|---|
Weapon | ![]() |
Fyrakk in Amirdrassil |
Off Hand | ![]() |
Echo of Neltharion in Aberrus |
Helm | ![]() |
Assault of the Zaqali in Aberrus |
Neck | ![]() |
Tindral Sageswift in Amirdrassil |
Shoulder | ![]() |
Revival Catalyst, Smolderon, Echo of Neltharion or Broodkeeper Diurna |
Cloak | ![]() |
Scalecommander Sarkareth in Aberrus |
Chest | ![]() |
Revival Catalyst, Nymue, Zskarn or Kurog Grimtotem |
Bracers | ![]() |
Kurog Grimtotem in Vault of the Incarnates |
Gloves | ![]() |
Revival Catalyst, Igira the Cruel, The Forgotten Experiments, or Dathea, Ascended |
Belt | ![]() |
Volcoross in Amirdrassil |
Legs | ![]() |
Revival Catalyst, Larodar, Keeper of the Flame, Rashok, or Sennarth, The Cold Breath |
Boots | ![]() |
Scalecommander Sarkareth in Aberrus |
Ring #1 | ![]() |
Broodkeeper Diurna in Vault of the Incarnates |
Ring #2 | ![]() |
Eranog in Vault of the Incarnates |
Trinket #1 | ![]() |
The Primal Council in Vault of the Incarnates |
Trinket #2 | ![]() |
The Forgotten Experiments in Aberrus |
Static Best in Slot lists are only an indicative tool in a vacuum; we recommend using the following tools: Raidbots Top Gear and its Droptimizer options.
Early Gearing in Dragonflight
Once you finish the Dragonflight campaign and reach max level, you will want to upgrade your gear. There are many ways to do this. We recommend that after some World Quests and Heroic Dungeons, you try getting into Mythic Dungeons, preferably with friends, and do every single dungeon during the weekly lockout.
The Great Vault
This weekly loot system remains much the same. You can select ONE item out of a maximum pool of 9, depending on how many raid bosses you defeated, your Dungeon clears and how much Honor you farmed the previous week.
You can learn more about this system on our dedicated Great Vault page.
Elemental Shaman Gear Upgrades in The War Within's Pre-patch
The Valor Upgrade system is gone since Season 3 and was replaced by a new system that allows for item upgrades to be obtained from a wider variety of content.
Crests can be used to upgrade gear up to Item Level 528, with Very Rare gear from Final Raid Bosses being upgradable up to Item Level 535.
For more information on the new Gear Upgrades system, check out our dedicated page for it below.
Best Items to Upgrade for Elemental Shaman in The War Within's Pre-patch
Unsurprisingly, you should sim your character to determine which upgrades give the most bang for your buck at any point in time. Beyond that, you generally want to maximize your weapon, then your trinkets, then whatever slot is your worst, and after that, it is generally best to upgrade the slots that give the most stats, especially the tier set pieces: Chest, Helm or Pants, with a lower priority on whatever has the best secondaries, but maximizing Intellect remains the best way to gain DPS.
What to Craft as an Elemental Shaman in The War Within's Pre-patch?
We would recommend getting Elemental Lariat and
Adaptive Dracothyst Armguards.
Tier Set for Elemental Shaman in The War Within's Pre-patch
The season 4 tier set bonus remains active in The War Within's Pre-patch period. You want to have your full T31 4-set, no matter what content you are looking to do, as soon as possible.
What tier piece you skip can matter in this tier, though it will probably depend on what you gain access to. Overall, the Helm piece is probably the one you will most likely want to skip once you have the 4 other pieces, as it has the worst stats for the relevant builds. Second worst are the shoulders.
Best Trinkets for Elemental Shaman
IMPORTANT NOTE Between the uncertainty regarding "group" trinket usage, the reworked trinkets, the ones doing very conditional damage (low chance, over a long duration...), the ones doing significant self-damage, and the ones that are weak on anything except either pure single-target or AoE, it is very tough to settle on an objective ordered list. We would highly recommend you look into how the different trinkets function and sim your character in different situations with them.
Our overall recommendations are:
For Raids:
Ominous Chromatic Essence
Umbrelskul's Fractured Heart
Tome of Unstable Power
Whispering Incarnate Icon
Belor'relos, the Suncaller
Pip's Emerald Friendship Badge
Desperate Invoker's Codex
Furious Ragefeather
Idol of Pure Decay
Screaming Black Dragonscale
For Mythic+ or AoE heavy raid encounters (very similar list since, for once, our single and multi-target stat priorities are similar):
Tome of Unstable Power
Ominous Chromatic Essence
Umbrelskul's Fractured Heart
Pip's Emerald Friendship Badge
Belor'relos, the Suncaller
Whispering Incarnate Icon
Idol of Pure Decay
Erupting Spear Fragment
Screaming Black Dragonscale
Desperate Invoker's Codex
There are way too many trinkets to list and describe, only the best available trinkets are mentioned here.
Jewelry for Elemental Shaman
Since Vault of the Incarnates is back, things are quite simple. You most likely
want Elemental Lariat, and then you definitely want
Seal of Diurna's Chosen
from Eranog, both from Vault of the Incarnates.
Seal of Filial Duty from
Broodkeeper Diurna is nice but probably has too much Mastery and the Shield does
not scale very well.
Weapons for Elemental Shaman
Vakash, the Shadowed Inferno drops at the highest item level and has fine
stats and a damage effect to boot, which is mostly strong on untouched targets. It
does come with the hefty downside of slowly killing you, however...But it is still
the strongest weapon you can get.
Other than that, We recommend weapons with the best stat combos for the best builds available to you, but you should almost always prioritize item level.
Professions for Elemental Shaman
While professions do not generally give player power, there are possible exceptions in some circumstances. Suppose you want to min/max your player power in all possible situations. In that case, you should be an Alchemist and an Engineer. Note that the actual uses of their unique bonuses are highly conditional and, for the most part, should not dictate your profession choice.
Embellishments for Elemental Shaman
Tl;dr: Get Adaptive Dracothyst Armguards, and
Elemental Lariat
or
Shadowflame-Tempered Armor Patch.
You can also get
Acidic Hailstone Treads if you like handicapping yourself
to gain a couple thousand DPS.
Allied Legguards of Sansok Khan perform well in most situations. Do keep in mind that if your
closest allies are healers or tanks, the buff will go to them, which is not necessarily ideal.
Witherrot Tome is a strong pure single-target DPS option.
Shadowflame-Tempered Armor Patch remain a very solid option.
The Horizon Strider's Garment set with Wind Spirit's Lasso and either
Scale Rein Grips
or
Ancestor's Dew Drippers is good for M+ and heavy multi-target fights.
Acidic Hailstone Treads's downsides are not really worth the trouble,
especially not since they straight up do not give you much more damage than alternatives
that do not have a downside.
Do not forget that Alchemical Flavor Pocket does not count for your
embellishment limit, and you always want it on!
Changelog
- 23 Jul. 2024: Updated for The War Within pre-patch.
- 07 May 2024: Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 30 Apr. 2024: Adjusted trinket recommendations.
- 29 Apr. 2024: Added Vakash to Bullion section.
- 22 Apr. 2024: Added a section on Antiquated Bronze Bullions, updated all BiS sections, Tier Set, Crafting, Gear Upgrade, Weapons, Trinkets, Jewelry and Embellishment sections.
- 17 Mar. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 15 Jan. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 25 Nov. 2023: Put Legguards of Sansok Khan in overall BiS. Adjusted Trinket recommendations, added disclaimer regarding Balefire Branch. Reworded Lariat's description, fixed Mythic+ BiS list origins and removed a couple items that are not in the season 3 version of the dungeon.
- 22 Nov. 2023: Added Witherrot Tome to embellishment recommendation.
- 11 Nov. 2023: Adjusted general trinket recommendations. Adjustments to embellishment recommendations.
- 07 Nov. 2023: Fixed bis, crafting and embellishment recommendation after Sporecloak got nerfed into oblivion.
- 06 Nov. 2023: Removed Dawn of the Infinite and Onyx annulet sections, added an additional paragraph regarding secondary stats, added a section on crafting priority, overhauled embellishment section, updated all BiS lists for 10.2 and added an additional disclaimer, updated weapon, jewelry and trinket sections for 10.2.
- 04 Sep. 2023: Removed Cataclysm Timewalking section, added BiS gear lists, added Bloodmallet trinket sims.
- 10 Jul. 2023: Added Dawn of the Infinite section, and added relevant items to the Weapons/Trinkets sections. Removed a warning about trinket hotfixes.
- 24 May 2023: Fixed a couple BiS weapon recommendation, added temporary recommendation for Timewalking trinkets, updated some trinket rankings.
- 09 May 2023: Fixed swapped out ring descriptions, added a reminder about Alchemical Flavor Pocket, updated trinket list to reflect recent changes
- 06 May 2023: Updated recommended weapons and trinkets following the latest changes. Removed outdated paragraph on the Eranog ring. Updated Onyx annulet section to recommend it for fresh characters.
- 02 May 2023: Updated recommended embellishments and trinkets, added recommendation on what to craft first, updated which tier piece to skip.
- 01 May 2023: Updated section about Onyx Annulets and added information on its viability in Season 2, added a section on Gear Upgrades in Season 2, updated the recommended trinkets and weapons list and the jewelry and embellishment sections. Updated the Tier Set Section with the T30 set.
- 20 Mar. 2023: Added a section about Onyx Annulets.
- 24 Jan. 2023: Updated trinket section, updated info on Voidmender's Shadowgem.
- 29 Dec. 2022: Updated embellishment section.
- 21 Dec. 2022: Updated trinket & jewelry sections.
- 13 Dec. 2022: Added a couple trinkets to the trinket section, updated the section about Elemental Lariat.
- 11 Dec. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight Season 1 launch.
- 28 Nov. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 25 Oct. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
More Shaman Guides
Guides from Other Classes
This guide has been written by Stormy, Elemental main since Wrath of the Lich King and member of the Storm, Earth and Lava Elemental theorycrafting team.
- World First Mythic Garrosh Solo in MoP Remix
- Druid Changes in the War Within Beta Build 55789
- Alysrazor Bugged in the War Within Pre-Patch
- The War Within Pre-Patch Early Mythic+ DPS, Tank and Healer Log Rankings
- The War Within and Season of Discovery Hotfixes, July 25th
- Game Time Incoming for Players on North American Realms
- Demon Hunter Changes in the War Within Beta Build 55789
- Molten Core Trash Mob Immunity Hotfix