Elemental Shaman DPS Guide — Battle for Azeroth (BfA) 8.1.5

1. Elemental Shaman Overview

Elemental Shaman is a damage dealing spellcaster with a rich and flexible toolkit. Elemental Shamans can approach a multitude of environments without feeling compromised. Through certain talents, Elemental can also provide very significant burst damage, allowing them to surge ahead during short damage checks or dungeon bosses. Overall, this specialization has a tool or talent for every scenario, although its sustained single target damage might be lacking.

2. Patch 8.1 Changes for Elemental Shaman

• Capacitor Totem and Earthbind Totem now have a range of 40 yards, up from 35.
• Earth Shock received a new animation and its Spell power coefficient was lowered from 250% to 210%.
• Flame Shock's duration was increased from 18 to 24 seconds. The damage per tick remains the same.
• Lava Burst's condition to be a guaranteed critical strike has changed. Flame Shock now only needs to be present on the target when the spell actually lands.
• Lightning Bolt's Spell power coefficient has been increased from 58 to 70.4%.
• The Exposed Elements and High Voltage talents are gone. Earthen Rage replaces Exposed Elements on the level 15 row. Master of the Elements replaces High Voltage on thee level 60 row.
• The new talent Surge of Power replaces Earthen Rage on the level 90 row.
• The new talent Call the Thunder replaces Master of the Elements on the level 30 row.
• Master of the Elements now also affects Earthquake.
• When Elemental Blast overloads, it now always grants a second, different buff.
• Wind Rush Totem received a new animation.
• Icefury now generates 25 Maelstrom, up from 15, and makes your four next Frost Shocks hit for 200% more, up from 100% more. These Frost Shocks now generate 8 Maelstrom.
• Lightning Bolts empowered by Stormkeeper now also deal 150% more damage.
• Ancient Ankh Talisman is a new Azerite trait.
• Tectonic Thunder is a new Azerite trait that replaces Rumbling Tremors.
• Ancestral Resonance now gives your spells and abilities a chance to increase your Mastery for 20 seconds, and also increases the duration of Bloodlust/ Heroism/ Time Warp on you to 60 seconds.

3. Elemental Shaman Strengths

• Current best single-target talent build is very fun and mobile.
• Some talent builds are very straightforward to play.
• Potential for very good burst damage for Single Target and Cleave/AoE.
• Excellent Utility outside of Raids.
• Talent choices allow for excellent flexibility and varied playstyles.

4. Elemental Shaman Weaknesses

• No burst mobility.
• Most survivability tools are talent-related and can be awkward to use properly.
• Tends to be outclassed by other specializations outside of specific situations.

5. Elemental Shaman Viability in the Current Patch

8.1 was a net buff for Elemental Shamans, for numbers, flexibility and fun. This version of Elemental Shaman is notably more viable for Raid content than the release version, in part because of the renewed viability of Icefury. 8.1.5 enabled a new, more dynamic single-target build, that is also very strong.

6. Changelog