Elemental Shaman DPS Stat Priority (Legion 7.2.5)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 7.2.5 Changes
  • 3. Patch 7.2 Changes
  • 4. Strengths
  • 5. Weaknesses
  • 6. Viability in the Current Patch
  • 7. Contents
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics
  • 2. Talent Choice
  • 3. Stat Choice
  • 4. Basic Priority List
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Spell Summary
  • 2. Main Resource
  • 3. Basic Abilities
  • 4. Important Procs
  • 5. DPS Cooldowns
  • 6. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices
  • 2. Talent Cheat Sheets
    • 2.1. Ascendance Build
    • 2.2. Lightning Rod Build
    • 2.3. Icefury Build
    • 2.4. Mythic+
    • 2.5. Lightning Rod Build
  • 3. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents
  • 4. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents
  • 5. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents
  • 6. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents
  • 7. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents
  • 8. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents
  • 9. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents
  • 10. ChangeLog
• +Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression — First 35 Points
    • 1.1. Early Point Investment
    • 1.2. Second Golden Trait
    • 1.3. Final Point Investment
    • 1.4. Patch 7.2: 35+ Trait Path
  • 2. Relic Choice
    • 2.1. Ascendance Build
    • 2.2. Lightning Rod Build
    • 2.3. Icefury Build
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Rotation
    • 1.1. Single Target Rotation - Ascendance Build
    • 1.2. Single Target Rotation - Lightning Rod Build
    • 1.3. Single Target Rotation - Icefury Build
    • 1.4. Multiple Target Rotation
      • 1.4.1. 2 Targets
      • 1.4.2. 3 Targets
      • 1.4.3. 4 Targets
  • 2. Important Notes
    • 2.1. Stormkeeper
    • 2.2. Lava Burst and Flame Shock
  • 3. Core Concepts
    • 3.1. Maelstrom Management
    • 3.2. Cooldown Usage
    • 3.3. Movement Management
      • 3.3.1. Quiet Movement
  • 4. Opening Sequence
    • 4.1. Icefury Opener
    • 4.2. Ascendance Opener
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Boss by Boss Strategies
  • 1. Odyn
  • 2. Guarm
  • 3. Helya
  • 4. Nythendra
  • 5. Ursoc
  • 6. Elerethe Renferal
  • 7. Dragons of Nightmare
  • 8. Il'gynoth, Heart of Corruption
  • 9. Cenarius
  • 10. Xavius
  • 11. ChangeLog
• ×Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
    • 1.1. Icefury Build
    • 1.2. Ascendance Build
    • 1.3. Lightning Rod
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
    • 2.1. Why is Mastery Good in Patch 7.1.5?
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Critical Strike vs Mastery
  • 2. Gems
  • 3. Enchants
  • 4. Consumables
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Addons
    • 1.1. ElvUI
    • 1.2. Weak Auras
    • 1.3. Boss Mods
      • 1.3.1. BigWigs Bossmods
      • 1.3.2. Deadly Boss Mods
    • 1.4. Name Plates
      • 1.4.1. KUI Nameplates
      • 1.4.2. TidyPlates
    • 1.5. Damage Meters
      • 1.5.1. Skada
      • 1.5.2. Details
    • 1.6. Extra AddOns
      • 1.6.1. Mik's Scrolling Battle Text
      • 1.6.2. Death Note
      • 1.6.3. Doom CooldownPulse
      • 1.6.4. Angry Assignments
  • 2. Macros
    • 2.1. Generic Macros for Shamans
    • 2.2. Wind Shear
    • 2.3. Purge
    • 2.4. Macros for Elemental Shamans
      • 2.4.1. Mouseouver Earthquake
      • 2.4.2. Stopcast Gust of Wind
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Tier 20 Set Bonus
  • 2. Best in Slot List
    • 2.1. Trinket Notes
  • 3. Legendaries
  • 4. Loot Competition
  • 5. ChangeLog

General Information

On this page, we explain what the best statistics are for Elemental Shamans in World of Warcraft Legion 7.2.5, how the class benefits from each of them.

The statistics priority is important as it influences itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

The other pages of our Elemental Shaman guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About Our Author and Reviewers

This guide has been written by Furty, who has an illustrious history in the World of Warcraft raiding scene and race for World First. He has been a member of guilds such as Serenity, Midwinter, and many more, and is currently raiding in Future. He plays most classes at the highest level. You can follow him on Twitter and watch him play on Twitch.

This guide has been written in collaboration with the team at Storm Earth and Lava, a group of Elemental theorycrafters that includes top players and prominent theorycrafters such as Stormy, Sadozai from Wizards IRL, and Gistwiki from Indestructible.

1. Basics

The stat priority for an Elemental Shaman is:

1.1. Icefury Build

1. Intellect;
2. Critical Strike;
3. Mastery;
4. Versatility;
5. Haste.

Ratio: for every x Critical Strike, you want 0.65x Mastery, 0.4x Versatility, and 0.25x Haste.

1.2. Ascendance Build

1. Intellect;
2. Mastery >= Critical Strike;
3. Haste;
4. Versatility.

Ratio: for every x Mastery, you want 0.97x Critical Strike, 0.68x Versatility, and 0.35x Haste.

1.3. Lightning Rod

1. Intellect;
2. Critical Strike;
3. Mastery;
4. Versatility.
5. Haste.

Ratio: for every x Critical Strike, you want 0.82x Mastery, 0.42x Versatility, and 0.39x Haste.

These statistics have been obtained by combining common sense, in-game testing, and simulations using Simulation Craft.

2. Getting a Better Understanding

Mastery, through Mastery: Elemental Overload, causes your spells to have an additional chance to deal additional damage and generate extra Maelstrom.

Haste increases the speed of your casts as well as the tick rate of your damage over time effects.

Critical Strike increases the damage of your spells and procs Elemental Focus.

Versatility is a flat-out damage done increase and damage taken reduction.

2.1. Why is Mastery Good in Patch 7.1.5?

Some of the buffs in 7.1.5 have caused the majority of our damage to be shifted to Lava Burst, Elemental Blast, and Icefury. All three of these spells benefit from Mastery: Elemental Overload.

Another significant factor is Elemental Blast being the prime talent of choice. When Elemental Blast triggers an overload from your Mastery, you will also gain a second buff from this proc. This additional buff is a major factor in the inflation of the value of Mastery.

3. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 24 Jun. 2017: Added some mentions of optimal stat ratios.
• 21 Jun. 2017: Updated stat priorities.
• 27 Mar. 2017: No changes needed for Patch 7.2.
• 09 Jan. 2017: Added new stat priorities and separated them based on talent build. Also added explanation for why Mastery has increased in value in Patch 7.1.5.
• 01 Dec. 2016: Added some more detailed notes on stat synergy.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Updated for Legion's launch.
• 18 Jul. 2016: Updated for the Legion pre-patch.