Elemental Shaman DPS Stat Priority in Battle for Azeroth (BfA) 8.0.1

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. Patch 8.0.1 Changes for Elemental Shaman
  • 3. Elemental Shaman Strengths
  • 4. Elemental Shaman Weaknesses
  • 5. Elemental Shaman Viability in the Current Patch
  • 6. Contents
  • 7. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. Foreword
  • 2. The Basics for Elemental Shaman
  • 3. Talent Choice for Elemental Shaman
  • 4. Stat Priority for Elemental Shaman
  • 5. Single Target Priority List for Elemental Shaman
  • 6. Multi-Target Priority List for Elemental Shaman
  • 7. Azerite Traits
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Elemental Shaman Spell Summary
  • 2. Main Resource for Elemental Shaman
  • 3. Basic Abilities for Elemental Shaman
  • 4. Important Procs for Elemental Shaman
  • 5. DPS Cooldowns for Elemental Shaman
  • 6. Defensive Abilities for Elemental Shaman
  • 7. Crowd Control Abilities for Elemental Shaman
  • 8. Additional Utility abilities for Elemental Shaman
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Choices for Elemental Shaman
  • 2. Talent Cheat Sheets for Elemental Shaman
    • 2.1. Single Target
    • 2.2. AoE/Cleave
  • 3. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents for Elemental Shaman
  • 4. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents for Elemental Shaman
  • 5. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents for Elemental Shaman
  • 6. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents for Elemental Shaman
  • 7. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents for Elemental Shaman
  • 8. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents for Elemental Shaman
  • 9. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents for Elemental Shaman
  • 10. PvP Talents (War Mode)
    • 10.1. Elemental Shaman War Mode Talents
      • 10.1.1. General PvP Talents
      • 10.1.2. Elemental Shaman PvP Talents
  • 11. ChangeLog
• +Azerite Traits and Armor
  • 1. Disclaimer
  • 2. Azerite Gear for Elemental Shaman
  • 3. Recommended Pre-Raid Traits
    • 3.1. Single Target
    • 3.2. Cleave/AoE
  • 4. Recommended Items
    • 4.1. Helms
    • 4.2. Shoulders
    • 4.3. Body Armors
  • 5. Outer Ring Traits for Elemental Shaman
    • 5.1. Spec-Specific Outer Ring Traits
  • 6. Middle Ring Traits for Elemental Shaman
  • 7. Inner Ring Traits for Elemental Shaman
  • 8. Find Azerite Armor By Trait/Power
  • 9. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Single-Target Rotation for Elemental Shaman
  • 2. Multiple Target Rotation for Elemental Shaman
    • 2.1. 2-3 Targets
    • 2.2. 4+ Targets
  • 3. Cooldown Usage for Elemental Shaman
    • 3.1. Ascendance
    • 3.2. Fire Elemental
    • 3.3. Stormkeeper
  • 4. Managing Movement for Elemental Shaman
  • 5. Academic Information for Elemental Shaman
    • 5.1. Maelstrom Management
    • 5.2. Lava Burst and Flame Shock
  • 6. Opening Sequence for Elemental Shaman
    • 6.1. Generic Opener with Primal Elementalist
  • 7. ChangeLog
• +Mythic+ Tips
  • 1. Elemental Shaman in Mythic+
    • 1.1. Elemental Shaman Mythic+ Rotation
    • 1.2. Elemental Shaman Utility
  • 2. Mythic+ Talents for Elemental Shaman
  • 3. Mythic+ Affixes
    • 3.1. Tier One Affixes
    • 3.2. Tier Two Affixes
    • 3.3. Tier Three Affixes
    • 3.4. Seasonal Affix
  • 4. Mythic+ Azerite Traits
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Common and Worst Mistakes
  • 1. Having High Downtime
  • 2. Not Using All Your Abilities
  • 3. Overcapping Maelstrom
  • 4. Not Knowing How To Sim Yourself
  • 5. Analyzing Your Mistakes as an Elemental Shaman
• +Frequently Asked Questions
  • 1. Battle for Azeroth Frequently Asked Questions
    • 1.1. What Piece is Better, X or Y?
    • 1.2. How Much of X Stat Should I Have?
    • 1.3. What Talents Do I Use in Dungeons?
    • 1.4. What Talents Do I Use in Raids?
    • 1.5. What Trinkets Am I Looking to Get for Raiding?
    • 1.6. Is Elemental Viable?
    • 1.7. What is this I hear about 8.1?
    • 1.8. What Flasks/Pots/Food/Enchants/Gems should I use?
    • 1.9. How many targets should I cast Flame Shock on?
    • 1.10. Do Multiple Earthquakes stack?
    • 1.11. How many targets make Earthquake worth using over Earth Shock?
  • 2. ChangeLog
• +Boss by Boss Strategies
  • 1. ChangeLog
• ×Stat Priority
  • 1. The Basics of Stats for Elemental Shaman
    • 1.1. Generic Stat Priority
  • 2. Statistics Explanations for Elemental Shaman
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems for Elemental Shaman
  • 2. Enchants for Elemental Shaman
  • 3. Consumables for Elemental Shaman
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Addons for Elemental Shaman
    • 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 for Elemental Shaman
    • 2.1. Wind Shear
    • 2.2. Purge
    • 2.3. Wind Rush Totem
    • 2.4. Mouseouver Earthquake
    • 2.5. Harden Skin on the same key as Earth Elemental
    • 2.6. Primal Elementals AoE macro
    • 2.7. Elemental Prepull Macro
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear and Best in Slot
  • 1. The Importance of "Simming Yourself"
  • 2. Azerite Gear for Elemental Shaman
    • 2.1. Helms
    • 2.2. Shoulders
    • 2.3. Body Armors
  • 3. Trinkets for Elemental Shaman
  • 4. Best in Slot Items for Elemental Shaman
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Simulations
  • 1. Disclaimer
  • 2. A note on Racial Bonuses
  • 3. ChangeLog

General Information

On this page, we explain what the best statistics are for Elemental Shamans in World of Warcraft Battle for Azeroth 8.0.1, 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

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.

1. The Basics of Stats for Elemental Shaman

In Battle for Azeroth, Intelligence is the most important stat. This means you should most of the time equip your highest item level gear and sim yourself from there for adjustments that will be specific to your gear.

1.1. Generic Stat Priority

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

For exact ratios, this will vary depending on your talents and other factors. For single target, you want 60% of your secondary stats as Haste, 20% as Versatility, and 10% as both Critical Strike and Mastery. So if you had a total of 1000 secondary stats on your gear, you would ideally have 600 Haste, 200 Versatility, 100 Critical Strike and 100 Mastery.

For AoE purposes, the value of Critical Strike and Versatility is reversed, you want 20% Critical Strike and 10% Versatility. Having Haste as your best stat has the side benefit of increased mobility (because your casts finish faster) and, arguably, increased fun!

For exact relative values, as always, we recommend simming your character.

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

2. Statistics Explanations for Elemental Shaman

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.

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

3. ChangeLog

• 17 Aug. 2018: Added sentence to explain ratios more clearly.
• 13 Aug. 2018: Updated for Battle for Azeroth launch.

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