Enhancement Shaman DPS Vault of the Incarnates Raid Guide — Season 4

Due to Season 4 using the Amirdrassil set bonus, we still stay firmly locked into Elementalist on all encounters due to the flexibility and damage profile it comes with. This is largely due to the fact that we have to make no compromises on the thing we are best at - boss damage - while still providing meaningful burst cleave. Our main role in the majority of compositions is to do as much boss damage as possible, and leverage our free cleave tools whenever we can without sacrificing that. As such, many encounters with adds still have us primarily focused on killing the boss and leaving them to the rest of the more efficient AoE specs in the raid.

• Eranog
• Terros
• Sennarth*
• Dathea
• Kurog Grimtotem*
• Raszageth

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Be sure to make use of the 'Copy Export String' button to import the build directly into your game!

Much like in the previous season, Season 4 still uses a build that brings most of its cleave tools for free in single target builds. Any talents we can pick up for more tends to cost us a lot of boss damage without much worthwhile payoff. Pair this with many of the adds being low-priority fodder enemies, it means we tend to stick to what we are good at. On a handful of bosses however, it is useful to make a single swap, dropping out Swirling Maelstrom in favor of Crash Lightning as it covers the resource loss while bringing extra AoE damage. It can also go further and take Crashing Storms if necessary, which will be noted in the individual boss sections.

• The Primal Council
• Sennarth*
• Kurog Grimtotem*
• Broodkeeper Diurna

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Be sure to make use of the 'Copy Export String' button to import the build directly into your game!

While there are adds on this encounter, they tend to die so quickly that you rarely get a good chance at doing real AoE to them. Due to their spawning cycle, it is best instead to rely on Primordial Wave and Hailstorm as the method to deal with them, and as such Elementalist works best.

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• The boss will summon waves of Flamescale Tarasek roughly 20 seconds into the fight, and then every 30 seconds after.
  • This timer means you can squeeze Primordial Wave in on the pull and get it back in time using the set bonus for the first wave, and hold for the second and third.
  • Aim to have Lava Lash ready to spread quickly as they come in as they tend to die very quickly, so you want to get Splintered Elements value.
  • The adds are too short-lived to justify Crash Lightning here, so stick to single-target talents.
• Spirit Walk is best saved for getting out when dropping Flamerift. Similarly, if targeted by this and need to position awkwardly around other players to drop it use Astral Shift.
• Wind Rush Totem can be used to help the melee get out quickly, or alternatively used during the intermission to adjust around the Army of Flame walls.
• During the intermission, aim to have Primordial Wave and Feral Spirit ready to burst an add down to create a gap by killing the chosen Primal Flame. Also, apply some spare Flame Shocks to get extra Splintered Elements value here.
• If adds are going out of control both Capacitor Totem and Thundershock are options, but they are usually dead too quick to be of concern.
• For Mythic difficulty, there are some small approach changes:
  • While adds will still die extremely quickly, the newly added Flamescale Captain will usually last long enough to get value out of Lashing Flames. This also casts Pyroblast that needs to be interrupted with Wind Shear.
  • Astral Shift is best saved here for Flamerifts, as you will often be forced to stand in them while the raid adjusts around both them, the add spawns and Molten Cleave.
  • Try to apply Flame Shock to both adds you intend to kill during Army of Flame to create a path.

For more information, please refer to our Eranog guide.

Terros is the only pure single-target damage encounter in Vault of the Incarnates. As such, just like other single-target focused fights we still recommend Elementalist builds due to the strength of the interaction with the current set bonus and the consistency it provides. Suggested Talent Builds:

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• Save Wind Rush Totem for the Resonating Annihilation cone cast, especially if you are not using Demonic Gateway to avoid it as a group.
• Spirit Walk is generally the preferred movement tool here as more controlled movement over an extended period allows you to dodge multiple ground effects and should be used liberally whenever you are caught out of place.
• Totemic Recall can be used here as a reset for Wind Rush Totem to cover even more movement as the raid may need it.
• Astral Shift is best saved for Rock Blast soaks, as this is the highest single instance of damage.
  • On Mythic however, this is best used for Infused Fallout, as most strategies rely on the raid stacking and clearing quickly with a quick movement so extra safety is ideal. Wind Rush Totem can also be considered here to make the spread after smoother.
• Use Ancestral Guidance following the destruction of Awakened Earth, as the raid will be taking heavy damage from Seismic Assault.

For more information, please refer to our Terros guide.

This is a stacked 4-target AoE encounter from start to finish, assuming tanks can keep them stacked which is relatively easy. As such, we recommend a cleave Elementalist build with a slight variation to pick up Crashing Storms to take advantage of the 4th target.

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Each boss must die within a few seconds of the others, or else you risk a complete wipe. Because of the naturally high amount of funnel Enhancement does due to its damage delivery being focused on an "anchor" target, it is wise to cycle between targets manually to even out damage. This is naturally done when optimizing your Lashing Flames uptime.

• Due to this encounter being entirely AoE, we have a few options with our talent points:
  • We can opt out of Elemental Blast as Chain Lightning is more efficient, assuming you can confidently keep them stacked.
  • Windfury Totem or the second point in Elemental Assault can be considered as a drop to fit in Crashing Storms.
  • You can also avoid Crashing Storms entirely and stick to a light cleave build instead.
• Make sure to maintain Crash Lightning throughout, and cycle targets to apply Lashing Flames. You will likely be resource-flooded here so aggressively use Primordial Wave and Feral Spirit as well, with a slightly higher priority on efficiently using Hailstorm.
• Focus target either Kadros or Dathea and interrupt their repeat casts on cooldown to keep them in melee.
• Wind Rush Totem can be used to get the group into a good position during Meteor Axes to remove Earthen Pillars.
• Spirit Walk should be used to get into a good soak position for Meteor Axes, or when you need to clear out Primal Blizzard with fire patches.
• Position yourself to the side of the clump, ideally to avoid Slashing Blaze and keep a good angle for Crash Lightning.
• In Mythic difficulty loosely spread at the edge of melee whenever possible to avoid spreading Conductive Mark, and use Spirit Walk to remove it at an Earthen Pillar asap.

For more information, please refer to our The Primal Council guide.

While there are a lot of adds present here that provide opportunities to activate Crash Lightning, the priority is boss and add burst damage. We are excellent at both of these, and the AoE does not matter, so using an Elementalist build allows us to leverage our funnel tools.

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• Due to the high uptime on adds and the high health priority target Frostbreath Arachnid, Crash Lightning is an option here. The boss has a generous hitbox, so aim to keep it active whenever an add is present.
• Primordial Wave should be available for every Frostbreath Arachnid spawn as well, so make sure to have burst ready to kill it before the ramping damage becomes an issue. These spawn roughly 10 seconds after the boss settles on a new platform, so plan for this.
• Try to apply Flame Shock to Caustic Spiderlings just before each Primordial Wave if possible for additional Splintered Elements triggers and funnel.
• Gust of Wind works very well here, as you can jump just before each Gossamer Burst when facing away from the boss to stay on the platform. This also can be used to counteract the Repelling Burst, just be aware you retain momentum and slide across Icy Ground if you are in it.
  • On Mythic, Gust of Wind can also be used to readjust to a good position if you are caught by a Gusting Rime during the platform ascent.
• Both Thunderous Paws and Spirit Walk can be used to remove any stacks of Sticky Webbing, so long as you are not stunned.
• On Mythic the added ice on the pathway leading up to each new platform makes it awkward to move here. Using Ghost Wolf to get ahead is ideal.
• Astral Shift is handy for dealing with the Chilling Blast casts that overlap with these transitions when positioning is more chaotic.

For more information, please refer to our Sennarth guide.

Dathea is predominantly single-target focused but has add waves that are extremely important to deal with, so some AoE is necessary for both Heroic and Mythic difficulty. Thankfully, Enhancement can take enough AoE while still maintaining a primarily single-target profile to deal with the fight and does not necessarily need to invest in sustained AoE tools due to how short-lived the add portions are. Some extra movement and control tools, however, are great pickups.

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• While the add spawns may make it appealing to consider Crash Lightning, adds are either moved apart or die too quick to get sustained use out of it. Instead rely on our free cleave tools.
• Aim to use Primordial Wave on the Volatile Infuser adds for free damage, but be careful not to burst them down too early and knock the raid off the platform.
  • If you are being sent upstairs, aim to have Primordial Wave ready as well to burst the adds down. Anchor from the large add and spread to the smaller ones.
• Ancestral Guidance is best used either during Cyclone when downstairs, or when sent up to the platform to assist the healer with you.
• Having both Capacitor Totem and Thundershock is very valuable for the upstairs platform to keep the adds locked down, allowing your group to focus instead on killing them off.
• Wind Rush Totem is best used during Cyclone to make sure you and your allies can stay out of the center.
• Gust of Wind is preferable here as it allows you to adjust if you are ever knocked up, and after each, add Blowback cast to readjust.
• Be very careful if using the above, though, as if targeted by Conductive Mark you may spread it land on an ally.
• While being knocked up to the platform, try to catch the cast from the Volatile Infuser to stop casts early using Wind Shear.

For more information, please refer to our Dathea guide.

The primary focus for Kurog is boss damage, and thus single-target is at a premium. Still, regardless of difficulty (though it increases significantly on Mythic), there are windows of cleave and AoE meaning that points can get tight to fit everything in here. Thankfully, Enhancement has access to some good options allowing it to contribute to every part of the fight when playing an Elementalist build.

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• Be sure to interrupt the Frozen Destroyer's Frost Binds cast with Wind Shear when this add is active.
• Maintain Lashing Flames on both adds as much as possible as efficient damage is most useful in the intermission with both adds up.
• In Mythic difficulty there is a much higher amount of time spent with additional enemies nearby, so there are extra damage considerations:
  • The boss will spend most of the main phase with an add present as well. Make sure to also maintain Lashing Flames on this.
  • Crash Lightning is more of a premium here so make sure to maintain it throughout whenever adds are present.
  • Primordial Wave should always aim to hit multiple targets. Ideally, whenever possible, you can spread to leftover adds that spawn throughout. This is especially important during the Earth phase where you can also spread to Earth Breakers
• Ancestral Guidance should be used liberally in the main phase due to the high raid damage as the altar ramps up. This is especially useful in the Earth phase to get rid of the Enveloping Earth absorbs.
• Wind Rush Totem is helpful for the raid to weave in and out of the rings caused by Erupting Bedrock.
• Quick self-healing with Healing Surge can be useful to help healers if you are targeted by the Enveloping Earth Heal absorb.

For more information, please refer to our Kurog Grimtotem guide.

The Encounter will have two separate roles dictated to the DPS: pure boss damage or dealing with the frequent add waves. We are extremely good at both, and there are builds to support both. Regardless though, there will always be a portion of the fight in which you deal with just the boss alone (especially in Mythic), so playing Elementalist is best suited with slight changes depending on your job.

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• When playing on the adds, taking Crash Lightning as your extra Maelstrom Weapon generator is best. You can also opt into Crashing Storms for full AoE, but it is not strictly necessary to cover the important ones.
• For boss damage, you spend almost no time with adds present and any that do get close can just be cleaved with tools such as Primordial Wave, so we go full single-target.
• The first adds wave spawns roughly 40 seconds into the encounter, so getting Primordial Wave on cooldown early and squeezing in an extra cycle before they arrive is ideal.
• During add waves only maintain Lashing Flames on the priority adds - usually Juvenile Frost Proto-Dragon. Funnel as much damage as possible into these as Chilling Tantrum is very dangerous.
• During these Chilling Tantrum casts, use Ancestral Guidance to assist the healers.
• Use Capacitor Totem and Wind Shear to help lockdown the Primalist Mages.
• Purge is an option to deal with the Cauterizing Flashflames, but this is better dealt with using AoE dispel tools. If your group is struggling, consider this.
• Movement tools are at a premium here, so Wind Rush Totem, Spirit Walk and Go with the Flow are highly recommended if assigned to adds.
• Both Thunderous Paws and Spirit Walk can break the Frozen Shroud casts in the final burn phase, and you should do so ASAP to avoid death.
• On add waves with Drakonid Stormbringer present save Wind Shear to interrupt Static Jolt.
• Use Astral Shift if targeted by Empowered Greatstaff of the Broodkeeper, especially those that overlap with Wildfire casts.

For more information, please refer to our Broodkeeper Diurna guide.

Raszageth has many desirable damage profiles depending on your group and its struggles. We have many options that can be taken, but generally a boss damage focused single-target build works best just using some of our cleave tools efficiently to deal with the extra damage requirements.

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• Wind Shear, Purge, Sundering, Thunderstorm and Capacitor Totem can all deal with the Volatile Current adds, and many are at a premium due to being AoE.
• Both Spirit Walk and Gust of Wind are useful here, with the former having more general applications and the latter allowing you to move quickly out of dangerous Lightning Breath and Lightning Devastation casts. Go with the Flow can be considered to make sure you have it ready for every breath in the first intermission.
  • In Mythic, Feral Lunge is also a consideration if you are struggling to stay on the platform, as the pushback is significantly stronger. Switch out Swirling Maelstrom if necessary. It also has uses for quickly bypassing the Phase 2 Tempest Wing rings.
• Astral Shift is best saved for situations where you are targeted by Static Charge.
  • In Mythic, Astral Bulwark is a consideration due to the sheer damage done by Static Charge, and can be used in any situation where the raid is not covered by cooldowns.
• Primordial Wave has several uses throughout the encounter and plays a large role in what makes Elementalist builds so good here:
  • In the first intermission, this can be used on the first and third sets of adds after spreading Flame Shock from the Surging Ruiner, helping to clean them up quickly.
  • Can be used for every Stormsurge shield, which are cast roughly 80 seconds apart, so in some cases, you can get an extra cast in between.
  • In the second intermission, you can make use of the Colossal Stormfiend to spread and burst the small adds down while funneling into the large add with the Splintered Elements buff.
  • In Mythic. if assigned to the Red side with Flamesworn Herald, you will need to burst down the shields. To do this, you should use Primordial Wave which with efficient play should be ready for every single cast, so make sure to use it here. You can also take Manic Grieftorch as an extra burst tool if you have access to one and your side is struggling. Discuss these assignments with your raid.
• In Mythic, if assigned to the Blue side with Frostforged Zealot, use Ancestral Guidance in tandem with your cooldowns to help get rid of the Shattering Shroud debuff.
• Wind Rush Totem has applications throughout the encounter and should be used regularly. Discuss with your raid to cover important movement events.
• Both Thunderous Paws and Spirit Walk can be taken to remove the Fulminating Charge root and can be taken if needed.

For more information, please refer to our Raszageth guide.