Enhancement Shaman DPS Guide — Dragonflight 10.2.5

Last updated on Jan 15, 2024 at 15:00 by Wordup 34 comments
General Information

Welcome to our Enhancement Shaman guide for World of Warcraft — Dragonflight 10.2.5. Here, you will learn how to play as an Enhancement Shaman in both raids and Mythic+ dungeons: from the very beginning to maximizing your DPS.

If you were looking for WotLK Classic content, please refer to our WotLK Classic Enhancement Shaman guide.

1.

Enhancement Shaman Overview

Enhancement is a melee specialization with a heavy emphasis on both Physical attacks and Elemental spells, weaving both together in a fast-paced combat style and an emphasis on effects that amplify the strength of different abilities.

The gameplay has 3 central pillars: juggling different ability cooldowns, your stacks of the Maelstrom Weapon Icon Maelstrom Weapon effect, and reacting to procs. This means you will often be cycling your abilities on cooldown in order of priority, with some excelling in different scenarios. We can adapt well to different target counts and excel whenever an additional target is present to make use of our funnel, cleave, and burst AoE tools. We also come with a solid utility toolkit for dungeons, and Windfury Totem Icon Windfury Totem provides an extra boost to other melee players in our party, granting us unique damage-increasing utility.

2.

Strengths and Weaknesses

V Strengths
  • +Very versatile damage profiles, able to do well in almost all scenarios.
  • +Powerful Single Target potential.
  • +Specialist at 2-6 target cleave and AoE.
  • +Has access to funnel tools, converting AoE damage into a priority target.
  • +Powerful instant burst tools and single target.
  • +Varied control toolkit for Mythic+.
  • +Good mobility with a tool for most situations.
  • +Off-healing tools to assist the group.
  • +Windfury Totem Icon Windfury Totem boosts other melee in your group.
X Weaknesses
  • -Hard capped at 6 targets with AoE tools, and requires tab-targeting to maximize.
  • -Reliant on uptime, so you are heavily punished by high movement encounters or intermissions.
  • -Punishing playstyle with a steep learning curve when getting started.
  • -Requires many available keybinds to play effectively.
  • -Low number of defensive options makes us fragile in tougher content.
  • -Every build has an RNG factor to deal with.
3.

Dragonflight Changes for Shamans

We are maintaining a list of changes for Shamans, so you can see what changes with every patch of Dragonflight.

4.

Enhancement Shaman and Guide Changes in Patch 10.2.5

Due to Patch 10.2.5 being a smaller update, very few major class changes. The only change worth noting is that Primordial Wave Icon Primordial Wave has been converted to Elemental damage to align with its new animation. This currently does not work with our Mastery, but may do so in the future.

The guide is, therefore mostly unchanged, but some sections have been cleaned up and polished to represent a more complete reflection of the mid-season experience in Season 3.

Please have a browse and know that your feedback is welcome on our forum!

5.

Leveling an Enhancement Shaman

If you are interested in playing Enhancement but still need to get a Shaman at max level, we have a leveling guide with tips to help you along your journey.

After reaching max level, it can sometimes be difficult to immediately include new add-ons and UI elements you are not used to, and make the transition to end-game play is quite jarring. Due to that, we recommend grabbing some of the essential add-ons on our dedicated page when you are learning the spec to make the transition smoother when learning to play Enhancement.

6.

Basics of Enhancement Shaman Gameplay

Enhancement gameplay revolves around several different interlinking gameplay loops that are often all happening at once, creating a fast-paced experience that is heavy on planning mixed with reactive decision-making. The three core loops it needs to maintain are:

  • Manage your Maelstrom Weapon Icon Maelstrom Weapon stacks. This is especially important in Dragonflight, as our most powerful abilities consume this to become instant (Elemental Blast Icon Elemental Blast, Lava Burst Icon Lava Burst, Lightning Bolt Icon Lightning Bolt, and Chain Lightning Icon Chain Lightning). Moreso than ever, generating as much of this resource as possible and avoiding waste by going above 10 stacks is key to executing Enhancement correctly.
  • Keep your rotational abilities on cooldown as much as possible. This is secondary to our Maelstrom management, but is still very important as it is often the best source of generating stacks. This was previously the most important loop and remains a core aspect, requiring you to look forward in the rotation, consider where gaps may appear, and adjust your plan mid-flow. This is the main decision-making portion of the spec.
  • React to procs. This is the last component and what causes the rotation to fluctuate. Keeping up with powerful procs like Ascendance Icon Ascendance and Hot Hand Icon Hot Hand windows to get the most out of them is core to any build that uses them.

If you have never played Enhancement before or are new to the Dragonflight design, we recommend looking through our Spell Summary first, as that covers all of the individual abilities alongside our Easy Mode page, which provides a quick primer to get you started.

7.

How to Gear Up as an Enhancement Shaman

While we always recommend simming yourself for ideal results, we do provide a dedicated Enhancement gearing page that lists the Best in Slot items to look out for in the current season of Dragonflight.

Once you have started to gear, you should ideally have the appropriate consumables, gems, enchants, and more to go alongside your new items. We have a dedicated page for exactly this, as shown below, and the stats page, where you can find more information on our stat priority and any necessary changes you may need to make with consumables.

8.

End-Game as an Enhancement Shaman

The end-game playstyle of Enhancement looks very different from the one you use to level due to the longer form of combat in the encounters you experience. Because of this, we provide Mythic+, Raiding, and PvP-focused guides that are aimed at each content type.

9.

Improving as an Enhancement Shaman

If you are looking for an answer to a specific question, often these are common queries many players have. We keep pages that cover the most frequently asked questions and also mistakes players tend to run into.

10.

Viability of Enhancement Shaman in the Current Patch

With Season 3 well underway, the full picture of Enhancement is relatively solved. In raid situations, it brings a remarkably strong package and is a staple throughout Amirdrassil due to its strong single-target, burst, and funnel profiles. Alongside that Windfury Totem Icon Windfury Totem makes at least one of them common in every composition, with room for more in certain encounters. For Mythic+, our funnel and priority damage gives us a unique playstyle alongside bringing an excellent control package. It is however limited by its target cap and survivability suite, making it more of a specialist pick, but still very capable of fitting into most groups. Generally, Enhancement is an extremely good melee pick in the current season.

11.

Changelog

  • 15 Jan. 2024 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, no changes necessary.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, no changes necessary.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, no changes necessary.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (gear page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, added note regarding Rageheart.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, added Earth Elemental cancel method.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (enchants page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, shifted to recommendations for higher gear levels.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (stats page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, no changes necessary.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (Amirdrassil page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (mythic+ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, touched up some sections and added defensive trinkets as options.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (rotation page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2, slight structure changes but content remains accurate.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (talents page): Reviewed and touched up for Patch 10.2.5 and mid-season updates.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (spells page): Updated for Patch 10.2.5 spell school changes.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5, build remains the same.
  • 15 Jan. 2024 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.2.5.
  • 09 Nov. 2023 (mythic+ page): Restructured and updated for Patch 10.2.
  • 07 Nov. 2023 (gear page): Updated to remove Sporecloak recommendation, switched Dracothyst/Shadowflame.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (FAQ page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 10.2, added note regarding UI.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (simulations page): Updated for Patch 10.2 pending Bloodmallet charts.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.2, no changes necessary.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (enchants page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (stats page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (mythic+ page): Updated link to Mythic+ hub.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 10.2 and restructured the rotation tool.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (talents page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (spells page): Updated for Patch 10.2 talent changes.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (easy mode page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
  • 06 Nov. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.2.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (simulations page): Added Trinket section for Patch 10.1.7.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (gear page): Restructured for Patch 10.1.7, information remains the same.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (enchants page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (stats page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, cleanup to intro section but content is the same.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (Amirdrassil page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, cleanup to intro section but content is the same.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (mythic+ page): Some restructuring for Patch 10.1.7, added in Infurious Boots of Reprieve as a crafting option.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (rotation page): Restructured cooldown section, but no content changes needed for 10.1.7.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (talents page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, small restructuring and added Elementalist Funnel.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (spells page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7, no changes necessary.
  • 04 Sep. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.1.7.
  • 20 Jul. 2023 (gear page): Added Sporecloak to crafts for high Mythic+.
  • 20 Jul. 2023 (mythic+ page): Added note about Sporecloak to gear section for key pushing.
  • 14 Jul. 2023 (rotation page): Added build loadout buttons to switches for easier rotation display.
  • 13 Jul. 2023 (rotation page): Cleaned up AoE rotation section with improvements for Storm.
  • 12 Jul. 2023 (gear page): Increased value for Accelerating Sandglass due to patch release update.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5, small changes surrounding Storm Maelstrom management.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 to add extra emphasis to Storm and Maelstrom waste.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 adding Dawn of the Infinite gear and cleaning up Crafting section.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5, no changes necessary.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (enchants page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 to strongly recommend against Annulet.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (stats page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 with small note about soft Haste breakpoint.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5 and cleaned up some boss and talent sections.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (Amirdrassil page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5 and cleaned up some boss and talent sections.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (mythic+ page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 with shift to Storm Cleave for Storm builds.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (rotation page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 to remove 4-piece use from Storm and highlight Stormstrike over spenders.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (talents page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5 and updated Storm Cleave in recommendations.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (spells page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5 changes.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.5.
  • 10 Jul. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.1.5.
  • 25 May 2023 (gear page): Added section on Cataclysm Timewalking.
  • 25 May 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Added Sarkareth tips.
  • 25 May 2023 (Amirdrassil page): Added Sarkareth tips.
  • 10 May 2023 (easy mode page): Updated to add an even simpler build for beginners that remains competitive.
  • 09 May 2023 (gear page): Updated to adjust for trinket changes.
  • 09 May 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Updated with tips and builds for all bosses except Sarkareth.
  • 09 May 2023 (Amirdrassil page): Updated with tips and builds for all bosses except Sarkareth.
  • 09 May 2023 (talents page): Updated to include Primordial Wave in Elementalist single target.
  • 09 May 2023 (this page): Updated to highlight boss tips additions and gear changes.
  • 04 May 2023 (rotation page): Tweaks to rotation tool, added warnings to false talent combinations.
  • 01 May 2023 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1, no changes necessary.
  • 01 May 2023 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1, no changes necessary.
  • 01 May 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1, fixed Windfury Totem chart.
  • 01 May 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 10.1 and Season 2 release with new gear recommendations.
  • 01 May 2023 (enchants page): Updated for Patch 10.1 and new consumables.
  • 01 May 2023 (stats page): Updated for 10.1 with adjusted notes about Storm build and Haste for Elementalist.
  • 01 May 2023 (Vault of the Incarnates page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1.
  • 01 May 2023 (mythic+ page): Updated for Patch 10.1 and new Season 2 builds, alongside initial Tier set opener.
  • 01 May 2023 (rotation page): Overhauled for Patch 10.1 updates, with Storm builds, rotation tool updates, T30 bonuses and added sections.
  • 01 May 2023 (talents page): Fully updated for Patch 10.1 with revised new builds. Physical builds converted to Storm.
  • 01 May 2023 (spells page): Updated for Patch 10.1 changes.
  • 01 May 2023 (easy mode page): Updated for Patch 10.1 with a more beginner friendly build, and revised starter rotation.
  • 01 May 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.1 changes, added new highlight sections and expected performance.
  • 29 Apr. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.1, no changes necessary.
  • 29 Apr. 2023 (Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible page): Page added ready for tips to follow after Season 2 launch.
  • 29 Apr. 2023 (Amirdrassil page): Page added ready for tips to follow after Season 2 launch.
  • 24 Mar. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Primordial Gemstones hotfixes.
  • 24 Mar. 2023 (enchants page): Updated for Primordial Stones hotfixes.
  • 22 Mar. 2023 (enchants page): Updated to account for Primordial Stones buff.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (Legendaries): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (FAQ page): Updated for Patch 10.0.7 with link to Windfury Values.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (how to improve page): Updated for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (simulations page): Fleshed out with Mythic+ sim advice and Windfury Totem data for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (gear page): Updated for Patch 10.0.7 with Onyx Annulet recommendations.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (addons page): Added more commonly used macros, and reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (enchants page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (stats page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (Vault of the Incarnates page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (mythic+ page): Reviewed and added small improvements for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (rotation page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (talents page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (spells page): Updated for new Patch 10.0.7 class tree.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
  • 20 Mar. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.0.7 changes.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (simulations page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (gear page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (addons page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (enchants page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (stats page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (Vault of the Incarnates page): Large updates with Mythic tips added for all bosses.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (mythic+ page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (rotation page): Reviewed and improved rotation tool to align closer to current gameplay.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (talents page): Reviewed and updated for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (spells page): Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (easy mode page): Reviewed and Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 24 Jan. 2023 (this page): Updated for Patch 10.0.5.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (simulations page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (gear page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (addons page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (enchants page): Updated for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (stats page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (Vault of the Incarnates page): Page added.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (mythic+ page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (rotation page): Added Tier Set section.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (talents page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (spells page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (easy mode page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 11 Dec. 2022 (this page): Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (FAQ page): Reviewed for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (how to improve page): Reviewed for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (simulations page): Reviewed for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (gear page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (addons page): Reviewed for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (enchants page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (stats page): Reviewed for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (mythic+ page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (rotation page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (talents page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (spells page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (easy mode page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 28 Nov. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight launch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (Legendaries): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (Torghast): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (Covenants and Soulbinds): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (FAQ page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (how to improve page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (simulations page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (gear page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (addons page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (enchants page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (stats page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (Castle Nathria page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (Sanctum of Domination page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (Sepulcher of the First Ones page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (mythic+ page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (rotation page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (talents page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (spells page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (easy mode page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 25 Oct. 2022 (this page): Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
  • 21 Feb. 2022 (Patch 9.2 Analysis): Cleaned up for Patch 9.2 release.
  • 15 Jan. 2022 (Patch 9.2 Analysis): Page added with initial thoughts and information.
  • 01 Nov. 2021 (Patch 9.1 Analysis): Reviewed and approved for Patch 9.1.5.
  • 17 May 2021 (Patch 9.1 Analysis): Page created with initial information.
  • 13 Oct. 2020 (Ny'alotha page): Page updated for the Shadowlands pre-patch.
  • 25 Jul. 2019 (The Eternal Palace page): Updated for all bosses.
  • 08 Jul. 2019 (The Eternal Palace page): Page added.
  • 25 Jun. 2019 (Uldir page): This page has been reviewed for the release of Patch 8.2 and no changes are necessary.
  • 25 Jun. 2019 (Battle of Dazar'alor page): This page has been reviewed for the release of Patch 8.2 and no changes are necessary.
  • 25 Jun. 2019 (Crucible of Storms page): This page has been reviewed for the release of Patch 8.2 and no changes are necessary.
  • 01 May 2019 (Crucible of Storms page): Updated with notes for each boss.
  • 15 Apr. 2019 (Crucible of Storms page): Guide added.
  • 28 Jan. 2019 (Battle of Dazar'alor page): Added Enhancement Shaman tips for Battle of Dazar'alor.
  • 03 Sep. 2018 (Uldir page): Preliminary update for Uldir launch week.
  • 11 Aug. 2018 (Uldir page): Page created in preparation for the eventual Uldir release.
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