wow Patch 7.3: Elemental Shaman Discussion

[Stan 5,240]

In the latest 7.3 PTR build, Static Overload was redesigned with the goal to mitigate the randomness in hoping it comes up during the moments it would be most valuable.

Summary of Patch 7.3 Elemental Shaman Changes:

• Single target DPS was buffed by a flat percentage with the exception of Chain Lightning.
• Earth Shock's damage was significantly increased.
• Stormkeeper's burst AoE potential is higher and more reliable.
• Sustained AoE is higher, because of the buff to Earthquake.
• Static Overload was recently redesigned. Too much power of Chain Lightning was contained in the uncontrollable spiky proc. You should now gain Static Overload at a high-value moment.

For all class changes, feel free to visit our Patch 7.3 hub.

Blizzard (Source)

Catching up a bit on the newest changes people are starting to see on PTR, in particular:

"Static Overload: After using Stormkeeper, your next Chain Lightning causes Elemental Overload to trigger on every target."

Static Overload has been a sticking point throughout Legion (both in our eyes and based on feedback). Too much of the power of Chain Lightning was contained in an uncontrollable and very spiky proc. This is exacerbated by the fact that Chain Lightning is buffed tremendously in short windows by some effects--primarily, Stormkeeper and Lightning Rod.

A fully-controllable redesign of Static Overload should significantly mitigate the randomness in hoping it comes up during the moments it would be most valuable. The version we're trying out on PTR always gives a Static Overload at a high-value moment. We expect that it is overall a net increase to the power of the effect.

Summing up where we are with Elemental after various small changes in this patch:

• Single-target damage is buffed, through a flat buff to all spells other than Chain Lightning, and a larger buff to Earth Shock. We'll continue to monitor overall balance as always.
• Mastery will continue being valuable in higher values, which eases gearing constraints, and also prevents overall scaling from tailing off as it's capped out.
• Burst AoE potential available through Stormkeeper is both higher and more reliable. Increasing Elemental's on-demand AoE burst wasn't a big priority, but it's fine for it to happen in the process of switching to an on-demand design for Static Overload.
• Sustained AoE damage is similar or higher due to a large buff to Earthquake, and the likelihood of Static Overload's total contribution being higher in situations where Stormkeeper is being used.

Well. The first half of this sentence (which to be fair is from my post) couldn't have been any more wrong. As it stands, our average potential per Stormkeeper will drop significantly. The larger the number of SKs you compare, the more painful the comparison becomes.

When comparing what we could expect in 5 Stormkeeper casts:

https://gyazo.com/2589d5750139946f30a54692c3de18a8

The bell curve represents the average you'd expect on live, while the red highlight represents what we'll see on the ptr.

When you compare with say 11 Stormkeeper casts, it gets worse:

https://gyazo.com/08913ba093027e863b121268bf011424
We might be talking past each other somehow, because as I try to interpret what you're saying, it doesn't sanity-check. Talking about averages--on live you get 0.3 procs per Stormkeeper cast; on PTR you get 1.0. Would need more explanation of which "average" you're saying is going down.

Your first graph, the distribution of proc count on live over 5 Stormkeepers, I'd expect to look more like:
http://imgur.com/LVOmvRC
(With the "5" column highlighted in red, as you did)

[PatrickHenry 293]

I was always an ele fan, and seeing it being discussed heartily is pleasing.  It needed some help. 

Albeit I am not as hardcore a player, so I cannot comment on a .5 vs a .3 proc increase and what this will all entail, but the work is there. 

[Trippypanda 0]

Have main Ele, 923 ilvl.

It all looks like the Gambling Build getting better [Aftershock], if Earthshock finally get fix.

rly Hope single target be better now.

Ele is already AoE king , getting buff on EQ and SO ,sounds like Blizz will change it back or some..
 

[Valks 2,375]

On 8/10/2017 at 8:41 PM, PatrickHenry said:

I was always an ele fan, and seeing it being discussed heartily is pleasing.  It needed some help. 

Albeit I am not as hardcore a player, so I cannot comment on a .5 vs a .3 proc increase and what this will all entail, but the work is there. 

I love the concept of it, but I never rolled one because I always heard such mixed things.