Season of Discovery Elemental Shaman DPS Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
On this page, you will learn how to optimize the rotation of your Elemental Shaman, in WoW Classic - Season of Discovery. We also have advanced sections about cooldowns, procs, and others in order to minmax your damage efficiency.
Overview
We will present the skill rotation of an Elemental Shaman as a priority list. This is not the exact sequence in which abilities should be cast. but rather the skills that are most important to press as soon as they come out of cooldown, followed by less important skills as the list goes down.
While they are extraordinarily powerful, explosives such as Heavy Dynamite will not be detailed in the rotation. Usually, you will want to use them as soon as the tank has solid threat on the target. The main exception is when you are facing multiple or particularly dangerous (such as enraged) enemies at some point in the fight. Saving explosives to carry you and your group through these moments (and possibly do a ton of AoE damage in the process) is probably worth it.
Before pulling, ensure that you have Flametongue Weapon on your weapon to get extra Spell Power from the Burn rune.
Single-Target Rotation
- Pre-cast Feral Spirit before starting a fight, and on cooldown afterwards;
- Keep your group-buffing Totems and Searing Totem active and in range of their respective targets at all times;
- Use Shamanistic Rage on cooldown once you lose enough Mana to make it worthwhile;
- Keep Lightning Shield active;
- Keep Flame Shock active on your target to make Lava Burst always crit;
- Discharge Rolling Thunder once at 8+ stacks with Earth Shock;
- Use Lava Burst on cooldown provided Flame Shock is also on target;
- Use Lightning Bolt (with Elemental Mastery whenever possible) as the main filler;
- Cast Earth Shock if you need to move.
Multi-Target Rotation
Follow the single target rotation with the following adjustments: use Elemental Mastery on Chain Lightning and immediately Fire Nova for a guaranteed crit on both, use Chain Lightning and Fire Nova on cooldown, drop Magma Totem at 3+ targets instead of Searing Totem, and spread Flame Shock to multiple targets.
Against moving targets, remember to use the new Totemic Projection to move your Fire Totem near the intended Fire Nova targets before using it for maximum effect!
Advanced Totem Usage
Tremor Totem and Poison Cleansing Totem should be dropped when slightly less than 5 seconds remains until the Fear or Poison application. As they remove effects every 5 seconds, this will ensure that these harmful effects are removed as soon they are applied, which is of particular importance for Fears, so that allies do not have time to run out of the Totem's radius.
Changelog
- 08 Jul. 2024: Updated rotation for Phase 4.
- 30 Apr. 2024: Adjusted for Burn hotfix.
- 23 Apr. 2024: Adjusted rotation after Mental Dexterity Rune hotfix.
- 07 Apr. 2024: Updated rotation for Phase 3.
- 03 Mar. 2024: Adjusted Shamanistic Rage explanation after its rework.
- 23 Feb. 2024: Added Totemic Projection tips to help with Fire Nova AoE.
- 19 Feb. 2024: Further Phase 2 specific rotation updates.
- 12 Feb. 2024: Updated rotation for Phase 2.
More Classic Shaman Guides
More Season of Discovery Class Guides
Classic Dungeon Guides
Classic Profession Guides
Classic Reputation Guides
This guide has been written by Seksi, original vanilla player and multi-class player, currently playing on Gehennas Horde. You can find him on the Classic Warrior, Mage and Shaman Discords, as well as the Icy Veins Discord.
- Season of Discovery Hotfixes: December 13th
- Increased Material Drops in Season of Discovery Phase 6: Tarnished Undermine Real and AQ Reagents
- Season of Discovery and Cataclysm Classic Hotfixes: December 11th
- Molten Core and Onyxia Raid Global Launch Times
- Season of Discovery and Cataclysm Classic Hotfixes: December 9th
- Season of Discovery Hotfixes: December 4th
- Tier 2 and Tier 1 Set Bonuses Now Fully Switchable in Season of Discovery
- Season of Discovery Hotfixes: December 2nd