Elemental Shaman leveling guide

Elemental turns the Shaman into a caster. Call of Thunder and Elemental Fury make Lightning Bolt crit often and hard, Lightning Mastery shortens its cast, and Elemental Mastery at level 40 guarantees a big critical strike. It spends mana fast, so you drink more than an Enhancement Shaman, but most enemies die before they reach you. In Classic Era the Shaman is Horde only, for Orcs, Trolls and Taurens.

Strengths and weaknesses

• Large burst damage from Lightning Bolt, shocks and Elemental Mastery.
• Elemental Focus gives a free spell after a critical strike.
• Chain Lightning from level 32 hits several enemies at once.
• Heavy mana use, and weak when several enemies reach you.

Talents by level

Level 10 to 30

• Convection 5/5 and Concussion 5/5.
• Elemental Focus and Call of Thunder 5/5.
• Reverberation 4/5, then Elemental Fury at level 30.

Level 31 to 40

• Reverberation 5/5 and Eye of the Storm 3/3.
• Lightning Mastery 5/5, then Elemental Mastery at level 40.

Level 41 to 60

• In Restoration: Tidal Focus 5/5, Totemic Focus 5/5 and Nature’s Guidance 3/3.
• Healing Focus 2/5, then Tidal Mastery 5/5 for more Crit on Lightning Bolt.

Rotation

One enemy

• Lightning Shield and Searing Totem, then Lightning Bolt at maximum range.
• A second Lightning Bolt, then Flame Shock, and Earth Shock to finish or to interrupt a caster.
• When your mana runs low, finish enemies in melee.

Two enemies

• Stoneclaw Totem holds one enemy while you kill the other.
• Chain Lightning from level 32, and Frost Shock to slow an enemy.
• Elemental Mastery before a Chain Lightning or Lightning Bolt for a guaranteed critical strike.

Staying alive

• Earthbind Totem slows enemies that come toward you.
• Healing Wave, or Lesser Healing Wave from level 20, and Stoneskin Totem against melee.
• Reincarnation from level 30 brings you back once per hour, as long as you carry an Ankh.

Leveling route

Level	Horde
1-12	Durotar, Mulgore
12-20	The Barrens, Silverpine Forest
20-30	The Barrens, Hillsbrad Foothills, Thousand Needles
30-40	Stranglethorn Vale, Arathi Highlands, Desolace
40-50	Tanaris, Feralas, The Hinterlands
50-60	Un’Goro Crater, Felwood, Western Plaguelands, Winterspring

Dungeons worth the detour: Scarlet Monastery from level 30 to 40, Zul’Farrak around 45 and Blackrock Depths from 52.

Stats, weapons and tradeskills

• Intellect and Stamina, then Spirit for less drinking. Spell Damage and Crit matter more at level 60.
• A staff, or a one-handed weapon with a shield, with Intellect or Spell Damage.
• Enchants: Mana or Stats on the chest, Intellect on the bracers, and Spell Power on the weapon at level 60.
• Tradeskills: Herbalism with Alchemy for mana potions, or Skinning with Leatherworking for leather and mail armor.