WoW Forever Enhancement Shaman — Guide (Beta Test)
viewsAbout the Class
This guide is based on the World of Warcraft: Forever beta and covers gameplay up to level 20. The talents and combat tips are starting recommendations built on the spells and talents available in the beta. They will be refined as testing continues.
The Enhancement Shaman is the Shaman's melee specialization, with high burst damage and very strong group support. It's a battle mage that alternates between powerful weapon strikes and spells. In Forever, it gained Maelstrom Weapon, which lets you combine the two without interrupting your melee attacks.
The spec was among the first in need of a rework, and Forever gave it many talents for Mana efficiency and ability scaling. The result is a fresh take on Classic without the roughest edges.
Strengths
- High burst damage in melee.
- Very strong group support through totems.
- Fire Nova — powerful area damage, especially in dungeons.
- Forever's new talents have noticeably improved Mana efficiency.
Weaknesses
- At level 20 the toolkit is very limited, and the full playstyle hasn't come together yet.
- Fire Nova is very Mana-hungry.
- Heavy dependence on your weapon.
- Stats on early-level gear are scattered all over the place, so ideal pieces are hard to find.
Stat Priority
- 1Weapon Damage
- 2Hit and Expertise
- 3Critical Strike
- 4Strength
- 5Intellect
- 6Agility
- 7Spell Power
- 8Spirit
- 9Stamina
Because of the talent tree overhaul, stat values are largely guesswork right now, especially with the level 20 cap. Don't chase perfect pieces; take upgrades as they come.
Talents
Talent Notes
Thundering Strikes 5/5 — increases your critical strike chance with all spells and attacks.- Mental Dexterity 3/3 — adds Attack Power from Intellect.
Improved Ghost Wolf 2/2 — Ghost Wolf casts faster and works indoors.- Shamanistic Focus 1/1 — noticeably reduces the cost of shocks and
Lightning Shield.
Ability Priority
At level 20, the Enhancement toolkit is very limited, but a few rules already matter:
- Weapon enchants:
Rockbiter Weapon when playing solo, 
Flametongue Weapon in a group - Refresh Lightning Shield before combat. In combat, do it only after a shock and with a healthy Mana pool
- Totems:
Stoneskin Totem if you're taking a lot of damage, otherwise 
Strength of Earth Totem. Keep 
Searing Totem up for damage, and 
Healing Stream Totem when in a group - Pull enemies from range with rank 1
Lightning Bolt - When playing solo, use
Earth Shock or, once it unlocks, 
Frost Shock. In a group, alternate 
Flame Shock and Frost Shock to avoid pulling threat - Fire Nova while a fire totem is active
- Then auto-attack until the enemy dies
Fire Nova is very expensive, but it hits hard and in an area, so it's especially valuable in dungeons. If you're short on Mana, you can drop shocks entirely and wait for passive regeneration between nova casts.
Use 
Healing Wave between fights to keep your Health topped off. If you're at risk of dying and can finish the cast through pushback, use it in combat. As a last resort, use 
Earthbind Totem or Frost Shock and retreat, and once you unlock Ghost Wolf, getting away becomes even easier.
Important Abilities
Best in Slot (BiS)
There is no BiS list for the beta yet. First and foremost, look for a weapon with the highest damage per second, preferably a slow two-handed weapon.
Enchants, Gems, Consumables
ConsumablesCampfire Bonuses
The new campfire system in Forever is a great way to pick up strong buffs in town before heading out into the world. A campfire is placed through Cooking; you can set one profession item next to it and get an extra bonus for an hour by resting at the campfire for a minute. Other players can add more effects: up to three at a basic campfire. The bonuses do not stack with the equivalent class buffs. These are especially worth looking for:
Best Race
The main choice for the Horde: Blood Fury as a damage cooldown, Shatter Curse removes curses and reduces magic damage, Hardiness shortens stuns, and Axe Specialization grants 1% crit with an axe. In the beta, the Tauren is worth a mention too: the Plainsrunning buff is a big help before mounts become available.
The Shaman is new to the Alliance, and the Dwarf is the only option here. Stoneform removes harmful effects from you and reduces physical damage.
Author
Fouren
Fouren has been playing World of Warcraft for over 15 years. He is an active player with 12 Cutting Edge achievements under his belt, and has reached the top 1% and 0.1% multiple times on various classes. His main classes are healers, particularly Holy Paladin.
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