PVE Enhancement Shaman DPS Guide (WotLK 3.3.5a)

Welcome to the Enhancement Shaman DPS guide for World of Warcraft Wrath of the Lich King 3.3.5a. In this guide, you will learn about playing an Enhancement Shaman in a raid. The guide includes Talents, Glyphs, Gems, Enchantments, Add-ons, Gameplay & Skill rotation tips.

Talent Tree

This build is for fresh 80 level players with weak gear. It gives us cheap Shock spells and mana regeneration from Stormstrike.

The second build is more for people with good or BiS gear. Less mana regeneration, which will be compensated with by raid-member buffs or spells, making this build better in a full raid with different classes. Your totems are stronger than Death Knights buff with this build, at the cost of Intellect.

You can always swap Ancestral Knowledge with Enhancing Totems

Glyphs

Major Glyphs

• Glyph of Feral Spirit
• Glyph of Stormstrike
• Glyph of Windfury Weapon

Other viable choices for the 3rd Glyph:

• Glyph of Flame Shock
• Glyph of Lightning Bolt
• Glyph of Fire Nova

Gems

Gems are situational and depend on the build and equipment. They are used to reach the required stat caps.

• Meta: Relentless Earthsiege Diamond
• Red: Bright Cardinal Ruby
• Yellow: Quick King’s Amber
• Blue: Nightmare Tear x1

Enchants

• Head – Arcanum of Torment
• Shoulder –Greater Inscription of the Axe
• Cloak – Enchant Cloak – Greater Speed
• Chest – Enchant Chest – Powerful Stats
• Bracers – Enchant Bracers – Greater Assault
• Gloves – Enchant Gloves – Crusher or Enchant Gloves – Precision
• Waist – Eternal Belt Buckle
• Legs – Icescale Leg Armor
• Boots – Enchant Boots – Icewalker or Enchant Boots – Greater Assault
• Weapons – Enchant Weapon – Berserking

Gameplay & Rotations

Windfury Weapon on right-hand and Flametongue Weapon on the left-hand

Enhancement Shaman has a complicated rotation, though you’ll get used to it. Don’t forget to use two weapons (dual wield). Two-handed weapons are worse for your DPS since it only gives you bigger Windfury Crits, nothing more.

• When 5 stacks of Maelstrom Weapon use Lightning Bolt
• Use Magma Totem
• Stormstrike and Lava Lash after Maelstrom Weapon used
• Debuff from Stormstrike all the time is on target
• Use Flame Shock if not used on the target yet
• Earth Shock if Flame Shock already used
• Lightning Shield refreshed at 1-3 stacks
• Fire Nova if everything else is on cooldown

Feral Spirit and Shamanistic Rage are used all the time when not on cooldown

Stat Priority

Hit Rating → Expertise → Attack Power & Haste → Critical Rating → Armor Penetration → Agility → Stamina

Hit Rating soft cap is 8% and should be a priority – this allows to land all special attacks. Since Enhancement Shamans use dual wield – they have a cap at 27% (melee attacks), but it’s not reasonable to get so much Hit Rating since you will be sacrificing other stats.

Hit Rating hard cap for Shaman is spell hit cap – 17% because your build also relies on Maelstrom Weapon and Lightning Bolt mechanics.
Here’s how to achieve these numbers:

• Dual Wield Specialization (talents)
• Improved Faerie Fire (Moonkin debuff on the target) / Misery (Shadow Priest debuff)
• Heroic Presence (Draenei racial passive – only affects the group)
• Gear & Gem

Expertise decreases the chance that melee attacks will be dodged or parried by 0.25%. Cap – 26 points (not rating). Unleashed Rage gives 9 points, and Orcs passive – Axe Specialization gives another 5.

Stacking Haste or combining it with Attack Power is a personal preference as the difference is marginal. It will likely be affected by the gear you can currently aquire.