World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Enhancement Shaman
Melee damage
A slow two-hander, Stormstrike into 
Earth Shock, totems down and Windfury Weapon from 30.
Enhancement swings a slow two-handed weapon with an imbue and fills the gaps with Shocks. From 25, Stormstrike strikes on an 8-second cooldown and makes your next Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning or Earth Shock on that target deal 20% more within 12 seconds, so Stormstrike into Earth Shock is the core of the rotation. Mental Dexterity turns Intellect into attack power, Shamanistic Focus makes Shocks 45% cheaper, and Improved Stormstrike gives mana regeneration while casting and resets Stormstrike when you dodge or parry. From 35, Maelstrom Weapon stacks from your hits until a Lightning Bolt is instant and free at five stacks, and at 40 Rage of the Farseer adds 30% attack speed for 25 seconds. It is mana-hungry before 20 and tuned about 5% below the pure damage classes.
Strengths and weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Strongest spec for solo levelling | Mana-hungry before level 20 |
| Stormstrike into Earth Shock gives a clear melee core | Tuned about 5% below the pure damage classes |
| Slow two-hander, Windfury Weapon and Flametongue all hit harder together | Needs the slowest two-hander it can get, so gear matters |
| Maelstrom Weapon makes a free instant Lightning Bolt at five stacks | Maelstrom Weapon is worth nothing until five stacks |
| Keeps the full totem kit for group buffs | Totem and weapon-imbue buffs overlap and switch each other off |
Stat priority
- Weapon damage
- Hit
- Critical strike
- Strength
- Intellect
- Agility
- Spell power
- Stamina
Weapon DPS (a slow two-hander), hit, crit, Strength, Intellect, Agility, spell power, Spirit, Stamina. At level 30: the biggest weapon, then Strength, then Intellect, then Agility: a point of Strength is 2 attack power, and with Mental Dexterity 3/3 a point of Intellect is 1 attack power plus mana. Blizzard says Enhancement is meant to care about spell power too (Shocks, Maelstrom Lightning Bolts), and Mental Quickness turns 30% of Intellect into spell power. Hit and crit are one stat for spells and attacks.
Do this
- Use the slowest two-hander you can get: Stormstrike, Windfury Weapon and Flametongue all hit harder with slow weapons.
- Stormstrike's bonus is yours alone and stays on the target you struck: spend it on that target.
- Refresh Lightning Shield before a pull, and mid-fight only after a Shock and with mana to spare.
- Maelstrom Weapon is worth nothing until 5/5; skip it at level 30 even with 26 points.
- Check your imbue before a group pull: with Spirit Weapons, Rockbiter Weapon raises all your threat by 30%.
Watch out for
- Lightning Bolt mid-fight without Maelstrom stacks stops your swings and your mana regeneration.
- Windfury Weapon on your main hand switches off Windfury Totem's buff for you, and Flametongue Weapon does the same to Flametongue Totem.
- Rage of the Farseer needs Mental Quickness 2/2 first, and Flurry needs Mental Dexterity 3/3: older builds that skip them don't work.
- No dual wield in the beta, and Shield Specialization is now a baseline effect rather than a talent: build for a two-hander.
- Stand at the edge of melee range until the parry-from-behind known issue is fixed.