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Shaman spec guide

Elemental Combat Shaman

Everything for Elemental Combat Shaman on one page: role, talent order by level, Elemental Combat abilities and recommended gear for each level range. Talent and gear picks are calculated from the tooltip values in official game data plus the assumptions Forever Tool states below.
All Shaman abilitiesOpen the level 60 build in the calculator
Gear focus
Spell DPS
Talent calculation
Elemental Combat (spells)
Level 60 build
34/7/10
Estimated DPS
+50.9%

Elemental Combat Shaman at a glance

Summarized from Blizzard's class deep-dive articles. They were published during the beta, so live numbers and talents may differ.

Shaman as the developers describe it

Totems and weapon imbues are quicker to manage mid-fight, so there's less repeated setup. Totem placement, timing and elemental utility stay at the core, and talents support spellcasting, melee, healing and hybrid play.[1]

Shaman use totems to buff, heal and solve problems, and Mail armor and a shield make them one of the sturdiest classes. But they lack effective crowd control, so allies have to make up for their weaknesses in control and survivability.

Elemental Combat talents in Forever

  • Call of Thunder is now the 16-point gold medal and gives Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning 3% more critical strike chance.
  • Earthbound (21-point gold medal): Earthbind Totem instantly immobilizes nearby targets for 5 seconds when cast.
  • Lava Burst (31-point gold medal): a Fire spell with a 2.5-second cast and 10-second cooldown that deals 20% more damage to targets with your Flame Shock.
  • Elemental Mastery has been removed because it held the spec back in PvP balance. Elemental gets new spells and abilities instead.

Elemental Combat talent build

One point per level from level 10, 51 points at level 60. The Elemental Combat tree is filled to 31 points first, and the remaining points go where they raise estimated DPS the most in the other trees.

The level 60 build uses the same method as the calculator's "Recommended build" (estimated DPS from tooltip values + judgment weights for talents the math can't capture, such as rage, energy and mana talents), with the extra rule "Elemental Combat tree to 31 points first". The order picks, one point at a time, the talent that raises the score the most on the way to that build. Estimated DPS is a rough "compared with no talents" figure and leaves out the damage of newly learned abilities. Talent point rules (starting at level 10) follow classic, since nothing has been announced officially.

Builds by level

LevelPointsTree splitEst. DPSCalculator
Level 2011 points11/0/0+21.8%Open
Level 3021 points21/0/0+24.9%Open
Level 4031 points31/0/0+36.2%Open
Level 5041 points31/5/5+50.6%Open
Level 6051 points34/7/10+50.9%Open

Talent order by level

Consecutive levels spent on the same talent are grouped on one line.

  1. Levels 10–14Concussion1→5/5
  2. Levels 15–17Elemental Alacrity1→3/3
  3. Levels 18–19Call of Flame1→2/3
  4. Level 20Elemental Focus1/1
  5. Level 21Call of Flame3/3
  6. Levels 22–26Convection1→5/5
  7. Levels 27–29Reverberation1→3/5
  8. Level 30Lava Burst1/1
  9. Levels 31–33Lightning Overload1→3/3
  10. Level 34Reverberation4/5
  11. Levels 35–39Elemental Fury1→5/5
  12. Level 40Elemental Mastery1/1
  13. Levels 41–45Tidal FocusRestoration1→5/5
  14. Levels 46–50Thundering StrikesEnhancement1→5/5
  15. Level 51Reverberation5/5
  16. Levels 52–56Totemic FocusRestoration1→5/5
  17. Levels 57–58Trial by Fire1→2/2
  18. Levels 59–60Ancestral KnowledgeEnhancement1→2/5

Key talents of the level 60 build

Talents with a large share of estimated DPS, plus talents that grant abilities or handle resources. Descriptions are the tooltip at the rank taken.

  • Convection5/5 · Elemental Combat

    Resource / utility

    Reduces the mana cost of your Shock, Lightning Bolt, Lava Burst, and Chain Lightning spells by 10%.

  • Concussion5/5 · Elemental Combat

    Est. DPS +3.7%

    Increases the damage done by your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Earth Shock spells by 5%.

  • Elemental Alacrity3/3 · Elemental Combat

    Est. DPS +16.5%

    Reduces the cast time of your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, and Lava Burst spells by 0.50 sec.

  • Call of Flame3/3 · Elemental Combat

    Est. DPS +3.5%

    Increases the damage done by your Fire Totems and by your Flame Shock, Fire Nova, and Lava Burst spells by 15%, as well as increases the duration of your Flame Shock spell by 9 sec.

  • Elemental Focus1/1 · Elemental Combat

    Resource / utility

    Gives you a 10% chance to enter a Clearcasting state after casting any Fire, Frost, or Nature damage spell. The Clearcasting state reduces the mana cost of your next damage spell by 100%.

  • Lava Burst1/1 · Elemental Combat

    Ability

    You hurl molten lava at the target, dealing 337 to 355 Fire damage. If your Flame Shock is on the target, Lava Burst deals 20% increased damage.

  • Lightning Overload3/3 · Elemental Combat

    Est. DPS +3.3%

    Gives your Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning spells a 10% chance to cast a second, similar spell on the same target at no additional cost that causes half damage and no threat.

  • Elemental Fury5/5 · Elemental Combat

    Est. DPS +6.6%

    Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Searing and Magma Totems and your Fire, Frost, and Nature spells by 100%.

  • Elemental Mastery1/1 · Elemental Combat

    Est. DPS +1.1%Ability

    Gain mastery over Fire and Lightning, reducing the cast time of Lightning Bolt and Lava Burst by 0.5 sec, and removing the cooldown from Chain Lightning. Lasts 15 sec.

  • Thundering Strikes5/5 · Enhancement

    Est. DPS +4.3%

    Improves your chance to get a critical strike with all spells and attacks by 5%.

  • Tidal Focus5/5 · Restoration

    Est. DPS +6.0%

    Reduces the Mana cost of your healing spells by 5% and improves your chance to hit by 5%.

Elemental Combat abilities

Elemental Combat abilities in the order you first learn them. The numbers are the levels at which each rank is learned; the description is rank 1 without gear or stats.

Elemental Combat Shaman gear by level

The 3 highest-scoring items for each slot in every level range. Only items whose required level falls inside the range are compared.

How were these picked?
  • The score is the sum of the item's tooltip lines from official game data (Strength, Stamina, Spell Power, damage per second and so on) multiplied by the weights below. There is no official formula, so the weights are Forever Tool's rough estimates (assumptions). Compare scores only within the same slot.
  • Equip, use and chance-on-hit effects, set bonuses and resistances are not scored. Items without fixed stats (only armor in the tooltip) are left out.
  • Only Uncommon and Rare items, plus craftable Epic items, of item level 65 or lower are included (no raid loot). Items that require a profession to use and crafts that need raid materials are left out.
  • Items without a required level count as item level minus 5. Only armor types a Shaman wears are included, with mail and plate counted from level 40 (classic rules, since nothing has been announced).
  • Sources list only crafting (professions) and quest rewards. Dungeon drops are being collected from player reports; check the item page.

Elemental Combat weights (assumed)

StatScore per point
Spell Power1
Spell Damage1
Nature Damage0.9
Hit0.8
Critical Strike0.6
Haste0.5
Mana Regeneration per 5 sec0.5
Fire Damage0.5
Frost Damage0.5
Intellect0.4
Stamina0.2
Spell Piercing0.2
Spirit0.1

Levels 1–20

Hall of Thanes 13–18Ruins of Lordaeron 15–20Level 1–10 quest zonesLevel 11–20 quest zones

Waist

  1. Stormrider's Leather BeltScore 6.2

    Req. 12 · Spell Power +4 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +3

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  2. Wisdom's Leather BeltScore 5.2

    Req. 12 · Spell Damage +3 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +3

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  3. Hillman's BeltScore 4.8

    Req. 20 · Spell Power +4 · Stamina +4

    Crafted: Leatherworking

Legs

  1. Stormrider's Leather PantsScore 13.6

    Req. 20 · Spell Power +10 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +4 · Spirit +4

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  2. Wisdom's Leather PantsScore 10.6

    Req. 20 · Spell Damage +7 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +4 · Spirit +4

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  3. Totemic Leather PantsScore 9.4

    Req. 20 · Spell Power +7 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +4

    Crafted: Leatherworking

Levels 21–40

Excavation Site 24–29City of Dalaran 28–33The Drowned City 35–40Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45Level 21–30 quest zonesLevel 31–40 quest zones

Chest

  1. Big Voodoo RobeScore 14.6

    Req. 38 · Spell Power +9 · Intellect +14

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  2. Stormrider's Leather TunicScore 14.1

    Req. 22 · Spell Power +10 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +6 · Spirit +5

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  3. Guardian ArmorScore 13.0

    Req. 30 · Spell Power +9 · Intellect +10

    Crafted: Leatherworking

Waist

  1. Skycaller's Leather BeltScore 14.0

    Req. 30 · Spell Power +10 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +6 · Spirit +4

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  2. Skirmisher's Leather BeltScore 9.8

    Req. 30 · Spell Power +7 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +6

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  3. Mender's Leather BeltScore 9.8

    Req. 30 · Spell Damage +6 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +4 · Spirit +6

    Crafted: Leatherworking

Legs

  1. Totemic Leather LeggingsScore 11.8

    Req. 25 · Spell Power +8 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +7

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  2. Wisdom's Leather LeggingsScore 11.7

    Req. 25 · Spell Damage +7 · Intellect +7 · Stamina +6 · Spirit +7

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  3. Guardian PantsScore 11.2

    Req. 27 · Spell Power +8 · Intellect +8

    Crafted: Leatherworking

Feet

  1. Skycaller's Leather ShoesScore 17.7

    Req. 40 · Spell Power +13 · Intellect +7 · Stamina +7 · Spirit +5

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  2. Skycaller's Mail BootsScore 17.7

    Req. 40 · Spell Power +13 · Intellect +7 · Stamina +7 · Spirit +5

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  3. Mender's Leather ShoesScore 12.5

    Req. 40 · Spell Damage +8 · Intellect +7 · Stamina +5 · Spirit +7

    Crafted: Leatherworking

Main hand

  1. Searing Golden BladeScore 22.3

    Req. 34 · Damage per second 14.3 · Fire Damage +39 · Intellect +7

    Crafted: Blacksmithing

  2. Iron MorningstarScore 5.0

    Req. 33 · Damage per second 20.6 · Spell Power +5

    Crafted: Blacksmithing

  3. Notched Ritual RibScore 4.4

    Req. 40 · Damage per second 20.3 · Intellect +9 · Stamina +4

Levels 41–50

Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45Alcaz Prison 48–53Level 41–50 quest zones

Head

  1. Moonshadow HoodScore 32.4

    Item level 52 · Spell Power +18 · Critical Strike +14 · Intellect +15

  2. Charged Scorpid HelmScore 19.4

    Req. 48 · Spell Power +12 · Intellect +16 · Spirit +10

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  3. Turtle Scale HelmScore 16.0

    Req. 41 · Spell Power +10 · Intellect +10 · Stamina +10

    Crafted: Leatherworking

Two-hand

  1. Advisor's Gnarled StaffScore 11.5

    Req. 48 · Damage per second 45.9 · Intellect +11 · Stamina +18 · Mana Regeneration per 5 sec +7

    Same stats: Lorekeeper's Staff

  2. Radiant StaffScore 11.4

    Req. 45 · Damage per second 32.3 · Intellect +19 · Stamina +19

    Crafted: Enchanting

  3. Staff of Archmage SelwynScore 9.6

    Item level 55 · Damage per second 31.6 · Intellect +16 · Stamina +16

Levels 51–60

Alcaz Prison 48–53Blackmaw Hold 55–60Shaper's Terrace 58–60Level 51–60 quest zones

Back

  1. Cloak of Earth and SkyScore 25.6

    Req. 60 · Nature Damage +15 · Fire Damage +15 · Stamina +16 · Spirit +14

    Crafted: Tailoring

  2. Hide of the WildScore 19.6

    Req. 57 · Spell Damage +14 · Intellect +10 · Stamina +8

    Crafted: Leatherworking

  3. Frostwolf Advisor's CloakScore 16.2

    Req. 55 · Spell Power +14 · Stamina +11

    Same stats: Stormpike Sage's Cloak

Two-hand

  1. Crackling StaffScore 35.0

    Req. 60 · Damage per second 41.3 · Spell Power +25 · Intellect +25

  2. Advisor's Gnarled StaffScore 13.4

    Req. 58 · Damage per second 54 · Intellect +13 · Stamina +21 · Mana Regeneration per 5 sec +8

    Same stats: Lorekeeper's Staff

  3. Wisepaw TotemScore 13.0

    Req. 53 · Damage per second 36.9 · Intellect +23 · Stamina +19

Main hand

  1. PersuaderScore 16.4

    Req. 58 · Damage per second 45.7 · Critical Strike +14 · Hit +10

    Crafted: Blacksmithing

  2. GreenhammerScore 10.4

    Req. 60 · Damage per second 47.4 · Hit +10 · Stamina +12

    Crafted: Blacksmithing

  3. HeartseekerScore 8.4

    Req. 58 · Damage per second 41.3 · Critical Strike +14

    Crafted: Blacksmithing

More

Other Shaman specs

Enhancement Shaman GuideRestoration Shaman Guide

Other class guides

WarriorPaladinHunterRoguePriestMageWarlockDruid

Sources

  1. [1]World of Warcraft: Forever Class Deep Dives — Mage and ShamanBlizzard Entertainment · Oct 7, 2026 · checked Nov 5, 2026
  2. [2]World of Warcraft: Forever Class Deep Dives — Priest and WarriorBlizzard Entertainment · Sep 30, 2026 · checked Nov 5, 2026
  3. [3]World of Warcraft: Forever Class Deep Dives — Hunter and DruidBlizzard Entertainment · Sep 30, 2026 · checked Nov 5, 2026
  4. [4]World of Warcraft: Forever Class Deep Dives — Rogue and WarlockBlizzard Entertainment · Oct 7, 2026 · checked Nov 5, 2026
  5. [5]World of Warcraft: Forever Class Deep Dives — PaladinBlizzard Entertainment · Oct 15, 2026 · checked Nov 5, 2026