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The Shaman Leveling Guide for Shadowlands

Tauren Shaman level 1Shaman leveling is easy: Just Harness the Elements and Win

Why become a Shaman? Because there’s a certain satisfaction in commanding the elemental forces of nature (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water) to obliterate your opposition and support your allies. 

A Shaman can use the elements to help hack their opponents to bits (Enhancement,) destroy them at range with lightning and other elemental forces (Elemental,) or keep the group healthy and happy (Restoration.)

Leveling a Shaman is easy enough, especially these days. It takes a bit of skill to play competitively and a lot of skill to play well. If that’s what you’re looking for, read on.

Shaman Leveling Contents

This page

Other Shaman Guides

 

As a shaman you preserve a balance, you aren’t so easy to level as to make it a one-and-done process, yet you don’t lag so far as to make it to the level cap only to discover it’s been increased by another 10 levels, once again. You can definitely level quickly enough to be satisfying.

Elemental and Ehancement are the specs we’ll focus on with this page. Restoration is nice in Dungeons and PvP groups, but is going to be a bit slow when soloing. Also, we’re also not going to cover any of the “flavor of the minute” buffs or nerfs. Next week a hotfix will change whatever is hot today, so we’ll just concentrate on what you need to know, since you do want to play a Shaman.

Shadowlands made some very subtle changes. Such as a small change to maximum level (120 became 50, now work to 60) and a slightly larger change to the item level of your gear. As usual with a new expansion the talents and abilities were pushed around and tweaked. All of the class changes (for all classes) are here (just click the Shaman link on that page.)  All of the overall Shadowlands changes are here.

Note that while the various patches will change things as the game goes on, most of those will be oriented towards the end game, raiding, PvP, etc., and won’t change the leveling experience in any meaningful way.

Onward!

 

The Quick Shaman Leveling Guide

Builds: Which is best for Shaman leveling? That depends…

  • Enhancement for the “In Your Face” experience. Take two weapons and hack the opposition to bits, using the elements to supplement your abilities.
  • Elemental for the “Nuke from Range” experience. Use the elements to blast the opposition into dust and ash.
  • Restoration is one of the better healing specs in the game, but the damage is lacking. Go with Resto only if you want to stick with the dungeon or PvP leveling thing, or are cruising the questing world with friends.

Race:

Race makes little difference, so play what you like. If you have to be efficient…

  • Alliance: Draenei, for the Int/Ag buff
  • Horde: Orc, for Blood Fury; Troll, for Berserking; Tauren for War Stomp.
  • Pandarens can become Shamen and they level a bit faster (better “Rest XP” than others get) and have a couple of other useful perks.

Professions:

Skip all crafting professions while leveling unless you have a nice pile of gold. If you do get a craft, then Leatherworking will make the mail armor that you want. You CAN make a ton of gold with professions, but they’re still expensive to level and will slow your leveling.  You can make some very nice gear at certain points, but your heirlooms are almost as good and will last longer.

  • Herbalism, mining, and skinning. Pick any two. Herbalism and Mining will both give you XP when you work those nodes.

Stats:

  • Enhancement: Agility and Stam
  • Elem and Resto: Int
  • All: Haste and Crit

Weapons:

  • Enhancement: Dual wield. Agi, Stam, & Crit. are the best stats.
  • Elem & Resto: Weapons with Int, and Spellpower are nice. Shields with similar stats are great.

Gems and Enchants:

  • If you have gem sockets, and want to bother with them while leveling, then gem for:
    • Resto & Elem: Int. Only Int.
    • Enhancement: Agility only.
  • A lot of useful enchants can be had on the Auction House for very little gold. If you have the gold then go for them. Look for the stats mentioned above. Int/Ag and Stam are good choices. As of 5.4 and in BFA and probably in Shadowlands, all of the enchants can be applied to any level gear. Yes, this means you can apply top level enchants (but not Shadowlands enchants) to your level 1 items or heirlooms.

Potions, Food, Etc:

  • Carry the best buffing foods you can find for your level.
  • Potions of mana and scrolls or potions of Agility/Int are nice to have and they’re often dirt cheap.
  • Yes you can heal, but healing potions are cheap, easy, and cost no mana. Every now and then they’re very ncie to have.

Get Leveled Faster:

Go to => Top – Quickie – Race – Talents – Enh – Elem – Abilities – Enh – Elem – Gear – Tips – Level Faster

 

 

Which of the Shaman Races is For You?

So you want to be Undead, Blood Elf, Nightborne, Void Elf, Lightforged Draenei, Mechagnome, Night Elf, Gnome, or Worgen? Forget it. The Shaman is one of the most exclusive clubs.

All the Shaman Approved races bring something to some aspect of the end-game (raiding, pvp, etc.)  Either cooldowns of some sort, improved stats, useful Loas, etc.

For PvP? Orc, Dark Iron Dwarf, Tauren, High Mountain Tauren, Draenei. At least in BFA. See here for more.

Shadowlands brings a nice change to the Allied Races: You no longer have to achieve “exalted” reputation with each race, just do certain campaign quests and earn an achievement. Then hit the appropriate embassy (in Stormwind or Orgrimmar) for the final tasks to acquire the race. These are the achievements needed:

When you start your new character with one of the original races, you will be at level 1 and will have the choice of starting in your own racial zone or the new Exile’s Reach zone. If you are brand new to World of Warcraft then Exile’s is where you will start. Your second character will have the option of starting in their racial starting zone.

Exile’s is a starter zone for people brand new to the game, though it’s also fine for experienced types. It will teach you some of the “how to” about getting around and using your abilities. Allied races will skip both zones.

The Allied Races start at level 10, and so skip the starting zones. At level 10 you will be able to choose which area you want to level in. Just talk to Chromie in your capital city (Stormwind or Orgrimmar) or check the mission board (near the front gates to the city.)

Shaman Races, For the Horde!

Orc

    • Blood Fury increases melee and spell damage for a short time. Stick it in a macro with your opening attacks. Test it to make sure it works right.
    • Resistance to stuns (Hardiness) is nice for PvP and certain other situations. You won’t see much need for it while questing.

Tauren

    • Your mighty Endurance gives you an increase to base health, which scales with level.
    • Also useful is War Stomp , usually a PvP ability, but also useful elsewhere, that gives Taurens a useful short range AoE stun. This can also interrupt trash mobs when dungeoning/raiding.
    • Your massive size, your sheer Brawn power, gives you 2% added Crit damage (not crit chance.)  It also give that same 2% bonus to and healing abilities you have.
    • Tauren are good with Herbalism and have +15% skill.
    • You also have a bit of Nature Resistance , taking 1% less Nature Damage.

Troll

    • Berserking increases your Haste by 10% for 12 seconds, on a 3 minute cooldown.  Generally useful, since it reduces cooldowns and gives you faster resource regeneration.
    • You get a 20% XP increase when Beast Slaying . This only applies to beasts, not humanoids or other non-beasts. You’ll be chopping up lots of beasts while leveling, so this is a nice bonus. Not useful once at max level.
    • Da Voodoo Shuffle gives you a nice 20% reduced duration of movement impairing effects, such as snares, slows, etc. Not stuns or anything else.
    • Regeneration , Mon! Trolls regenerate 10% faster than others and can even regenerate a bit while in combat, not that you are likely to notice.

Goblin

Goblins as Shamans? Who’d they bribe to get that deal? Do they buy their totems from GobMart?

    • Can Rocket Jump forward and away from, on into, stuff. so is a bit like the hunter ability disengage. Note that any effects that slow falling will be suppressed for 10 seconds. So no Rocket Jumps off cliffs. The fall is fine, the impact at the end hurts.
    • Speaking of rockets… Rocket Barrage !!! The perfect Goblin ability. Can launch rockets at enemies. Damage is trivial, but you can probably find a use for it.
    • A bit more Haste, Time is Money ya know.
    • Being an expert negotiator, of course, you receive the Best Deals Anywhere . You pay whatever the minimum price is for stuff, regardless of faction.
    • Your relentless urge to try “Crazy New Things” gives you the Better Living Through Chemistry ability, which adds +15 to your Alchemy skills.
    • Check your bank stash from anywhere, every 30 min, with your pack Hobgoblin . A truly deadly ability.

HighMountain Tauren– Starts at level 10. 

    • Bull Rush is a charge forward that knocks down any enemies in your path. It’s a fast move and a decently long charge. Can be used as a burst movement.
    • Being versatile you get +1% Versatility ( Mountaineer ) and you also take a bit less damage ( Rugged Tenacity .) Both are nice passives for anyone.
    • Your Pride of Ironhorn allows you to mine faster and adds 15% to your mining skill.
    • Having gone to survival school your philosophy is Waste Not, Want Not , so you have a chance to gather more meat and fish from appropriate situations.

Mag’har Orc – Starts at level 10.

    • Your Ancestral Call will boost a random secondary stat (crit, haste, versatility) for 12 seconds on a 2 minute cooldown. The boost scales with level.
    • Your love of the open skies increases your mounted speed by 10% and your…
    • Savage Blood : Since you are extremely healthy you get reduced duration of curses, poisons, and diseases (by 10%.)

Zandalari Troll– Starts at level 10. 

    • Your Embrace of the Loa ability allows you to choose which Loa you are associated with. Has a 5 day cooldown. Each embrace also lasts through death, so you will not have to reacquire it when you rez.
      • Embrace of Akunda – Your healing abilities have a chance to heal their target for some extra points. Good for anyone with a ranged heal.
      • Embrace of Bwonsamdi  – Your damaging abilities have a chance to deal Shadow damage and heal you for 100% of the damage done. Pretty good general ability for tanks and damage dealers.
      • Embrace of Gonk  – Increase movement speed by 5%.
      • Embrace of Kimbul  – Your damaging abilities have a chance to cause the target to bleed over 6s. This effect stacks up to 3 times. More damage is always good.
      • Embrace of Krag’wa  – Taking damage has a chance to grant you additional Health and 66 Armor. Good tanking ability.
      • Embrace of Pa’ku – Your abilities have a chance to grant you +4% critical strike for 12 seconds. Live by the crit? This is for you. This is your default Loa.
    • Regeneratin’ – Regenerate 100% of your maximum health over 6 sec, interrupted by damage. 2.5 min cooldown.
    • Pterrordax Swoop – Slows your fall for two minutes. Time for some serious cliff jumpin’.

Vulpera – Starts at level 10. 

Shaman Races, For the Alliance!

Nope, no humans allowed.

Dwarf

The Dwarves have been corrupted/enhanced by new tribes, some with a Shamanistic tradition. Naturally their totems should be kegs, unfortunately they aren’t.

    • Your Might of the Mountain ability increases the damage and healing from your critical strikes by 2%
    • and you can become one with the stone via your Stoneform . This removes all poison, disease, curse, magic, and bleed effects and reduces all physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec. Cooldown is 2 minutes.
    • You are also an Explorer and so are better at Archeology than others, finding more fragments and surveying faster.
    • Being naturally cool, you have a bit (1%) of Frost Resistance .

Draenei

Dark Iron Dwarf – Starts at level 10.

    • Your Fireblood removes all poison, disease, curse, magic, and bleed effects, just like your Dwarven “brethren,” but your ability increases your primary stat (Agility or Intelligence) by 600(!) (scales with level) +200 for for each additional effect removed. Lasts 8 sec. with a 2 min cooldown.
    • You’re a tunnel dweller and Dungeon Delver and you’ve learned how to move 4% faster while indoors, plus your people have the  Mole Machine : While out doors you can summon a Mole Machine that tunnels through the earth and can pop you up in a variety of places.
    • Having spent your life working in the forges you have a Mass Production skill , giving you +5 to your blacksmithing skill and letting you work 25% faster.
    • Being tough you have your Forged in Flames ability, and take a bit less physical damage.

Kul Tiran– Starts at level 10. 

    • Wind up, then unleash your mighty Haymaker upon your foe. Doesn’t hurt much, but does stun then for 3 seconds and knocks them back substantially.  2.5 minute cooldown. Knock ’em back then deal with them.
    • Brush It Off – Increases Versatility by 1%. When you take damage you sometimes heal for 2% of that damage over 4 sec.
    • Your Child of the Sea ability lets you swim a bit faster and hold your breath longer than anyone who is not Undead.
    • You are a Jack of All Trades  which increases all of your Tradeskills by 5. Unfortunately it does not give you free tradeskills, just a boost to the ones you actually learn.
    • Many generations of seafaring experience have earned you the Rime of the Ancient Mariner ability, and so you take 1% less from Frost and Nature damage.

Pandarens for Alliance OR Horde

Yep, they too can become Shamans. They can pick Horde or Alliance at character creation.

    • Your Inner Peace gives you improved Rest XP, making for faster leveling. Obviously of no value once you hit max level.
    • Being Bouncy you take less falling damage, which can be useful. Cliff jumping anyone?
    • Pandarens can, with a quick strike of their Quaking Palm , stun an opponent for 4 seconds. Stuns are always useful. Damage will break the stun effect.
    • Pandarens get 100% better buffs from food with their Epicurean ability
    • Naturally you’re good with cooking, so you have an enhanced (+15) cooking ability.
    • World of Warcraft Pandaren Brewmaster Deluxe Action Figure on Amazon (Official Blizzard Gear)

Go to => Top – Quickie – Race – Talents – Enh – Elem – Abilities – Enh – Elem – Gear – Tips – Level Faster

 

 

Abilities for the Leveling Shaman

All specs share a common pool of abilities, just as they always have, but then each of the class specs has unique abilities that you gain beginning at level 10. They define the differences between Elemental, Enhancement, and Restoration.

You can change specs any time you are out of combat. Quest as Enhancement and join a dungeon group as Resto and then pop back and go Elemental for awhile. Easy peasy.

All of the abilities are learned as you level. Once upon a time you had to visit a Shaman Trainer to get the new abilities. No longer.

Also note that Shadowlands has pushed a few things around.

Abilities Common to Every Shaman

    1. Lightning Bolt (acquired at level 1) zaps the target for nature damage. For Elemental, at level 10, it generates 6 Maelstrom.
      • Lightning Bolt, rank 2, (6) reduces the cast time by 0.5 seconds (down from 2.5 seconds.)
    2. Primal Strike (2) is your basic weapon strike.
    3. Flame Shock (3) does a small amount of initial damage and then more over the next 18 seconds.
    4. Healing Surge (4) restores some of your, or your target’s, health.
    5. Earthbind Totem (5) slows all opponents within 10 yards of the totem by 50%. 40 yard range. Lasts 20 seconds. Drop it in a group. 30 sec. CD.
    6. Flametoungue Weapon (7) is available to all specs, but is really only useful for Enhancement. It “imbues” your off-hand weapon with fire for an hour, doing some additional damage with any appropriate strike.
    7. Reincarnation (8) lets you resurrect yourself. 30 minute cooldown, so don’t die too often.
    8. Lightning Shield (9) is constantly on, for an hour, doing light damage to all who are attacking you (in melee), builds charges, hits 20, overloads, and buffs your attacks for 10 seconds. Easiest to use with the most general utility, and has the best overall damage.
    9. Ghost Wolf (10) lets you turn into a wolf form, run 30% faster, and not be slowed below normal running speed.
    10. Wind Shear (12) interrupt spellcasting and blocks that school, such as Fire, for 3 seconds. 30 yard range.
    11. Ancestral Spirit (13) resurrects an ally. Must be out of combat.
    12. Far Sight (13) changes your viewpoint to anther position for 1 minute.
    13. Frost Shock (17) does decent damage and slows the target (by 50%) for 6 seconds.
    14. Chain Heal (21) heals the primary target then will jump to the two most-injured, nearby, allies, losing 30% with each jump.
      • Chain Heal, rank 2 (23) now jumps to one additional target, 4 total.
    15. Capacitor Totem (23) has a 40 yard range and is set to explode in 2 seconds, stunning all within 8 yards for 3 seconds. 1 min. CD.
    16. Chain Lightning (24) hits the target and then jumps to two more targets if they are available.
    17. Healing Stream Totem (28)
    18. Astral Recall (32) is a faster hearthstone, usable every ten minutes. Speak to an innkeeper in a new location to reset it.
    19. Water Walking (33) allows you or a friendly target to run across water for 10 min. Don’t get damaged or you will get wet.
    20. Earth Elemental (37) comes up and protects you and your allies for 1 minute. 5 minute CD.
    21. Purge (39) removes one beneficial effect from the target, 30 yard range. Success grants a stack of Maelstrom Weapon.
    22. Hex (41) allows you to turn the target, humanoid or beasts only, into something else for a minute. Damage breaks the hex. There are a variety of Hex’ yu can use, but most of them require learning from a tome purchased from a vendor, some of which are rather hard to contact. For example, Tome of Hex: Cockroach, is purchased from one Cravitz Lorent, who very rarely appears in the Dalaran sewers (both Dalarans.)  30 sec. CD.
      • Hex, rank 2 (56) has its CD reduced to 20 seconds.
    23. Astral Shift (42) blocks 40% of damage taken, for 8 seconds, by shifting you partially into the elemental planes. 1.5 min. CD.
      • Astral Shift, rank 2, (54) now lasts an additional 4 seconds.
    24. Improved Reincarnation (46) adds another 20% to your health when you revive yourself.
    25. Tremor Totem (47) places an Earth Totem at your feet (no range) that removes Fear, Charm, and Sleep from all party/raid members within 30 yards. 1 minute CD.
    26. Bloodlust (48) is Horde only and provides 30% haste to all of your party/raid members for 40 seconds. Does not stack with similar effects. 5 minute CD. Cannot benefit from a similar effect for 10 minutes.
    27. Heroism (48) is the Alliance version of Bloodlust and has the same effects.

Elemental and Enhancement Shaman Abilities

These are the abilities unique to each specialization (spec.) They define you.

In the dungeons both Elly and Enh are Damage (aka: DPS) and you job is to lay down the hurt on whatever the tank is fighting. Let the tank get their attention, then you burn them down. Durable as you are you are not the tank and you should not initiate attacks, let the tank handle that.

In PvP stay with your group and assist them. Lone heroes get crushed. Find a healer and stick near him. Your heals are decent, but it’s better if you don’t have to worry about healing yourself and can make them worry about it, instead.

  • (P) = Passive ability, CD = Cooldown, DOT = Damage over Time effect

Elemental Abilities:

Elemental Shaman AbilitiesYou harness the elements (Lightning and Storm) to blast the opposition. You don’t want to get your hands dirty with hand to hand combat, preferring to incinerate your opponents from range.

Your resource is Maelstrom which you will generate and then spend on your larger strikes.

    • Fulmination (level 1) causes certain abilities to generate Maelstrom.
    • Earth Shock (10) – Shock the target with Concussive Force. Costs 60 Maelstrom.
    • Mastery, Elemental Overload (10) gives you a chance for a second shot of the same spell (lightning bolt and chain lightning) at the same target, doing 85% of the initial damage and generating a smaller amount of Maelstrom.
    • Lava Burst (11) – Hurl lava at the target, dealing Fire damage and generating 10 Maelstrom.
      • Lava Burst, rank 2, (20) always crits if Flame Shock is already affecting the target.
    • Cleanse Spirit (22) removes all curses from the target.
    • Elemental Fury (27) gives your damage crits 250% damage, up from 200%.
      • Elemental Fury, rank 2, (52,) now also applies to your healing crits, 250% healing.
    • Mail Specialization (27) provides +5% Intelligence to Elemental and Restoration if you are wearing all Mail armor.
    • Lava Surge (P, 29) – 10% chance for free and instant Lava Burst from Flame Shock damage.
    • Fire Elemental (34) comes up and rains destruction upon your enemies for 30 seconds. Also, your Flame Shock will deal damage 20% faster.
      • Fire Elemental, rank 2 (58,) causes your Flame Shocks to last 100% longer.
    • Earthquake (38) damages enemies in an 8 yard area area, over 6 seconds, and has a chance to knock them down.
      • Chain Lightning, rank 2, (43,) jumps to 2 additional targets (5 total targets.)
    • Spiritwalker’s Grace (44)  lasts 15 seconds and allows you to move while casting your spells. 2 minute CD.
    • Thunderstorm (49) Calls down your lightning, affecting all enemies within 10 yards, reducing their movement by 40% for 5 seconds, and knocking them away from you. Usable while stunned.

 

Enhancement Abilities:

Enhancement Shaman AbilitiesDual wielding melee machine, using your elemental power enhanced weapons to destroy the enemy and your spells to enhance your damage. You’re the Shaman who feels that bolt-lobbing and healing is for someone else. You want to get up close and personal and destroy.

Your resource is Mana.

    • Critical Strikes  (10, P) +5% to Crit. rating.
    • Dual Wield (P, 10) – Use two 1-handed weapons. Also can parry some frontal attacks.
    • Mastery: Enhanced Elements (P, 10) – Increases elemental damage by 16% and increases your chance to trigger Stormbringer and Windfury by .064%.
    • Windfury Weapon (10) has a chance of causing your main hand weapon to deliver two additional strikes for lesser damage. Lasts an hour.

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    • Lava Lash (11) – Lava charges your off-hand weapon and burns your opponent. 18 sec. CD.   +100% damage if your off-hand weapon is already imbued with Flametongue.
      • Lava Lash, rank 2 (22) CD is reduced by 6 seconds, to 12 seconds.
    • Cleanse Spirit (18) removes all curses from the (friendly) target.
    • Stormstrike (20) – energizes both weapons, with lightning, to smash your target. 7.5 sec. CD.
    • Mail Specialization (27, P) provides +5% Agility to Enhancement if you are wearing all Mail armor.
    • Stormbringer (27) does not give you Elric’s weapon. It does give your special attacks a 5% chance to reset the CD on Stormstrike.
      • Stormbringer, rank 2 (43) now increases the next Stormstrike damage by 25%.
    • Maelstrom Weapon (29, P) – When you deal damage with your melee weapon, you have a chance to gain a stack of Maelstrom Weapon. Each stack reduces the cast time of your next damage or healing spell by 20% and increase the damage or healing of that spell by 20%. Can stack up to 10 times and a maximum of 5 stacks of Maelstrom Weapon can be consumed at a time.
    • Feral Spirit (34) – Summon two Spirit Wolves to eat the opposition for 15 seconds. Generates one stack of Maelstrom Weapon instantly, +1 stack every three seconds for the 15 second duration. 6 stacks total.
    • Crash Lightning (38) zaps all enemies in front of you (melee range.) Zapping 2 or more energizes your weapons for 10 seconds, causing your Stormstrike and Lava Lash to deal additional nature damage to all targets in front of you. Plus, each target hit increases your next Stormstrike by 5%. 9 sec. CD.
      • Chain Lightning, rank 2 (52) reduces the CD of Crash Lightning by 1 second for each target hit by Chain Lightning.
    • Spirit Walk (44) – Removes roots and snares and increases speed by 60% for 8 seconds.  1 min. CD
    • Windfury Totem (49) appears at your feet, lasts for 2 min, and gives any party member, within 30 yards, a 10% chance for an extra swing of their Auto-Attack.

 

Go to => Top – Quickie – Race – Talents – Enh – Elem – Abilities – Enh – Elem – Gear – Tips – Level Faster

 

Shaman Leveling Talents

In Legion and later, including in Shadowlands, you can easily switch specs (Ele to Resto to Ehn, and back again) anytime that you’re out of combat. Want to chop up these mobs as enhancement, those mobs as Elemental, and then switch to Resto and heal a dungeon run? No sweat, just switch. You don’t need reagents, a trainer, or to commune with the elements. Just pick the new spec on your talent page and go.

If you are in the raid/dungeon or out on the world and need to change talents before the next fight? Buy or make (with Inscription) a stack of Tome of the Quiet Mind, which will work up to level 59. From 51 to 60 you can use a Tome of the Still Mind. That will give you one minute to switch up.

Keep in mind that there are a number of picks and some are better in some situations, such as whether you PvP more or less than the other guy. Adjust accordingly and to your style of play. This set assumes that you are mainly questing to the level cap and are NOT max level.

If you want to level as Resto then you’ll probably be in a dungeon group and you should go to our Resto Shaman page.

Enhancement Shaman Leveling Talents

Our picks are checked: Best talent  Enhancement first, then Elemental is below.

Enhancement Shaman leveling talents for Shadowlands

CD= Cooldown, P = Passive, DOT = Damage over Time

 

Tier 1, Level 15

    1. Lashing Flames (P) causes your Lava Lash to increase the damage your Flame Shock does by 100% for 20 seconds. Nice damage add, better for singles than groups.
    2. Best talent Forceful winds (P) – Your Windfury causes each successive Windfury attack, within 15 seconds, to increase it’s damage by 35%, stacking up to 5 times. After each 15 second period the buff will fall off and then rebuild. This is your pick if you are fighting groups often, such as dungeons or if you like to round up groups in the open world.
    3. Elemental Blast does some decent damage and increases your Haste or Mastery for 10 seconds. 12 second CD.

Tier 2, Level 25

    1. Best talent Stormfury (P) gives your Stormstrike a 25% chance to strike the target a 2nd time, for 40% damage. This 2nd strike also has the same 25% chance to fire another strike. A solid general choice that works well in most situations.
    2. Hot Hand (P) causes your Flametoungue imbued weapon a 5% chance to increase the damage of your Lava Lash by 100%, for 8 seconds, and to have a 75% reduced CD.
    3. Ice Strike hits for Frost damage and slows the target by 50% for 6 seconds. Successful hits will also reset the CDs of your Flame and Frost shock spells.

Tier 3, Level 30

    1. Spirit Wolf (P) gives you +5% movement speed and +5% damage reduction every 1 second, stacking to a max of 4 times, while you are in Ghost Wolf form. Nice movement option if you have to get through certain hazardous areas. Not much use in fights since you cannot cast or attack.
    2. Best talent Earth Shield (P) applies a shield to your or a target that heals when damage is taken and increases the effectiveness of healing spells by 20%. Works nicely with the healing from your Maelstrom Weapon. Note that you can only have one shield up at a time and your Lightning Shield might be more interesting. It’s the pick here just for the extra survival edge.
    3. Static Charge (P) reduces the cooldown of your next Capacitor Totem by 5 seconds per target stunned by the current totem, for a max of 20 seconds CD reduction (down to 40 seconds from 1 minute.)

Tier 4, Level 35

    1. Elemental Assault (P) increases your Stormstrike damage by 15% and also adds 1 stack of Maelstrom weapon. Best if you’re mostly fighting single targets.
    2. Best talent Hailstorm (no, not the rock band) (P) increases the damage of your next Frost Shock by 15% and also causes it to hit 1 additional target per Maelstom Weapon stack consumed. Very nice for group fights and not bad for single targets. If you are only attacking singles, such as rares or elites, then Elemental Assault is a better pick.
    3. Fire Nova explodes targets already affected by your Flame Shock, doing fire damage to all targets within 6 yards of the main target. 15 second CD. A bit too complicated to work with for best effect, the others are easier and more generally effective.

Tier 5, level 40

    1. Nature’s Guardian (P) is good for situations where survival is a bit tough, which will not be the case for most leveling. You heal for 20% (of max health) any time you drop below 35%, but has a 45 second CD. If you’re under-geared and/or like to live dangerously, then it’s worth a look.
    2. Best talent Feral Lunge has a range of 8 to 25 yards and lets you leap at your target, as a Ghost Wolf, and do a light bite. Not good for general movement as it requires a target, but it’s nice if there are plenty of targets in the area.
    3. Wind Rush Totem lets you plant a totem, out to 40 yards away, that lasts for 15 seconds, and will give anyone within 10 yards a 60% movement increase for 5 seconds. Not many situations, while leveling, will require this, but certain raids it will be quite nice.  2 min. CD.

Tier 6, level 45

    1. Crashing Storm (P) causes your Crash Lightning to electrify the ground, damaging any enemies in that area over 6 seconds. A nice damage add to that group you’re fighting and you don’t have an extra button to hit.
    2. Stormkeeper causes your next two Lighting Bolts or Chain Lightnings to be both instant-cast and to 150% more damage. 1 minute CD. It eats Maelstrom stacks, so reduces damage. Not such a great talent.
    3. Best talent Sundering is your Shaman SMASH moment, you blast everything in a line (to 11 yards) for solid Flamestrike damage and incapacitate them for 2 seconds. 40 second CD. The most smashing choice in this tier. An extra strike and the incapacitate has its uses, even if only as an interrupt.

Tier 7, Level 50

    1. Elemental Spirits (P) reduces the Feral Spirit CD by 30 seconds (now 1.5 minutes) and adds some abilities to your wolves for the 15 seconds they are around. Each of the Wolves will get Fire or Frost or Lighting. A good overall damage increase.
    2. Best talent Earthen Spike lets you, well, Spike the enemy. It’s a hard hit, has a 20 second CD, and buffs your Nature and Physical damage to the target by 20% for 10 seconds. A nice spike on a relatively short CD.
    3. Ascendance turns you into an Air Ascendant for 15 seconds, with a 3 minute CD. It will immediately damage all within 8 yards, reduces the CD and cost of your Stormstrike by 66%, and also gives your auto-attacks and your Stormstrike a 30 yard ranges and allows them to bypass armor. (CD.) Pretty nice area blast and also good otherwise.

PvP (War Mode) Talents for the Enhancement Shaman

Live dangerously, level with War Mode on. You gain +10% XP, and might get +30% if your side is greatly outnumbered on your server. If you’re doing the Daily Quests then you might see better rewards. You will also be ganked by (much) higher level opponents.

You can turn War Mode on in either Stormwind or Orgrimmar. You can turn it off in any “rested XP” area, such as an inn.

The talents suggested here are for general leveling/questing and are not optimal for PvP. Of course, like any other talents, you can change them whenever you are in a “rested XP” area, such as an Inn. Or use a Tome.

Grab them in the order that works best for you. You can choose PvP talents at 20, 30, and 40, though certain talents require other levels.

    1. Ride the Lightning: (Requires level 20) Causes Stormstrike to hurl out a bolt of Chain Lightning, dealing Nature damage if more than 2 targets are nearby. Otherwise, will deal Nature damage to the 2 furthest enemies within 40 yards instead. This is an the best choice for open world content to increase your damage, and allows for a good buff to cleave damage when you pull extra targets.
    2. Thundercharge: (Requires level 20) 45-second cooldown ability that reduces the recharge rate of all abilities for you and your target by 30% for 10 seconds.
      Especially strong pick if paired with another player, and now that we are much more oriented around our cooldown usage in Shadowlands will likely be a strong pick for a lot of scenarios in the open world.
    3. Swelling Waves: (Requires level 20) Causes your Healing Surge to heal for an additional 50% after 3 seconds when cast on yourself.
      This can significantly boost your self-healing capability, so when struggling in the open world this can be a great choice to shore up that weakness.
    4. Counterstrike Totem: (Requires level 20) 15-second duration, 45-second cooldown totem that replicates and returns damage dealt by enemies within 20 yards to them.
      A very powerful tool if you are under high damage intake situations, and one of the most versatile if worried about PvP encounters. Definitely, a good choice if you don’t want to go all in on front-loaded Stormstrike damage.
    5. Shamanism: (Requires level 48) Allows you to cast  Bloodlust without triggering Sated, but only lasts 10 seconds and grants 20% Haste to you and a targeted Ally. Also reduced to a 60-second cooldown, but is added to the Global Cooldown.
      Can be great for open world content allowing for more frequent short burst windows on frequent targets, but reduces your ability against infrequent very high health boss targets whilst leveling and world questing. A flexible choice.
    6. The others are less valuable for general questing/leveling. Grab them as appropriate for YOUR game.

Elemental Shaman Leveling Talents

Keep in mind that there are a number of picks and some are better in some situations, such as whether you PvP more or less than the other guy. Adjust accordingly and to your style of play. This set assumes that you are mainly questing to the level cap and are NOT max level.

Our picks are checked: Best talent   Enhancement talents are above.

Elemental Shaman leveling talents for Shadowlands

CD= Cooldown, P = Passive, DOT = Damage over Time

Tier 1, Level 15

    1. Earthen Rage (P) is a passive effect that damages your most recent target. Nice. Be aware that there are a (very) few quests that require you to bring an enemy to low health and then do something. So this might be annoying. In a dungeon or PvP? No such worries.
    2. Best talent Echo of the Elements (P) gives your Lava Burst, Riptide, and Healing Stream Totem two charges. Plus, any effect that would normally reset their cooldowns adds a charge instead (two charges max.)
    3. Static Discharge lets you zap an enemy from your Lightning Shield, for light damage, out to 40 yards, every .5 seconds and lasts 3 seconds. Targets with Flame Shock already applied are preferred.

Tier 2, Level 25

    1. Aftershock (P) provides a 25% chance for your Earth Shock and Earthquake to refund their Malestrom usage. More big hits over time, especially if you get lucky with the refunds.
    2. Best talent Echoing Shock zaps the target for decent damage and causes your next damage or healing spell to be cast a seconds time, 1 second later, for free. Two zaps for the price of one. Sounds good.
    3. Elemental Blast does some decent damage and increases your Haste or Mastery for 10 seconds. 12 second CD. Generates 30 Maelstrom.

Tier 3, Level 30

    1. Best talent Spirit Wolf (P) gives you +5% movement speed and +5% damage reduction every 1 second, stacking to a max of 4 times, while you are in Ghost Wolf form. Nice movement option if you have to get through certain hazardous areas, since you’re using that form anyway. If you want the movement over the heal of Earth Shield, then grab this one.
    2. Earth Shield (P) applies a shield to your or a target that heals when damage is taken and increases the effectiveness of healing spells by 20%. Works nicely with the healing from your Maelstrom Weapon. Note that you can only have one shield up at a time and your Lightning Shield might be more interesting.
    3. Static Charge (P) reduces the cooldown of your next Capacitor Totem by 5 seconds per target stunned by the current totem, for a max of 20 seconds CD reduction (down to 40 seconds from 1 minute.)

Tier 4, Level 35

    1. Best talent Master of the Elements (P) causes your Lava Burst to increase the damage of your next Frost, Nature, or Physical spell by 20%. The most generally useful talent of this set.
    2. Storm Elemental (P) replaces your Fire Elemental and damages your enemies for 30 seconds. It also reduces the cast times of your Lightning Bolt and Chain lightning by 3% per cast, stacking up to 60% reduction. You give up the Maelstrom gains of your Fire Elemental, however.
    3. Liquid Magma Totem lasts for 15 seconds and each second it spits liquid magma at a random target within 8 yards. If you’re fighting 1 target then that’s some decent damage. Range is 40 yards and CD is 1 minute.

Tier 5, level 40

    1. Best talent Nature’s Guardian (P) is good for situations where survival is a bit tough, which will not be the case for most leveling. Do you like to push yourself a bit? You heal for 20% (of max health) any time you drop below 35%, but has a 45 second CD. Nice that it’s there to cover you and you don’t have to think about it.
    2. Ancestral Guidance (P) lasts 10 seconds and and causes 25% of your damage or healing to be copied over to healing on you or up to three nearby party or raid members.
    3. Wind Rush Totem lets you plant a totem, that lasts for 15 seconds only, that will give anyone within 10 yards a 60% movement increase. Not many situations, while leveling, will require this.

Tier 6, level 45

    1. Surge of Power causes your Earth Shock to enhance your next spell cast (if cast within 15 seconds:) Your Flame Shock will hit one more target, L. Bolt will cause +1 – 3 Elemental Overloads, Lava Burst reduces the CD of your next Fire Elemental by 6 seconds. And Frost Shock freezes the target in place for 6 seconds.
    2. Primal Elementalist makes your next Elemental 80% more powerful, have additional abilities, and you now have direct control over them. Pretty good in most situations. You get nothing unless you have the elemental up.
    3. Best talent Icefury hurls ice at the target for decent damage and causes your next 4 Frost Shocks to do +300% damage and generate 8 Maelstrom. Also generates 25 Maelstrom on its own.

Tier 7, Level 50

    1. Unlimited Power gives you +2% haste for 10 seconds any time an Elemental Overload occurs, which is likely not often enough to be interesting unless you have a very high Mastery score.
    2. Best talent Stormkeeper comes with a 1 min CD and causes your next two Lightning bolts to deal 150% more damage, it also causes your next two L. Bolts or Chain Lightnings to be instant cast and to trigger an Elemental Overload on each target hit.
    3. Ascendance last for 15 seconds, has a 3 minute CD, and transforms you into a Flame Ascendant which instantly casts a Lava Burst at all enemies already affected by your Flame Shock, and it also refreshes the durations of those Shocks to 18 seconds. In addition, it replaces your Chain Lighting with  Lava Beam, removes the CD on Lava Burst, and increases the damage on Lava Burst by an amount equal to your Crit chance.

PvP (War Mode) Talents for the Elemental Shaman

Live dangerously, level with War Mode on. You gain +10% XP, and might get +30% if your side is greatly outnumbered on your server. If you’re doing the Daily Quests then you might see better rewards. You will also be ganked by (much) higher level opponents.

You can turn War Mode on in either Stormwind or Orgrimmar. You can turn it off in any “rested XP” area, such as an inn.

The talents suggested here are for general leveling/questing and are not optimal for PvP. Of course, like any other talents, you can change them whenever you are in a “rested XP” area, such as an Inn. Or use a Tome.

Grab them in the order that works best for you. You can choose PvP talents at 20, 30, and 40, though certain talents require other levels.

    1. Control of Lava (requires level 20) – This replaces Lava Surge. Gain +30% damage to your Flame Shock, plus has a 10% chance to set the Lava Burst CD and increase it’s damage 15%. This can stack 3 times. This will shift your burst from firing off as many procs as you can to fishing for one big Lava Burst.
    2. Counterstrike Totem (20) – Enemies within 20 yards of you will face their own damage returned to them, as long as it is direct damage (rather than area effect.) Lasts 15 seconds. This is a defensive option, and can turn the tables on an enemy if you hit them with their own burst damage! If the enemy is casting spells from 40+ yards it won’t help.
    3. Elemental Attunement (20) – Increases max Maelstrom by 50, so lets you save up for multiple consecutive Earth Shocks, which can be quite the chunk of burst damage!
    4. Spectral Recovery (20) – While you’re in your Ghost Wolf form you have +10% movement speed and heal 3% of your health every 2 seconds. A decent pickup for healing between combat without stopping to cast and increased movement speed between targets.
    5. Swelling Waves (20) – 3 seconds after you cast Healing Surge, on yourself, you are healed again for 50% of that amount. A defensive option that increases the effective healing of Healing Surge by 50%.
    6. Grounding Totem (30) – Solid in certain situations where you know a powerful spell is coming.
    7. Lightning Lasso (35) – This stun can be cast while moving, allowing you to stun the target and gain some much-needed distance!
    8. Skyfury Totem (40) – A strong talent for burst damage or healing.
    9. Traveling Storms (49) – While this talent has some tactical use in organized BGs on maps like Eye of the Storm or Arathi Basin, it has little use otherwise.

 

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Shaman Gear, Stats, Etc.

Dwarf Shaman Leveling Through PandariaPrimary Stats

Note that if you switch specs from Enhancement to Resto or Ellie that you will have to make sure your gear is now Intelligence gear, and visa versa.

    1. Intelligence increases Spellpower so is the #1 Stat for Resto and Elem. You have no use for Agility.
    2. Agility is it for Enhancement, and you have no use for Int.
    3. Strength is of no use to any Shaman.
    4. Item Level: An item with higher Agility/Int than your current item will almost always be better, especially the biggest the item level difference from your current item.
    5. Stamina: Your #1 stat when leveling at lower levels. You need enough to stay alive and I recommend stacking only Stam at low levels. Stamina enchants are often very cheap on the Auction House. You can also get Stam scrolls and various foods will also buff Stam.

The Other Stats

Keep in mind that for leveling these stats do not matter much. You will level out of your gear items that stacking any given stat will be difficult.

If you have a choice for two pieces of gear, such as when completing certain quests? Grab the one with the better better item level increase over the piece it will replace. More Int/Ag = better than a piece without. Otherwise, pick the item that will sell for more to the vendor.

Note on experience gains: If you want to turn off your experience gain, because you want to stick at one level for awhile (for example: the level 19 PvP twink game,) then just talk to Behsten in Stormwind or to Slahtz in Orgrimmar. The “how to” article is on battle.net.

The stats, not in order:

    1. Haste makes you do everything faster, including burning your mana. All flavors of Shaman like Haste.
    2. Crit rating gives you a chance to double your damage (1.5x damage in PvP.)
    3. Mastery is gained at level 10 and enhances some aspect of what you do. It does not seem to work well for everything on your list, so is generally the least useful stat for either Ellie or Enh.
    4. Versatility helps you hit (and heal) harder and, at 1/2 value, take less damage. It modifies your abilities and any gear abilities.

While leveling you do not have to worry too much about “the other stats.” but here is a priority list if you want to try stacking them:

  • Enhancement: Ag > Haste > Crit or Versatility > Mastery
  • Elemental: Int > Versatility > Haste > Crit > Mastery

PvP Stats

  • Check out Skill-Capped for all kinds of Shaman PvP stuff (and all other classes.) It’s mostly aimed at max level, but you’ll be able to get a lot of use out of that site, even at much lower level.

 

Basic Gearing Up

You wear mail armor and can use axes, daggers, fist weapons, maces, staves.

While you can wear leather or cloth armor, it will only rarely be worth it, and then only if it has much nice stats than your mail piece. At level 27 you will get a 5% bonus to your best stat (Int or Ag) by wearing mail in all of your armor slots.

Buying gear off the Auction House might be ok if you are trying to compete in something at a set level, such as level 29 PvP. Otherwise you will level out of it too fast and the heirlooms will be cheaper.

Heirlooms

If you have the gold then this is the way to go.

What do they cost? 500-700 gold for each item (good till lev 60,) improving them for level 120 costs a total of 9k for armor, rings, and trinkets, 13,500 for weapons. If you’re new then buy them as soon as you can afford them. Weapons are your first buy.  Here is where to find them:

  • Alliance: Krom Stoutarm is in the Library of Ironforge, which is found on the north-eastern edge of the outer ring.
  • Horde: Estelle Gendry lurks around the south-western side of the Rogue’s Quarter of Undercity. After your enter BFA you will note that Undercity is destroyed. Ms. Gendry moves to the top of the Orgrimmar front gate.

If you want to get the gold to get the better stuff then check out Zygor’s Gold Guide. Part of that guide, in addition to the leveling guide, is a gear checker. When you find a nice piece of gear it will tell you and allow you to upgrade on the spot.

 

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Your Gear and Enchants to Improve Your Gear

Chasing down the best gems or enchants is of little use while leveling. You’ll burn through a lot of gold, and you’ll probably be leveling fast enough that you will outgrow any enchanted/gemmed gear that you’re using very quickly. If you want to enchant your heirlooms or the twink gear for your level 19 PvP adventures, then go for it.

Enchants for BFA were weapons and rings only. In Shadowlands there are a couple of other pieces that can be enchanted, depending on class and spec.

Prior to that you can enchant other pieces, they will just cease to work after whichever level. Stats shown are max, they will scale down at lower levels. Shadowlands enchants require you to be level 50+. Since your heirlooms top out at level 50, those enchants are not included here.

For Enhancement:

    • Head, Trinkets: : None.
    • Neck: Mark of the Claw: Sometimes increase Crit and Haste by 16 for 6 seconds. Max item level 60.
    • Back: Binding of Agility, +3 Ag, Cannot be used past item level 60.
    • Chest: Glorious Stats: +4 to all stats, max item level is 50.
    • Cloak: Binding of Agility: +3 Ag., max item level is 60.
    • Shoulders: Tiger Claw, +5 Ag, +2 Crit, max item level is 50.
    • Legs: Shadowleather Leg Armor, +6 Ag, +3 Crit, Requires a level 85 to apply, item level 50 max.
    • Rings: Get Accord of Haste or Crit or mastery or Versatility, each adds +9.
    • Weapons: Force Multiplier: Sometimes gain +28 Ag and +18 Mastery, Haste, Or Crit (it picks your highest stat.) 15 seconds.  Max item level is 140, which will get you a ways into the Shadowlands areas.

Non-heirloom pieces

For Elemental:

And non-heirloom items…

    • Wrist: Intellect, +5 Int, max item level is 50.
    • Gloves: Superior Haste, +7 Haste, 50 item level max.
    • Belt: Engineers can add some “enchants” to their own belts and Blacksmiths can add a gem socket.
    • Boots: Greater Precision, +4 Crit; Greater Haste, +4 Haste; Panda Step, +3 Mastery and slightly faster run; all max out at item level 50.

 

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“How To” for the Leveling Shaman

This one is a very brief intro to the Elemental Shaman. It covers the basic idea of the class and goes into some of the  “How To.” Quick and easy. This one is for Battle for Azeroth, but the concept is pretty much the same as for Shadowlands.

 

And this one is for the Enhancement Shaman. Again, pretty basic, but also it’s for Shadowlands.

 

For a bit more depth, this video is a nice overview of all three shaman specs and covers talents and a lot more of the  “how to” stuff.

    • Overview: 0:39?
    • Elemental: 2:49 and How To at 6:24?
    • Enhancement: 9:32 and How T0 at 13:20?
    • Restoration: 17:21 and How To at 21:13

 

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Shaman Professions

If your other characters are rich then go ahead and level a crafting profession. If you’re poor then you might want to stick with the gathering professions for awhile. You can earn gold, lots of gold, with the crafting professions, but it takes some work and you need to keep an eye on the Auction House. Zygor Gold will be a big help with that.

All three gathering skills are good money makers. You get to pick two. I suggest Mining and Herbalism, because they both give very nice XP.

Note that with Battle for Azeroth the professions are broken into “sub-skills.” Instead of having one skills to cover all zones and gear, you have several. For example, you can start Leatherworking in BFA without ever having to had done it in any other zone. The same is true for Shadowlands or Pandaria or any of the others.

Other skills

  • Cooking – You can create your own buffing foods. Cooking mats are often, not always, dirt cheap. At max level cooking you will be able to feed your entire group.
  • Archeology – You can find BoEs, mounts, very nice weapons, and even some BoA (Bind on Account) items.
  • Fishing – Kick back and goof off after a few dozen quests, dungeons, or battlegrounds.
  • Mining – Breaking ore out of rock nodes builds big muscles. Clearly the favorite of the Draenei Shaman.
  • Herbalism – Pick flowers and sometimes find healing or mana spirits (they act like potions.)
  • Skinning – With the bazillions of critters in WoW it’s easy to gather many stacks of skins. Might as well take advantage.

Ok, so you have enough gold:

The “should I take a profession” question is interesting. Do you want it for the gear? To make gold? Just to play with?

  • Leatherworking – You’ll be able to make your own mail armor, including PvP gear and raid quality gear (expensive!!) . In Draenor your level 2 garrison, with follower minion, will give you access to account bound tents that add +10% to all your stats. Mail them to all of your alts.
  • Blacksmithing – Make your own weapons. In Draenor your level 2 garrison, with follower minion will give you a buff that blocks gear damage and also a possible body guard when questing there.
  • Inscription – Inscription provides all of the high level shoulder enchants as well as glyphs.
  • Alchemy – You can make all kinds of chemical to consume, but it might be cheaper just to buy them off the AH.
  • Enchanting – Enchant things, sell enchants, disenchant and use or sell parts.
  • Engineering – various nifty gadgets, including rockets, nitro boosts, gliders, mounts, etc.
  • Jewelcrafting -Make some nice jewelry pieces (neck, rings)
  • Tailoring – Has a flying carpet. You can also make nets (to snag mobs and players) and war banners.

 

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Blast to the Level Cap with Zygor!

Need to get to the level cap, fast? Then click here, now

 

Shaman Leveling Notes

Note on leveling: Regardless of whether you’re questing, dungeoning, or PvPing you will be far more effective if you use macros and keybindings. Macros are just sets of commands that can all be activated at the same time with one keypress. See our Macro page if you need help with macros.

Keybinds are just where you assign an action to a key. You can google or Youtube wow Shaman keybindings and find some good stuff.

It used to be that going level 1 to 60 in 6 days in-game time was pretty fast. These days? Zygor’s + heirlooms + questing + Recruit a Friend + charging as hard as you’re able can get you to the cap in about the same time.  Our RaF pair has gone 1-80 in 17 in-game hours, doing just that. You should be able to hit 60 rather quickly.

Nowadays we have three (or four) ways of gathering our XP. All are fast.

  • Questing – low stress and you’ll level fast enough. Questing is, overall, at least as fast as dungeon or PvP leveling.
  • Grinding – Once upon a time “grinding” mobs was worthwhile for XP. Just find an area with a lot of enemies and burn them down until your brain falls out. Or you level up. These days? If they are dropping loot that you’re interested in then go for it, otherwise stick to the quests.
  • Dungeoning – via the Dungeon Finder tool: DPS classes are a dime a dozen so the wait times to get into the dungeons can be a few minutes, but this can result in decent XP and better gear than you’ll get from questing. Just go questing while you’re waiting for the dungeon queue. Dungeon leveling isn’t faster than questing (mostly due to the sometimes long wait times for a group,) but it’s different and you get the nicer gear. If you go Resto, then your queues will be much shorter and XP gain faster.
  • PvP leveling – Battlegrounds can yield pretty good XP if your side wins. Since winning doesn’t seem to be a priority these days, for either faction, it might be best to do this with a well-oiled team. Check out Skill Capped for some good stuff.
  • Buffing foods can add Int and Stam and other stats, which gives them a bit of an edge over your own heals.
  • Always have the biggest bags you can afford
  • Make an Auction House alt and send anything (that isn’t grey) to the alt instead of vendoring it. Vendor the grey junk.
  • Questing is faster than grinding, except at the very lowest levels, but you do have to have a plan for your questing. Get a guide (see below) or study the in-game quest help thing and organize your quests to hit several at one time in the same place.
  • Keep your weapons updated; the rest of your gear can fall behind a bit (unless you’re serious about dungeons or PvP.)
  • Always log out at an Inn, to get the Rest XP when you come back.
  • Level with a new friend for 3x XP.  Recruit a Friend (RAF,) Heirlooms for the “Rest XP” bonus, and Zygor’s guide will get you leveled VERY quickly.
  • Here are ten more fast leveling tips.

More Dungeon Leveling Tips:

OK, you’re in a dungeon and you’re healing/blasting/hacking stuff. Here are some pointers.

  1. Do not keyboard turn! Bind the A and D keys to strafe left and right. Turn with your mouse. This not only makes you much more effective as a player, but allows you to use Spiritwalker’s Grace much better.
  2. Key bind all of the abilities you use in a boss fight. If you bind these keys as you level (and learn the new abilities) then you will learn to use them more effectively.
  3. Be able to carry out your rotation and pay attention to what is going on around you. if you cannot do this, get more addons (see addon section) and practice more. If you level in the dungeons this will become second nature.
  4. Use your interrupt. It’s a fine interrupt, you should use it.
  5. Use Purge when you should. There are a lot of trash mobs that get some kind of magic buff which makes them hit hard. You should purge this to prevent a wipe and save your repair bill.

Even more General Dungeon Tips

  • Let the tank lead & pull (attract the enemy,) unless he states that someone else should pull.
  • Do not use Knockback effects on anything the tank is fighting.
  • Stay out of any goop on the floor unless your team is creating it (such as healing circles.)
  • Stay behind the opponent as much as you can.
  • If you get aggro then either kill the mob or drag it to the tank.
  • Groups tend to move very quickly through the dungeons. Kill, move, kill, move… Be quick with your looting and try to keep up. Guild groups are generally much more forgiving.
  • Questgivers are located just inside the entrance to the dungeons. Grab all of the available quests and hand ’em in when done. Sometimes the questgivers will come to you when the final boss is down. Other times you will need to get back to the entrance. An easy way to do this is to exit the dungeon (using the icon on your mini-map, right click it and teleport out) and then teleport right back in. You’ll be at the entrance.

 

 

The (Really) Fast Shaman Leveling Guide

Level your New Shaman fast!
A Kul Tiran Shaman, Ready to go!
Click here to level fast!

The best way to get to level to the level cap fast is to do it with a pre-written, automated, in-game leveling guide. WoW has thousands of quests and a few million mobs to grind and it’s easy to get lost (in terms of what to do or where to go next ) or just bored. A full-blown guide will make your blast to the top much smoother.

Zygor’s Guide is what you want: constantly showing you where to go and what to do, without ever having to leave the game to look something up:

Assuming you stay focused on leveling (as opposed to shopping, PvP sessions, and RPing) you will be able to hit the level cap much faster than without the guide, even if you are brand new or have full heirlooms and Recruit a Friend.

Zygor is always fully updated for all new expansions, even Shadowlands, and so will never be obsolete. You can snag your copy of Zygor’s Guide here and cruise through the levels.

 

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