Enhancement Shaman
A dual-wielding melee fighter that enhances weapons with elemental power and supercharges the melee group.
How It Feels to Play
Enhancement Shaman is the melee spec that everyone wants in their group. You dual-wield weapons enhanced with Windfury and Flametongue, dealing a wild mix of physical and elemental damage. When Windfury procs, you get extra attacks that can themselves proc Windfury. It's a slot machine of damage, and when it pays out, the numbers are absurd.
The rotation is busier than you'd expect from a melee spec. Stormstrike on cooldown, Earth Shock for burst, keep your totems down, manage your Shamanistic Rage for mana, and weave in weapon buff refreshes. You're also responsible for dropping melee-friendly totems (Windfury Totem, Strength of Earth Totem, Grace of Air Totem) that make your entire melee group significantly stronger.
Enhancement Shamans are valued less for personal DPS (which is decent but not chart-topping) and more for what they bring to the group. An Enhancement Shaman in a melee group with Fury Warriors and Rogues is a massive DPS increase for everyone. Add in Bloodlust, and you're one of the most impactful specs in any raid.
Strengths
- Windfury Totem and melee totems massively buff the melee group
- Windfury weapon procs create exciting burst moments
- High demand; every raid wants Enhancement in melee groups
Pain Points
- Personal DPS is modest compared to pure melee DPS
- Mana management requires Shamanistic Rage usage
- Squishy in melee range; can die quickly to AoE
Demand & Supply
Windfury Totem and Bloodlust make Enhancement Shamans mandatory in melee groups. Most raids want 1-2 Enhancement Shamans. The demand often exceeds the supply.
Talent Build
Standard Enhancement DPS
0/41/2041 into Enhancement for Shamanistic Rage, 20 into Restoration for Totemic Focus, Nature's Guidance, and Improved Reincarnation. Stormstrike on cooldown, Earth Shock for burst, keep totems down (Windfury for melee, Strength of Earth, Grace of Air). Shamanistic Rage is essential for mana, so use it on cooldown. Unleashed Rage provides 10% Attack Power to your melee group.
Stat Priority
Hit cap ensures your Stormstrike and auto-attacks connect. Expertise reduces dodges. Strength and Agility both scale well for Enhancement. Crit triggers Flurry and Unleashed Rage. Intellect helps with mana but is a low priority.
Pre-Raid Best in Slot
| Slot | Item | Source |
|---|---|---|
| head |
|
Epoch Hunter - Old Hillsbrad Foothills (Heroic) |
| neck |
|
Revered - Keepers of Time |
| shoulders |
|
Warp Splinter - The Botanica |
| back |
|
Exarch Maladaar - Auchenai Crypts |
| chest |
|
Quest - Wanted: Pathaleon the Calculator's Head |
| wrists |
|
Murmur - Shadow Labyrinth (Heroic) |
| hands |
|
Quagmirran - The Slave Pens (Heroic) |
| waist |
|
Warp Splinter - The Botanica (Heroic) |
| legs |
|
Warlord Kalithresh - The Steamvault |
| feet |
|
Warchief Kargath Bladefist - The Shattered Halls |
| ring |
|
Exalted - Lower City |
| ring |
|
Quest - How to Break Into the Arcatraz |
| trinket |
|
Temporus - The Black Morass |
| trinket |
|
41 Badges - G'eras (Shattrath) |
| main hand |
|
Warchief Kargath Bladefist - The Shattered Halls (Heroic) |
| off hand |
|
Aeonus - The Black Morass |
| ranged | Totem of the Astral Winds Totem of the Astral Winds 25 Badges - G'eras (Shattrath) | 25 Badges - G'eras (Shattrath) |
Rotation & Priority
41 into Enhancement for Shamanistic Rage, 20 into Restoration for Totemic Focus, Nature's Guidance, and Improved Reincarnation. Stormstrike on cooldown, Earth Shock for burst, keep totems down (Windfury for melee, Strength of Earth, Grace of Air). Shamanistic Rage is essential for mana, so use it on cooldown. Unleashed Rage provides 10% Attack Power to your melee group.
Progression Path
Quest through Outland, run dungeons for gear along the way.
Farm reputation to Revered for Heroic keys. Replace leveling greens.
Collect your Pre-Raid BiS gear and Badge of Justice items.
Enter your first raid. Collect Tier 4 tokens and epic drops.
Progress into SSC, Tempest Keep, Black Temple, and Sunwell.
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