Elemental the way to go?Follow

I started my shaman looking for a new experience and a break from my rogue. The more I read about shaman the more I doubt my choice to go Elemental. I want to know if playing Elemental would be efficient in leveling. I'm straying away from Enhancement because I'm afraid it will be too close to playing a rogue (combat maces). I want to get to 70 as fast as possible, so if Enhancement will be the fastest should I just suck it up and drop Elemental?

Fixed. Yeah, enhancement is definitely the way to go for leveling. Although, I've been toying with the idea of doing something like this gearing as enhancement and using a two-hander, and then having another set to heal when instancing. Not sure how it would work though, but I think it's basically got everything I use a lot out of enhancement except for stormstrike. (Actually, I was toying around with the idea of making a new shammy and trying it out in PvP as a healer, but I wasn't sure how it would work.)

Enhancement is better than Elemental for leveling. (And maybe at 70 too, I never did get the hang of Elemental) Much easier to just smash into your target than trying to cast when the mob is hitting you (when are shaman ever getting a CC?)

enhance is the way to go. I started switching over at level 61. At least for horde, you will find many spell damage gear in hellfire peninsula quests.

As for a build, most of the talents are pretty good. I skip the shield blocking one. I've always favoured offense and more damage over defense. Only taking defensive ones as filler. Not to mention you won't be using a shield. Use a 2 hander for the most part. Eventually through talents you can duel wield, and this really starts to shine with stormstrike (a must have talent).

If you lack equipment, it can get rough in areas. It may not be as quick as levelling as a rogue. But with many options spell, totem, and healing options, I think you'll find it satisfying.

Not to say you can't go elemental. Just expect to be drinking to replenish mana more. It just becomes easier when you get spell damage gear in the 60's and get water shield at 62.

Edited, Jan 1st 2008 11:28am by thrashering

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once i get a spare minute i will tell you about my experience leveling from lvl 1-70 as enhancement while my leveling companion switched to elemental at level 60 all the way to level 70. We leveled all the way from 60-70 together.

Anyone who says that hasn't tried leveling Elemental from square one. I have.

Try to imagine leveling a Mage without the ability to summon water or Evocate. Or maybe a Warlock without having Life Tap. Water Shield is our Evocate, our summon water, our Life Tap, and we don't get it until the early 60's.

Elemental DPS also sucks pretty bad until you round out the majority of the Elemental tree, whereas Enhancement will become negotiable at 20 and a true force at 40-ish.

On top of all of that, rare mail and even leather caster pieces are incredibly rare pre-Outland. Even with a shield, walking around in cloth does very little to help our already poor survivability.