EDIT (1/17/2025)
Many folks disagree with the keybinds outlined in this post. That’s fine. The point is that the more a class/spec requires custom UI/keybinds/addons in order to play “optimally”/smoothly, the more Blizzard should considering reworking it. Interface/UI tensions deter gamers from engaging in something that they might otherwise enjoy.
Not that it matters, but I’ve reworked my keybinds, macros, and talent choices on my Enhancement Shaman in such a way that it allows me to play smoothly enough, but it took a considerable amount of time to arrive at that point… and the high level of customization creates considerable tension in trying out other talent combinations or abilities.
Keybind Nightmare
As a general rule of thumb, I aim to keep myself within 24 button keybinds when playing any class. It helps to keep me sane. This is extremely difficult to do on an Enhancement Shaman while picking up useful utility buttons. For example:
| Keybind | Ability/Macro | █ | Keybind | Ability/Macro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stormstrike | █ | Shift+1 | Macro: Feral Lunge / Lightning Bolt / Healing Surge / Ancestral Vision |
| 2 | Lava Lash | █ | Shift+2 | Macro: Flame Shock / Earth Shield |
| 3 | Crash Lightning | █ | Shift+3 | Macro: Lightning Lasso / Chain Lightning / Chain Heal |
| 4 | Frost Shock | █ | Shift+4 | Sundering |
| 5 | Surging Totem | █ | Shift+5 | Primordial Wave |
| Q | Macro: Skyfury, Lightning Shield, Flametongue Weapon, Windfury Weapon / Water Walking, {Mount} | █ | Shift+Q | Wind Rush Totem |
| E | Wind Shear | █ | Shift+E | Purge |
| Scroll-Up | Capacitor Totem | █ | Shift+Scroll-Up | Earthgrab Totem |
| Scroll-Down | Tremor Totem | █ | Shift+Scroll-Down | Earth Elemental |
| Middle-Mouse | Thunderstorm | █ | Shift+Middle-Mouse | Totemic Projection |
| Mouse Btn:4 | Healing Stream Totem | █ | Shift+Mouse Btn:4 | Stone Bulwark Totem |
| Mouse Btn:5 | Macro: Ghost Wolf / Heroism | █ | Shift+Mouse Btn:5 | Gust of Wind |
I still don’t know where to put Poison Cleansing Totem or my racial active ability (Haymaker for Kul Tiran) or how to work those in without making it incredibly awkward to use. I also haven’t talented into Lava Burst / Elemental Blast, Cleanse Spirit, Hex, Totemic Recall (a DPS boost when used with Surging Totem), Ice Strike (I use the passive version instead), Fire Nova, Doom Winds, Feral Spirit (I make it passive via Flowing Spirits), or Ascendance (I use Deeply Rooted Elements instead).
Due to the nature of how Maelstrom Weapon works, I don’t feel that it would be useful to talent into Spiritwalker’s Grace or Nature’s Swiftness.
Macro Nightmare
Here is a break down of the macros I’m using in an effort to try and fit everything in.
#showtooltip Feral Lunge
/use [@mouseover,help,dead,nocombat]Ancestral Spirit;[@mouseover,help,nodead]Healing Surge;[@mouseover,harm,nodead]Feral Lunge;Lightning Bolt
/use [combat]Astral Shift
#showtooltip Lightning Lasso
/use [@mouseover,help,dead,nocombat,known:Ancestral Vision]Ancestral Vision;[@mouseover,help,nodead,known:Chain Heal]Chain Heal;[@mouseover,harm,nodead]Lightning Lasso;Chain Lightning
#showtooltip Startouched Furline
/castsequence reset=3 [btn:2] Skyfury, Lightning Shield, Flametongue Weapon, Windfury Weapon
/use [nomounted]Water Walking
/use [nomounted]Startouched Furline
/dismount [mounted]
#showtooltip Heroism
/use [btn:2]Heroism;Ghost Wolf
#showtooltip
/use [@mouseover,help,nodead,known:Earth Shield]Earth Shield;[@mouseover,harm,nodead][]Flame Shock
“You’re not supposed to pick up everything”
You’re right, not every ability is going to be used in every dungeon or scenario (and even then, some more sparingly than others particularly when utility GCDs compete with DPS GCDs). Could I have different talent loadouts with different keybind arrangements and macros? Yes, but is the hassle really worth it?
Maybe I’m an outlier, but I usually tweak my build to be comfortable in MOST scenarios (something that AoE’s well is usually a go-to, like an M+ build) and just stick with that build in every form of content. It’s not min/maxing, but my DPS output is less valuable to me than my utility and survivability… which is why I often aim to be “well-rounded” when it comes to the utility I bring, even if I’m often not going to need it in a particular instance.
I usually talent out of things over time that I find myself consistently not using… then find myself talenting back into it if it would’ve been REALLY nice to have in a particular moment (like Tremor Totem).
Suggestions
The following adjustments would add significant quality of life improvements to Shamans in general and make it much easier to fit everything onto our hotbars without requiring players to go crazy with their custom UI setup or macros.
Totemic Tremors - Passive (Replaces Tremor Totem)
Pulses from Earthbind Totem also cleanse Fear, Charm, and Sleep effects from you and your party and raid members within 30 yards. This effect has 3 charges, and each charge refreshes once every 60 seconds.
Totemic Cleansing - Passive (Replaces Poison Cleansing Totem)
Healing from your Healing Stream Totem also cleanses Poison effects. This effect has 6 charges, and each charge refreshes once every 2 minutes.The Poison Cleansing effect for Cloudburst Totem only has 1 charge, but it affects all allies that are healed.
Skyfury’s Enhancements - Passive (NEW level 16 baseline ability)
Casting Skyfury also refreshes the duration of all your active elemental shields, weapon enhancements, and shield enhancements. Skyfury’s mana cost is increased by (5% of base mana) for each Earth Shield you have active.
Totemic Tailwind - Passive (NEW talent on choice node with Wind Rush Totem)
While Earthbind Totem is active, you can trigger it again to activate Wind Rush once every 2 minutes. Wind Rush lasts for 18 seconds, extending the duration of Earthbind Totem as needed, and continually grants nearby allies 50% increased movement speed for 5 seconds.
Surging Totem - Active (NEW version of Surging Totem for Enhancement Shamans)
Summons a totem at the target location that creates a Tremor immediately and every 6 seconds for (115% of Attack Power). Flamestrike damage. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets. Lasts 24 seconds.Replaces Earthbind Totem, inheriting its effects and benefits.
Lightning Lasso - Passive (NEW version of Lightning Lasso)
If Wind Shear fails to successfully interrupt a target, its cooldown is reset and the target is instead gripped with a Lightning Lasso.The Lightning Lasso requires you to channel for up to 5 seconds to maintain, stunning the target and dealing up to (700% of Spell Power) Nature damage over its duration. You can move while channeling.
Stone Bulwark - Passive (Replaces Stone Bulwark Totem)
While any totem is active and Stone Bulwark is off cooldown, Astral Shift is replaced with Stone Bulwark which has a 3 minute cooldown.Stone Bulwark grants you an absorption shield preventing a moderate amount of damage for 15 seconds, and an additional small amount every 5 seconds for 30 seconds.