First, I’d like to start off by saying that I’m enjoying this expansion quite a lot. Probably my favorite so far. I main enhancement shaman (Raid and Mythic +) and play a lot of alts (generally mythic plus). This post specifically pertains to the PVE side. This also relates to gameplay, not necessarily balance.
I’d like to start a discussion around the shaman class tree and the enhancement tree. I do generally like how it turned out and the flexibility of the talents I can choose.
The class tree has some power and defensives in it that every specialization takes, which is fine. The issue, however, are the capstones. They are fairly lackluster and/or extremely niche. While, some do fulfill class fantasy, I don’t believe that warrants their return and/or position in the class tree.
Looking at the 10.0.7 class tree, as an enhancement shaman, I will rarely (closer to never) take any of the capstones.
Totemic recall is only good if you need to reset windrush totem or capacitor totem. For restoration, it’s only really used for stoneskin totem in raid settings in niche situations.
Nature’s swiftness will never be used as an enhancement shaman in its current state.
Stoneskin totem is extremely niche and tranquil air totem won’t ever be used.
Additionally, Maelstrom weapon and flurry are only used by enhancement shaman. While this is not in the way for any of the other specs, I don’t believe this fits in the design philosophy of the class tree.
Now onto the enhancement class tree. Generally, the class tree is good. There are a few issues:
Windfury Totem. Biggest issue in my eyes.
This fits the class fantasy of enhancement shaman; however, I don’t think it is healthy for the shaman class as a whole (specifically the dps roles). If you’re the only dps shaman, you’re heavily incentivized to go enhancement for the group. While I do appreciate the raid spot, I feel there are other options to make shaman more compelling to bring, regardless of spec. Giving elemental shaman a specific totem that benefits ranged is also not compelling as this would cause more problems. I don’t want to be in a position, though, where dps shaman are not brought to a raid group as they do not provide anything to the raid.
It’s also not a fun button to press every 2 minutes as a maintenance button, even if it works with totemic projection for when you have to move ouf of the 30 yard range(and this is often). Melee not in the windfury group are also left out.
As the enhancement shaman having to spend a point in windfury totem, boy does it not feel great knowing that your damage output was just decreased. This is similar to beam for balance druids (albiet not as drastic).
Feral Lunge
This talent is used only as a last resort. This is quite unfortunate, as I love this ability. Not only that, to get this ability, you generally get rid of windfury weapon (which is another issue) and this hurts my soul. This talent needs to be made more accessible. Why must I feel awful about taking this amazing talent? Please send help.
Windfury weapon
Why is this a talent? This is THE class fantasy spell for enhancement shaman. This is what you think about when you play enhancement shaman.
Refreshing waters/Focused Insight
IF this was even a viable option to take, you would almost certainly choose focused insight as it allows you to triage other members. Currently, you would never take this talent.
Fire Nova
You would never take this talent. Probably a tuning issue.
Converging storms
This talent is never taken. Sounds cool, but not competitive enough or useful enough in any situation. Elemental build for enhancement does a better job at funneling.
Elemental Assault/Legacy of the frostwitch
These two talents only see play in the single target physical build – and you put two points into elemental assault and one into legacy of the frostwitch. Not much choice involved in these talents. Not useful to the Elemental build or the AoE physical build.
Deeply Rooted Elements / Ascendance
Deeply Rooted Elements is the new Hot Hands of shadowlands. Fun when you get procs, depressing when you do not. Ascendance never gets picked over Deeply Rooted Elements unless you absolutely need burst for a specific phase. Even so, I dread the day of having to pick ascendance. A 3 minute cooldown with a 15 second duration hoping for windstrike resets. These two talents are also only used for the physical doomwinds build. Right now, it clashes too much with the elemental build rotation.
In regards to playstyle, I’m glad the current hot hands playstyle has less of a variance and is very fun especially in aoe situations. Unfortunately, doomwinds with the deeply rooted elements became the extremely variant build we knew in shadowlands. Enhancement shaman’s damage is also extremely reliant on uptime on the boss compared to other classes. It would be nice to have something to mitigate this.