I am leveling a shaman for the first time in a long time. I will probably play ele for alt raids and for fun some enhance. It looks like from Wowhead that night fae is good for both specs but necrolord is better for ele.
What did you all pick all why?
I’ve been enjoying Necrolord. I’m mostly PvE, but have been trying to learn the PvP aspect. Primordial Wave is a combo weave that changes up the opener and the burst window in subtle ways. It’s an ability that asks me to engage my brain rather than running through the old my reactionary muscle memory. Especially if you run the conduit, it still presents the free opportunities for squeezing out more damage acting like Lava Burst+. So if you want a change in your gameplay for Ele, I’d recommend it.
Fleshcraft and the soulbinds definitely shores up survivability. And while there’s a lack of mobility, honestly everything and everyone is super mobile that you’re always better off finding LOS corners if you are looking to cut and run rather than expecting to be able to blink away. I’ve prevented a fair share of stuns and knockbacks with Ultimate Form, and every time it feels good.
If you aren’t planning on pushing worlds first in 9.1 raids or get invited to MDIs in 9.1 or going for glad then play whatever you want. Play them all. And then play the one thar fits your style.
If you fall into the top <1% accomplishing the above mentioned then you are most certainly not here asking this question.
With all this being said NF is BIS all PVE content for Ele/Enh and very close to Venthyr for enhance PVP.
Necrolord is considered BiS for all resto PVE/PVP. Though a lot of high key m+ resto shaman are going venthyr because of groups needing that covenant for those m+. I feel NF soulbinds are just now getting attention from resto shamans because the +25% crit every pull that can be chained almost indefinitely by resto can be huge in higher keys.
Necrolord is considered BiS for ele PVP.
Kyrian while not bad is typically just considered meh.
I went NF. (Admittedly partially because I can’t stand the motifs for NL or VT)
Fae transfusion is kinda punishing to Enhance in the form of forced channeling compared to Chain Harvest, but it’s ST damage is very difficult to beat of the options. (And healing is no slouch either.)
Niya is amazing for Enhance, Korayn is great for Ele (especially in M+, the “first strike” soulbind ability with SK is phenomenal)
There isn’t great overlap for either Spec in VT or NL.
Downside is: If you’re looking to pug a dungeon- if you’re enhance, it is assumed that you will be VT and if you’re ele it’s assumed (though less so now) that you will be NL.
Go NF if you plan to play both dps specs. Necro for elemental only and venthyr for enhancement only. I play NF now because I wanted to get into elemental nercolord just does feel right with enhancement. Fae transfusion does have a place in the rotation due to some gaps without storm ringer procs. Chain harvest is not very good for ele either fae transfusion is nature damage and can benefit from talents and masteries that modify nature damage. Chain harvest just doesn’t feel very good since it doesn’t generate maelstrom or work with storm keeper.
I’ve leveled through all 4 covenants and played them extensively. I ended up staying with Night Fae. It is far more versatile than the others for both single target and aoe, and fae transfusion is damn good even as enhancement.
What I think is really underappreciated is being able to blink out of aoe or other mechanics.
I went Venthyr because I thought I’d be playing enhance. Plus I thought Chain Harvest was cool and the extra consumables bonus from one of the soulbinds would be nice. Now that I’ve been playing Ele more I’m wishing I’d gone Necrolord. Primordial Wave actually fits into Eles toolkit where Chain Harvest really doesn’t. Fleshcraft would be a nice bonus to survivability too.
I’d swap covenants but I’m the only Venthyr in our M+ group and we like having access to the buffs in Revendreth dungeons.
Necrolord on this shaman for Ele/Resto, Venthyr on my other shaman for enhance. Mainly wanted to play a toon with ult form/frictionless coating in PVP on this one. I love the survivability so far, especially if I can get the whole cast off after popping battlemaster + earth ele. Having an out against incoming CC is just so damned useful.
I run Night Fae for my shaman.
Fae Transfusion is pretty strong, especially for Enhancement due to it benefiting from Mastery.
Mastery boost from Niya as Enhancement is pretty nice, especially if you run a more elemental build for Enhancement.
Transfusion can be tricky to get off, but again, that damage is pretty strong, especially on single target/isolated mobs.