Primordial Wave (Elemental)

In Development Ghosts of K'aresh PTR
1

From AI itself:

"The Primordial Wave ability in World of Warcraft, particularly for Elemental Shamans, has recently undergone changes that have caused significant player dissatisfaction due to a perceived negative impact on gameplay flow and rotation complexity. Players report that the changes make the spec feel clunky, less responsive, and ultimately less enjoyable to play, especially in competitive content.

Key Issues:

  • Flame Shock Dependency:

The redesigned Primordial Wave now requires Flame Shock to be active on the target before it can be used, which adds an extra step to the rotation and can feel clunky.

  • Complexity Increase:

While Blizzard stated the change was intended to simplify the rotation, players argue it has actually increased complexity by requiring more active management of Flame Shock and other debuffs.

  • Rotation Disruption:

The new Primordial Wave can interrupt the flow of the rotation, particularly when trying to optimize burst windows with Ascendance or other cooldowns.

  • Potential DPS Loss:

Some players have reported a decrease in their overall damage output compared to previous versions of the spell.

  • Community Feedback:

The general sentiment within the Elemental Shaman community is overwhelmingly negative towards the changes, with many players requesting a revert to the previous version.

Specific Concerns:

  • Flame Shock Application:

Elemental Shamans rely on Primordial Wave to spread Flame Shock to multiple targets, and the new restrictions on its use have made AoE situations more challenging.

  • Ascendance Interaction:

The interaction between Primordial Wave and Ascendance has been described as awkward and clunky, making it difficult to optimize both abilities in a rotation.

  • Lack of Counterplay:

The changes have been criticized for making the spec feel less dynamic and reactive, as players feel they have less control over their damage output.

  • Class Balance:

Some players feel that Blizzard is not giving Elemental Shamans the attention they deserve, especially compared to other specs like Enhancement Shaman, which have received consistent buffs.

In summary, the recent changes to Primordial Wave have been poorly received by the Elemental Shaman community, who feel that the new design has negatively impacted the spec’s feel, rotation, and overall enjoyment."

Will blizzard listen? I think not.

Thank you for coming to our presentation

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2

It can’t be overstated how absolutely awful this change has been for Elemental.

There is a myriad of posts about Pwave for Elemental. Even when the change was first announced, it received nothing but negative feedback from dedicated Elemental players.

The spell, and the spec, desperately needs attention. The spec has taken a massive step backwards since its Season 1 rework.

In another thread, I suggested some changes to both the Elemental Talent tree and Primordial Wave that could allow the spell to shine without reverting, but blending what made the old great with the simplicity of use from the new.

The TLDR (Numbers would obviously need tuning, but it’s not about numbers, it’s about how the spec feels and looks to play. No one sensible wants their spec to be broken, but just for the buttons to feel good to press).

1. LMT made baseline and moved out of capstone territory
Liquid Magma Totem being our only way to apply Flame Shock to multiple targets is not strong enough to justify its current placement as a capstone. It should be made baseline or moved to a more accessible part of the talent tree. Further, it should apply 6 Flame Shocks on placement up from the current 3.

2. Flame Shock duration to refresh or extend when target is struck with Lava Burst
Combined with point 3, this eliminates awkward Flame Shock downtime between LMT uses and keeps the rotation flowing smoothly in AOE.

3. Replace the current LMT capstone with a new talent: Farseer’s Fury or to even bring back a household name Windspeaker’s Lava Resurgence
This new capstone causes the next 2 (or, if we’re getting excited, 3) Lava Bursts to hit all Flame Shock affected targets after casting Primordial Wave. Additionally, grants Lava Surge immediately and then again every 3 seconds for 12 seconds (up to 3 times).

The interplay between changes 2 and 3 maintains Flame Shock in AOE and allows for the return of that iconic Lava Burst cleave.

These Lava bursts could deal X% less damage and generate less Maelstrom, giving opportunities for easy tuning. More importantly though, it would allow us to fish for Power of the Maelstrom procs and play around Master of the Elements, creating more opportunities for skill expression without overwhelming the rotation.

These changes preserve Elemental’s uniqueness from Enhance. They keep the initial interaction of casting Pwave the same, but offer a completely different and more thematically fitting capstone. They restore Flame Shock’s AOE presence, allow for proper multi-target Lava Burst cleave, and gives each element their place in the rotation again.

Please don’t leave the spell how it is for another season.

Elemental is not a Lightning mage. Actioning the above suggestions meaningfully differentiates us from Enhance, maintains the initial goals of making Pwave easier to use and restores our Elemental identity.

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