With Patch 3.3.2 coming next week it is time to put out my best in Slot list. This loot list will be based on Normal version raid loot since Heroic modes are not available yet. With the changes coming to our Tier 10 4 piece bonus this patch you should be working towards getting the 4 piece bonus instead of eariler BiS lists which included using only the 2 piece bonus and 3 off set pieces. The 4 pieces you will be using from the Sanctified Frost Witch's Regalia are the Helm, Chest, Gloves, and Shoulders. Ok now on to the list:
Official Patch Notes:
World of Warcraft Client Patch 3.3.2
The latest test realm patch notes can always be found at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/test-realm-patchnotes.html
The latest patch notes can always be found at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/
Dungeons & Raids
Halls of Stone
PvP
Arenas
Druid (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Balance
Shaman (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Elemental Combat
Warlock (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Affliction
Warrior (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Protection
User Interface
Items
The latest test realm patch notes can always be found at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/test-realm-patchnotes.html
The latest patch notes can always be found at http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/
Dungeons & Raids
Halls of Stone
- Brann Bronzebeard has been getting into shape and now feels comfortable walking faster when escorted.
- The Devourer of Souls will now cast Mirrored Souls less often.
- The Spell Reflect ability has been altered on several creatures. It now has a cast time, only has 2 charges, and has a 75% chance of reflecting spells.
- Anomalus will now use the Create Rift ability only once, down from 3 times.
- Elder Nadox now only gets one Ahn'Kahar Guardian during the encounter.
- Jadoga Shadowseeker now only ascends once during the encounter.
- Several enemies between the Befouled Terrace and The Desecrated Altar have been removed or had their pathing altered.
- Players can now zone back into the instance if they are dead while encounters with Krick and Ick or Forgemaster Garfrost are in progress.
- Skadi the Ruthless can now be removed from his drake with 3 harpoon strikes, down from 5.
- Svala Sorrowgrave now casts Ritual of the Sword 1 time during the encounter, down from 3.
- Toravon, the latest boss to join the Vault's giants and masters of the elements, is now accepting challengers in 10- and 25-player formats.
- The time between a boss being defeated and a new portal opening has been decreased.
PvP
Arenas
- Season 8 has officially begun featuring all-new rewards.
Druid (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Balance
- Earth and Moon: This talent now increases the druid's spell damage by 2/4/6%, up from 1/2/3%.
Shaman (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Elemental Combat
- Shamanism: This talent now provides 4/8/12/16/20% extra spell damage to Lightning Bolt/Chain Lightning, up from 3/6/9/12/15%, and 5/10/15/20/25% to Lava Burst, up from 4/8/12/16/20%.
Warlock (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Affliction
- Shadow Embrace: This effect can now stack up to 3 times, up from 2. However, the periodic healing reduction effect has been reduced from 3/6/9/12/15% to 2/4/6/8/10% per application.
- Demonic Pact: The damage bonus granted the warlock by this talent has been increased from 1/2/3/4/5% to 2/4/6/8/10%. The buff granted to a raid or party by this talent remains unchanged.
- Conflagrate: The damage-over-time effect of Conflagrate has been increased to 40% of the spell's total damage, up from 20%.
- Empowered Imp: The pet bonus damage provided by this talent has been increased to 10/20/30%, up from 5/10/15%.
- Improved Shadow Bolt: Damage done by Shadow Bolt increased by 2/4/6/8/10%, up from 1/2/3/4/5%.
Warrior (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Protection
- Shield Slam: The damage scaling from block value for this ability now diminishes faster and diminishes starting at a lower block value. The difference should be negligible for players in high-end tanking armor. In addition, the threat caused by Shield Slam has been increased by 30%.
- Warbringer: This talent no longer allows Charge and Intercept to break roots or snares. Intervene remains unaffected.
User Interface
- The party leader is now referred to as Guide in chat when a group is formed via the Dungeon Finder.
- Fixed a bug where players with Raid Assist capabilities were unable to perform a Ready Check.
- Fixed a bug where the first couple of tutorials were not displaying upon logging into the game.
Items
- New strength-based melee DPS rings are now available from representatives of the Ashen Verdict.
- Tier-10 Elemental Shaman 4-Piece Set Bonus: Redesigned. Successful Lava Burst casts now increase the duration of Flame Shock on the target by 6 seconds.
From MMO
Shamanism: This talent now increases your Lightning Bolt or Chain Lightning spell damage by 4/8/12/16/20% (Up from 3/6/9/12/15%) and Lava Burst spell damage by 5/10/15/20/25% (Up from 4/8/12/16/20%
I can't believe it, Blizzard has finally recognized that elemental shaman's DPS is not keeping up with the rest of the DPS specs and tossed us a nice buff to Shamanism. With the recent changes to our T10 4piece bonus allowing us to toss out more LBs per encounter this really is a nice buff.
We're not happy with Elemental 4PT10, even with the change Eyonix announced (not requiring Flame Shock for LvB to crit). I think we're likely to completely redo it. We'll try and post soon what we think that change will be so you can make gear choices accordingly.
The Shaman Tier 10 bonus has been redesigned and will no longer reduce the cooldown of Lava Burst or enable Lava Burst to be guaranteed to critical strike without Flame Shock present. Instead successful Lava Burst casts now increase the duration of Flame Shock on the target by 6 seconds.
Please note this is still a work in progress and we may end up with a different or modified bonus before the patch goes live.
Well if you have spent any time on Shaman forums lately you would have no doubt read that the community was not happy with the Tier 10 armor set 4-piece that went live in patch 3.3. I must say I did not like it myself. I am going to open this topic up to our readers and would like their input on the bonus as a blue post above proposed change.
First let me say I know it has been a while since I posted any new information on the Tavern. Between work, real life and raiding I haven't had much time but things have finally settled down for me again. I look forward to bringing you guys as much Elemental Shaman information as I can as we make our way through Icecrown Citadel and finally take down the Lich King. I will also start working on gathering all Cataclysm information as it is released so Shamans are ready when it comes out later this year.
I have spent a lot of time raiding and testing some new rotations for the Elemental spec since 3.3 has come out. As we were going into 3.3 working our way through ToGC the top dps rotation had Chain Lightning being used after Lava Burst each time or even on cooldown if the encounter was not very mana intensive. Well in 3.3 this will not be the case.
The best Elemental Rotation in 3.3 no longer involves using Chain Lighting. Now that statement may be misleading as you will still use CL but not after every Lava Burst. The rotation you should be using now is Flame Shock, Lava Burst, Lightning Bolt until LvB is off cooldown. The only time a CL should be cast on single target bosses is when you need a filler spell. Remember you should never clip you Lava Burst cooldown by casting an extra LB but a CL just might fit in. In 3.3 the haste levels that elemental shamans are reaching have brought the cast time of Lightning Bolt down so far that it no longer makes sense to have Chain Lightning in your standard rotation.
I have spent a lot of time raiding and testing some new rotations for the Elemental spec since 3.3 has come out. As we were going into 3.3 working our way through ToGC the top dps rotation had Chain Lightning being used after Lava Burst each time or even on cooldown if the encounter was not very mana intensive. Well in 3.3 this will not be the case.
The best Elemental Rotation in 3.3 no longer involves using Chain Lighting. Now that statement may be misleading as you will still use CL but not after every Lava Burst. The rotation you should be using now is Flame Shock, Lava Burst, Lightning Bolt until LvB is off cooldown. The only time a CL should be cast on single target bosses is when you need a filler spell. Remember you should never clip you Lava Burst cooldown by casting an extra LB but a CL just might fit in. In 3.3 the haste levels that elemental shamans are reaching have brought the cast time of Lightning Bolt down so far that it no longer makes sense to have Chain Lightning in your standard rotation.