Patch 3.1 PTR build 9658 Shaman changes
by Matthew Rossi 
Mar 7th 2009 at 7:30AM
Sorry for my absence from the website yesterday: I'd like to thank Zach for covering for me as he did. Since hopefully the issues that were preventing my posting have been worked out for the most part I'm here to take a look at the most recent changes to shamans for patch 3.1. So far they're all PvP oriented changes in the enhancement tree, based in part around the upcoming Frozen Power spell. - Enhancement
- Frostbrand Weapon damage has been increased. (From 442 to 530 damage for Rank 9, from 386 to 463 for Rank 8, etc ...)
- Frozen Power now Increases the damage done by your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Lava Lash and Shock spells by 5/10% on targets afflicted by your Frostbrand Attack effect
- Flurry now Increases your attack speed by 5/10/15/20/25% for your next 3 swings after dealing a critical strike. (Down from 10/15/20/25/30%)
The flurry change is a nerf. I don't know why it was needed. Are enh shamans really doing too much damage due to flurry? It's a small nerf, true enough, but it's a nerf nonetheless.
Combined with earlier shaman changes, what we're seeing here is an extended effort across several PTR builds to move PvP enhancement into a Frostbrand MH style, with frostbrand made more attractive due to Frozen Power and its various buffs. I don't think the DPS will be equal to Windfury (even with the glyph changes, you'll probably see more DPS with WF than Frostbrand on your MH unless the Frozen Power increase is more significant than it currently appears) but in PvP, the Frostbrand snare combined with more DPS for shocks, Maelstrom procs and Lava Lash might well prove compelling.
Filed under: Shaman, Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Elmo Mar 7th 2009 7:49AM
I think they nerfed flurry because:
1- Enhancement is doing excellent dps 4k+ is not hard
2- they are buffing the effect of haste and ArP on items.
and @ luke
/shoo you will not get heroism/bloodlust anymore.
the secret shaman council will see to it
Elmo Mar 7th 2009 7:57AM
also WoR shows these changes:
Flametongue Weapon: Bonus damage from spell power now based on weapon speed. Slower weapons will benefit more from spell power.
Frostbrand Weapon: Damage increased by approximately 20%.
Talents
Enhancement
Flurry: Now provides 5/10/15/20/25% haste instead of 10/15/20/25/30%.
New Talent: Frozen Power: Increases the damage done by your Lightning Bolt, Chain Lightning, Lava Lash and Shock spells by 5/10% on targets afflicted by your Frostbrand Attack effect, and your Frost Shock has a 50/100% chance to root the target in Ice for 5 sec. when used on targets at or further than 15 yards from you.
Restoration
Tidal Force: Now has a new spell effect.
Enhancement Shaman PvP Set Bonus: The cooldown reduction of Stormstrike has been increased to 2 seconds, up from 1 second.
Armor Penetration Rating: All classes now receive 25% more benefit from Armor Penetration Rating.
Haste Rating: Shamans, Paladins, Druids, and Death Knights now receive 30% more melee haste from Haste Rating.
update time!
pkrockin Mar 7th 2009 9:16AM
Why all the focus on Frostbrand in the main hand? You'd think they'd want to give you a replacement for Flametongue so you keep the spec-defining Winfury. Maybe then Lava Lash could be changed to a new skill that deals elemental off-hand damage based on what imbue you have.
lecada Mar 7th 2009 9:18AM
the reason they're nerfing flurry is because of the amount of expertise we're getting with ur. getting 9 expertise with three talent points along with the increase in ap for the raid is too many "points" in the talent tree without getting a nerf somewhere else.
Delmonico Mar 7th 2009 10:01AM
Plus, does the nerf to Shaman flurry bring it in line with the nerf to warrior flurry a long time ago in a patch far far away?
Del
maeby Mar 7th 2009 12:08PM
i actually just started a shaman and im really enjoying it. had a quick question though...
with the hearthstone CD dropping to 30 min, do you think they will drop the CD on astral recall? maybe 15 min?
Eggbrook Mar 7th 2009 12:25PM
The CD on astrall recall is already 15 mins
Elmo Mar 7th 2009 1:17PM
With a minor glyph its even 7.5 mins.
short enough imo
apoxic Mar 7th 2009 1:24PM
As mentioned its already 15min, and you can glyph it down to 7.5min (Quite recommended for leveling).
I rarely ever use my HS, except those times I check the fishing daily and my Astral is already on cd.
urugvay Mar 9th 2009 3:50PM
Why Blizzard has to be that way always? Why not OH FB but MH!?...i am defiantly not gonna use FB on MH...i don't care about that cc. Because range classes are not the problem for Enh. shaman. Rogues and Dk's are problems and they are melee classes so chances to be at 15yards from them very slim...
I don't complain much i am at 2310 2v2 with Demo Lock, but it took some HARD skill to get up there. I know there will be time when Elem or Enh spec will be OP at least for a few months so i can just take revenge for the whole BC arena time and just say "go to hell nub, my time has come!"
tgcam Mar 10th 2009 8:50AM
your having a tough time with dks? cause im not really having trouble with them myself, unless they got friends with them. desease cleansing totem cuts their damage down majorly, and they so nicely bring you into melee range with out having to chase them down. unless they massively out gear you, you should be standing a fair chance. i have more trouble with paladins myself.
Ebontail Mar 8th 2009 7:07PM
More Fail by blizzard, they will simply be concenetrating on PvP changes and ignore the fact that In PvE shaman are bottom of the barrel in DPS. and that first post..4K+ dps is not hard? Lol whatever, unless it is on patchwerk, thaddius, or loatheb or you have best in slot pieces all teh way around you wont crack 4k...EVER
crash Mar 9th 2009 3:21PM
Completely agree with Ebon on this. Post some wow web stat logs of a 4k dps on anything except the fights he listed above and I'll eat a shoe.
Mensar Mar 10th 2009 5:19PM
lolwhut... i have an ele shammy, i hit 3500 dps, in heroics... i am not fully geared, only in one piece of 7.5. I dont know how you play your shaman, but your doing it wrong
Smashy Mar 19th 2009 6:44AM
http://wowwebstats.com/3h4onpoemnqty?s=49-15292&a=x1ec25b5
Want some salt crash?