Elemental shaman PvP

Sup, peeps. Thanks for visiting my blog on Elemental Shaman PvP. In this blog post, I will be covering some of the most basic, yet essential things that you’ll need to excel in to do well in the PvP arena.
Totem Management
I cover this topic in depth in my blog post below, but I can’t stress it enough that totem management can make or break your PvP team. Totem timing is crucial and you should watch your totems carefully. When you totems expire or are destroyed, keep replenishing them as planned. This will keep your enemy’s pets distracted and buff your PvP play beautifully.
Purge!
Purge your enemy warriors to get dispels off them. This will put the enemy warriors in combat and disallow them from gaining rage from Charge. This will also get some buffs off the warrior, allowing it to take more and cause less damage. You should also purge any enemy priests and shamans so that you can inflict more damage on them as well.
Switch Targets
The Elemental Shaman is an utility figure in PvP. Keep switching targets especially with your Purge abilities and a combination of spells that will inflict the most damage. Shammys should always pick on enemy priests, shamans and warriors.
Earth Shock
Use ranked 1 Earth Shock as a means for interrupting spell casting in your enemy team. Pick on healers first. If they are out of range, go for the mage, shaman and warlock. This will help interrupt spells like Fear and Counterspell.
Bloodlust
For an Elemental Shaman, Bloodlust is one of the strongest key spells to use during PvP. Hit Bloodlust on a enemy target last, before you switch to the next target.
Macros
Macros can be used for KILLING targets especially when he has only around 35% of health left. This is my favorite macro for my Elemental Shaman PvP:
/stopcasting
/use 13
/cast Elemental Mastery
/cast Nature’s Swiftness
/cast Chain Lightning
Use 13 is to activate a damage dealing trinket like the Icon of Silver Crescent. That line is entirely optional.
Running Away
Always set up your ‘base’ near a pillar. This will allow you and your team mates to run around one so that you will be ‘Out of Line of Sight’ when a caster is trying to throw a damaging spell at you. It interrupts their cast while saving yourself from taking damage. Positioning is one of the most critical arts in PvP. Ghost Wolf form aids escaping significantly, particularly with the Improved Ghost Wolf talent or Nature’s Swiftness, both of which is an instant-cast.
When you are ‘forced’ to run away when you are hit with a Warlock’s Fear spell, drop a Grounding Totem. Your Grounding Totem will save you by absorbing some spell damage coming your way. You could also use rank 1 Earth Shock to stop enemy casters.
Fake Casting and Interrupts
If you cast a heal or lightning bolt half way and then cancel it, your opponent has a high chance of wasting his spell interrupt and you can start free casting heals or lightning bolts without worrying about interrupts. This method of dodging interrupts takes a lot of practice. Use Wind Shear against any enemy casters as it will disrupt enemy casters. Earth Shock (rank 1) is also a must to interrupt heals and spells.
PvP play in WoW can be considered an art rather than a science.
As these are only the basics to PvP tactics and strategies, I would recommend ARENA PWNAGE: a PvP Guide that has loads of PvP Videos, Class and Character information and Specialized Forums, if you’re interested in getting to top of your game. It’s an advanced guide for players who already have some experience in PvP play .. but want to better their games significantly.
Every Elemental Shaman PvP player will tell you that winning 1v1 match ups is pretty tough. Warriors could take a swipe at you and you’ll have less than half your health left in a blink of an eye. Warlocks could fear you and you’d run around in circles as you suffer a slow and embarrassing death. Traditionally, shammys fare much better in group PvPs as we have great buffs that can give our groups and edge.
But there is hope, with the right solo PvP strategies and gear, you will stand a fighting chance of winning. Totem management could make or break your game and this post is dedicated to using the best totems in the PvP Arena.
Earth Totems
Tremor Totem – Use this totem to dispel any fear spells casted by your enemies. This protects both you and your party members during PvP battles.
Earthbind Totem – Placing this totem in the middle of your enemy group will instantly slow them down (especially the melee attackers), giving your team a clear advantage of maneuvering in the playing field. Your totem will slow down your enemies ability to move by 50%.
Both of these Earth Totems are incredibly mana efficient and will benefit your group greatly.
Water Totems
Mana Spring Totem - This is a great source of mana replenishment for your team of casters and healer. Do replace the mana spring totem when it burns out.
Poison Cleansing Totem – If there is a hunter or rogue in the opposing team, use this totem instead of the mana spring totem. Your healers will be able to heal faster (and spend less mana) if this totem is in place in the presence of rogue and hunter enemies.
Healing Stream Totem – This totem is helpful, but the first 2 totems above will be more effective in PvP play. Do drop this totem if there is another Shaman in your group. This totem is create for recovering from fast damage dealt by your enemies.
Disease Cleansing Totem – If an enemy undead shadow priest lays down the devouring plague DoT, you can lay this totem down once and change to the Mana Spring Totem right after that. The disease casted by the undead shadow priest has a 3 minute cooldown.
Fire Totems
Searing Totem – Use this in 1v1 PvP. It provides spell knockback to other casters, does a decent amount of damage and lasts for a long time if not killed.
Fire Nova Totem - This totem comes with a high mana cost, but comes with high burst damage. This is a less recommended totem as it might interfere with your group’s crowd control abilities.
Magma Totem - Use the rank 1 totem to un-stealth an enemy rogue who gets too close to your group.
Frost Resistance Totem - This will help if you have a frost mage in the enemy team. Although the frost resistance amount your group will get is not much, it might contribute to your team in the long run.
Air Totems
Windfury Totem – This is one of the most important totems in the PvP Arena. Your warriors will be able to enjoy a good weapon buff and gain extra rage in the presence of this totem.
Grounding Totem – This will absorb lots of caster damage (especially from shadowbolts and frostbolts). This totem can help you team mate survive if he is taking alot of spell damage. This totem is usually destroyed pretty quickly, but you can put down the Windfury Totem right after that.
Wrath of Air Totem - Use this totem instead of the Windfury Totem if you do not have a warrior on your team. This totem will help your caster DPS and healer.
Other Totems
There are other totems that I have not mentioned in the passage above as they are not as beneficial in the PvP setting, in my opinion. Do use them if they suit your style of play better. Here are the other 2 which I’ve seen other Elemental Shamans use during PvP play.
Stoneskin Totem – This is only useful if your party mates are being attacked.
Strength of Earth Totem – Enhances melee DPS attacks.
Totem Tips
Do use the Call Of Elements ability to place up to 4 totems simultaneously. To best manage your totems, you should watch the totem timers too. This will enable you to use Totemic Call just before they time out, giving you some extra mana efficiency before replacing them.
Common totems should be keybinded because you should be able to lay down a “totem farm” quickly. It’s also possible to remove a giant stack of poisons (think 5xWound poison) by relaying poison cleansing totem over 5 times. You’ll also be able to get the crippling poison/mind numbing off faster and get a better chance at gaining distance from a rogue.