Hey everyone,
I recently tried out Evoker and was pleasantly surprised by the “hold and release” spell mechanic, it adds a satisfying layer of depth and decision-making. It got me thinking: why not bring this style of gameplay to Elemental Shaman with our spell overloading fantasy?
Idea 1: Tempest as an Hold and Release spell
The first thing that came to my mind was Tempest. Tempest has been a bit divisive among the elemental players since it replaces Lightning Bolt. But what if we gave it a more dynamic twist?
- 1-second charge: Casts Lightning Bolt as normal.
- 1.5-second charge (with a Tempest proc): Unleashes Tempest instead.
Note: casting times completely made up right now, they should scale with our haste ofc.
This gives players meaningful choice and timing, and lets Tempest feel like an empowered evolution of Lightning Bolt rather than a replacement. It also keeps the core rotation intact while adding a skillful edge.
Idea 2: Elemental Blast as an Hold and Release spell
Elemental Blast already has a great visual! Three spiraling projectiles of fire, frost, and nature. What if the spell’s charge time controlled its power and appearance?
- 1st checkpoint: One elemental projectile, grants one secondary stat buff.
- 2nd checkpoint: Two projectiles, two stat buffs.
- 3rd checkpoint (full charge): All three projectiles, max visual impact, full stat buff effect.
This would make Elemental Blast feel like a true elemental convergence, and it gives us another way to plan around burst windows or movement.
What’s your thoughts on this?!
Now these are just 2 ideas that came to my mind, feel free to share yours! I think it can fit really nice with our spec both on a class fantasy level and on the gameplay level too. It would shift us more into a heavy-hitting gameplay and give us a unique niche: the high-impact, low-frequency caster.
It would also open up some interesting talent/design space and make procs feel more interactive rather than passive damage boosts.
Curious what others think. Would you like to see Elemental Shaman experiment with this kind of mechanic? Do you think it could help modernize our rotation while staying true to our roots?