WoW ForeverMechanics

Shaman Downranking in WoW Forever

Shaman spell ranks in WoW Forever, with the rank that does the most per mana at each spell power. These numbers are not yet tested in play.

Shaman downranking, in short

The short answer · at level 60

If the fight ends firstTop rankMost damage or healing per second on all 8 Shaman spells, at every spell power.

If mana runs out firstRank 1Wins per mana past a spell power between 21 SP (Lightning Bolt) and 241 SP (Chain Heal), spell by spell.

What Rank 1 gives up0.25× to 0.72×of the top rank per second, at 500 SP.

Which one matters depends on whether your mana or the fight runs out first.

Some figures carry a tag: Measured in playOriginal game rule

Words on this page

Per second: Damage or healing for each second a cast takes. Instant spells count as 1.5 seconds.
Per mana: Damage or healing for each point of mana a cast costs.
SP: Spell power: bonus healing and damage from your gear.
Top rank: The strongest rank, and the costliest.
Rank: One spell, several strengths. Higher ranks cost more mana.
Downranking: Casting a lower rank to save mana.
Takes over: The SP where Rank 1 starts to lead per mana.
Classic Era: Classic Era is the live Classic server ruleset. WoW Forever is the new client.
Classic Era rule: In Classic Era, ranks learned below level 20 lose part of their share. Forever has not confirmed this.

Shaman spells, rank by rank

Bar: the rank with the most per mana at each SP. Chart: per mana as SP grows. How to read a card

Top rankMiddle rankRank 1Your SPFaint line: a rank that never leadsSorted by takeover SP

Lightning Bolt

Rank 1 leads per mana from 21 SP10 ranks, 8 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 10, at 500 SP4.72× per mana0.54× per second

Original game ruleIf low ranks lose part of their share

Rank 1Rank 10

Every rank of Lightning Bolt

Lightning Bolt, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana	Most per mana, original game rule
Rank 1	1	17	0.429	15	231	154.0	15.4	21 SP and up	Never
Rank 2	8	31	0.571	30	316	158.0	10.5	Never	Never
Rank 3	14	54	0.714	45	411	164.2	9.1	Never	175 SP and up
Rank 4	20	76	0.714	60	433	173.0	7.2	Never	44 to 175 SP
Rank 5	26	113	0.714	85	470	187.8	5.5	Never	Never
Rank 6	32	153	0.714	110	510	204.0	4.6	Never	Never
Rank 7	38	199	0.714	135	556	222.4	4.1	Never	Never
Rank 8	44	248	0.714	160	605	241.8	3.8	Never	Never
Rank 9	50	303	0.714	190	660	264.0	3.5	Never	Never
Rank 10	56	361	0.714	220	718	287.4	3.3	Up to 21 SP	Up to 44 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Earth Shock

Rank 1 leads per mana from 36 SP7 ranks, 5 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 7, at 500 SP4.46× per mana0.30× per second

Original game ruleIf low ranks lose part of their share

Rank 1Rank 7

Every rank of Earth Shock

Earth Shock, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana	Most per mana, original game rule
Rank 1	4	23	0.386	30	216	143.7	7.2	36 SP and up	100 SP and up
Rank 2	8	40	0.386	50	233	155.0	4.7	Never	Never
Rank 3	14	72	0.386	85	265	176.3	3.1	Never	Never
Rank 4	24	136	0.386	145	329	219.0	2.3	Never	Never
Rank 5	36	249	0.386	240	442	294.3	1.8	Never	Never
Rank 6	48	391	0.386	345	584	389.3	1.7	Never	Never
Rank 7	60	531	0.386	450	724	482.7	1.6	Up to 36 SP	Up to 100 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Flame Shock

Rank 1 leads per mana from 47 SP6 ranks, 4 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 6, at 500 SP2.95× per mana0.40× per second

Original game ruleIf low ranks lose part of their share

Rank 1Rank 6

Every rank of Flame Shock

Flame Shock, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana	Most per mana, original game rule
Rank 1	10	57	0.614	55	364	242.7	6.6	47 SP and up	85 SP and up
Rank 2	18	104	0.614	95	411	274.0	4.3	Never	Never
Rank 3	28	197	0.614	160	504	336.0	3.2	Never	Never
Rank 4	40	339	0.614	250	646	430.7	2.6	Never	Never
Rank 5	52	510	0.614	345	817	544.3	2.4	Never	56 to 85 SP
Rank 6	60	612	0.614	410	919	612.7	2.2	Up to 47 SP	Up to 56 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Healing Wave

Rank 1 leads per mana from 59 SP10 ranks, 8 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 10, at 500 SP3.11× per mana0.25× per second

Original game ruleIf low ranks lose part of their share

Rank 1Rank 10

Every rank of Healing Wave

Healing Wave, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Healing at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana	Most per mana, original game rule
Rank 1	1	42	0.429	25	256	170.9	10.3	59 SP and up	Never
Rank 2	6	76	0.571	45	362	180.8	8.0	Never	Never
Rank 3	12	139	0.714	80	496	198.2	6.2	Never	180 SP and up
Rank 4	18	268	0.857	155	696	232.0	4.5	Never	Never
Rank 5	24	356	0.857	200	784	261.3	3.9	Never	Never
Rank 6	32	501	0.857	265	929	309.7	3.5	Never	Never
Rank 7	40	705	0.857	340	1,133	377.7	3.3	Never	Never
Rank 8	48	996	0.857	440	1,424	474.7	3.2	Never	Never
Rank 9	56	1,366	0.857	560	1,795	598.2	3.2	Never	Never
Rank 10	60	1,615	0.857	620	2,044	681.2	3.3	Up to 59 SP	Up to 180 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Chain Lightning

Rank 1 leads per mana from 108 SP4 ranks, 1 never leads per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 4, at 500 SP1.33× per mana0.66× per second

Rank 1Rank 3Rank 4

Every rank of Chain Lightning

Chain Lightning, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana
Rank 1	32	222	0.714	245	579	231.6	2.4	108 SP and up
Rank 2	40	359	0.714	360	716	286.4	2.0	Never
Rank 3	48	442	0.714	425	799	319.4	1.9	76 to 108 SP
Rank 4	56	523	0.714	495	880	352.1	1.8	Up to 76 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Frost Shock

Rank 1 leads per mana from 119 SP4 ranks, 2 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 4, at 500 SP1.57× per mana0.42× per second

Rank 1Rank 4

Every rank of Frost Shock

Frost Shock, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Damage at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana
Rank 1	20	103	0.386	115	296	197.0	2.6	119 SP and up
Rank 2	34	229	0.386	225	422	281.0	1.9	Never
Rank 3	46	363	0.386	325	556	370.3	1.7	Never
Rank 4	58	510	0.386	430	703	468.4	1.6	Up to 119 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Lesser Healing Wave

Rank 1 leads per mana from 210 SP6 ranks, 4 never lead per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 6, at 500 SP1.32× per mana0.36× per second

Rank 1Rank 6

Every rank of Lesser Healing Wave

Lesser Healing Wave, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Healing at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana
Rank 1	20	162	0.429	105	376	250.7	3.6	210 SP and up
Rank 2	28	235	0.429	145	449	299.3	3.1	Never
Rank 3	36	317	0.429	185	531	354.0	2.9	Never
Rank 4	44	441	0.429	235	656	437.0	2.8	Never
Rank 5	52	626	0.429	305	841	560.3	2.8	Never
Rank 6	60	820	0.429	380	1,035	689.7	2.7	Up to 210 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Chain Heal

Rank 1 leads per mana from 241 SP3 ranks, 1 never leads per mana

At 500 SP: Rank 1Rank 1 vs Rank 3, at 500 SP1.12× per mana0.72× per second

Rank 1Rank 3

Every rank of Chain Heal

Chain Heal, every rank at level 60
Rank	Learned at level	Healing at 60, before gear	Share of spell power	Mana	Per cast, 500 SP	Per second, 500 SP	Per mana, 500 SP	Most per mana
Rank 1	40	264	0.714	260	621	248.2	2.4	241 SP and up
Rank 2	46	349	0.714	315	706	282.4	2.2	Never
Rank 3	54	507	0.714	405	864	345.4	2.1	Up to 241 SP

Share of spell power is the coefficient: how much of your spell power one cast adds.

Spells not charted here

Learn level not knownRiptide

Ranks not numberedHealing Rain

Fewer than two ranksLightning Shield

No spell power share listedEarth ShieldFire NovaSearing Totemand 20 more

What these numbers assume

Show the assumptions

Counted

One cast on one target at level 60, with no talents.
Each rank's base value, level growth and spell power share.
The mana cost of each rank at level 60.

Not counted

Talents, crits, misses and resists.
Overhealing: every point of healing counts as landing.
Cooldowns, procs and extra targets.

Original game ruleIn Classic Era, casts sit at least 1.5 seconds apart. Forever has not confirmed this, so shorter casts count as 1.5 seconds.

Original game ruleIn Classic Era, ranks learned below level 20 lose part of their share. Forever has not confirmed this. The muted bar shows that case.

Measured in playPlayers found that low ranks stay castable from the spellbook.

Measured in playPlayers measured direct heals inside dungeon groups landing lower, set by the target level. These numbers leave that rule out.

Per cast: base value + share × spell power
Per mana: per cast ÷ mana cost
Per second: per cast ÷ cast time, at least 1.5 s
Takeover: the spell power where two per mana lines cross
Classic Era rule: share × (1 − (20 − learn level) × 0.0375), below level 20 only

Each damage or healing roll counts at its average.
On the listed numbers, no rank takes the lead past the end of the bar.
A talent that cuts a flat amount of mana can move where Rank 1 takes over. So can a proc that makes the next cast free. Percentage talents cannot.
Spell power marks are points on a scale, not gear levels.
A rank that leads for less than two points of spell power folds into the next one.

Sources: the WoW Forever beta, build 1.60.1, and the original game, build 1.15.9.

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