Mastering the Hit Cap: A Comprehensive Guide for Enhancement Shaman
The question of the hit cap is fundamental for any aspiring Enhancement Shaman in World of Warcraft. Unlike some classes, Enhancement Shamans, due to their reliance on dual-wielding, face a more complex hit calculation. So, what exactly is the hit cap for an Enhancement Shaman? In short, to eliminate the chance of your auto-attacks missing in The Burning Crusade (TBC), you need a 24% Hit Chance. However, due to the way hit rating works and the innate chance to miss at base levels, and with the 1% inherent miss against bosses, the practical target often quoted is a 28% Hit Chance with hit rating. It’s important to note that this value is specifically for auto-attacks. We’ll break this down and explore why this is the case, and how it translates to specific gearing strategies.
Understanding the Mechanics of Hit
Before diving deeper into the specifics for Enhancement Shamans, let’s clarify what “hit cap” actually means. Hit Chance is a stat that reduces the chance for your attacks to miss their target. Every character has a base miss chance against creatures of their level, and this chance increases with higher level targets. Boss-level enemies are considered higher-level targets, making reaching a hit cap all the more important. Failing to reach the hit cap means you’ll lose valuable damage from missed attacks.
The Importance of Dual-Wielding
The complexity for Enhancement Shamans arises from their dual-wielding ability, granted at level 10. When dual-wielding, you not only have a miss chance from a single attack but also a chance for your off-hand attacks to miss at an elevated rate. This is a major reason for the increased hit rating requirement.
Hit Rating vs. Hit Chance
It’s essential to understand the difference between Hit Rating and Hit Chance. Hit Rating is the raw stat that appears on your gear and through your talents. This hit rating translates to a percentage of Hit Chance, which is what actually affects your gameplay. The conversion rate between hit rating and hit chance varies slightly with each expansion and level. Therefore, many guides will use the “hit rating” value for practical purposes rather than constantly referring back to the percentage chance. For example, in TBC, 15.77 hit rating equates to roughly 1% hit chance.
Why 28% Hit Chance is the Practical Goal
Against a raid boss (a “level 73” target in TBC Classic), you naturally have a 8% chance to miss with your main hand attacks, and an elevated chance with your off-hand attacks. Dual-wielding also imposes an extra 20% miss chance for off-hand attacks on the target in TBC Classic, so you have a total miss chance of 28% on your offhand and 8% on your mainhand. This leads to the 24% combined miss chance. However, due to how hit rating works, the actual practical target you want to be hitting is 9% on your mainhand and 28% on your dual wield. It’s because of this that the 28% figure is the one you see constantly mentioned. This means that to be “hit capped” on your auto attacks, you need to achieve that 28% Hit Chance.
Why not aim for less?
Why is 28% the target and not a lesser amount? In short, every missed attack is a huge loss in damage potential, especially with how important auto-attacks are for Windfury Weapon procs and overall melee damage.
The Hit Soft Cap and Why it doesn’t apply to TBC Enhance Shaman
In some discussions on “hit” it’s common to encounter a concept of a “soft hit cap”. This is where you aim for an achievable target and not the absolute maximum for the sake of other stats. While that can apply to some classes in certain situations, this isn’t typically applicable to TBC Enhance Shaman. You should always aim for the hard hit cap of 28% Hit Chance for auto-attacks. This is because auto attacks are so vital to our damage.
FAQs: Everything Else You Need To Know About Hit
Here are some frequently asked questions related to the hit cap for Enhancement Shamans:
1. Does the hit cap apply to abilities too?
While the 28% hit cap discussed above is primarily for auto-attacks, it’s important to note that abilities also have a chance to miss. However, with 9% hit, your abilities are hit capped and will not miss. Spells, however, require 17% spell hit. Abilities are any attacks that use weapon damage and melee attacks that are not auto-attacks, while spells are generally things like Lightning Bolt, and Chain Lightning. It is critical to distinguish between these.
2. Can talents affect my hit chance?
Yes, talents can significantly affect your hit chance. Talents like Dual Wield Specialization in the Enhancement tree provide an increase in hit. Therefore, you need to factor in these talent bonuses when gearing your character for your spec.
3. Is there a hit cap for spell attacks?
Yes, there is a separate hit cap for spells. Spell hits will require 17%. While Enhancement Shamans rely more on physical damage, spells like Lightning Bolt and Chain Lightning are used in rotations. Therefore, it’s important to balance your hit for both physical and spell attacks, but this is generally secondary.
4. How does expertise factor in?
Expertise rating reduces the chance for your attacks to be dodged or parried. While it’s not directly related to hit chance, it’s another important stat to consider for a melee DPS like an Enhancement Shaman. An expertise rating of 26 should be aimed for.
5. What is the stat priority for Enhancement Shamans?
Stat priority varies depending on the patch of the game, but generally, it’s as follows in later expansions: Agility (Increases Attack Power, Crit, Armor), Mastery / Haste, Critical Strike, Versatility. In TBC the stat prioirity is generally Hit>Agility>Crit/Haste
6. What weapons should Enhancement Shamans use?
Always use slow weapons. Your damage is based on weapon damage with abilities such as Lava Lash and Windfury, making the slow speed of these weapons more effective.
7. Which race is best for an Enhancement Shaman?
For the Alliance side, Dwarf races are optimal due to racial traits like Fireblood, which grants damage buffs. For Horde, Tauren tends to be a good option. Orc, Draenei, Troll, and Goblin are also close behind and may be preferential.
8. Is Enhancement Shaman viable in Dragonflight?
Yes, absolutely. Enhancement Shamans are considered one of the best DPS specs in Dragonflight, making them a strong A-tier choice with excellent flexibility in playstyles.
9. What are good professions for Enhancement Shamans?
Professions like Jewelcrafting, Alchemy, and Enchanting are all highly valuable, particularly for their ability to craft powerful items and enhancements.
10. What is the main role of Enhancement Shamans?
Enhancement Shamans are a melee specialization that excels at sustained single-target damage. Their talent tree allows for flexibility, enabling effective AoE damage as well.
11. How does Mastery work for Enhancement Shaman?
Mastery increases the damage of Fire, Frost, or Nature abilities. It also increases the chance for Stormbringer procs.
12. What Covenant is best for Enhancement Shaman?
For Mythic+, Venthyr, Necrolord, and Night Fae are all viable. The Chain Harvest ability is particularly effective in AoE situations with the legendary effect Elemental Conduit.
13. What food is best for Enhancement Shaman?
For feasts, use the Grand Banquet of the Kalu’ak. For personal food, go with Fated Fortune Cookie / Deviously Deviled Eggs or Sizzling Seafood Medley as an alternative.
14. Why is Enhance considered a fun spec?
Enhancement is often called a “combat mage” due to its fast-paced melee combat style and reliance on spell weaving, making it a very fun and visually engaging spec for many players. The ability to instantly heal yourself while doing big damage is also a major plus.
15. Can Enhancement Shamans use 2H weapons?
Enhancement Shamans can equip 2H axes and maces, but it’s generally not ideal. Dual wielding with one-handed weapons is typically more effective, especially when aiming for the hit cap in TBC Classic.
Conclusion
Reaching the hit cap of 28% for an Enhancement Shaman in TBC Classic is crucial for maximizing your DPS. This is because auto-attacks make up a large proportion of our damage, so any missed attacks represents a large drop in potential. Understanding the nuances of hit rating and how it impacts dual-wielding is essential. By utilizing this knowledge, you can ensure consistent damage output and play your Enhancement Shaman at their full potential. Remember, the 28% goal is for auto-attacks; abilities will require a lower amount and spells will require a different hit rating. Gear accordingly and take your Enhancement Shaman to the next level.