The following compares the current state of Elemental Shamans to Havoc Demon Hunters using the latest SimulationCraft data for end-game PvE in World of Warcraft The War Within patch 11.0.2.
Comparison
Category
Winner
Havoc Demon Hunter
+2.17%
When simulating boss fight encounters, Havoc Demon Hunters averaged 2.17% more DPS than Elemental Shamans (+33K DPS).
Havoc Demon Hunter
+17.28%
When simulating AoE DPS, Havoc Demon Hunters averaged 17.28% more DPS than Elemental Shamans (+174K DPS).
Havoc Demon Hunter
+50.95%
Havoc Demon Hunters have higher spike damage potential, achieving +4.1M more DPS than Elemental Shamans.
Spike damage is the peak DPS achieved in any given moment and is not sustained DPS.
Elemental Shaman
+1.31%
When upgrading the gear for both specs by +44 ilvl, Elemental Shaman DPS improved the most, +1.31% more than Havoc Demon Hunter. In total, Elemental Shamans DPS increased by 67.15% and Havoc Demon Hunters by 65.84%.
Havoc Demon Hunter
+3.08%
+ Movement and latency lowered the DPS by 11.39% for Havoc Demon Hunters.
+ Movement and latency lowered the DPS by 14.47% for Elemental Shamans.
When introducing occasional movement and real-world latency, Havoc Demon Hunters performed better, as Elemental Shamans suffered a +3.08% DPS loss.
Elemental Shaman
When evaluating abilities used during boss encounters, Elemental Shamans had fewer damaging abilities in total, indicating a potentially less complex rotation.
The comparisons above highlight some of the key differences between Elemental Shaman and Havoc Demon Hunter in the current meta, which can hopefully help you determine which spec to play or group up with.
Havoc Demon Hunter
Elemental Shaman