Shadow Priest
Damage over time. Mana for days.
The shadow caster: Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Blast, Mind Flay and Shadowform, with WoW Forever's Shadow Word: Death, Early Demise and Dark Sacrifice.
Three things to remember
DoTs first
Shadow Word: Pain and Devouring Plague on the target, then Mind Blast and Mind Flay.
Mind Flay grows
Improved Mind Flay: every tick hits 10% harder than the last. Let it finish.
Shadowform at 40
Your 31-point talent: more Shadow damage, Shadow spells cost half the mana, and you take less physical damage. No heals while in it.
What changed for you
New spells for every priest
Contingency Plan (a ward that shields and heals an ally who drops under 35%), Divine Grace (instant heal on an ally under 50%), Chastise, Confounding Flash, Dark Sacrifice (health into mana) and Shadow Word: Death.
Divine Spirit and Lightwell are trained
No longer talents: Divine Spirit from level 30, Lightwell from 40.
Racial spells opened up
Devouring Plague, Desperate Prayer and Fear Ward are no longer limited to one race. Gnomes can be priests.
Shadow Word: Death and Early Demise
A finisher with extra crit under 20% health. If the target survives, you take a big backlash, so use it to finish.
Devouring Contagion and Dark Inspiration
Devouring Plague spreads when the target dies, and Mind Blast gives your party Spirit.
Low-level tips and what to press as you level
- Level with Smite, then a wand once you have one: it costs no mana.
- Power Word: Shield before you pull, Renew after.
- Shadow Word: Pain on everything; it is cheap and lasts.
- Take Spirit Tap (mana after kills) and Blackout.
- Shield, Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Blast, then wand.
- Take Improved Shadow Word: Pain.
- Take Mind Flay (talent), Improved Mind Flay and Shadow Focus.
- Take Vampiric Embrace and Shadow Weaving.
- Two mobs: Shadow Word: Pain both, then Mind Flay one.
- Shadowform (31-point): stay in it.
- Take Devouring Contagion, Early Demise and Darkness.
- Shadow Word: Death to finish mobs under 20%.
Your priority
The order the WoW Forever simulator uses for Shadow.
- Shadowform on before the fight.
- Dark Sacrifice when your mana is low and your health is fine.
- Shadow Word: Pain keep it on the target.
- Devouring Plague keep it on the target.
- Mind Blast on cooldown.
- Shadow Word: Death on targets under 20%, when it will finish them.
- Mind Flay to fill every gap; let it run to the end.
Talents that matter
| Talent | Tree | Why take it |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit Tap | Shadow | Big mana regeneration after kills. |
| Blackout | Shadow | Shadow spells can stun. |
| Improved Mind Blast | Shadow | Shorter Mind Blast cooldown. |
| Mind Flay | Shadow | Your filler channel. |
| Improved Mind Flay | Shadow | Each tick hits harder. |
| Shadow Weaving | Shadow | The target takes more Shadow damage from you. |
| Vampiric Embrace | Shadow | Your damage heals your party. |
| Devouring Contagion | Shadow | Cheaper, spreading Devouring Plague. |
| Early Demise | Shadow | More Shadow Word: Death crits under 20%. |
| Darkness | Shadow | +2% Shadow damage. |
| Shadowform | Shadow (31) | More damage, half-price Shadow spells. |
Best race for this spec
Artisan's Precision gives +1% hit, so fewer misses on every attack with spells, so fewer resisted Mind Blasts.
Touch of the Grave procs on 30% of your hits for casters.
| Race | Side | Racials |
|---|---|---|
| Human | Alliance | Ruthless: +1% crit. The Human Spirit: +10% Spirit. Will to Survive: break out of a stun. Perception: spot stealthed players. |
| Dwarf | Alliance | Artisan's Precision: +1% hit with attacks and spells. Stoneform: removes bleeds, poisons and diseases and cuts physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec. Big Game Hunter: +5% damage to Beasts. |
| Night Elf | Alliance | Elune's Light: +10% crit for 15 sec. Shadowmeld: hide when standing still. Quickness: +1% dodge and a little extra run speed. |
| Gnome | Alliance | Eureka!: 10% more damage and cheaper abilities for 8 sec (also boosts Power Word: Shield). Expansive Mind: +5% maximum mana (rage for Warriors, energy for Rogues). Escape Artist: break out of roots and slows. |
| Undead | Horde | Touch of the Grave: your hits can drain health from the target (30% chance for casters, 20% for Paladins, Rogues and Warriors; once every 15 sec). Will of the Forsaken: break fear, charm and sleep. Cannibalize: eat a corpse to heal. |
| Troll | Horde | Berserking: faster attacks and casts for 15 sec. Beast Slaying: +5% damage to Beasts. |
These are small edges, about 1 to 2 percent. Play the race you enjoy and the side your friends are on. Skyborne needs the paid Skyborne Heroic Pack.
Play it better
Shield, then fight
Power Word: Shield before every solo pull keeps your casts from being pushed back.
Let Mind Flay finish
Its last ticks hit hardest with Improved Mind Flay.
Careful with Death
Shadow Word: Death backlashes if the target lives. Use it to finish, not to open.
Vampiric Embrace in groups
Your damage heals the party, which saves the healer's mana.
When something seems off
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Hurt badly after Shadow Word: Death | The target survived, so the backlash hit you. Only use it when it will kill. |
| Cannot heal | Shadowform blocks healing spells. Leave it to heal in an emergency. |
| Out of mana | Spirit Tap after kills, Shadowform (half-price spells), and Dark Sacrifice. |
| Spells get resisted | You need spell hit: Dwarf, Shadow Focus or hit gear. |
Let Bonkr Compass+ call your buttons
Compass+ shows your next spell and follows your DoTs from your casts. Type /cplus why to see why it picked a spell.