Priest - Shadow

This information is up to date as of Patch 3.3.

Purpose

A Shadow Priest is a DoT-based ranged magic damage dealer who also provides some health and mana regeneration for her party.

Talent Builds

Standard: 13/0/58∞ - Some builds switch around mana talents and Inner Focus.

Buffs

Always make sure you have the following buffs applied:

1. Vampiric Embrace∞
2. Inner Fire∞
3. Power Word: Fortitude∞
4. Divine Spirit∞
5. Shadow Form∞

Optional: Shadow Protection∞ For most Icecrown Citadel fights.

Ability Rotation

Single Target

Start-up:

After the initial sequence, Shadow Priests use a priority list to determine what spells to cast:

1. Refresh Vampiric Touch∞ if there is <1.3s remaining (adjusting for haste) or if it has expired.
2. Refresh Devouring Plague∞ if it has expired.
3. Mind Blast∞ if it is ready.
4. Mind Flay∞ - this will refresh your Shadow Word: Pain.

Notes:

• If you use crit modifier buffs (e.g. Potion of Wild Magic∞ or Nevermelting Ice Crystal∞), refresh Shadow Word: Pain as the crit multiplier will still apply after a Mind Flay refresh.
• Refresh Devouring Plague∞ and Vampiric Touch∞ as soon as you gain Heroism/Bloodlust and shortly before it ends (keep an eye out for the Exhausted/Sated debuff - Heroism/Bloodlust ends at 9:20).
• If Shadow Word: Pain falls off the target, make sure you have a full stack of 5 Shadow Weaving before casting it again.

Multiple Targets (AoE)

For AoE to do competitive damage there needs to be 4 or more mobs in range. If there are fewer mobs, concentrate on a single-target.

1. Cast Vampiric Touch∞ on all the mobs.
2. Mind Sear∞ repeatedly.

Key Cooldowns

1. Shadowfiend∞ - Try to use it early on in a long fight where you can use it multiple times. Ideally you should cast just before Heroism/Bloodlust as the haste rating will be applied to the Shadowfiend.
2. Dispersion∞ - Use this as a last resort as it lowers your DPS considerably (time it for when you can't do damage or need to reduce incoming damage, such as during Professor Putricide phase switches or Blood Queen Lana'thel's fears).

Key Stats

Stats are listed in order of importance. All these stats are useful, but look for gear with more stats from the top of the list. Psuedopoints (PP) are listed next to each stat type to give you an idea of priority.

1. Hit Rating* (1.88 PP)
2. Spell Power (1 PP)
3. Haste Rating (0.98 PP)
4. Critical Strike Rating (0.76 PP)
5. Spirit (0.59 PP)
6. Intellect (0.22 PP)

*Hit Rating is a worthless stat when capped. To calculate the hit cap from hit rating:

Recommended Glyphs

1. Glyph of Shadow∞
2. Glyph of Mind Flay∞

Recommended Enchants

Enchants are listed from best and most expensive to least expensive. If you have a crafting profession, you may have access to crafter-only enchants which are better than these recommendations.

• Head: Arcanum of Burning Mysteries∞
• Shoulders: Greater Inscription of the Storm∞ or Lesser Inscription of the Storm∞
• Cloak: Greater Speed∞ or Speed∞
• Chest: Powerful Stats∞ or Super Stats∞
• Wrists: Superior Spellpower∞ or Greater Spellpower∞
• Hands: Exceptional Spellpower∞
• Belt: Eternal Belt Buckle∞
• Legs: Brilliant Spellthread∞ or Shining Spellthread∞
• Feet: Icewalker∞
• Weapon: Mighty Spellpower∞ or Exceptional Spellpower∞ or Black Magic∞

Recommended Gems

These gems are recommended according to the socket colour. Try to gem using some common sense, e.g. Gem blue sockets if the socket bonus is +7/+9 spellpower. If the socket bonus is not worth gemming for then stick to Runed Cardinal Ruby∞.

• Meta: Chaotic Skyflare Diamond∞
• Red: Runed Cardinal Ruby∞
• Yellow: Reckless Ametrine∞
• Blue: Purified Dreadstone∞ - You only need two of these as requirements for the meta gem.

Recommended Consumables

• Flask: Flask of the Frost Wyrm∞
• Potions: Potion of Wild Magic∞ or Potion of Speed∞. I use Potion of Wild Magic shortly before we pull a boss so that the potion cooldown starts and I can use another potion mid-fight.
• Food: Fish Feast∞ or Tender Shoveltusk Steak∞

Additional Tips

Try not to let Shadow Word: Pain fall off of your target. If you are on a boss encounter, putting up 5 stacks of Shadow Weaving takes time and if you have already used a pot (such as Potion of Wild Magic) you will not be able to use another to get the same amount of damage.

Use a DoT timer addon. It is extremely helpful to keep track of your DoTs and reapply when necessary.

Recommended Addons

Inline Aura∞ - Provides spelltimers and any stack information on the action bar.
ForteXorcist∞ - A timer mod for tracking DoTs across multiple targets.

Sources and Other Resources

• Elitist Jerks: Shadow Priest Raiding Basics∞
• ShadowPriest.com∞
• Fox Van Allen: WoW.com Shadow Priest blogger∞
• Lucky Lurky∞
• DuskNoir∞