A Priest is a very valuable asset to a raid group, offering their powerful raid-wide buffs, their damage-dealing abilities, and their healing abilities. Often, it is necessary to take at least one priest; most guilds' raids will desire at least two, though: one Shadow Priest and one Holy Priest. A Shadow Priest is a very important asset in a raid group, because they provide: Prayer of Fortitude, Prayer of Shadow Protection, Misery, Shadow Vulnerability, and their superb mana and health regeneration. In very lengthy fights, mana using players will be stressed with their mana; by using a Shadow Priest, they do not need to worry about their mana conservation. For some classes, it boosts their damage not just by increasing their longevity, but also by allowing them to save Global Cooldowns; they also may use consumables that otherwise wouldn't be available without such longevity. The raid-wide buffs they provide, such as Prayer of Fortitude, also allow for easier fighting techniques and easier recovery. Also, their health regeneration is vital in instances to ease on healing and to counter sudden damage.
 

Contents

1 Priest: Shadow 1.1 Shadow Priest Arsenal 1.1.1 Vampiric Touch 1.1.2 Mind Blast 1.1.3 Shadow Word: Death 1.1.4 Shadow Word: Pain 1.1.5 Mind Flay 1.1.6 Vampiric Embrace 1.1.7 Mind Control 1.1.8 Shadowfiend 1.2 Race-Specific Spells and Bonuses 1.2.1 Draenei 1.2.2 Dwarf 1.2.3 Human 1.2.4 Night Elf 1.2.5 Blood Elf 1.2.6 Troll 1.2.7 Undead 1.3 Spell Rotation 1.3.1 Priority System 1.3.2 Shadow Priest Priority 1.4 Talent Allocation 1.5 Gearing a Shadow Priest 1.5.1 Stat Choice 1.5.1.1 Equivalence Point System 1.5.1.2 Shadow Priest EP Values 1.5.2 Enchants 1.5.3 Gem Usage 1.5.4 Consumables 1.6 Group Synergy 1.7 Shadow Priest Evaluation 1.8 Other Tools 1.8.1 Spreadsheet 1.8.2 Websites 1.8.3 Add-Ons

[top] Priest: Shadow

[top] Shadow Priest Arsenal

A Shadow Priest uses many different spells; however, some are more situationally than others and mostly, you'll stick to the five main spells.

[top] Vampiric Touch

Vampiric Touch is a 1.5-second casted spell, that lasts for 15 seconds. This spell will deal damage over time, and will cause 5% of your shadow damage done to the target, within the 15 seconds, to become mana for your entire party. This spell is the 41-point talent in the Priest's Shadow tree.

[top] Mind Blast

Mind Blast is a 1.5-second casted spell, with an 8-second cooldown, that will deal direct damage capable of causing a critical strike. This talent's cooldown may be lowered by choosing Improved Mind Blast, which reduces its cooldown by .5 seconds incrementally. Until you gather spell haste, you'll only want one or four points into this talent; as you gather more spell haste, and/or gain the 4set bonus of the [Hood of Absolution] pieces, you'll want to max this talent out and use this spell as often as possible.

[top] Shadow Word: Death

Shadow Word: Death is an instant spell that deals direct damage, and is capable of a critical strike. Unlike most spells, this one will actually damage the Priest when the targeted mob doesn't die from this attack. This spell should be used moderately, if you can sustain the mana; be aware, though, as you may kill yourself with this spell. To prevent this, know the abilities of the boss and when and when not to use this spell. The backfire of the spell may also be beneficial; for example, you may use it to break a crowd control effect, if you use it immediately before the effect, and you may also use it to kill yourself, which will not result in a durability loss.

[top] Shadow Word: Pain

This spell is an instant cast spell, that will deal damage over the course of 24 seconds (27 seconds with 2pc T6). This spell should be maintained on a mob as much as possible.

[top] Mind Flay

Mind Flay is a 3-second channeled spell that will deal damage every second; if you receive interruption from damage, then you will lose one or two chances of damage. This spell will also slow the affected target. This spell is the 11-point option in the Shadow tree, which should be used when applicable. Mind Flay should be interrupted at the two-second mark (in high content levels) for a more-damage spell.

[top] Vampiric Embrace

This spell is the 21-point option in the Shadow tree, and will cause 15-25% of your shadow damage on the affected mob to turn into group healing. This talent becomes vital in later instances to ease with raid healing, and is useful when your healer isn't on the ball. This spell should be maintained as much as possible, too.

[top] Mind Control

This spell isn't that useful, but there are times when it's very beneficial to use it. It's a 50-second crowd control effect, that will allow you to control a humanoid and use its abilities to your advantage. Some possible mob abilities include damage increasing affects, effective damaging abilities, and healing spells. If it's possible, you should apply DoT affects on the target before the mind control, because they will continue to work while Mind Control affects the target.

[top] Shadowfiend

Shadowfiend is a 15-second duration pet that will return mana to the caster that variates upon the Shadowfiend's damage. The Shadowfiend will give back 2.5x of the damage it causes as mana. The damage of the fiend is increased by your Shadow damage (65% of your total shadow damage; 6.5% for each of 10 possible attacks), and is also increased by Curse of Shadow, Shadow Vulnerability, etc.

[top] Race-Specific Spells and Bonuses

Priests are an advantageous class: Priests are the only current class to have varying spells based on their race.

[top] Draenei

Draenei Priests have two beneficial moves: Symbol of Hope, which is extra mana regeneration to your party, and Inspiring Presence, which will allow you and your group members to choose less spell hit, and more spell damage. Draenei and Dwarf Priests also have Chastise, which removes Shadowform, but is very valuable when you're using Mind Control.

[top] Dwarf

Dwarf Priests have some situational moves: Desperate Prayer, which will remove you from Shadowform, but can save your life, and Chastise, which is useful to prevent an enemy coming near you, which may give you time to cast spells such as Mind Control.

[top] Human

Human Priest specific spells do not favor Shadow; instead, Human Priests are some of the best Holy Priests. If you do intend to go Shadow PvE, the useful racial abilities include Diplomacy, for faster reputation gain; Desperate Prayer (which removes you from Shadowform); and The Human Spirit, which will increase mana regeneration (and spell damage with Improved Divine Spirit).

[top] Night Elf

Night Elf Priest specific moves are: Starshards, which is added damage, but does not benefit from Vampiric Touch or their talents (because it's arcane damage); and Elune's Grace is only useful in PvP, or when you pull aggro, which should be prevented as such it doesn't happen.

[top] Blood Elf

Blood Elves have mana efficient abilities that will allow them to sustain longer. These moves include: Mana Tap, Arcane Torrent, and Consume Magic. Consume Magic can be dangerous in questionable buff-reliable fights (Najentus & Stamina from Power Word: Fortitude). Blood Elves also have Touch of Weakness, which when hit physically, will reduce the damage the mob deals (and will do a small amount of damage).

[top] Troll

Trolls' arsenal includes Beserking, Hex of Weakness, and Shadowguard. Beserking will increase casting time for 10 seconds; Shadowguard will allow for extra damage when you are hit un-passively; and Touch of Weakness will reduce damage given to the tank.

[top] Undead

Undead have a debuff called Devouring Plague, which is very mana intensive, but can be used with Inner Focus. This spell deals damage over time, and will heal the Priest (it heals the Priest even without VE up; it does benefit from VE though). Undead also have Touch of Weakness which will reduce the damage the mob deals and will produce a small amount of damage.

[top] Spell Rotation

[top] Priority System

Shadow Priests do not use a spell rotation system; instead, they use a spell priority system. This means is that instead of cycling through spells, they will consider their options each available moment, and use the highest prioritized spell.

[top] Shadow Priest Priority

In lower gear levels, it's usually best just to use this priority:
but you get better geared, it becomes better to use this priority:
You should attempt to keep up Vampiric Embrace when you need the healing (and you can use it to stall threat generation). When in T6 level of gear, it's best to interrupt Mind Flay at the two-second mark to cast a better ranked spell. Also, in T6/Sunwell, you should rank Mind Blast above Shadow Word: Pain.

There are other cycles for higher gear levels that focus on mana regeneration, efficiency or damage: (Ignore racial abilities that you do not have.)

Maximum Mana Regeneration:
Maximum Efficiency:
Maximum Damage:

[top] Talent Allocation

The staple PvE Shadow Priest build is 14/0/47, with some minor changes in different talents at different gear levels.
The 14 key talent points in the Discipline tree are:

• Unbreakable Will
• Improved Power Word: Fortitude
• Improved Power Word: Shield
• Inner Focus
• Meditation

And the 47 key points in Shadow are:

• Spirit Tap
• Shadow Affinity
• Improved Shadow Word: Pain
• Shadow Focus
• Improved Mind Blast
• Mind Flay
• Shadow Reach
• 4/5 Shadow Weaving
• Vampiric Embrace
• Focused Mind
• Darkness
• Shadowform
• Shadow Power
• Misery
• Vampiric Touch

As you get higher in raid tiers, you can begin to remove points in Inner Focus and Focused Mind; then, you can put them in other places (like Improved Mind Blast). When removing points, your priority should be to remove Inner Focus, Focused Mind, and then Meditation.
Here's a link to the talent calculator for a beginning Shadow staple spec: 14/0/47.

[top] Gearing a Shadow Priest

[top] Stat Choice

As a Shadow Priest, your stat choice should be spell hit, and then spell damage. You'll require 76 spell hit (64 as a Draenei) to become capped; after you reach this benchmark, gear for shadow spell damage. You won't require spell critical rating or spell haste until tier six content.

[top] Equivalence Point System

An equivalence point system (EP) is a system that assigns a value for a stat, and then values every other stat proportional to the first stat. This system is useful for on-the-go comparing of gear, and should give a ball-park view of how much better an item is (spreadsheets are always better to compare gear). To use such system, you multiply each stat by its value, and then sum the EP values together. Once you sum all of the stats together on two items, whichever has a higher number will generally be the best item to use; it won't always be, however, so you may consult a spreadsheet to get a more accurate number. Here's an example of how to use the EP system; we'll compare [Legwraps of the Aldor] (Yes, I know it's a Mage item, but you get the idea) to [Pantaloons of Arcane Annihilation]. Assume that 1 Damage = 1 EP; 1 Haste = 2 EP and 1 Spell Hit = 3 EP (these values are not correct!); ignore any other stats in this demonstration.
[Legwraps of the Aldor]
24 x 3 = 72 EP
49 x 1 = 49
Total: 141 EP
vs.
[Pantaloons of Arcane Annihilation]
54 Damage x 1 = 54 EP
49 Spell Haste x 2 = 98 EP
Total: 152 EP.
The Pantaloons would be superior in this demonstration.

[top] Shadow Priest EP Values

Here's a list of Shadow Priest EP values, comparing each stat's DPS increase to 1 rating of damage. There's really only one set of EP values (with little modifications in each content level) because Shadow Priest itemization is mostly constant from pre-raid content until T6.

Stat	EP Value
Spell Damage	1
Spell Crit Rating	.2
Spell Haste	1
Spell Hit	1.4
Intellect	.05
Spirit	.11
Meta	16

These values are based on a highest-DPS basis. Critical strike rating will always remain low: it's very useless. Spell Haste is not a greatly beneficial stat until you have higher spell damage (1200+). Spirit is .11 only if you have Kings & Imp DS.

To determine a rough value of haste, you may use this equation (thanks MeltFace):

[top] Enchants

For the best possible sustainability and DPS in a raid setting, your enchanting decisions should be such:

Helm	Shoulder	Chest	Cloak	Bracers	Gloves	Pants	Boots	Weapon
[Glyph of Power]	[Greater Inscription of Discipline] or [Zandalar Signet of Mojo]	[Formula: Enchant Cloak - Subtlety]	[Enchant Chest - Major Spirit]	[Enchant Bracer - Spellpower]	[Formula: Enchant Gloves - Major Spellpower]	[Runic Spellthread]	[Enchant Boots - Boar's Speed]	[Enchant Weapon - Soulfrost]

Use some moderation while deciding enchants: If you're an enchanter, use: [Enchant Ring - Spellpower]; if you're replacing your weapon soon, use: [Enchant Weapon - Major Spellpower].

[top] Gem Usage

Your main gem usage in a raid should be these four gems:

[Runed Crimson Spinel]

[Reckless Pyrestone]

[Ember Skyfire Diamond]

Also use moderation here: Use [Reckless Pyrestone] when there's a beneficial socket bonus; if there isn't, use [Runed Crimson Spinel].

[top] Consumables

To gain a great amount of spell damage, your best options for consumable usage should be such:

• [Flask of Pure Death]
• Use [Elixir of Major Shadow Power] and [Elixir of Draenic Wisdom] if you don't flask.
• [Superior Wizard Oil]
• [Blackened Basilisk]
• [Kreeg's Stout Beatdown] if you want to run Dire Maul (It's for Meditation; it gets better if you have an IDS Priest)
• [Super Mana Potion]
• Use [Destruction Potion] if you can sustain your mana without [Super Mana Potion]

[top] Group Synergy

As a Shadow Priest, you'll want to be in a group with:

• Mages and Warlocks: You'll provide them both with mana regeneration and Misery (and Shadow Vulnerability for the Warlock); you don't need to be in the actual group to provide Misery and Shadow Vulnerability though. Generally, Mages will want you more because they don't have Life Tap.
• Hunter: You'll provide the Hunter with mana regeneration, and if he's Beast Mastery specced, he'll provide you with 3% increased damage.
• Shaman: This is a very synergistic combination. Shadow Priests and Shaman provide mana regeneration to each other with Vampiric Touch and Mana Spring, and the Shaman provides Wrath of Air Totem and Heroism/Bloodlust which will increase the damage of the S-Priest.

You'll also want these buffs to increase your damage:

• Blessing of Salvation
• Blessing of Wisdom
• Blessing of Kings
• Arcane Intellect
• Mark of the Wild
• Improved Divine Spirit

[top] Shadow Priest Evaluation

You may use tools like The Armory and WoW Web Stats to get a post-raid overlook of the good and the bad things of a raid. To evaluate a Shadow Priest, understand the concepts of this article.

First, use the Armory to check talents, reputation, and gear. For example, is the Priest not spell hit capped? Using that information from the Armory, consult the Priest with corrections.

After checking the Armory, look at the WWS report. First check for the small things, like consumable usage and buff casts (it's rude to not help!).

After checking those, go more in-depth at things. Check for uptime of DoT spells: Multiply the number of tics from Shadow Word: Pain and Vampiric Touch by 3, and then see how close it is to the length of the fight. Was SW:P kept up 100%? Were some tics actually overwritten (check the number of DoTs cast on the same target)? Or was there a low up-time? After looking at DoT up-times, look at spell rotations. Did the Priest use Mind Blast and SW:D, but ran OOM 3 minutes into the fight? Did the Priest heal him or herself when he could have bandaged or DPSed with VE?

[top] Other Tools

[top] Spreadsheet

There's a spreadsheet created by Tymir and Koroshiya: Elitist Jerks: Shadow Priest Spreadsheet

[top] Websites

Shadow-Priest Dedicated Website: This website has detailed discussion (like Elitist Jerks) mostly detailed to Shadow Priests.
Loot Ranking: You can enter the stat budgets designated above, and it will rank all available gear for you.

[top] Add-Ons

You'll want a DoT timer to keep your DoT uptime as close to 100% as possible. A suggested timer is Quartz: WoWAce. Quartz is also very helpful because it's a cast bar, which will help you determine when to clip Mind Flay for a higher ranked spell.
Omen: WoWAce: Omen is a threat meter, which will be beneficial to know your threat value. This will allow you to pay attention on your VT and VE threat, and your damage cycle.
You'll also benefit from raid frames or a raid buffing mod, such as: Pitbull, Xperl, or oRA2.
Pawn: Pawn is an in-game loot-ranking system; program it as Loot Rank and it will display EP rankings on tooltips.