Content Type: Gaming Guides
Welcome to the Shadow Priest DPS guide for World of Warcraft Wrath of the Lich King 3.3.5a. In this guide, you will learn about playing a Shadow Priest in a raid. The guide includes Talents, Glyphs, Gems, Enchantments, Add-ons, Gameplay & Skill rotation tips.
Talents
Here I’ll describe two specs. The first one will be a casual spec, usable with every kind of gear. The second one will be for people with 4/5 T10 Set Bonus.
The advantage of the second build is that we don’t take Improved Mind Blast, which saves us 5 talent points. We take Improved Vampiric Embrace, which will give our raid extra survivability and now we have 16% less treat generation.
Glyphs
Major Glyphs
Minor Glyphs
Gems
Gems are situational and depend on the build and equipment. They are used to reach the required stat caps.
- Meta: Chaotic Skyflare Diamond
- Red: Runed Cardinal Ruby
- Yellow: Reckless Ametrine
- Blue: Purified Dreadstone
Enchants
- Head – Arcanum of Burning Mysteries
- Shoulder – Greater Inscription of the Storm
- Cloak – Enchant Cloak – Greater Speed
- Chest – Enchant Chest – Powerful Stats
- Bracers – Enchant Bracers – Superior Spellpower
- Gloves – Enchant Gloves – Exceptional Spellpower
- Waist – Eternal Belt Buckle
- Legs – Brilliant Spellthread
- Boots – Enchant Boots – Icewalker
- Two-handed – Enchant Staff – Greater Spellpower
- One-handed – Enchant Weapon – Mighty Spellpower
Rotation
Shadow Priests have an opener combo and a priority list afterward. This section is divided into two parts for both of the builds mentioned above.
Rotation for the first build:
Opener: this is an opener for players using the first build. (No 4/5 T10 Set Bonus)
- Vampiric Touch → Devouring Plague → Mind Blast → Mind Flay → Shadow Word: Pain
- Use Shadow Word: Pain only after stacking Shadow Weaving
Priority list: After using your opener you have to keep these spells on the target all the time
- Vampiric Touch, Devouring Plague, Mind Blast, Shadow Word: Pain
- Rest of the time you use Mind Flay
Rotation for the second build:
Opener: If you have the 4/5 T10 Set Bonus then your opener should be
Priority list: After using your opener you have to keep these spells on the target all the time
- Vampiric Touch, *Mind Blast, Devouring Plague, Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Flay.
- *Mind Blast is used much less with this spec.
Stat Priority
Hit -> Spell Power -> Haste -> Crit -> Spirit -> Intellect
Shadow Priests require 17% of Hit (446 rating) to always hit the target. Shadow Focus and Misery talents lower the requirement by 6%. You need to obtain the last 11% (289 rating) with gear and buffs. It can be lowered up to 10% if there is a Draenei in group – Heroic Presence.
[1% Hit = 26.23 rating]
Spell Power is the primary DPS stat for this spec. Stack as much as possible after getting enough Hit rating. Haste is another vital stat for a Shadow Priest, which increases the damage drastically. The soft cap for Haste is 1269 rating.
Critical Strike Rating is a secondary stat that shouldn’t be prioritized, hence acquired passively through gear upgrades. Spirit improves the mana regeneration through Improved Spirit Tap and partly converts into Spell Power with Twisted Faith. Intellect increases the mana pool and slightly increases the crit rating.
thank you for this guide is helpet alot and the way you explane it was perfect for new players in shadow priest
what about shadow word death? lol
You should use it while moving/evading aoe
this is what you really want: https://wotlkdb.com/?talent#bVcbbZZGefVofzffqczAo:ahqVcz
Dispersion glyph lowers your DPS because you have to cancel cast, get pain instead. You should be able to rely on SWP tick, VT Proc, and Fiend to keep you up using dispersion between trash pulls mostly or during longer fights. the extra point in threat reduction if you are closer to BiS and your tank isn’t quite there and for AOE pulls is pretty useful. If it isn’t an issue for your raid put one point back over into disc for Meditation.
this is for PVE, Spriest not all that good at pvp, but getting improved shadowform and the silence and horror would be “okay” against people who are not fully geared.
stop spreading bullshit.
The improved shadowform is mainly for 70% less time lost while channeling and taking dmg.
You can use either dispersion or SW:P glyph but if you want to down LK (easiest way possible) is quite usefull to be able soak more times. If you dont cancel last tick of mind flay you shouldnt have mana issues at all.
Improved mind blast is bullshit since healing reduction is useless on bosses and casting mind blast is DPS loss! And you shouldnt bother with replenishment since you will have retri paladins whose will be spamming judgements.
Putting points into threat reduction is useless since shadowfrom grants you 30% threat reduction (thats more than most classes takes) and you will not be highest dps by far. Anyway since you dont have better talents I put here 2 talents
2 points of improved shadowform is must have if you want to raid ICC.
2 points into veiled shadows is optimal I recommend it but not necessary is more a gimmick 😀
3 points in meditation is must have. Dont be idiot with trying to find mana somewhere else.
Inner focus Optimal but not necessary. If you know you will not press the button dont take it.