Priest specialization

Shadow Priest in WoW Forever

Shadow spells and lingering damage.

  • Your role: Ranged spell damage
  • Advice for every level to 60
  • Class notes checked

Your character

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Your gear Use my character
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Choose the level you are playing now. The playbook and gear rankings update to match.

Level 35 · Damage in a group

How to play dungeons at level 35

Your combat loop

Press the first one that is ready.

Shadow’s own loop, from level 20. Before that every Priest plays the same loop.

Own loop from: Shadow level 20

Use Mind Flay. It does 11% more than Smite.

Keep up:
  1. Shadow Word: Pain Rank 5 Keep on target · 24 sec

    Keep it on the target; it lasts 24 sec.

    21% of your damage
  2. Devouring Plague Rank 2 Every 24 sec

    Use it whenever it is ready, every 24 sec.

    12% of your damage
  3. Mind Blast Rank 5 Every 6.5 sec

    Use it whenever it is ready, every 6.5 sec.

    31% of your damage
  4. Mind Flay Rank 2 Filler

    Cast it whenever nothing above is ready.

    36% of your damage

The first 30 seconds

When to press each one from the pull. The blue line under a press is the global cooldown (1.5 sec) or cast it holds: nothing else on the global cooldown can go until it ends, so of two that are ready together the higher one goes first.

In the gaps
Mind Flay

How MaxDPS works this out

Talents at level 35

26 points at level 35: the first at level 10, then one every level.

The MaxDPS build at this level, in the game’s talent frame. Click a talent to learn it and right click to unlearn it, as in the game.

Talents
Unspent Talents
Point order: when each point goes in
  1. Spirit Tap 5/5 · levels 10–14 +1.5% damage
  2. Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2/2 · levels 15–16 +2.8% damage
  3. Shadow Focus 5/5 · levels 17–19 and 23–24 +5.2% damage
  4. Mind Flay 1/1 · level 20 +13% damage
  5. Improved Mind Flay 2/2 · levels 21–22 +6.9% damage
  6. Shadow Weaving 3/3 · levels 25–27 +9.9% damage
  7. Vampiric Embrace 1/1 · level 28 not counted here
  8. Improved Mind Blast 3/5 · levels 29 and 32–33 +2.1% damage
  9. Devouring Contagion 2/2 · levels 30–31 +6.9% damage
  10. Dark Inspiration 1/5 · level 34 +0.1% damage
  11. Darkness 1/5 · level 35 +2% damage

Every Priest talent

Preliminary item rankings · Dungeons

Shadow Priest gear rankings

Shadow damage · Level 35 · Calculated defaults

Hunt list
Show gear for

Finger 141 items · Updating…

Where it comes from
Auction prices from

Key stats show the stats behind the three largest score contributions, as the game tooltip states them; open an item’s details for every value and source.

Finger items with imported stats, weighted scores and acquisition sources.
Rank Item Score (pts) Where to get it Actions
1 in this filtered list
Philanthropist's Ring iLvl 35 · Req. 30* · Quest Key stats: 10 Spell power5 Intellect
12.06

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 10 × 1 = 10.00 pts
  • Intellect: 5 × 0.4125 = 2.06 pts

Rare

Source

2 in this filtered list
Advisor's Ring iLvl 33 · Req. 28 · Vendor · Horde only Key stats: 7 Spell power4 Stamina2 Mana per 5 sec
8.70
Kelm HargunthVendor · 1g 77s 77c · The Barrens

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 7 × 1 = 7.00 pts
  • Stamina: 4 × 0.2241 = 0.90 pts
  • Mana per 5 sec: 2 × 0.4001 = 0.80 pts

Rare

Source

Kelm HargunthVendor · 1g 77s 77c · The Barrens
3 in this filtered list
Lorekeeper's Ring iLvl 33 · Req. 28 · Vendor · Alliance only Key stats: 7 Spell power4 Stamina2 Mana per 5 sec
8.70
Illiyana MoonblazeVendor · 1g 60s · Ashenvale

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 7 × 1 = 7.00 pts
  • Stamina: 4 × 0.2241 = 0.90 pts
  • Mana per 5 sec: 2 × 0.4001 = 0.80 pts

Rare

Source

Illiyana MoonblazeVendor · 1g 60s · Ashenvale
4 in this filtered list
Ring of Forlorn Spirits iLvl 35 · Req. 30* · Quest · Alliance only Key stats: 8 Spell power2 Stamina
8.45

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 8 × 1 = 8.00 pts
  • Stamina: 2 × 0.2241 = 0.45 pts

Uncommon

Source

5 in this filtered list
Snake Hoop iLvl 32 · Req. 27* · Quest Key stats: 6 Spell power5 Intellect
8.06

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 6 × 1 = 6.00 pts
  • Intellect: 5 × 0.4125 = 2.06 pts

Uncommon

Source

6 in this filtered list
Reedknot Ring iLvl 35 · Req. 30* · Quest Key stats: 7 Spell power3 Stamina
7.67

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 7 × 1 = 7.00 pts
  • Stamina: 3 × 0.2241 = 0.67 pts

Uncommon

7 in this filtered list
Ladimore Heirloom Ring iLvl 35 · Req. 30* · Quest · Alliance only Key stats: 5 Spell power6 Intellect
7.48
A Daughter's LoveQuest reward · Duskwood

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 5 × 1 = 5.00 pts
  • Intellect: 6 × 0.4125 = 2.47 pts

Uncommon

Source

A Daughter's LoveQuest reward · Duskwood
8 in this filtered list
Dark Horde Band iLvl 26 · Req. 21 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 6 Spell power6 Stamina
7.34

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 6 × 1 = 6.00 pts
  • Stamina: 6 × 0.2241 = 1.34 pts

Rare

Source

9 in this filtered list
Ring of Power Regulation iLvl 33 · Req. 28 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 6 Spell power3 Mana per 5 sec
7.20

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 6 × 1 = 6.00 pts
  • Mana per 5 sec: 3 × 0.4001 = 1.20 pts

Rare

Source

10 in this filtered list
Advisor's Ring iLvl 23 · Req. 18 · Vendor · Horde only Key stats: 5 Spell power2 Mana per 5 sec2 Stamina
6.25
Kelm HargunthVendor · 1g 77s 77c · The Barrens

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 5 × 1 = 5.00 pts
  • Mana per 5 sec: 2 × 0.4001 = 0.80 pts
  • Stamina: 2 × 0.2241 = 0.45 pts

Rare

Source

Kelm HargunthVendor · 1g 77s 77c · The Barrens
11 in this filtered list
Lorekeeper's Ring iLvl 23 · Req. 18 · Vendor · Alliance only Key stats: 5 Spell power2 Mana per 5 sec2 Stamina
6.25
Illiyana MoonblazeVendor · 1g 60s · Ashenvale

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 5 × 1 = 5.00 pts
  • Mana per 5 sec: 2 × 0.4001 = 0.80 pts
  • Stamina: 2 × 0.2241 = 0.45 pts

Rare

Source

Illiyana MoonblazeVendor · 1g 60s · Ashenvale
12 in this filtered list
Curl of Life iLvl 33 · Req. 28* · Quest · Alliance only Key stats: 5 Spell power5 Stamina
6.12

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 5 × 1 = 5.00 pts
  • Stamina: 5 × 0.2241 = 1.12 pts

Uncommon

13 in this filtered list
Sea Giant's Toe Ring iLvl 35 · Req. 30 · Vendor · Reputation required Key stats: 6 Spell damage
6.00
Gezzy GunkgearVendor · 1g 55s 52c · Stranglethorn Vale

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 6 × 1 = 6.00 pts

Uncommon · Reputation required — check item requirements

Source

Gezzy GunkgearVendor · 1g 55s 52c · Stranglethorn Vale
14 in this filtered list
Runemender's Seal iLvl 32 · Req. 27 · Other drop Key stats: 3 Spell damage6 Intellect6 Spirit
5.97

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 3 × 1 = 3.00 pts
  • Intellect: 6 × 0.4125 = 2.47 pts
  • Spirit: 6 × 0.0817 = 0.49 pts

Rare

Source

15 in this filtered list
Minor Channeling Ring iLvl 24 · Req. 19* · Quest · Alliance only Key stats: 5 Spell power2 Intellect
5.83

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 5 × 1 = 5.00 pts
  • Intellect: 2 × 0.4125 = 0.83 pts

Uncommon

Source

16 in this filtered list
Apology Ring iLvl 35 · Req. 30* · Quest Key stats: 4 Spell power6 Stamina
5.34

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 4 × 1 = 4.00 pts
  • Stamina: 6 × 0.2241 = 1.34 pts

Uncommon

17 in this filtered list
Electrocutioner Lagnut iLvl 34 · Req. 29 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 3 Spell damage4 Stamina7 Spirit
4.47
Electrocutioner 6000Boss drop · 32% · Gnomeregan

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 3 × 1 = 3.00 pts
  • Stamina: 4 × 0.2241 = 0.90 pts
  • Spirit: 7 × 0.0817 = 0.57 pts

Rare

Source

Electrocutioner 6000Boss drop · 32% · Gnomeregan
18 in this filtered list
Solid Gold Band iLvl 36 · Req. 31* · Quest · Horde only Key stats: 4 Spell damage5 Spirit
4.41

Score breakdown

  • Spell power: 4 × 1 = 4.00 pts
  • Spirit: 5 × 0.0817 = 0.41 pts

Uncommon

19 in this filtered list
Lonetree's Circle iLvl 35 · Req. 30* · Quest · Horde only Key stats: 6 Intellect6 Stamina4 Spirit
4.15

Score breakdown

  • Intellect: 6 × 0.4125 = 2.47 pts
  • Stamina: 6 × 0.2241 = 1.34 pts
  • Spirit: 4 × 0.0817 = 0.33 pts

Rare

Source

20 in this filtered list
Flamestarter's Signet iLvl 40 · Req. 35 · Other drop Key stats: 10 Intellect
4.13
"Pyromancer" BraxtonNPC drop · 100%

Score breakdown

  • Intellect: 10 × 0.4125 = 4.13 pts

Rare

Source

"Pyromancer" BraxtonNPC drop · 100%

Item stats from the WoW Forever game files; sources from data collected from the live game. Auction prices are the lowest buyout on the Americas · Normal auction houses, read from Blizzard every hour; pick another region or ruleset under Filters. Which house is which ruleset is matched by size and still being confirmed in game.

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