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  1. #1

    Considering a switch to Spriest from warlock with 4.3

    Your opinions? Where do shadow priests excel where warlocks do not? I always enjoyed the drain life filler affliction spec when it was viable and Spriests seem to be closer to that playstyle than affliction currently is. I play destro mainly now, so that's something to consider as well. Thanks for your input!

  2. #2
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    I made the switch from Warlock to Shadowpriest just before ICC launched, never looked back. I'm not sure I can give you a good insight into the differences though as I haven't played a warlock since then, and I know they were changed considerably in cataclysm.

  3. #3
    Epic! Dave131's Avatar
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    Never played Lock, only played SPriest

    I can tell you 2 things:

    Not having to manage a pet is nice(I have played Hunter) and Shadowform is tits!!!
    “Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy." ~Frank Sinatra

  4. #4
    High Overlord Chillin D's Avatar
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    I play a both Shadowpriest and Warlock. I prefer Shadowpriest in both a PvE and PvP scenario but it could simply be bias due to it being my first character. Shadow is the closest thing you'll find to Affliction, I'd say a Fire Mage is close to a Destro 'Lock, though. It kind of depends on what you want to accomplish... or "feel" when playing it. Due you prefer to do fire damage or damage over time?

  5. #5
    A spriest rotation is a slightly simplified version of the affliction lock rotation (somewhat). I'd say a big advantage that spriests have over an affliction lock though, is the ability to deal quick bursts of damage with Mind Spike & Mind Blast. It's really helpful when dealing with ads that dont have a lot of health and need to be burned down as quickly as possible (Sons of Flame, anyone?). I think that the ability to deal a high amount damage to stuff thats are only going to last ~10 seconds or less (bar aoe-able stuff, SoC/Shadowflame is pretty good) is something that's missing from an affliction locks toolkit.

  6. #6
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    I haven't played my warlock alt that much at level 85, because affliction is just boring in 5mans due to ramp up time. But was pugging heroic ICC as affliction with it in WotLK.
    In the beginning when I was learning the spec I as comparing warlock -> spriest spells. I saw UA as VT. Haunt as a Mind Blast, Corruption as SW:P etc...
    Mind Blast have no travel time compared to Haunt, which is so much better. Mind Flay as channel was so much better than spamming shadow bolt (never tried Drain Life filler spec).
    Affliction still don't have any burst, which we shadowpriest have gotten this expansion. Start casting that slooow shadow bolt at something with super low health is Zzz.

    I like affliction, but I like shadow more

  7. #7
    Shadowpriest pros:

    -mind flay filler is more similar to drain life filler
    -not a pet class
    -not a pet class
    -not a pet class

    Shadowpriest cons:
    -no alternative dps trees
    -very dependant on buffs other people bring, especially Dark Intent
    -people might ask you to heal

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Lucapa View Post
    -people might ask you to heal
    To which the only acceptable response is "wut's dis heel thing? That's wut happens when I pewpew bosz?"



    (you may not want to actually follow that advice)

  9. #9
    Stood in the Fire Backreaper's Avatar
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    cleverly disguised "pick my class" thread.

    want to manage a pet?
    no > roll a spriest
    yes > roll a spriest, pets suck anyway.
    Priest? What do you mean i'm a priest?
    I have dots, a pet and i can turn into a dark purple form with wings, i'm obviously a warlock!

  10. #10
    I've never really leveled a Warlock, but I've played months upon months of gameplay on my Priest, and I will always be a little biased with my Priest because he was my first 85.
    You have to do a lot od dotting, which as a Warlock you probably already do a lot of. You get a lot of ways to get mana back, Shadowfiend is awesome but shitty CD.
    Shadow orbs is a fun little game you get to play to unleash a huge fucking mindblast. If they're low level mobs or something you know qill be killed quickly or easily you can just spam Mind Spike which is fun.
    I want it to be 4.3 though because I'm sick of being a purple blob so we can get that glyph I've waited for forever,

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Backreaper View Post
    cleverly disguised "pick my class" thread.

    want to manage a pet?
    no > roll a spriest
    yes > roll a spriest, pets suck anyway.
    Reminds me of the silly "What's your class" forms people fill out where they ask the rather giviing question: "Do you like pets?" <3

  12. #12
    Stood in the Fire Llarold's Avatar
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    I've always heard people bitch about pets, and I used to be one of the slobbering idiots who couldn't control a pet and my character at the same time. You know what I did? I leveled a hunter with all autocast abilities turned off on my pet. All of them. I controlled every single one of my pet's actions by hand and if you can learn to do that, you'll be a damn good hunter and warlock. (I've since turned all the unimportant crap back on autocast.)

    On the subject of Warlock vs. SP, Warlock doesn't have mana problems in pvp and kills a great many mans. SP does as well. Both have really good instant control options in pvp. Warlock requires more micromanagement and thus has better upside at a higher level. SP bursts like hell, but, as stated, will run oom even if you don't suck. Admittedly, Dispersion is really nice.
    In pve dps, Affliction and Shadow are almost fungible. Slightest edge goes to SP for burst as mentioned above. Demo is pretty enjoyable and kicks some ass. Since LK, I have considered Destruction to be more analogous to Elemental Shaman, and I stand by that comparison. Flame Shock ~ Immolate, Lava Burst ~ Conflagrate, Fulmination ~ Chaos Bolt, Lightning Bolt ~ Incinerate. They have a great many similarities, but are differentiated enough to have different feels to the playstyles.

    Destro is not like fire Mage in the slightest, because it lacks the mechanic that makes fire so frustrating/rewarding: Ignite. Fire Mage is all about dotting the target through direct damage, then combusting and spreading it around. That's the lynchpin to good fire dps, and the problem with it is that players have 1 second to make the decision whether to add to the ignite or start spreading. That and it's RNG, of course. Destro is not RNG, it's just bad. That's unfortunate. Destro was always my favorite Warlock spec, but Blizzard felt (rightly) that the spec did too much burst in pvp. However, since the spec *is* pure burst, nerfing its burst meant nerfing its sustained output, and that put it way below the level of competitiveness across the board in pve. Sucks.

    Basically, you aren't good enough to play Warlock, but you could be. Don't take the easy way out unless you actually like playing the SP class more than the Warlock class.

  13. #13
    The Lightbringer Ultima's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Backreaper View Post
    cleverly disguised "pick my class" thread..
    Not really. I would have closed it had it been; "m8z, shud i rol lock or sp lol?".

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Backreaper View Post
    yes > roll a spriest, pets suck anyway.
    You say 10k crits every 8sec on a full ruthless plate "sucks"?

  15. #15
    Depends. I prefer priest because I can heal when I get bored of DPS and heal in a different way when I get bored of healing. Psychic Horror really pisses off melee too, so there's that.

  16. #16
    Do you like both? Do you dislike your lock right now, and that's why you are considering a switch? Is your guild looking for a shadow priest? You pay to play a game, so there's no reason to do something you dislike if that's the case. Locks bring way more to a raid in terms of buffs than a shadow priest can with typically higher damage output (yes of course there are exceptions). Make sure you understand that swapping to a shadow priest will greatly affect any other casters in your raid group. In the end, it's your decision, and you should play what you enjoy. Shadow is hella fun; best of luck on whatever decision you make.

  17. #17
    Immortal roahn the warlock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gakpad View Post
    Your opinions? Where do shadow priests excel where warlocks do not? I always enjoyed the drain life filler affliction spec when it was viable and Spriests seem to be closer to that playstyle than affliction currently is. I play destro mainly now, so that's something to consider as well. Thanks for your input!
    you obviously didn't just see the developer say warlocks are getting a drain filler called malefic grasp...
    It was never Hardcore Vs Casual. It was Socialites Vs. Solo players
    Quote Originally Posted by ringpriest View Post
    World of Warcraft started life as a Computer Roleplaying Game, where part of the fun of the game experience was pretending to be your character. Stuff like applying poisons and eating food enhanced the verisimilitude of the experience of playing a fantasy character in another world. Now that game has changed to become a tactical arcade lobby game.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by roahn the warlock View Post
    you obviously didn't just see the developer say warlocks are getting a drain filler called malefic grasp...
    That's in the expansion not 4.3.

  19. #19
    Honestly I like my Warlock better than playing an Spriest, I think Warlocks are way more interesting and their class design is more appealing to me (I do play Demo/Affliction), I simply keep my priest for the healing aspect and because I raid as a healer. I alt raid with my Lock and I have tons of fun doing so so I can't give you any good points to a shadow priest other than you get to be... all shadowy??

    Stick with the lock unless you really want to play the Spriest then go for it.

  20. #20
    Field Marshal Lyllee's Avatar
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    Having played a SP as my main for the past 6 yrs.. I'm probably bias but I do have a warlock alt which is fun however I'm not liking having to deal with a pet so on that alone.. I'd say go with SP
    <3 Thanks Geekissexy for the sig <3

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