State of Shadow

[Nomednil]

Hello,

I am not making this post for help deciding on a class, but more of a way to get an idea of how shadow is playing in beta and also determine how it may translate into live when the expansion hits.

I've been playing shadow as my main (primarily) since BC. Every time I switch classes at the start of an expansion, I always end up coming back to my priest. It's just always been the class whose abilities I enjoy the most, whether it is healing or dps, and that feels satisfying to me. By telling you this, it would seem that starting Legion as a priest is a no brainer.

I don't want to turn this into a whole "shadow is broken in mythic+" discussion, because I know there is another thread with that now. However, this is one of my biggest reasons of having any apprehension with shadow this go round. I am not going to be a super hardcore raider. I plan on progressing through mythics, but not in a top 200 guild or anything like that.

Mythic+ dungeons seem to be a great way of gearing and having fun for those of us who won't be able to raid 4-5 days a week and progress through heroic and mythic at a slower pace. I feel like being shadow will greatly inhibit my ability to do this. I don't really have a full group of friends (or guildy's yet) that will overlook shadows weakness at performing in dungeons. It has always been that way with short lived adds, and seems like it will be the case this go round too.

1) I guess my question is basically trying to see if anyone else feels this way.

2) Additionally, since I haven't done beta, I want to determine how big of a deal not being able to complete mythic +10 every week will be in the grand scheme of things.

3) How has shadow been faring in actual raid environments with longer living adds on beta for those who have done more testing.

Sorry for the wall of text and thanks for any responses!

[Gorgodeus]

There are no short-lived adds in Mythic+ to worry about, especially once you are doing higher level ones. The adds are not going to be dying in seconds, so classes with a bit of ramp up time will work.

[eScar95]

If you haven't been keeping up to date with Shadow, then one thing you should know is that Orbs are gone and have been replaced with Insanity. Certain spells generate Insanity and then you enter Void Form and try to stay in it by using as much Mind Blasts and Void Bolts as possible. As how it'll do in PvE, I have no idea.

[Blackmorgrim]

There are no short-lived adds in Mythic+ to worry about, especially once you are doing higher level ones. The adds are not going to be dying in seconds, so classes with a bit of ramp up time will work.

While this is true, the meta for high end mythics involves using high burst cleave/aoe to burst down 2-4 packs at once, which a priest can't provide. A shadowpriest can go well up to the point that max ilvl is attained, but going beyond that for additional rewards may find themselves having to work much harder to get a group, since most guides are beginning to show that a shadowpriest is not part of the optimal setup. However in a group containing all dot specs, shadowpriests will perform very well, because the pull tactics will be much more favorable to our playstyle. (ei get your shadowpriest friends together, and find a tank/healer) We just work much better when its several groups chain pulled/kited... which is rather inefficient for tank/melee classes and cleave, who dictate the current meta.

[zenkai]

Am I missing something, is there no way to heal yourself other than VE or the Shadowmend Talent? I haven't been playing my Spriest much this last year and I am not liking the changes.

[Deleted]

Am I missing something, is there no way to heal yourself other than VE or the Shadowmend Talent? I haven't been playing my Spriest much this last year and I am not liking the changes.

Shadow Mend isn't a talent, it's baseline. Masochism and San'layn turns the DoT from Shadow Mend into a HoT and increases the effectiveness of your VE, respectively. But neither of those talents are really optimal imo. On top of that, you have PW:S, as usual.

In other words, it's the same as last year, but instead of Flash Heal you cast Shadow Mend.

[Fleckens]

Am I missing something, is there no way to heal yourself other than VE or the Shadowmend Talent? I haven't been playing my Spriest much this last year and I am not liking the changes.

Shadowmend? Talent just turns the dot that appears when in combat into a hot, but it's not necesary, especially if you just top yourself out of combat.

[Gorsameth]

While this is true, the meta for high end mythics involves using high burst cleave/aoe to burst down 2-4 packs at once, which a priest can't provide. A shadowpriest can go well up to the point that max ilvl is attained, but going beyond that for additional rewards may find themselves having to work much harder to get a group, since most guides are beginning to show that a shadowpriest is not part of the optimal setup. However in a group containing all dot specs, shadowpriests will perform very well, because the pull tactics will be much more favorable to our playstyle. (ei get your shadowpriest friends together, and find a tank/healer) We just work much better when its several groups chain pulled/kited... which is rather inefficient for tank/melee classes and cleave, who dictate the current meta.

Assuming you don't have a modifier like Bolster which forces you to finish off 1 pull before moving to the next.