Shadow Priest viable for PvP in 3.3?

[sc2071]

Heya,

My main is a druid. I use to be balance, but it being so difficult to PvP well with I've gone feral. I'm not doing arenas, just battlegrounds and wintergrasp.

I'm wondering how Shadow Priests are post-3.3 in PvP. I've got a priest parked in the low 60s and I'm debating about level'ing him up to 80, and even considering him as a main replacement. As far as PvE goes, I find it quite fun. Just wondering how they are shaping up now. I guess I miss being able to be an offensive caster in PvP, but want to stay hybrid so I can heal in PvE. Even considering if I should try out a Shaman.

Anyway, I thought I was hearing Shadow Priest are really viable now... just wondering what the concensus is? I'm not an extremely skillful player, otherwise I probably would have stayed as Boomkin.

Thanks!

[Direshadow]

It's doable.

You have to be an amazing player though. Being Asian also helps. (kidding btw)


Basicly, the Shadow Priest still needs A LOT of work in order for average players to succeed in pvp. The damage is there, but our survivability is still very low. Usually we're the number 1 target for this reason. Dispersion unfortunately isn't enough to save us from being focused.

I think Rated Battlegrounds will really change things. That might be the avenue that we'll be good at.

[Kalakukko]

I think Rated Battlegrounds will really change things. That might be the avenue that we'll be good at.

Aye, even now Shadow Priests can make amazing supporting spellcasters with good damaging abilities. Can't really say how it'll be in Cataclysm, but in our current state we would most likely do extremely well in a coordinated WSG or AB for example.

Shadow Priests in the current state are viable for PVP, no doubt about that. Shadowplay comps for example are superb at the moment. The problem is that the complete lack of reliable escapes/snares(Mind Flay also snares you of course) makes the spec really dependant on others and it is hard to stand on your own unlike a Warlock or such.

[shingai]

Playing a shadow priest in PvP is quite difficult in my eyes, it just takes a lot of experience and quick thinking if you want to be successful. And yes no matter what i do, everyone always targets us first, i have no explanation for it. But overall, if you can get used to the playing style, they can do some considerable damage and are very fun to play.

[jonish]

our biggest flaw at this point in pvp is mana. with survivability at a close second , just as it has always been. we still die far too easily when targeted by melee but that is a priest problem in general mainly because we have no way of getting them off us reliably.

the amount of mana we gain when VT and SWPain are dispelled needs to be drastically increased. by a factor of 3 at least. The cost of our dots is insane considering they can be removed without any drawback. The damage VT causes when it is removed is nice but it is still not a big enough deterrance to prevent people from just clearing out dots. UA causes more damage when you remove it than VT does and it has the added benefit of a silence.

i think removing the lockout on DP and letting us cast it on multiple targets would relieve some of the issue with our survivability. I also think the healing we receive from VE should be immune to MS effects. If they do not want to give us a reliable mobility mechanic then we need ways of tanking them, and having healing that is immune to MS , however minor that healing is would be a big help.

[syanid]

Since when is Vampiric Embrace affected by MS effects? I haven't been checking it lately, but since TBC era it was an aura heal that wasn't affected by MS.

[KresnikHellfire]

The damage VT causes when it is removed is nice but it is still not a big enough deterrance to prevent people from just clearing out dots. UA causes more damage when you remove it than VT does and it has the added benefit of a silence.

This, pretty much. I realise the futility of comparing apples and oranges but affliction warlock and shadowpriest is very similar in playstyle, of course there are some differences (permanent pet, dispersion, yada yada).

The main difference is in the two cast time DoT's. UA receives 30% dispell protection and silences for 5 seconds on dispell, as well as providing a sizable amount of damage. VT receives 30% dispell protection and provides a sizable amount of damage. As a healer, I know which one I would rather dispell.

This matter isn't being helped by the fact that all healers are getting the ability to dispell in Cataclysm (or so I have read). There REALLY needs to be something done about it before then.

[jonish]

Since when is Vampiric Embrace affected by MS effects? I haven't been checking it lately, but since TBC era it was an aura heal that wasn't affected by MS.

it has always been effected by MS. It is now also subject to the effects of overpower debuff reducing our output thus reducing our healing done.