Challenges as Shadow Priest, how does it work for you?

[Strykzor]

awww cmon

Haha <3
Never seen you play tho, so i cant say anything. ^^

EventHorizon has support for nearly all classes and specs now and it helps me tremendously with Shadow Priesting.

Can it take 3.3 Spriest changes to haste into account?
Will it work with haste? ie:reduce the cast time therefor prolonging the time until it tells u to recast VT?
Can u modify it so that it doesn't take up a heap of your screen.
Like going REALLY minimalistic so it just seems like a line than a box?.

I would totally use this in place of Classtimers.

[Kelesti]

Stryk, you tried Forte yet? Because it can do all of that. And it's much better than Classtimers.

[Mamut]

I loved already my shadow priest alt (melee main). And Im trying now find some nice UI that can support both. Anyone know good UI with ForteXorcist? Im not very good with addons so I cant make my own compilation.

[Weena2]

I loved already my shadow priest alt (melee main). And Im trying now find some nice UI that can support both. Anyone know good UI with ForteXorcist? Im not very good with addons so I cant make my own compilation.

This is a UI alot of people use and its actualy very good - http://www.wowinterface.com/download...5-CaithUI.html. While it doesnt have Forte it does have another addon to track your dot uptime. Then again i always found it easier to make my own UI rather than download one, so you could always download a UI you like and take your time to configure Forte how you like it.

[Whoopse]

Ive tried a lot of the dot timers available and fortexorist is just amazing.

It looks really polished, makes it very easy to multidot as it supports hasted dots, has each mobs name on the dot bars and slightly dims out any dots not on your current target. It also lets u pick colours for the dot timer bars, so each dots bar ive made the same colour as the spell icon.

I also like how u can make it add trinket/pot/bloodlust cds to your timers so you can see very easily the duration left and time when to reapply VT/DP to get the haste buff.

http://www.wowarmory.com/character-s...ssan&n=whoopse

[KresnikHellfire]

Mind Blast cooldown has always made our rotation quite messy. With 4 set T10, I believe the dps bonus of using Mind Blast is about 50 (dps), so although it will still be a benfit to use it, it won't be too noticable if you leave it out altogether (although those were really early numbers, I don't know what they are now).

Not to incite flaming in this thread (and just to all the posters above, I'm addressing the OP's post here), but I find Shadowpriest's rotation incredibly sleepy these days. It's still probably the best rotation in the game (bar feral dps, which everyone always brings up), but having played it for 2.5 years now, it's basically etched into my brain. I've only recently started using DoT-timers because hasted dots have caused me to have to concentrate a bit more.

That said, I appreciate that it's incredibly more entertaining than an elemental shaman/arcane mage etc rotation, but for me it's still kinda dull just because (for me) it barely changed between TBC and WoTLK (I swapped starshards for devouring plague and cut SWD from it altogether, which I must say was an incredibly good move from Blizz - self-damaging spells in normal rotations ftsuck). I appreciate that the spec doesn't NEED to have an overhaul all the time but even something like haunt for affliction warlocks would have made this particular rotation more interesting.

The other point (of interest ?) that I'd like to bring up is that pure classes often swing between dps trees depending what the FoTM is (mage for example - FFB early on, then fire, now arcane, and possibly back to fire again. Warlock - affliction early on, destruction all the way after that and demo as a raid-buffing spec and affliction getting back into the light now). Hybrids have less variety and priests even more so, with 2 healing trees instead of the 2 dps trees that other hybrids have, leaving us with shadow as pretty much our only dps option. I enjoy playing disc sometimes in 10 mans as it gives a well-deserved break from the shadow spec, and there isn't much other option like there is swinging between 2-3 specs that the other pures do (although I realise there isn't that much variation between say, Marksman hunter and Survival Hunter, although there is some).

[iLive]

Thanks for every comment! Better view of the class, and some few other things I'll probably make my own UI like I did with my Restoration Druid (iLive user interface). In my eyes Shadow Priest is a very amazing class, and I hope it continuesly will.

[Mamut]

The other point (of interest ?) that I'd like to bring up is that pure classes often swing between dps trees depending what the FoTM is (mage for example - FFB early on, then fire, now arcane, and possibly back to fire again. Warlock - affliction early on, destruction all the way after that and demo as a raid-buffing spec and affliction getting back into the light now). Hybrids have less variety and priests even more so, with 2 healing trees instead of the 2 dps trees that other hybrids have, leaving us with shadow as pretty much our only dps option. I enjoy playing disc sometimes in 10 mans as it gives a well-deserved break from the shadow spec, and there isn't much other option like there is swinging between 2-3 specs that the other pures do (although I realise there isn't that much variation between say, Marksman hunter and Survival Hunter, although there is some).

Right, thats why i sometimes cant decide between my sp and lock (old main, hand of adal + 4x t6). When I get bored with one spec I can switch to another, with sp not really but its still entertaining and its easier find group for random hc with healing offspec.

[Khanjin]

@Direshadow
You have 5 spells for single target DPS, and adding one additional seems like it'll destroy the rotation unless Blizzard also makes some changes to the other spells, which might make the Shadow Priest rotation like other caster rotation. This will surely happen, and maybe Shadow Priests will have more movement inside their rotation, and less start up time for single target DPS. Let's just hope something good ;P

How do you damage additional targets? I guess you don't hold full dot on them all? Give an example with x3 targets.

With a spammable nuke I find it hard to believe you'll use mind flay that much. Maybe like arcane, you use your nuke x3 and unleash the mind flay. Interesting

[Deleted]

Hi mates...

If there's one class (and spec) I think that is really interesting in this game, then that would be a Shadow Priest. Shadow Priests' rotation is a bit more complex and harder than other classes, and you need to be fully concentrated while playing it (or at least I do).

I have a medium knowledge about them, so I tried out my mate's on a training dummy. I thought that it wouldn't be that hard, since I was standing still and could concentrate freely about the rotation only, but I failed again and again and again. The rotation was never perfect! I was sometimes too slow to use Mind Blast right at the CD, forgot to have all debuffs up all the time, destroyed some few ticks of Mind Flay etc. etc. Short said, it was hard.

Now I'm just thinking, that if it was in a raid situation (= movement), and I had that extra amount of haste rating (= more dot control), then I would be dead! I couldn't perfect the rotation while standing still, so how would I be able to do so in this environment? And then I thought: "RESPECT TO SHADOW PRIEST PLAYERS AND THEIR BRAINS!" This class is indeed hard to perfect (if it is possible).

I played a Restoration Druid, and everything seemed so natural, when I played it. I mean I didn't need to be 100% in the game, to do well. HoT on him, move here, avoid that, NOURISH NOURISH NOURISH, more HoT's here etc. When I allow some of mine friends to play my class, they are failing like me with the Shadow Priest. So I guess with time you'll be better, I just got shocked with right this class.

So my question is, do you still have those moments of fail while DPS'ing as Shadow Priest, or is it just some training and done? Is it really hard to manage? Have you improved over time, and for how long have you played etc. Do you enjoy it, or ould you wish it was easier? Explain for me please

I have gone from being a noob to being asked to join hardcore raiders in no time. Most ppl have played for many years and I have played this game for a year and some months. Im a girl too so I didn't have much computer game skills at all when I started this game.
You always get to practise your moves, and that usually comes when you learn the boss tacts. I don't even use spriest addons just the dbm and such, I know by heart when to refresh dots, when my mindblast is back.
I don't find it problematic at all, the more you play the more you learn and it's quite fast to learn especially if you're like me and pretty much only play one spec and only one char =)

[Abandon]

With a spammable nuke I find it hard to believe you'll use mind flay that much. Maybe like arcane, you use your nuke x3 and unleash the mind flay. Interesting

That's quite a good idea, actually. And we would want to keep casting it to keep SW:P on the target as well.

[kynd]

"I have gone from being a noob to being asked to join hardcore raiders in no time. Most ppl have played for many years and I have played this game for a year and some months. Im a girl too so I didn't have much computer game skills at all when I started this game.
You always get to practise your moves, and that usually comes when you learn the boss tacts. I don't even use spriest addons just the dbm and such, I know by heart when to refresh dots, when my mindblast is back.
I don't find it problematic at all, the more you play the more you learn and it's quite fast to learn especially if you're like me and pretty much only play one spec and only one char =)"

No offense, but if you are still refreshing dots "by heart" now, you arent maximizing your potential. The class skill level took a slight leap with the haste scaling dots. If you are using all of your resources correctly (trinkets/pots/racials/HeroLust/fight mechanics), very rarely will the time of your dots ever stay a constant now. If you are as good as you say you are, then if you could ever learn to integrate monitoring dot timers into your game play, you would be exponentially better.

[Ninfetaz]

Well those moments that makes you fail at DPS will always happen, the Shadow Priest DPS can be a little tricky and take a while to manage/understand but after you get it, it's done!
I have been playing as a shadow priest for some time now and I can tell you that yes, I have improved over time undoubtfuly, if you keep playing and experiencing new situations/fights you will get better for sure.
I have always enjoyed playing as a shadow priest and after all this time I still do, so good luck and keep up the good work!

[Jonnyboi1989]

I wholeheartedly believe there is a class and spec suited for everyone. Mine is shadow. I've played a shadow priest for 2 years and from the very beginning i've had a knack for it. I don't use DoT timers or even look at the ticks anymore, i just KNOW when it's time to cast again. My GS is about 4730 and i pull over 5k regularly in 5 mans and 6.8k on 25 man bosses. Shadow feels right. If you constantly are working on your rotation i suspect you'll get it. But I fully believe Shadow (like other specs) is a natural thing for each person. You're either pro or your not and should find your true class.

btw, to those of you who might think 4700 is a low gearscore, keep in mind i don't raid often b/c i only raid with the girlfriend. I used to be number 1 Spriest on server through Ulduar, then we got together and i helped her level and gear instead of raiding.

[Direshadow]

I don't know. Personally I love that feeling of being a slow, creeping threat on my enemies. I love that when I start a fight, i'm usually near the bottom of the dps charts... but over time, when my trinkets stack up, and my shadow weaving is max, and i'm into my rotation, i'm up there usually above all the other hybrids.

I like that feeling, it's like an orchestra buiding up slow to a peak in harmony.


I also recently watched the class discussion panels from Blizzcon 2009 again, and i'm thinking more and more that Shadow Priests WILL NOT get a nuke spell. The recent changes have really brought us up to speed in a way that I don't think many predicted would. I'd rather have another survivability spell, rather then another damage spell.


If you watch the 2009 footage, you'd see why. He didn't promise anything, he didnt' even say "we're thinking about it"...

It was more like, "We've talked about it"

So chew it over a little bit.

[Yvaelle]

I thought Shadow Priest was in the low end of DPS meters compared to other DPS?

Shadowpriests are probably the hardest class in the game to play well (ferals have a tougher single target rotation, but shadow's single target priorities are just a fraction of a shadowpriests obligations in a raid). Consequently the gradient of shadowpriest players' performance is the largest of any class.

Bad shadowpriests do poorly.

Good shadowpriests do mediocrely.

Great shadowpriests are competitive.

Pro shadowpriests are monstrous

[Kootz]

To be honest at this point i could probably do shadow in my sleep. but that probably also means im not trying hard enough.

eh who knows.

[eErike]

I haven't played my shadowpriest for so long, (started with wow half a year ago) but those trix I've picked up so far is:

Socket wise:
1. Socket 23sp as often you can with a few exeptions:
1. it's a yellow slot have gives a bonus better than: 2sp, 2haste or 3crit (gem sp/haste)
2. you don't have 2 blues for your meta (gem sp/spi)

Rotation:

1. VT up, don't clip
2. DP up, don't clip
(3.) Roll one, only one, SW:P with full dots on target (i.e 13% more spell dmg etc, refrech if there is a phase were you get an extra bonus out of it, f.ex. Gormaks charge)
4. MB of cooldown (Stick to this rule, explain laters)
5. Fill with Mind Flay

Keeping MB of cooldown is the thing that will force you into using your spells in serten (grammar? :P) ways, if there is a 0,4 to 1,7 sec cooldown left, use SW. 1,7-2,1s; use a cliped mind flay (2 ticks). use those rules to max your dps, if there is a 3,7sec cooldown on MB, neat; Mindflay + SH

That's some of the stuff I've picked up so far, there is loads of other stuff and some of mine in prob faar out of the best way to do it but I hope it helps anyway

[Shadowy]

I loved already my shadow priest alt (melee main). And Im trying now find some nice UI that can support both. Anyone know good UI with ForteXorcist? Im not very good with addons so I cant make my own compilation.

I have been using Xeo UI for a few months and it's awesome! All of your meters are stacked so you can see Lightweave procs, MB cooldowns, DoT timers...
Just watch the vids and the pictures for more info ;-)