Shadow Priest effectiveness in Cataclysm (PvE)

[Chob]

Hello fellow priests,

Question for the beta-testers who have been testing the raiding aspect of Cataclysm. I'm personally a more experienced discipline priest, but the last few months I've focussed more on shadow, as that's the direction I want to take. What I'm basically wondering is how shadow priests fare in equal gear vs other dps classes, it is not a secret that SP's have been quite behind at the start of wotlk. I'm hoping we will be a bit more equal this time around. Ideally I'd love to see some logs!

PS by no means am I saying 'plz be best fotm dps class1!!!' I am merely wondering whether we will be able to properly compete vs the other dps classes. Being overpowered is as fun as being underpowered.

[Arlee]

Stay disc the world needs more healers!!! j/k

But, being a shadow priest, I am also curious about this. Been hearing all kinds of mixed rumors. Someone has to know something for sure though.

[Deleted]

Hello,
simple question, complicated answer :-). First of all, we have yet to see numbers balancing Beta build for Shadow Priests (unless Blizzard is satisfied with our raid performance right now).

About gear: Shadows are quite lucky, because we can take hit from spirit on cloth, which we share only with other priests (and I bet my Shadowfiend they are going to hate us for it). Rest of the gear is, as usual, shared with Warlocks and Mages. But we no more have to fight for hit items with them if we so desire.

About dps in Cata raids: I did a few raids myself, no logs though. From what recount was showing, I was able to keep very close with other pure damage dealers. No complains there. If you like Shadow playstyle in Cataclysm, you will be happy.

And one more thing: Because every specialization now has a static +%dmg done attribute, it is FAR easier to keep all of them balanced. So if (big stress on IF) Blizzard recognizes one spec is significantly lacking, number adjustment is fairly simple.

[Sharaki]

And one more thing: Because every specialization now has a static +%dmg done attribute, it is FAR easier to keep all of them balanced. So if (big stress on IF) Blizzard recognizes one spec is significantly lacking, number adjustment is fairly simple.

Basically this. Mechanics look pretty solid for adjustment if spec falls behind.

[Chob]

Hello,
simple question, complicated answer :-). First of all, we have yet to see numbers balancing Beta build for Shadow Priests (unless Blizzard is satisfied with our raid performance right now).

About gear: Shadows are quite lucky, because we can take hit from spirit on cloth, which we share only with other priests (and I bet my Shadowfiend they are going to hate us for it). Rest of the gear is, as usual, shared with Warlocks and Mages. But we no more have to fight for hit items with them if we so desire.

About dps in Cata raids: I did a few raids myself, no logs though. From what recount was showing, I was able to keep very close with other pure damage dealers. No complains there. If you like Shadow playstyle in Cataclysm, you will be happy.

And one more thing: Because every specialization now has a static +%dmg done attribute, it is FAR easier to keep all of them balanced. So if (big stress on IF) Blizzard recognizes one spec is significantly lacking, number adjustment is fairly simple.

Thanks for your answer, and especially the last bit makes sense, hadn't thought about that myself.

And to the previous poster who asked me to stay disc, I've been disc since the launch of tbc I'm soooo tired of it and I really do not like the direction discipline took in Cataclysm DPS to improve heals? blargh no ty

[Lucapa]

http://www.paragon.fi/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1284
A discussion from Paragon which deals with the current priest state. You might be interested in that.

[Arlee]

DPS to improve heals? blargh no ty

Yea... when I heard about that I was really confused. It just seems weird and illogical

[G l o w y r m]

Yea... when I heard about that I was really confused. It just seems weird and illogical

That mechanic won't be used in raids much from what we've seen, I don't plan to spec into it when I raid at 85. The few recent changes to Disc have been really awesome though. The new PW:B is awesome and the new PoH costing less, healing for more, and procing Divine Aegis on every cast (no more crit conditional) is really cool.

Yeah little off topic, sorry

I hear VE absolutely blows now, what's up with that? It seems fair on paper, given that VE is the only passive heal that heals the group + self (JoL and LoP are gone/don't anymore). Also since the other classes self heals have to meet other conditions before they heal, like Warriors (CC'd, recently killed something, 10% chance when hit), Rogues (combo points), and Druids (crits), and only ours heals others...

So even with all of that, I hear ours sucks, the facts that ours has group healing and that our healing is more consistent (since there are no conditions besides dealing damage) isn't making up for how bad it is now.

I think it might because VE is the only heal scaling with damage instead of maximum health?

[Direshadow]

With the most recent buff to our Mastery things should be looking very good. Almost overpowered I'd suspect.