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  1. #1

    Why play a Shadow Priest?

    So I was trying to figure this out.

    Why does someone play a shadow priest in favor of a warlock?

    A warlock is a pure class, and thus will always be designed to do more dps.

    Warlocks have a DOT spec, like the shadow priest spec.

    Is it because if you want to, you can respec and heal?

    But Muqq of Ensidia is shadow/shadow. I don't think I've ever seen him with a healing spec. So why does he do it?

    So if someone is just looking to DPS, why would they roll a shadow priest over warlocks?

  2. #2

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Because it's fun. While it might not have the best theoretical dps, it's what I enjoy most in this game. If you just want to top the damage meters then sure, go play a lock rather than a Shadow Priest. Or, for that matter, an Arcane Mage or whatever the hell is topping the charts in ICC.

  3. #3

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by MushroomBomb
    Because it's fun. It's not the same as Affliction, and whule it might not have the best theoretical dps, it's what I enjoy most in this game. If you just want to top the damage meters then sure, go play a lock rather than a Shadow Priest. Or, for that matter, an Arcane Mage or whatever the hell is topping the charts in ICC.
    So the play style of Affliction and Shadow aren't similar?

  4. #4

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rawrdok
    So I was trying to figure this out.

    Why does someone play a shadow priest in favor of a warlock?

    A warlock is a pure class, and thus will always be designed to do more dps.

    Warlocks have a DOT spec, like the shadow priest spec.

    Is it because if you want to, you can respec and heal?

    But Muqq of Ensidia is shadow/shadow. I don't think I've ever seen him with a healing spec. So why does he do it?

    So if someone is just looking to DPS, why would they roll a shadow priest over warlocks?
    I'm not sure you can boil things down to such a simple comparison... you would choose a priest over a warlock because you enjoy the flavour of the priest class. It has the ability to heal, so it's far more versatile than the lock class. You might enjoy the massive amount of PvE survivability and you may enjoy the ability to be able to heal as well as DPS (particularly given we have dual spec).

    I probably agree that the affliction warlocks and shadow priests are perhaps the most similar class specs in the game but they are still considerably different in terms of play style. I'd suggest if you knew you would never ever want to heal then the priest class is the wrong class for you. It still more of a support class, it's your job to dispel, ensure fort etc is cast on brez'd targets, Mass Dispel utility etc.

    In any case, back to my first comment, you can't look at these things in such black & white terms. You either enjoy a class or you don't and a lot of the time those reasons are very much subjective. There is no formula that dictates which class you should choose.

  5. #5

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rawrdok
    So the play style of Affliction and Shadow aren't similar?
    Woops, I was thinking of Destruction :-[ Yes, Affliction and Shadow have a very similar plays tyle. But really, so does a lot of classes. It's not so much the general play style (at least, for me) that matters, as much as the small things in between. The excessive multi-dotting (although I'm sure Affliction can do that too), the tiny heals thrown out during encounter downtime, the precise timing of the Shadowfiend... It's the little things that matter, not necessarily the general feel of things. To me, at least.

    But my point still stands, the reason that I play a Shadow Priest is because I find it immensely fun. I love everything about the class, and I don't care enough to go re-roll for a small dps difference.

  6. #6

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Andyplayswow
    If your looking to top dps charts roll pure class.

    If you like hybrid classes and want perform diffrent roles roll hybrid.

    If you like class mechanics, how class is played, roll that class (case for me).

    Shadow priests ARE NOT warlocks
    that +

    http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/9...0909223340.jpg

    is enough of a reason for me, compete with the way more geared hunter in dmg, all single target!

  7. #7

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    There is the sweet satisfaction of living through a KT iceblock because of VE (old albeit but fun), or needing to put a lot of work into a class so that you can top a meter as apposed to pure rotation classes. The drive to outpreform pure classes is hard to rival not to mention when you are top five in a 25 man everyone else must have that..."well a spriest just beat me, what am i doing wrong" feeling which makes me feel warm and tingly inside. Finally we bring some somewhat important buffs to a raid, stam/spirit if you are the only priest, spell hit, reduced healing on target, massively high survivability, an aoe that hits like a truck plus fade that allows 0 threat casting for 8.5ish seconds every 30 seconds.

  8. #8

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by MushroomBomb
    Because it's fun. While it might not have the best theoretical dps, it's what I enjoy most in this game. If you just want to top the damage meters then sure, go play a lock rather than a Shadow Priest. Or, for that matter, an Arcane Mage or whatever the hell is topping the charts in ICC.
    Yeah, I'm usually in the 6-7K dps range now but can top total damage done in a 25. I hit 7500 dps or so on the ship phase of ICC25, which wasn't *top* dps, but I did have top damage that fight.

    http://www.wowarmory.com/character-s...onde&n=Dorgana

  9. #9
    The Patient SweetLou570's Avatar
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    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by carenard
    that +

    http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/9...0909223340.jpg

    is enough of a reason for me, compete with the way more geared hunter in dmg, all single target!
    Ebro, you have a macro for Roll 1k? Good God man... Interesting UI too.

  10. #10

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sweet Lou
    Ebro, you have a macro for Roll 1k? Good God man... Interesting UI too.
    Someone had a bad day. Why do you care actually?

  11. #11
    The Lightbringer Arganis's Avatar
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    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Shadowform?
    Facilis Descensus Averno

  12. #12

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Rawrdok
    So I was trying to figure this out.

    Why does someone play a shadow priest in favor of a warlock?

    A warlock is a pure class, and thus will always be designed to do more dps.

    Warlocks have a DOT spec, like the shadow priest spec.

    Is it because if you want to, you can respec and heal?

    But Muqq of Ensidia is shadow/shadow. I don't think I've ever seen him with a healing spec. So why does he do it?

    So if someone is just looking to DPS, why would they roll a shadow priest over warlocks?

    That's like asking a feral druid why he doesn't just play a rogue.


    Shadow priests and warlocks are different class regardless of what your play style is. If you want to shadow/shadow as your spec, guess what you're still a shadow priest. Shadow priest can still heal and shield. Who cares about dps. This game is more than just a dps game.

  13. #13

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    I also prefer the playstyle and just the general Flavor of the Shadow Priest as well. I never wanted to be pure DPS, I would rather have versatility, the ability to heal, Dispel, Shield ETC.

    I always ran around as my lock back in BC, and whenever I saw a Shadowpriest I was like, Damnit I should have made a priest

    So I did, and loved it, I've had to take a break for a while now but I can't wait to get back to my priest who will be ShadowPvP/ShadowPvE.

    plus Shadowform is the most bad ass looking ability in the entire game.

  14. #14

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Not being stuck on alliance side as either human or gnome?

    I have both a shadow priest and a destruction warlock. At least at low levels, I don't find the play styles terribly similar. I find fire mage more similar to warlock than anything.

    Sounds to me more like someone has their knickers in a twist because a shadow priest refused to respec/dual spec to heal for them. Don't ever group with me, because I can guarantee you I'll never be healing on my pally or priest except in a pinch if the healer dies. Then I might try and at least keep the tank up.

    Some people don't like healing or tanking, just like some healers or tanks don't know how to DPS. It's like asking why one person has a certain personality and another person doesn't. There's no real explanation except for that everyone has different preferences.

  15. #15
    The Patient SweetLou570's Avatar
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    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tribute
    Someone had a bad day. Why do you care actually?
    I actually know him and am messing around, sorry you weren't in the loop.

  16. #16

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    I've played my main as Affliction though now I'm currently Destruction. I've seen Shadow Priests struggle with DPS in this expansion but that's not so much the case now.

    With 3.3 Shadow Priests can do very well. My guild ran 25man ICC last night and on Lady Deathwhisper the Shadow Priest was holding his own with both Affliction Warlocks, Arcane Mages and Destruction Warlocks.

    I'm not saying they're going to be on top every fight, nobody will. But they're in a good place now and as it's been said it's really ALL about personal preferences. I have a lower level Shadow Priest and I don't really think it plays like an Affliction Warlock at all. The similarities, to me, end at DoTs and Shadow Damage.

    Warlocks have different mechanics than Shadow Priests and different options. Do you prefer permanent pets or temporary? Do you prefer to be able to put a shield on yourself and take a beating or CC the target while killing it?

    As for topping the meters pure classes should always be able to do this. Hopefully this is the case in 3.3 but regardless if you play a class you love it shouldn't really matter! =D Plus Shadowform is autowin in my book!

  17. #17

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    because you realize your no good at healing?

  18. #18

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    purple shadow mounts
    "Mitt Romney is a lot like the band Nickelback. They sell a lot of records but I don’t know anybody that has one."

  19. #19

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    I've played around with a lower level warlock for a bit, but could never get into it. I don't like soulshards or life tapping. And as someone else pointed out, if you play alliance, gnomes and humans are your only choice for warlock, when almost everything can be a priest.

    I originally started as a healer, but was getting really bored of healing. Started reading up on shadowpriest.com and ended up rolling another priest to be solely shadow spec (way before dual specs, also when crafted tailoring gear was way overpowered and it cost a fortune to respec your tailoring). I mostly played it for fun until one day our guild had more than the usual amount of healers on and was short a dps, so I was able to bring my shadowpriest in. I never willingly offered to heal again, and never have since (my offspec is healing for times when it's either heal or we can't raid, which thankfully doesn't happen often).

    Nothing can shake my believe that this world is the fruit of a dark god whose shadow I extend -- Emil Cioran

  20. #20

    Re: Why play a Shadow Priest?

    Becuase they already have a lvl 80 priest and do not want to level a lock.
    When people say "pls" just because its shorter then "please", I feel totally justified to say "No" just because its shorter then "Yes".

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