Why play a Shadow Priest?

[PurechaosSK]

90 percent of the population of priests are from the vanilla days and were healers. When shadow became viable in BC most of them switched. Then in WoTLK the majority of them pvp as disc or quit them completely because they suck.

Im one of them.

[Tyroxin]

Becuase they already have a lvl 80 priest and do not want to level a lock.

This

[Buffwhite]

Because it's cool to run into locks that think "OOH SPriest, wannabe dps. Let me own him and show him some REAL shadow damage." And then you kick their asses without having to leave Shadowform to heal yourself. Lol everyone underestimates the SPriest.

[crazytaco]

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.

Gosh you types get on my nerves. You don't "like healing or tanking" because it takes more effort and/or responsiblity. The only difference in personality is that you are too afraid to take on a role in which it is very evident when you fail. Or perhaps you just don't care enough about the people you run with to step up and take on a new task when its needed.

I'm sorry to vent at you (its not personal). My guild just has a lot of crappy dps'ers that dont carry their weight, and don't appreciate those that do the heavy lifting. And god forbid a healer is absent one night and the enhance shaman has to sub in with a resto offspec, you'd think his entire damn world was ending...

[Imyourpally]

Becuase they already have a lvl 80 priest and do not want to level a lock.

[Dorgana]

I always pop out of shadowform and perform clutch heals if the healer is having problems (ie., cc'd) You can DPS and provide clutch heal utility - there is so much to love about spriests in 3.3 now

[Nymie]

Gosh you types get on my nerves. You don't "like healing or tanking" because it takes more effort and/or responsiblity. The only difference in personality is that you are too afraid to take on a role in which it is very evident when you fail. Or perhaps you just don't care enough about the people you run with to step up and take on a new task when its needed.

I'm sorry to vent at you (its not personal). My guild just has a lot of crappy dps'ers that dont carry their weight, and don't appreciate those that do the heavy lifting. And god forbid a healer is absent one night and the enhance shaman has to sub in with a resto offspec, you'd think his entire damn world was ending...

That is just a dumb thing to say. If EVERYONE wanted to tank and heal, we'd have nobody to kill the bosses. I spent BC as a resto druid and still raid heal on the druid 3 nights a week. I also heal disc in pvp at times. Most fights require dps to have just as much awareness as at least healers in regards to the mechanics of the fight. Don't vent at the shadow priests b/c your guild has bad dps (though guild make up is usually fairly homogenous). Healers and tanks do their part and so do dps classes, and to say you do the heavy lifting... well, I don't know what fights you would survive/beat/not hit an enrage timer as an all healer and tank raid, but go for it.
As far as "not being evident that we fail," do you not run with Recount? It's pretty damn evident when dps fails.

As for why a shadow priest:
A T6 shadow priest walked by while we were on our old mains and we decided we MUST be that sexy.
Purple mounts.
Dispelling a pally's sacred shield in arena, Doting the hell out of them, and throwing in a fear. Makes them mad every time.
Someone needs to be the mana battery!
Shadow Word Death-ing the opposite faction on their flying mount. /cast levitate

[morpie]

Haste buffs makes shadowpriests pretty awesome in PvE and as far as PvP go, I usually play wizcleave in 3s but tried out shadowplay for 40 games or so and still managed to stay above 2400 so they're pretty viable in arena too I guess. Also playing shadow in arena probably more fun than for example an affliction warlock since you still assist a lot with shielding/dispeling etc. as you would as disc.

[Jonisawsom]

Some people don't like healing or tanking, just like some healers or tanks don't know how to DPS.

Not to nitpick, but if anything I'd say it's the other way around. Many people know how to dps but enjoy healing/tanking better because it generally requires more responsibility and/or "skill". Especially now with dual spec, a lot of tanks/heals have a dps spec for questing or leveling etc. Tanks/heals don't pick those roles "because they don't know how to dps" lol, that's pretty stupid. Most probably find it boring. Dps is basically just a static rotation, whereas tank/heal is more about reacting to the situation. Anyways.

Shadowform and the effect on mounts is pretty damn cool most of the time. I have to say though, if you are the type that likes the look of your armor, it could get boring that you don't really get to see it. Personally I don't care much about the look of my armor as long as it doesn't look completely stupid.

All classes (dps wise at least) have the same basic idea. You use a couple different spells in either a rotation or a priority system, and many of the classes play quite similarly when it comes down to it. The real reasons behind playing one over another is what you find appealing. Perhaps the lore, or the flavor, or certain abilities etc. I rolled a druid because I heard the shapshifting was cool and I liked the ability to play different roles. I rolled a shaman because of the utility and being a hybrid. I rolled a priest because I liked PW:S and wanted to try out discipline (thought shadowform was cool too and wanted to try it).

Shadow is somewhat similar to a lock I suppose, but then again when my shaman was elemental it was fairly similar to my mage. I like the different abilities of each and that's what makes me roll alts and try out new specs or classes etc.

[Deleted]

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?

Well pretty much from what you are saying.
It's a bit of an epicness being a good shadow priest.
Look at yourself, you are starting a forum post about why a person plays a shadow priest and also has specced shadow in duals.
It's probably a pretty good player.

Being a good shadow priest is very rewarding.
You don't see forum posts about boomkins like this, retpallys, dps warriors.

Shadow is a underdog spec, but it's getting better and better and playstyle is very fun.

The challenge is what I like in this game. If I wanted to faceroll I would have the atm most facerolling class, and I would have specced holy for healing if I wanted a faceroll priest =)

So, being a good shadow priest you get noticed, you get high end raiding guilds spamming you with invites, you get ppl like you posting in forums wondering about the choice of spec. You get surprised ppl when you rock their ass in pvp =) .. and the game is a challenge every single day. And every patch is fun cause they can't nerf shadow =) Only buffs to look forward to.

Try playing it, cause once you go there and enjoy the playstyle and the challenge you won't go back. But if you prefer faceroll specs I suggest you stick with your lock, don't you?=)

[Dimitrije]

It's a bit of an epicness being a good shadow priest.

The challenge is what I like in this game.

So, being a good shadow priest you get noticed, you get high end raiding guilds spamming you with invites.

True.

[Lionne]

Shadow is the sexiest spec in the game.

[Direshadow]

Many reasons.

The first, is just the way the class plays. I like the feel of it, the way a target's life suddenly drops like a stone in water when you have all of your dots up and you're mind flaying them. Other classes rely on burst spells like Chaos Bolt of Fire Ball.

I like to think of it as, where a Mage's target goes out with a bang, ours go out with a whimper.

There is also a lot more flexibility as well, especially in certain pvp situations. Yes you are a shadow priest, but casting Divine Hymn while your team is in a clusterf**k in a BG can be a tide turning spell. Being able to heal yourself, as well as remove debuffs is also a big plus. I can't tell you how many times locks get frustrated when I dispel their crap from myself.

Then there is the role playing aspect of the class, which some people will mock others for, but you obviously play your class for a reason. I've always imagined that while warlocks spend their time dabbling in dark magic, Shadow Priests delve much deeper to the point where they are consumed by darkness completely. They use their natural charisma to persuade the weak minded into doing their bidding.

We all have our reasons.

[Buffwhite]

Because I look like this




Shadowform makes even BE chix look HARDCORE!

[Kepo13]

There is many thing why to choose priest over warlock especially when its come to role-play, warlocks are cool, priest's are cool.

p.s: i almost forgot about one thing shadow priest own every thing at low lvl

[prilosec]

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?

I like it when bads use Ensidia as a reason to do anything in this game. Do you understand why he has two shadow specs?

Eoy from Ensidia is shadow/disc. Does that mean I should be shadow/disc?

OMG who is right???

[Rawrdok]

I like it when bads use Ensidia as a reason to do anything in this game. Do you understand why he has two shadow specs?

Eoy from Ensidia is shadow/disc. Does that mean I should be shadow/disc?

OMG who is right???

I love it when idiots have no idea what they're talking.

I referenced Muqq in my post because he is clearly dual-specced shadow. Earlier in my post I stated do people play Shadow Priests because they can dual spec healing if they wish?

He is an exception to this. He plays full Shadow. And I'm sure many others do. I was just trying to examine why people play Priests just to dps.

It has nothing to do with what's the right or wrong way to spec.

(And yes, by examining his second spec, it's for less threat/aoe)

[Worshaka]

I love it when idiots have no idea what they're talking.

I referenced Muqq in my post because he is clearly dual-specced shadow. Earlier in my post I stated do people play Shadow Priests because they can dual spec healing if they wish?

He is an exception to this. He plays full Shadow. And I'm sure many others do. I was just trying to examine why people play Priests just to dps.

It has nothing to do with what's the right or wrong way to spec.

(And yes, by examining his second spec, it's for less threat/aoe)

I'm not sure you can use someones current dual spec as evidence of what spec's they play. I had a dual shadow spec for awhile but I play shadow/holy... I means its only 50g to respec + whatever you do for glyphs (i personally craft them on an alt so they cost stuff all).

Generally the only reason to have 2 shadow spec's is to have some specialised spec for hardmodes/heroic modes. You would have seen many shadow priests have a special spec for Vezax where you had shadow affinity, inner focus + a few other specialised talents for that 1 encounter. This may be why he has 2 shadow specs, considering ensidia are a guild hellbent on world firsts.

[muto]

Why play a shadow priest?

no one else knows what its like to glowwww purpleeee, glowwww purple

no other damage dealer knows what's it like to not need outsideeee heals, not neeeeed outside healsssss,

no one knows what it's like to look like the headless horseman for.. sixxxx secondssssss,

[Crpzz]

Because we can do this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4YowwUGeEQ

And we rock at doing stuff like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev7nSebqZrU

Because there's hardly anyone on my realm who can master the art of shadow
Because we look damn evil in shadowform
Because our mounts look damn evil in shadowform

+ all of the above posts