Shadow priests, arguably, have at times been one of the more powerful PvP characters overall. Priest specced to Shadow can do impressive amounts of damage in a short period of time, but have some survivability problems.

They have the DoTs, some limited healing/mitigation through Vampiric Embrace and Power Word: Shield, CC techniques, great buffs, powerful blasts, and more. The Shadowform increases damage and reduces incoming damage. Not bad.

This guide is oriented towards level 90 Priests, but leveling your priest to the level cap can take some time. If you want to get there faster then grab this leveling guide.

 

Contents

• Short Shadow Guide
• Shadow Builds
• Gems and Enchants
• Race Choice
• Professions
• Videos
  • Spectral Guise
  • How to Shadow in M of P.
• Leveling Faster

 

The Short Shadow PvP Guide

Shadow Priest PvP Builds

Mists of Pandaria Build

Feel free to comment on these talent picks. See Skill-Capped for lots more priest stuff.

Mists of Pandaria Talents	Shadow Abilities and Level Gained
Tier 1: Acquired at level 15 – Control Void tendrils- This point blank (no range) area effect roots up to 5 targets, which might be really nice when all those angry players come by to smash you. Psyfiend will send mobs fleeing all over the place and might be a lot of fun in PvP. Dominate Mind – this is your mind control and has some situational brilliance in PvP . Tier 2: Acquired at level 30 – Movement Phantasm greatly improves your Fade ability, causing it to work as an escape and increasing your movement speed briefly. Body and Soul increases the target’s movement speed, briefly, when you cast Power World Shield or Leap of Faith on them. Or on yourself. Throw up a shield and quickly move away. Angelic Feather – place feathers at up to three locations, people moving through the feathers get a speed buff. You can also cast it right on a target and on yourself. With a litle care this looks like it could be quite useful. Tier 3: Acquired at level 45 – Healing and Damage From Darkness Comes Light - Vampiric Touch ticks give a chance for a free, instant, Mind Blast with increased damage and that doesn’t consume your DoTs. Power Word: Solace- damages an enemy and restores a bit of mana. Mindbender replaces your Shadowfiend. It’s attacks restore your mana. Tier 4: Acquired at level 60 – Emergencies Spectral Guise improves your Shadowform and looks sweet for PvP. See below for a video showing you how it works. Desperate Prayer instantly heals your for 30% of your health and has obvious use. Angelic Bulwark throws up a shield to protect you when you go below 30% health. Tier 5: Acquired at level 75 – Bonuses Twist of Fate - Finish Him! you do more damage as the target gets low in health Divine Insight: Your SW: Pain ticks have a chance to proc free Mind Blasts. Power Infusion increases casting speed and reduces mana costs for 20 seconds. Nice for when that burst is needed. Tier 6: Acquired at level 90 – Godhood. Well, maybe not. Halo: A Ring of Power extends outward from your location damaging enemies and healing friends and doing max power at 25 yards. This one just sounds cool and might a pretty nice in a raid or mass fight. Cascade: Your Holy Bolt bounces from target to target, doing damage to each, preferring longer range targets and never hitting the same one twice. Divine Star: Your star blasts outward, staight away from you, damaging enemies and healing allies along its path, and does the same on its return.	Mind Flay Spiritual Precision Devouring Plague Mind Blast Shadow Orbs Shadowform Vampiric Touch Shadowy Apparitions Mind Spike Silence Dispersion Psychic Horror Vampiric Embrace Mastery: Shadowy Recall	10 20 21 21 21 24 28 42 44 52 60 74 78 80
	Glyphs Major: Dark Binding – Cast certian spells will in Shadowform Mind Spike – Faster casting of Mind Blast Inner Focus – Casting IF makes you immune to certain effects. Minor: Shadow Ravens – Changes the form of your orbs. Dark Archangel – Changes your form when casting Devouring Plague Shadowy Friends – Your non-combat pets are now shadowy. Faster Leveling, even in Mists of Pandaria

Top – Build – Stats – Gems – Enchants – Notes

Shadow Stats

Pvp Power > Resilience > Intel > Haste > Mastery > Crit

• Primary: Int and Resilience
• Secondary: PvP Power > 6% Spell Hit > Haste > Mastery > Crit
• Weak/useless: Excess Hit/Expertise (over 6% total)
• Note: 15% Spell Hit is required for raid bosses.

PvP Power is like attack power for PvP only. It adds directly to your damage and heals on other players and has zero effect outside of PvP. Point for point It’s close to Int in value. With Mists of Pandaria all gems with secondary stats have twice the value of those with primary stats, eg: 320 PvP power Vs 160 Int. It may be worthwhile to gem entirely for PvP power, or to at least work to match gem sockets and go for the bonuses. 320 PvP power is certainly better than 160 Int.

Expertise adds in to your Spell Hit along with your basic Hit rating. So if you have 3% Hit and 3% Expertise then you will have 6% Spell Hit.

The Human Spirit racial also adds a bit into your Spell Hit rating.

Reforging

Make sure you have your Spell Hit to 6% and reforge everything else into Haste.

 

Gemming Shadow

Point for point Int is probably more valuable than PvP Power, but the power gems have twice the value of the Int gems (320 Vs 160) so you should gem for PvP Power where possible.

• Red sockets: Mysterious Imperial Amethyst
• Yellow Sockets:Willful Vermilion Onyx
• Blue sockets: Stormy River’s Heart

If your gold stash is too low to buy all the best gems and stuff, check these gold tips.

Shadow Priest Gem Priorities
Meta		Burning Primal Diamond: +216 Int & 3% Increased Crit Effect
Red		Brilliant Serpent’s Eye: 320 Int, self-only Jewelcrafting gem Brilliant Primordial Ruby: 160 Int
Yellow		Mystic Sun’s Radiance: 320 Resilience
Blue		Stormy River’s Heart: +320 PvP power
Orange		Willful Vermilion Onyx: +80 Int & +160 Resilience Reckless Vermilion Onyx: 80 Int, 160 Haste Tenuous Vermilion Onyx: 160 Expertise, 160 Resilience
Purple		Mysterious Imperial Amethyst: +80 Int, +160 PvP Power
Prismatic		Brilliant Primordial Ruby: 160 Int
Cogwheel		Sparkling Tinker’s Gear: 600 Spirit – requires an engie helm, such as this. Quick Tinker’s Gear: 600 Haste

 

 

 

ShadowPriest Enchantments

 

Short on gold? If you want to buy the best enchants, fund all of your alts, donate to the guild, etc., but don’t have the cash, then see what the Tycoon Addon can do about about fixing your poverty.

Helm enchants are gone in Mists of Pandaria, shoulder enchants are handled by the Inscription profession.

Shadow Priest Enchantments
Weapon	Enchant Weapon – Jade Spirit: Sometimes increases Int by 1650, might increase Spirit. Enchant Weapon – Windsong: Sometimes add 1,500 Crit, Haste, or Mastery for 12 sec.
Shoulders	Secret Crane Wing Inscription: – 520 Int and 100 Crit rating, Requires Inscription 550. Greater Crane Wing Inscription: +200 Int and 100 Crit
Cloak	Enchant Cloak – Superior Intellect: +180 Int Lightweave Embroidery – chance for 2k Int for 15 sec, requires tailoring
Chest	Enchant Chest – Super Resilience: +200 Resilience Enchant Chest – Glorious Stats: +80 to all stats
Bracers	Enchant Bracer – Super Intellect: +170 Int Fur Lining increases Int by 500, requires leatherworking. Socket Bracer – Pop in a gem, requires Blacksmithing 400
Gloves	Enchant Gloves – Greater Haste: +170-Haste Socket Gloves – Pop in a gem, requires Blacksmithing 400
Belt	Livingsteel Belt Buckle: Gem slot for a nice Int gem
Leggings	Greater Pearlescent Spellthread: +285 Int and +165 Spirit Greater Cerulean Spellthread: +285 Int and +165 Crit
Boots	Enchant Boots – Greater Precison: +175 Hit rating Enchant Boots – Pandaren’s Step: +140 Mastery, slight run speed increase.
Rings	Enchant Ring – Greater Intellect: +160 Int, Requires Enchanting 550

 

Professions for Shadow PvP

While none of the professions helps alot with high end PvP they all have some benefit. They’re expensive to level and if you just need gold then go with the gathering professions and work them. The crafts are for those who need every last bit of burning power. All of the regular professions offer a self-only buff of some sort.

Leveling any of the crafting professions will be expensive. Check out Tycoon if you are short on gold.

Since the gems with secondary stats (PvP Power, Haste, Etc.) have twice the value of those with primary stats (Int) you’ll see that Blacksmithing, which allows two more gem slots, will give you 640 PvP Power Vs the 320 or so Int bonus that the other profs give you.

Herbalism provides 2880 Haste rating every two minutes, so might be well worth considering.

Shadowy Professions
Tailoring	Cloak enchant sometimes adds 2k Int for 15 seconds. Make your starter PvP set.
Leatherworking	Bracer enchant adds 500 int.
Jewelcrafting	Make nicer gems for your own use.
Enchanting	Enchant both rings, for a total +320 Int gain.
Inscription	Shoulder enchant adds 520 Int and 100 crit.
Alchemy	More effect from your own potions. Adds 320 Int and an extra hour to your main flask.
Engineering	has lots of interesting toys, some of which have situational use, and Synapse Springs, which increases Int by 1940 for a short time. If you take this use a macro to activate it along with other short term buffs.
Blacksmithing	gives two extra gems slots. Since gems with secondary stats have twice the value of gems with primary stats Blacksmithing might be a very valuable profession. For example, you’ll be able to socket he two gems for 640 PvP Power instead of 320 Int.
Skinning	provides 480 crit rating
Herbalism	Small heal and 2880 Haste for 20 seconds
Mining	480 Stamina

 

Top – Build – Stats – Gems – Enchants – Notes

 

 

Race Choices for Shadow Priest PvP

Pandarens can be Priests, Orcs are the only race which cannot be priests.

The best race choice is the one that you want to play. Your skills will far outshadow any of the racials. That said, here’s a rundown of the racial bonuses.

Best race?

• Horde: Troll (Berserking, VooDoo Shuffle), Uneaded (PvP – remove effects)
• Alliance: Human (Spirit, Escape, Rep gains)

Pandaren

Pandarens get to choose, once they leave the starting area, whether they will join the Horde or the Alliance.

• They can stun enemies with a strike of their hand, for four seconds. While you’re hardly melee, this will have some “I want to get away from you!” value.
• Rested (as from an Inn) XP lasts longer, for slightly faster leveling.
• Increased benefits from food buffs
• Good at Cooking.
• “Bouncy,” so take less falling damage when knocked off the lumber mill (not that you care since you have Levitate.)

Horde

Blood Elf - Best hair, no useful Priest abilities.

• Arcane Torrent restores some Mana and interrupts casting. Unfortunately, it’s point blank and won’t interrupt those melee types who will be in your face.
• Good with Enchanting

Goblin – Holy relics for sale! What? Of course they’re genuine! You calling me a con gob, bud?

• Rocket Jump is a nice escape from pesky melee types.
• 1% Haste is a nice stat for any Priest.
• Good with Alchemy

Tauren – You have no interesting Priest specific abilities and you’re the butt of cow jokes.

• War Stomp might have some use when mobs/melee get too close, allowing you to escape.
• Increased health isn’t increased by that much at high level, but is always nice.
• Good with Herbalism

Troll – Good Priest choice, and the best tusks anywhere.

• Berkerk is a nice spell casting speed increase, put it in a macro with the appropriate spells so it goes off when you need it.
• Damage increase Vs beasts is very nice when leveling, but has no PvP use.
• Reduced duration of movement impairing effects has more PvP use than otherwise.
• Ranged weapon expertise is useless to you.

Undead – “And you are…?”

• Removing fear, charm, etc is a nice PvP ability and has some PvE use.
• Cannibalism means never having to pack food/water in your bags and is a nice “in your face” for PvP.
• Drain Life (which also heals you slightly.) This ability is passive and so will be a general DPS add.

Alliance

Draenei – regal enough to look the part.

• +1 to Hit helps it all situations. You only need 6% Hit for PvP, though.
• The heal is redundant, for Holy and Discipline. Shadow might find some use for it, since you won’t have to drop out of Shadowform to use it.

Dwarf - No “short jokes” please.

• Stoneform removes bleeds and reduces damage by 10%
• Ranged weapon expertise is useless to you, mace expertise will add to your Spell Hit rating if you’re equipping a mace.
• Good with Archeology

Human – Might be the best overall Priest choice.

• Increased Spirit helps a bit with mana regen, it does not add to your Spell Hit rating. and it also adds a bit to your Hit rating due to your Spiritual Precision ability (roughly 0.5%.)
• Bonus to rep gains helps with faction grinding.
• Equipping a mace adds +1% to your Spell Hit rating via your Mace expertise.
• PvP trinket ability allows use of two DPS/Healing trinkets in PvP.

Gnome - Short and… well, er… short.

• Can escape from speed altering effects, which has PvP use and situational PvE use.
• Dagger expertise adds +1 to your spell Hit rating if you’re using a dagger.
• Increased mana pool helps, a bit.
• Good with Engineering

Night Elf - Look great in nice gear.

• Shadowmeld has its uses in PvP and can drop aggro in PvE. It can also break incoming spells if you time it just right.
• Being 2% harder to hit is nice.

Worgen - Oh my, Father Wolfie, What big teeth you have…

• 1% crit bonus is nice for heals or damage, even though Crit isn’t your best stat.
• Sprint-like ability has its uses.
• Good with Skinning

Shadowy Videos for Mists of Pandaria

 

How Spectral Guise (tier 4 talent) works

Rotation and Some of the Shadow Abilities

This is a late beta video, so count on some of the numbers changing after release. The author does a pretty good job of explaining what’s going on.

 

Skill-Capped has a very nice collection of Priest PvP guides (all specs) and a lively forum. Not free, but $4 a month won’t break your budget. Check it out.

 

 

The Fast Priest Leveling Guide

WoW has about a bazillion quests and sometimes one is left with the question, “where to go… how do I find… what to do next…?” Especially if you haven’t already leveled several characters to the max. Sometimes even if you have.

Leveling your Priest, of any build, doesn’t have to be an exercise in frustration. Snag yourself to an in-game leveling guide, like Zygor’s guide, and you will never again have to ask any of the “Where to go…” questions. Zygor’s gives you the fastest step by step path and is fully automated. This means that the guide knows where you are and updates your quests and directions as you move along (though it won’t play the game for you.)

Everything you need to know is contained within the guide and it’s displayed (in a moveable, resizeable window) on your main screen. You may never have to look at your quest log again, much less consult some website. It doesn’t matter whether you’re brand new to the World of Warcraft,  are decked head to toe in heirlooms, or have grabbed many levels in the dungeons or through PvP, Zygor has your back.

Grab yourself a copy of Zygor’s guide (or read a review of Zygor’s Guide first) and blast to level the level cap quickly and painlessly.