1.0 - Introduction
2.0 - Shadow Priest Talents
3.0 - PvP
4.0 - Raiding Gear Guide

This guide is simply intended to provide a general overview of the class. For a more in-depth and highly detailed resource on this class, check out this guide here.

1.0 - The Shadow Priest

Shadow priests are the immensely popular dark side variant of the priest class, growing so far apart in time as to be established as nigh alternate classes beyond level 40, each side – priest and shadow – gaining distinctive abilities setting them apart from one-another.

The talent build of shadow was originally laughable, back in the days of a level 60 cap when raiding reigned supreme and shadow was just too weak, but funnily enough the tides have turned.  Shadow priests can now be said to be at least as valuable if not more so within certain situations than a normal holy/disc priest could ever hope to be.

We bring not only a potent level of damage to any fight but additionally possess the ability to replenish the life and mana of our entire team, becoming something of the caster-class equivalent of an energizer bunny, except we apply it not only to ourselves but all those around us.

This utility has become invaluable enough that it no-longer goes ignored by the dedicated raiding guilds, each now holding at least one if not more shadow priests in reserved slots for each fight, thus the good times have arrived for the Sith as they at last triumph over the Jedi.

However that’s not all that we’re good at, look no further than the Arena and Battlegrounds to gain a good example of where shadow priests may also trump others.  Although I must admit that with the significant increase of anti-fear our abilities have somewhat lessened in PvP.

Tradeskills

Shadow priests practically require tailoring to become viable at 70, the profession providing both us as well as mages and warlocks with gear sets surpassing several pieces of Karazhan gear and going perhaps even further into raiding.

As a complementing skill I’d suggest picking up Enchanting, it works well in synergy with tailoring to disenchant crafted items and sell, making back some if not all of the crafting cost whilst simultaneously raising your tailoring skill.

Check out our Tailoring & Enchanting Profession guides for more information on leveling the skills

2.0 Shadow Priest Talents

14/0/47 Raiding Shadow Build

This raiding talent build is intended to maximize both our DPS and efficiency as much as possible, this explains the passing on a few shadow talents for more in the discipline tree, meditation providing quite a nice amount of mana overtime.

Your primary role will be to deal as much damage while keeping vampiric touch/vampiric embrace applied at all times, this role is fairly easy to complete as it only requires you to keep note of both debuffs while utilizing the most efficient shadow DPS spell rotation.

All of this is of course not the only nor perfect build for raiding, only what I was able to come up with, if you think you’ve found a better choice of talent points feel free to invest them as you see fit, use this build instead as more of a guideline to your own choices.

2.1 Leveling Shadow Priest Talents

Check out the Priest Leveling guide for further information

10 – 14 Spirit Tap
15 – 19 Blackout
20 – Mind Flay  
21 – 24 Improved Mind Blast 4/5
25 – 26 Shadow Reach
27 – Improved Mind Blast 5/5
28 – 29 Improved Shadow Word: Pain
30 – Vampiric Embrace
31 – 33 Focused Mind
34 – Shadow Weaving 1/5
35 – 39 Darkness
40 – Shadow Form
41 – 44 Shadow Weaving 5/5
45 – 49 Shadow Power
50 – Vampiric Touch
51+ - Branch out, explore other talent tree options if you like, etc.

3.0 - PvP

10/10/41 Shadow Arena Build

This selection of gear should provide well enough to bring you up to karazhan/gruul raiding level or even further. Although this is not exhaustive and will not contain all possibilities, it is for the most part pre-raid allowing for almost anyone to pick it up via normal groups.

Helm:

Spellstrike Hood - Crafted
Mag'hari Ritualist's Horns - Quest Reward(Horde Only)
Mage-Collar of the Firestorm - Drop(Blood Furnace - Heroic Only)
Evoker's Helmet of Second Sight - Quest Reward

Neck:

Brooch of Heightened Potential - Drop(Shadow Laybrinth)
Warp Engineer's Prismatic Chain - Drop(Mechanar)

Back:

Shawl of Shifting Probabilities -Vendor(25 Heroic Badges)
Baba's Cloak of Arcanistry - Drop(Mechanar)
Cloak of Woven Energy - Quest Reward

Shoulders:

Mantle of Three Terrors - Drop(Black Morass)
Mindrage Pauldrons - Drop(Mana Tombs - Heroic Only)
Spaulders of the Torn-heart - Quest Reward

Chest:

Bloodfyre Robes of Annihilation - Drop(Mechanar)
Robe of the Crimson Order - BoE World Drop
Kirin Tor Apprentice's Robes - Quest Reward

Wrist:

Bands of Rarefied Magic - Drop(Shattered Halls - Heroic Only)
Arcanium Signet Bands - Drop(Underbog - Heroic Only)
Energized Wristwraps - Quest Reward

Hands:

Energis Armwraps - Drop(Botanica)
Gloves of the High Magus - Quest Reward
Gloves of Pandemonium - BoE World Drop

Belt:

Sash of Arcane Visions - Drop(Auchenai Crypts - Heroic Only)
Sash of Sealed Fate - BoE World Drop
A'dal's Gift- Quest Reward

Legs:

Spellstrike Pants - Crafted
Leggings of Concentrated Darkness - BoE World Drop
Khadgar's Kilt of Abjuration - Drop(Black Morass)

Boots:

Abyss Walker's Boots - BoE World Drop
Silent Slippers of Meditation - Drop(Shadow Laybrinth)

Rings:

Seer's Signet - Reputation Reward(Scryers Exalted)
Cobalt Band of Tyrigosa- Drop(Mana Tombs - Heroic Only)
Ring of Cryptic Dreams - Vendor(25 Heroic Badges)
Ryngo's Band of Ingenuity - Drop(Arcatraz)
Scintillating Coral Band - Drop(Steamvault)

Trinkets:

Arcanist's Stone - Drop(Old Hillsbrad - Heroic Only)
Shiffar's Nexus-Horn - Drop(Arcatraz)
Scryer's Bloodgem - Reputation Reward(Scryers Revered)
Oculus of the Hidden Eye - Drop(Auchenai Crypts - Normal Only)

Weapons:

Runesong Dagger - Drop(Shattered Halls)
Gavel of Unearthed Secrets - Reputation Reward(Lower City Exalted)
Sky Breaker - Drop(Auchenai Crypts - Heroic Only)

Off-Hand:

Khadgar's Knapsack - Vendor(25 Heroic Badges)
Aegis of the Sunbird - Drop(Mechanar)
Lamp of Peaceful Radiance - Drop(Arcatraz)

Two-Hand:

Terokk's Shadowstaff - Drop(Sethekk Halls - Heroic Only)
Bloodfire Greatstaff - Drop(Black Morass)
Warpstaff of Arcanum - Drop(Botanica)

Wand:

Nesingwary Safari Stick - Quest Reward
Rod of Dire Shadows - Quest Reward