Why You Should Play Shadow Priest in Dragonflight (And Why You Shouldn't)

Posted 2022/11/21 at 8:57 AM by EllipsisPriest

Need help choosing a new Class in Dragonflight? Check out all the released articles in the 'Why You Should Play a Spec' series below:
Why You Should Play a Spec in Dragonflight (and Why You Shouldn't) Series

Blood DKFrost DK
Unholy DK
Havoc DH
Vengeance DH
Balance Druid
Feral Druid
Guardian DruidRestoration Druid
Devastation Evoker
Preservation Evoker
Beast Mastery Hunter
Marksmanship HunterSurvival HunterArcane MageFrost MageFire Mage

Brewmaster Monk
Mistweaver Monk
Windwalker MonkHoly Paladin

Protection PaladinRetribution Paladin
Discipline PriestHoly Priest
Shadow Priest
Assassination RogueOutlaw RogueSubtlety Rogue
Elemental ShamanEnhancement Shaman
Restoration Shaman
Affliction Warlock
Demonology Warlock
Destruction Warlock

Arms Warrior
Fury Warrior
Protection Warrior

Why You Should Play Shadow Priest in Dragonflight Season 2 (and Why You Shouldn't)InsanityShadow Word: Madness

Why You Should

Why You Shouldn't

Why You Should Play Shadow Priest in Dragonflight Season 2

Mass Dispel: Removes large numbers of dispellable buffs and debuffs at once, notably Bursting stacks.

Leap of Faith: Can save your teammate's life or help your tank kite particularly dangerous mobs.

Power Word: Fortitude: Standard Stamina buff, every raid should have one and it's not too bad for dungeons either.

Dispel Magic: Dispel dangerous offensive buffs from enemies.

Purify Disease: Remove diseases from yourself or your teammates.

Shackle Horror: CC for any potential undead enemies in dungeons and raid encounters.

Psychic Scream, Silence, and Psychic Horror as control tools.

Twins of the Sun PriestessTwins of the Sun PriestessPower InfusionPrayer of MendingRenewPower Word: LifeMind Devourer

Idol of Y'Shaarj: Whilst it can often be thought about as a straight up damage buff during cooldown, it does get you thinking about ways in which you can get the extra bonus from spawning your Mindbender on a stunned or feared target.

Idol of C'Thun: Following us since Legion, this idol causes Mind Flay and to sometimes spawn a tentacle which deals damage and generates Insanity and does damage. Currently this looks to be hitting pretty hard, but due to bugs with other talents isn't something we've been using in prepatch.

Idol of Yogg-Saron: This one has no gameplay impact but incentivises you to create as many waves of Shadowy Apparitions as possible, it also looks pretty cool.

Idol of N'Zoth: A unique take on stacked dot based cleave damage.

Power Word: LifeMindgamesPower Word: LifeDark AscensionVoidformShadeburstShadowy InsightMind Flay: InsanityInsanityVampiric TouchVampiric TouchWhy You Shouldn't Play Shadow Priest in Dragonflight Season 2Power InfusionAuspicious SpiritsMaddening TouchInsanityVampiric TouchShadow Word: PainMiserySeed of CorruptionImproved SunfireMastery: Shadow WeavingPsychic LinkShadeburstMind Flay: InsanityShadowy InsightMind DevourerPower Infusion

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Comment by salemjsBest designed spec in this game. Bravo Blizzard!Comment by onefishbluefishWhat is with these fried AOE hard caps?

smh my headComment by Ozzy02I just don't understand the AOE cap on Mind Sear. Even without the cap, Mind Sear was already doing #$%^ subpar damage. With the cap, I don't see any use for using Mind Sear anymore. Feels like Single Target + Psychic Link spread is the go to now.Comment by KajaxI just don't understand the AOE cap on Mind Sear. Even without the cap, Mind Sear was already doing #$%^ subpar damage. With the cap, I don't see any use for using Mind Sear anymore. Feels like Single Target + Psychic Link spread is the go to now.Comment by ZelebraIF MS is going to be a spender, we need the cap removed...it already drains so quickly and only does "decent" damage without us popping all of our CDS...i would rather see shadow crash as a spender...can cast multiples of it in-between using mind sear to keep our DoT's applied AND deal good AoE damage...Just a thought. Im still having fun with priest but i feel we will see its true potential at level cap with the rest of our talent points.Comment by arison255everytime someone compares shadowcrash's dot application interaction with sunfire or seed of corruption i immidiataly know they're clueless.
corruption/sunfire/sw:p are all primary dots for these 3 specs, the damage comes from the secondary ones : agony/moonfire/VT.
shadowcrash applies both dots, where seed/sunfire only apply primary. please stop comparing those abilities. hire a better class writerComment by blus10Priest has always been my downfall...I need a better build or play style :)Comment by Arktowhy you should play shadow priest: if you have a fetish for being rejected, you will have a great time spending years in m+ ques until you give up and learn to heal. or if you raid.Comment by Ozzy02on big pull with all CDs up you be able pull some good numbers (not as WW or fury or havoc but still). Comment by SaffronI believe the correct title should be "Why You Shouldn't Play Shadow Priest in Dragonflight (and Why You Shouldn't part2).Comment by Ozzy02corruption/sunfire/sw:p are all primary dots for these 3 specs, the damage comes from the secondary ones : agony/moonfire/VT.Comment by onefishbluefishI think maybe Dark Void could be good on a large amount of targets to fill in the AoE gaps.Comment by Seniaaon big pull with all CDs up you be able pull some good numbers (not as WW or fury or havoc but still). Comment by OzanJust play warlock instead...Comment by NarhwalsBeen a shadow main through all of SL. I always liked that the Single Target rotation was a busy mess, especially with the tiersets. Ressource management was so important that it became the defining measurement of the skill ceiling.

I dont know what the guide writer means with build variety, because all you will play is the single target rotation that now applies to aoe, thanks to psychic link. I welcome the raise of the skill needed to play the class in m+ by getting rid of the mind numbing mind sear + searing nightmare combo.

Problem is that there is no payoff playing a harder class that does lesser damage optimally played than a class that does a 2 button rotation, which is part of an even bigger design issue in wow. You cant have a class do more damage just because its harder to play because it would break the meta. Shadow will never have a proper payoffComment by Ozzy02I think maybe Dark Void could be good on a large amount of targets to fill in the AoE gaps.Comment by Ozzy02
Problem is that there is no payoff playing a harder class that does lesser damage optimally played than a class that does a 2 button rotationComment by arison255corruption/sunfire/sw:p are all primary dots for these 3 specs, the damage comes from the secondary ones : agony/moonfire/VT.Comment by bobisadrummerBest designed spec in this game. Bravo Blizzard!HAHAHAHA NO SHOT YOU WROTE A GOOD ON SPRIEST HOW MUCH THEY PAYING YOU MAN YOU DOWN BAD BADeverytime someone compares shadowcrash's dot application interaction with sunfire or seed of corruption i immidiataly know they're clueless.
corruption/sunfire/sw:p are all primary dots for these 3 specs, the damage comes from the secondary ones : agony/moonfire/VT.
shadowcrash applies both dots, where seed/sunfire only apply primary. please stop comparing those abilities. hire a better class writerComment by FeliciamarieLove this article. This is exactly what I feel some people are looking for when trying to decide which class/spec to play. Spot on whoever decided to do these articles in the Wowhead team!

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