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Shadow Priest DPS Starter Guide - Shadowlands 9.2.5

By EllipsisPriest Updated: 2022/11/28

Best Shadow Priest Covenant

Best Shadow Priest Covenants and Soulbinds for Raid

Single Legendary

Double Legendary

Plague Deviser Marileth

Plague Deviser Marileth

Dreamweaver

Best Shadow Priest Covenants and Soulbinds for Mythic+

Single Legendary

Double Legendary

Bonesmith Heirmir

Bonesmith Heirmir

Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver

Best Legendaries for Shadow Priest in Patch 9.2Best Single Legendary for Shadow Priest in Patch 9.2Shadowflame Prism

Best Single Legendaries

Raid Legendary: Shadowflame Prism
Mythic+ Legendary: Shadowflame Prism

Best Double Legendaries for Shadow Priest in Patch 9.2

Best Double Legendaries

Raid Legendaries: Shadowflame Prism and Pallid Command
Mythic+ Legendaries: Shadowflame Prism and Pallid Command / Shadowflame Prism and Bwonsamdi's Pact

Shadowflame Prism is Shadow's primary legendary for all PvE content

Best Shadow Priest Talents Single TargetMass AOE / Dungeons

Hungering Void is an option for dungeons if more single-target damage is required.

Shadow Priest Stat Priority Intellect > Haste > Mastery >= Critical Strike > Versatility

Intellect: Increases all damage done by class spells and abilities. Previously one of Shadow's stats, but now much more impactful, making item level a key factor in evaluating gear.

Haste: Shadow's most important stat, especially early on in the expansion. Haste impacts the cast time of all Shadow's spells, the cooldown of Mind Blast, Void Bolt, and Shadow Crash, and reduces the gcd by an equivalent amount. It may eventually fall in value, but not until comfortably gearing beyond 30%, not to mention gameplay is generally considered to feel smoother and more enjoyable the more haste you have access to.

Critical Strike: Increases damage done by abilities, auto attacks, and trinkets. This stat has a specific interaction with the Hungering Void Talent, and is relatively strong for Shadow Priests.

Mastery: Increases the damage of Shadow's spells and abilities by an amount for each its damage over time effects on the target. Voidform also has an interaction with mastery, providing the full benefit regardless of the number of dots on a target for its duration. Mastery is strong for Shadow, often vying for third place with Crit, but loses some value in sustained mass AOE when multi dotting is not feasible.

Versatility: Increases damage done and reduces damage taken by half the amount. Unlike Mastery, however, it affects all damage done including trinkets, potions, and enchantments.

Shadow Priest Enchants and Consumables

Cloak: Increase stamina and tertiary bonuses, which are largely interchangeable. When in doubt, choose leech or avoidance -
Enchant Cloak - Fortified Avoidance, Enchant Cloak - Fortified Leech, Enchant Cloak - Fortified Speed, Enchant Cloak - Soul Vitality

Chest: Intellect + Damage Proc - Enchant Chest - Eternal Insight

Wrists: Intellect - Enchant Bracers - Eternal Intellect

Boots: Reduced fall damage - Enchant Boots - Soul Treads

Rings: Increases Haste Enchant Ring - Tenet of Haste or Enchant Ring - Bargain of Haste (lesser)

Mainhand Weapon / Staff: Stats or Damage Taken Proc - Enchant Weapon - Celestial Guidance / Enchant Weapon - Sinful Revelation

Shadow Priest Rotation

Shadow Word: Madness when you have 50 Insanity

Voidform on cooldown

Shadowfiend on cooldown

Shadow Word: Death if the target is below 20% health and you won't die from the backlash.

Maintain Shadow Word: Pain and Vampiric Touch

Mind Flay to fill while waiting for cooldowns, or against 3+ stacked targets

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Tags: PvE Simple