WoW Forever Shadow Priest Guide
DamageCaster
Damage
Caster3 new, 10 changed and 1 removed talents since Classic; the 31-point talent stays Shadowform.
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1%.
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 5%.
2/5
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 2% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 10% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.
Gives you a 20% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
Gives you a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
5/5
Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 10%.
Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 30%.
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 3 sec.
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 6 sec.
2/2
Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 10%.
Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 20%.
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 0.5 sec.
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 2.5 sec.
Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 2 sec.
Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 4 sec.
Assault the target's mind with Shadow energy, causing 63 Shadow damage over 3 sec and slowing their movement speed by 50%. level 60 reference
Your Mind Flay now deals 10% more damage, gains 5 yards increased range, but slows the target's movement speed by 35%.
Your Mind Flay now deals 20% more damage, gains 10 yards increased range, but slows the target's movement speed by 20%.
Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 3 sec.
Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 6 sec.
Afflicts your target with Shadow energy that causes all party members to be healed for 20% of any Shadow spell damage you deal for 30 sec. Vampiric Embrace also grants a chance for your Spirit Tap talent to trigger when enemies afflicted by it die.
Your Shadow damage spells have a 33% chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times.
Your Shadow damage spells have a 100% chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times.
Silences the target, preventing them from casting spells for 5 sec and interrupting their spellcasts for 3 sec.
Reduces the mana cost of your Devouring Plague by 25%. Targets that die while Devouring Plague is active spreads it, jumping to a nearby enemy within 5 yards for the remaining duration.
Reduces the mana cost of your Devouring Plague by 50%. Targets that die while Devouring Plague is active spreads it, jumping to a nearby enemy within 10 yards for the remaining duration.
Increases Shadow Word: Death's critical strike chance on targets at or below 20% health by 15%.
Increases Shadow Word: Death's critical strike chance on targets at or below 20% health by 30%.
Increases your Shadow damage done by 2%.
Increases your Shadow damage done by 10%.
Assume Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 10%, reducing the Mana cost of all Shadow spells by 50%, increasing the critical strike damage bonus of your Shadow spells by 100%, and reducing Physical damage taken by you by 15%. However, you may not cast healing spells while in this form.
“Shadow Priest” means most of your 51 talent points go into Shadow Magic. Forever keeps Classic’s three open trees, so you can mix them.
Community build
Shadow leveling
Discipline 2Shadow Magic 9
Talents it takes
- Wand SpecializationWand SpecializationDiscipline · tier 1 · max rank 2
Increases your damage with Wands by 13%.
Increases your damage with Wands by 25%.
2/2 - Shadow FocusShadow FocusShadow Magic · tier 1 · max rank 5
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1%.
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 5%.
2/5 - Spirit TapSpirit TapShadow Magic · tier 1 · max rank 5
Gives you a 20% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
Gives you a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
5/5 - Improved Shadow Word: PainImproved Shadow Word: PainShadow Magic · tier 2 · max rank 2
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 3 sec.
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 6 sec.
2/2
Wand Specialization first, then Spirit Tap for the Spirit and regeneration burst after each kill, Improved Shadow Word: Pain for a longer damage over time, and two points of Shadow Focus for Shadow hit.
Posted by Jereico on Wowhead, .
31-point talent · level 40
ShadowformAssume Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 10%, reducing the Mana cost of all Shadow spells by 50%, increasing the critical strike damage bonus of your Shadow spells by 100%, and reducing Physical damage taken by you by 15%. However, you may not cast healing spells while in this form.
Key abilities
- Shadow Word: PainRank 1 · level 4Cost 25 ManaCast time instant
A word of darkness that causes 30 Shadow damage over 18 sec.
4 - Mind BlastRank 1 · level 10Cost 50 ManaCast time 1.5 secCooldown 8 sec
Blasts the target for 37 to 41 Shadow damage, but causes a high amount of threat.
10 - Devouring PlagueRank 1 · level 20Cost 215 ManaCast time instantCooldown 1 min
Afflicts the target with a disease that causes 128 Shadow damage over 24 sec. Damage caused by the Devouring Plague heals the caster.
20 - Shadow Word: DeathRank 1 · level 32Cost 175 ManaCast time instantCooldown 15 sec
A word of dark binding that inflicts 286 to 304 Shadow damage to the target. If your target is not killed by Shadow Word: Death, you take backlash damage equal to 10% of your maximum health.
32
Builds are transcribed point by point from their public posts and checked against the beta client’s trees.
Leveling a Shadow Priest: 1 to 60
When each tier opens with every point in Shadow Magic, when the build takes its talents and when the trainer teaches the key abilities.
Levels 1–9
- 4Shadow Word: PainShadow Word: PainRank 1 · level 4Cost 25 ManaCast time instant
A word of darkness that causes 30 Shadow damage over 18 sec.
- 4
Levels 10–19
- 10First talent pointMind BlastMind BlastRank 1 · level 10Cost 50 ManaCast time 1.5 secCooldown 8 sec
Blasts the target for 37 to 41 Shadow damage, but causes a high amount of threat.
- 12Shadow FocusShadow FocusShadow Magic · tier 1 · max rank 5
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1%.
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 5%.
- 14Spirit TapSpirit TapShadow Magic · tier 1 · max rank 5
Gives you a 20% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
Gives you a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
- 15Tier 2 opens
- 19Improved Shadow Word: PainImproved Shadow Word: PainShadow Magic · tier 2 · max rank 2
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 3 sec.
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 6 sec.
- 10
Levels 20–29
- 20Tier 3 opensDevouring PlagueDevouring PlagueRank 1 · level 20Cost 215 ManaCast time instantCooldown 1 min
Afflicts the target with a disease that causes 128 Shadow damage over 24 sec. Damage caused by the Devouring Plague heals the caster.
- 25Tier 4 opens
- 20
Levels 30–39
- 30Tier 5 opens
- 32Shadow Word: DeathShadow Word: DeathRank 1 · level 32Cost 175 ManaCast time instantCooldown 15 sec
A word of dark binding that inflicts 286 to 304 Shadow damage to the target. If your target is not killed by Shadow Word: Death, you take backlash damage equal to 10% of your maximum health.
- 35Tier 6 opens
- 30
Levels 40–49
- 4031-point talentShadowformShadowformShadow Magic · tier 7 · max rank 1
Assume Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 10%, reducing the Mana cost of all Shadow spells by 50%, increasing the critical strike damage bonus of your Shadow spells by 100%, and reducing Physical damage taken by you by 15%. However, you may not cast healing spells while in this form.
- 40
Levels 50–60
- 60All 51 points spent
- 60
Key Shadow Priest abilities
Trainer abilities a Shadow Priest leans on, with the level they’re taught and what the beta client changed.
- Shadow Word: PainShadow Word: PainRank 1 · level 4Cost 25 ManaCast time instant
A word of darkness that causes 30 Shadow damage over 18 sec.
- Mind BlastMind BlastRank 1 · level 10Cost 50 ManaCast time 1.5 secCooldown 8 sec
Blasts the target for 37 to 41 Shadow damage, but causes a high amount of threat.
- Devouring PlagueDevouring PlagueRank 1 · level 20Cost 215 ManaCast time instantCooldown 1 min
Afflicts the target with a disease that causes 128 Shadow damage over 24 sec. Damage caused by the Devouring Plague heals the caster.
- Shadow Word: DeathShadow Word: DeathRank 1 · level 32Cost 175 ManaCast time instantCooldown 15 sec
A word of dark binding that inflicts 286 to 304 Shadow damage to the target. If your target is not killed by Shadow Word: Death, you take backlash damage equal to 10% of your maximum health.
Shadow Priest weapons by level
The top Caster pick in each band of ten levels, from quests, dungeons, vendors and crafting.
Levels 1–10
Nothing in this band
Levels 11–20
- Advisor's Gnarled StaffAdvisor's Gnarled StaffItem Level 23Binds when picked upTwo-HandStaff45 - 69 DamageSpeed 2.90(19.7 damage per second)+8 Stamina+4 IntellectRestores 3 mana per 5 sec.Requires Level 18Vendor The Barrens
Changed in Forever. Classic Era: +8 Stamina · +4 Intellect
- Advisor's Gnarled Staff
Levels 21–30
- Glimmering StaffCrafted EnchantingGlimmering StaffItem Level 30Binds when picked upTwo-HandStaff43 - 65 DamageSpeed 2.20(24.5 damage per second)+11 Stamina+11 IntellectRequires Level 25
- Glimmering Staff
Levels 31–40
- Advisor's Gnarled StaffAdvisor's Gnarled StaffItem Level 43Binds when picked upTwo-HandStaff88 - 133 DamageSpeed 2.90(38.1 damage per second)+14 Stamina+9 IntellectRestores 6 mana per 5 sec.Requires Level 38Vendor The Barrens
Changed in Forever. Classic Era: +14 Stamina · +9 Intellect
- Advisor's Gnarled Staff
Levels 41–50
- Radiant StaffCrafted EnchantingRadiant StaffItem Level 50Binds when picked upTwo-HandStaff83 - 125 DamageSpeed 2.40(43.3 damage per second)+19 Stamina+19 IntellectRequires Level 45
- Radiant Staff
Levels 51–60
- Atiesh, Greatstaff of the GuardianAtiesh, Greatstaff of the GuardianItem Level 90Binds when picked upTwo-HandStaff225 - 338 DamageSpeed 2.90(97.1 damage per second)+28 Stamina+28 Intellect+27 Spirit+180 Spell Healing+120 Spell PowerRequires Level 60Equip: Increases healing done by magical spells and effects of all party members within 30 yards by up to 62.Use: Creates a portal, teleporting group members that use it to Karazhan.Quest Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian · Tanaris · lv 60
Changed in Forever. Classic Era: +28 Stamina · +28 Intellect · +27 Spirit
- Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian
Races for a Shadow Priest
Racials that work with Shadow Magic talents, and why.
- HumanAllianceHumanAlliance
Divine Grace, the Human Priest spell; The Human Spirit adds 5% Spirit.
- The Human SpiritThe Human Spirit
+5% Spirit
Works with Spirit TapSpirit TapShadow Magic · tier 1 · max rank 5Gives you a 20% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
Gives you a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
more Spirit is more healing through Spiritual Guidance and a bigger Spirit Tap after kills.
- The Human Spirit
Shadow Magic in Forever vs Classic
18 talents in Forever, 16 in Classic.
New 3
- Improved Mind FlayImproved Mind FlayShadow Magic · tier 3 · max rank 2★ New in Forever
Your Mind Flay now deals 10% more damage, gains 5 yards increased range, but slows the target's movement speed by 35%.
Your Mind Flay now deals 20% more damage, gains 10 yards increased range, but slows the target's movement speed by 20%.
- Devouring ContagionDevouring ContagionShadow Magic · tier 5 · max rank 2★ New in Forever
Reduces the mana cost of your Devouring Plague by 25%. Targets that die while Devouring Plague is active spreads it, jumping to a nearby enemy within 5 yards for the remaining duration.
Reduces the mana cost of your Devouring Plague by 50%. Targets that die while Devouring Plague is active spreads it, jumping to a nearby enemy within 10 yards for the remaining duration.
- Early DemiseEarly DemiseShadow Magic · tier 6 · max rank 2★ New in Forever
Increases Shadow Word: Death's critical strike chance on targets at or below 20% health by 15%.
Increases Shadow Word: Death's critical strike chance on targets at or below 20% health by 30%.
Changed 10
- Shadow FocusShadow FocusShadow Magic · tier 1 · max rank 5
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1%.
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 5%.
Moved from tier 2 - BlackoutBlackoutShadow Magic · tier 1 · max rank 5
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 2% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 10% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.
New spot, same tier - Spirit TapSpirit TapShadow Magic · tier 1 · max rank 5
Gives you a 20% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
Gives you a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.
New spot, same tier - Improved Shadow Word: PainImproved Shadow Word: PainShadow Magic · tier 2 · max rank 2
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 3 sec.
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 6 sec.
New spot, same tier - Shadow ReachShadow ReachShadow Magic · tier 2 · max rank 2
Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 10%.
Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 20%.
Moved from tier 4; Max rank 3 → 2 - Improved Mind BlastImproved Mind BlastShadow Magic · tier 3 · max rank 5
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 0.5 sec.
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 2.5 sec.
New spot, same tier - Improved Psychic ScreamImproved Psychic ScreamShadow Magic · tier 3 · max rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 2 sec.
Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 4 sec.
New spot, same tier - Improved FadeImproved FadeShadow Magic · tier 4 · max rank 2
Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 3 sec.
Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 6 sec.
New spot, same tier - Vampiric EmbraceVampiric EmbraceShadow Magic · tier 4 · max rank 1
Afflicts your target with Shadow energy that causes all party members to be healed for 20% of any Shadow spell damage you deal for 30 sec. Vampiric Embrace also grants a chance for your Spirit Tap talent to trigger when enemies afflicted by it die.
Moved from tier 5 - Shadow WeavingShadow WeavingShadow Magic · tier 4 · max rank 3
Your Shadow damage spells have a 33% chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times.
Your Shadow damage spells have a 100% chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times.
New spot, same tier; Max rank 5 → 3
Removed 1
- Improved Vampiric EmbraceImproved Vampiric EmbraceClassic tier 5 · max rank 2
Not a talent in the Forever beta client.
Classic tier 5 · max rank 2
Still unconfirmed
- Talents, trainer levels and weapons are read from the Forever beta client and can change before launch.
- The community builds so far are for level 20; none covers level 60 yet.