In-depth guide on becoming a DPS Warlock in WoW Classic

Welcome to our WoW Classic guide for the dark and sinister shadow priest! Shadow priests are pure damage dealers unlike the other two priest specializations, and are unable to even cast healing abilities while using their iconic Shadowform. To fully realize the potential of your shadow priest, you’ll need to. In WoW lore, Warlocks derive pleasure from cursing and hurting their enemies. They are masters of the Shadow and Destructive magic and can bind powerful demons to their will. In WoW Classic, they are versatile Damage Dealers who suffer a bit from limited debuff slots. Sep 21, 2019  The only other 'hidden' effect here is that it is applied per cast time. IIRC 3.5 second casts get 100% of the benefit of +spell damage. Everything else gets reduced amounts based on the cast time to a minimum of 1.5 seconds which would be just under half what you get from the item. A content database for world of warcraft classic. I have now the option to get either a +30 Spell Damage or a +22 Intellect enchantment on my Warlock's Soul Harvester staff. Both enchantments are rather expensive, and I'm leaning towards +22 Intellect because Intellect is always scarce for a mighty SM/Ruin Warlock. +30 Spell Damage, on the other hand, goes nicely too with the damage amplification of the staff and my Robe of the Void. Shadow Bolt is a spell that can be partially resisted, so if an enemy has 25 shadow resistance, that converts to 6.25%, which means 6.25% of each ShadowBolt cast will be resisted. Thanks to Curse of Shadow, bosses will have 75 less shadow resistance by default, but any resistance beyond that can be reduced by spell penetration.

Shadow damage (or generic spell damage) is by far the best stat you can ever hope for in gear. It just happens to be very rare until lvl 40 or so, and even then you'll have to go out of your way to pick up items with shadow damage. Int is a good secondary focus, as it gives spell crit and allows you to keep fighting longer without having to drink.

Vanilla Wow Intellect

Shadow

You can find all our Pocket Guides for other WoW Classic Classes builds right here: Best WoW Classic Builds

If you have just started leveling your Warlock, you may want to check out our Warlock leveling Guide first

Overview

In WoW lore, Warlocks derive pleasure from cursing and hurting their enemies. They are masters of the Shadow and Destructive magic and can bind powerful demons to their will. In WoW Classic, they are versatile Damage Dealers who suffer a bit from limited debuff slots. Despite that limitation, they are still very popular as a Class thanks to their grim flavor, great utility spells, and the ability to humiliate inexperienced enemies in PvP. Their second main limitation - the fact that pets take 100% damage from AoE abilities, is countered by the most popular Warlock DPS build, that sacrifices a pet in exchange for increased Shadow Damage.

When in a Raid or a Dungeon group, Warlocks provide Soulstones that allow an in-Combat resurrection of a pre-designated party member, Healthstones that work like Health Potions, and the Ritual of Summoning that makes assembling a Raid much, much easier. Contrary to what their lore background might suggest, Warlocks are best friends of any Player that likes to run through any kind of group content. They also provide various powerful debuffs that come in handy in a multitude of situations. Moreover, they don't have any Sustain problems, thanks to their Life Tap ability which allows them to perform at the highest level even during long encounters.

Pros Cons
Great Sustain Below average mobility
Good Single-Target and AoE DPS (for a caster, at least) Soul Shard mechanic forces you to grind more than other Classes have to.
Great Raid/Group Utility Managing Threat as a Warlock is challenging
Strong Debuffs Pets tend to die from AoE Damage during encounters (this will not matter if you pick a proper build, however)
Good survivability (that, however, is somewhat Build-dependant) Competition for Cloth Caster Gear tends to be very high

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The Best Race Choice

Note: Here, we will point you only towards the best PvE DPS Warlock Race. If you'd like to know more about other race picks, please check our WoW Classic Beginners Guide, where we dive deep into all available Mage's race choices for both factions.


Alliance

Human racials do not boost Warlock's PvE capabilities at all. This makes Gnome the best choice if you want to capitalize on every minor advantage available. His Intellect Racial is very strong as it provides additional Mana and Spell Critical Strike Chance. Engineering Specialization is surprisingly valuable because Engi is a go-to PvE profession, and Escape Artist will allow you to escape death from AoE damage from time to time.


Horde
Both Horde Races that can choose the path of a Warlock are pretty much equally good for PvE, so the choice is purely up to one's preference. If you want to have some more utility in a form of Cannibalize and Will of the Forsaken, go for Undead. If you want to pursue DPS at all costs, Orc will be the best choice for you, thanks to his Pet Damage increasing Racial (this will not matter if you pick the DS/Ruin Build, however).

The Best Professions Choice

There are two professions that make a real impact in Raids and they are Engineering and Tailoring (Alchemy is also a decent option, but you can buy Flasks, Elixirs, and Potions from other players, which makes it much less impactful). Engineering gives you access to powerful explosives that increase your AoE and Single-Target DPS. Moreover, Engi gadgets come in handy in many back-to-the-wall situations. The fact that Engineering is also considered the best PvP profession is an added benefit to its power in PvE environment. Tailoring, a seemingly mediocre PvE profession, gives you access to a powerful Bind on Pickup Robe - Robe of the Void which is a pre-Raid BiS that is great during phase Phase 1 and stays competitive in Phase 2. Getting it will definitely raise the power level of your character during the first few Phases of Classic.

At the start, you should pick Mining to supplement your Engineering Skill, you should also stock up on Cloths instead of vendoring/selling them. After you max out Engi, you should switch Mining to Tailo, as it can be easily (and rather cheaply) leveled without a supporting profession.

Note: If you want to know more about all available professions and secondary skills, please check our detailed WoW Classic Professions Guide.

Statistics Priority

  1. Spell Damage/Shadow Damage - Increases your Damage done with Spells. The damage bonus from Spell Damage is calculated differently for different Spells and their Ranks, but in general, this is the best statistic for Warlocks.
  1. Spell Critical Chance - Gives you a chance to do additional (Critical) Damage with your offensive Spells. This statistic has a lot of value for Warlocks thanks to Talents, like Improved Shadow Bolt and Ruin, which are staples of competitive Warlock builds.
  1. Spell Hit Chance - Increases your chance to hit with all your offensive Spells. You need a total of 16% Hit Rating. Getting Hit-Capped should be your one of your priorities while gearing up for Raids.
  1. Spell Penetration - Allows your spells to bypass some of the Target's Spell Resistance. This statistic allows you to deal more damage against Shadow-resistant Bosses.
  1. Intellect - Increases your total Mana Pool and provides you with additional Spell Critical Chance (59,5 Int = 1% Spell Critical Strike Chance).

Statistic Priority for a Warlock:

Spell Damage/Shadow DamageSpell Critical Chance Spell Hit CapSpell PenetrationIntellect

Note: Because of the Life Tap ability and the Demonic Embrace Talent, Stamina is more valuable than Spirit, but these stats should not be prioritized.

The Best Talent Builds

Proper Talent allocation is essential for maximizing Damage output. Here, we will describe the most optimal spec and lead you through the Talent Trees level-by-level to explain some choices.

There are two competitive Warlock DPS Builds to choose from if you are DPS-oriented:

  • Demonic Sacrifice + Ruin Build (DS/Ruin) - By far the most popular build. It utilizes the Demonic Sacrifice Talent from Demonology Tree to provide +15% Increased Shadow Damage at the cost of sacrificing a pet. Despite the fact that all Demonology Talents up to DM are rather mediocre (and some are straight-up useless because they boost Warlock's pet that gets sacrificed anyway), the build is considered as the best when it comes to raw DPS numbers. The fact that Demo Talents other than DS are not that useful allows you to tinker with the build and adjust it to your liking. We feature a version that gives you an additional defensive option, thanks to Fel Domination, Improved Voidwalker and Master Summoner Talents (the idea is that, in a case of emergency, you quickly summon your Voidwalker and sacrifice it immediately to shield yourself from incoming damage).
  • Shadow Mastery + Ruin Build (SM/Ruin) - The less popular, but still competitive build that doesn't force you to sacrifice your pet. The build provides 5% less bonus Shadow Damage than the DS/Ruin variant, but it lets you take advantage of your pet's buffs. You can be sure than at least one Warlock will be forced to run this build in the Raid environment to provide Tanks with Imp's Blood Pact Stamina buff. Your Damage output with this build will rise considerably if you meet two conditions. Firstly, you have to be allowed to cast Corruption (to take advantage of the Nightfall Talent), and secondly, you have to keep your Imp alive. If you manage to meet these two conditions, you might even deal more DPS than DS/Ruin Warlocks.

DS/Ruin Warlock PvE DPS Build

Affliction Tree:

  • 2/5Suppression - Provides you with 4% additional Affliction Spell Hit Chance. Ideally, you'd want 6%, but other Talents are more important.
  • 5/5Improved Corruption - This makes your Corruption instant-to-cast. Even if you won't be allowed to cast Corruption on bosses, this Talent will make your AoE/trash mob rotations smoother.
  • 2/2Improved Life Tap - This is a must-have Talent as Life Tap is your main Sustain source. Note: Just remember that Healers don't like it when you use Life Tap too liberally (during an AoE damage-heavy phase, for example..)

Demonology Tree:

  • 2/2Improved Healthstone - 20% extra Health from a Healthstone can save your life. Pretty much every Raid member will want an Improved Healthstone, so be prepared.
  • 5/5Demonic Embrace - Extra Health at the cost of decreased regeneration. Worth it as it allows you to use Life Tap more.
  • 3/3Improved Voidwalker - As previously mentioned, we take this to make Sacrifice shield stronger.
  • 1/1Fel Domination - A component of DS/Ruin Warlock's defensive shield combo.
  • 5/5 Fel Stamina - Treat these 5 points liberally.
  • 2/2 Master Summoner - Another component of DS/Ruin Warlock's defensive shield combo.
  • 2/5 Unholy Power - Another 2 points that can be placed liberally. Putting them here is good if you farm/grind solo from time to time.
  • 1/1Demonic Sacrifice - The only reason you go this far up the Demonology tree. It allows you to sacrifice your demonic pet to gain a pet-specific buff. You will want to sacrifice a Succubus to receive a 15% Increase in Shadow Damage dealt.

Destruction Tree:

  • 5/5 Improved Shadow Bolt - Your rotation consists of, well.. only a Shadow Bolt and this Talent makes it better.
  • 2/5 Cataclysm - Makes your Destruction spells more efficient. You might consider putting 4 points here (at the cost of Suppression), but Life Tap should be enough to sustain you without that.
  • 5/5 Bane - Faster Shadow Bolt casts = more DPS.
  • 5/5 Devastation.
  • 1/1 Shadowburn - Gives you an Instant-cast damaging Spell that can be used when you are relocating to optimize your DPS by minimizing downtime.
  • 2/2 Destructive Reach - More range on your Shadow Bolt will provide you with additional room for maneuvers.
  • 1/1 Ruin - Makes your Destruction Spell Critical Strikes deal 200% instead of standard 150% Damage.

SM/Ruin Warlock PvE DPS Build

Affliction Tree:

  • 5/5Suppression.
  • 5/5Improved Corruption.
  • 2/2Improved Drain Soul - treat these two points liberally; you can allocate them to Improved Curse of Weakness if needed.
  • 2/2Improved Life Tap.
  • 3/3Improved Curse of Agony - good Talent if you are allowed to use CoA.
  • 1/5Fel Concentration - treat this Talent point liberally. You can transfer it to the Improved Curse of Weakness Talent if needed.
  • 1/1Amplify Curse - a handy tool that improves your next Curse cast. This will definitely find a lot of uses in a Raid.
  • 2/2Grim Reach - additional range on your spells is always welcome.
  • 2/2Nightfall - this Talent will visibly increase your DPS if you are allowed to use Corruption, that is.
  • 1/1Siphon Life - Solid damage over time effect that also heals you. It increases the build's PvP viability by a lot.
  • 1/1Curse of Exhaustion - useful for kiting adds, especially when combined with Amplify Curse, but there are must stronger slow effects out there.
  • 5/5Shadow Mastery - Increases damage dealt by your Shadow spells by 10%; 5% less than Demonic Sacrifice, but you are allowed to keep your Pet.

Destruction Tree:

  • 5/5 Improved Shadow Bolt.
  • 5/5 Bane
  • 2/2 Improved Firebolt - Increases your Imp's DPS; if you manage to keep it alive which is quite a feat in some engagements.
  • 5/5 Devastation.
  • 1/1 Shadowburn.
  • 2/2 Destructive Reach.
  • 1/1 Ruin.

Where to get Pre-Raid/Raid BiS Gear

In order to maximize your DPS, you should aim to assemble the best possible Gear. This applies to both Pre-Raid and each of the Raid Tiers/Phases.

Note1: The list will be updated with new items concurrently with the introduction of new Raids/Phases, so remember to visit this page after a new Raid opens for an update on what current best Warlock items in each lot are.

The Best Warlock Items
Main Hand
  • Pre-Raid - Dire Nail of Shadow Wrath (Drop from Shade of Eranikus, Sunken Temple)
  • Phase 1 - Azuresong Mageblade (drop from Golemagg the Incinerator, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Off-Hand
  • Pre-Raid - Drakestone of Shadow Wrath (Drop from Weaver, Dreamscythe, and Hazzas, Sunken Temple; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 1 - Drakestone of Shadow Wrath
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Ranged
  • Pre-Raid - Lunar Wand of Shadow Wrath (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 1 - Lunar Wand of Shadow Wrath
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Trinket 1
  • Pre-Raid - Eye of the Beast (Quest Reward from 'For the Horde!' / 'General Drakkisath's Demise', Upper Blackrock Spire)
  • Phase 1 - Eye of the Beast
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Trinket 2
  • Pre-Raid - Briarwood Reed (Drop from Jed Runewatcher, Upper Blackrock Spire)
  • Phase 1 - Talisman of Ephemeral Power (drop from Baron Geddon, Gaar, Golemagg the Incinerator, and Magmadar, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Neck
  • Pre-Raid - Star of Mystaria (Drop from Balnazzar, Stratcholme)
  • Phase 1 - Choker of the Fire Lord (drop from Ragnaros, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Ring 1
  • Pre-Raid - Songstone of Ironforge (Quest Reward from 'The Princess's Surprise', Blackrock Depths) / Eye of Orgrimmar (Quest Reward from 'The Princess Saved?', Blackrock Depths)
  • Phase 1 - Ring of Spell Power (drop from Shazzrah, Lucifron, Gehennas, and Sulfuron Harbinger, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Ring 2
  • Pre-Raid - Maiden's Circle (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH)
  • Phase 1 - Maiden's Circle
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Head
  • Pre-Raid - Crimson Felt Hat (Drop from Magistrate Barthilas, Stratcholme)
  • Phase 1 - Nemesis Skullcap (drop from Onyxia, Onyxia's Lair)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Chest
  • Pre-Raid - Robe of the Archmage (Tailoring Recipe that drops from Darkmaster Gandling, Scholomance; note: the robe is Bind on Pickup, which means that you have to craft it yourself. It does not require Tailoring Skill to use, however)
  • Phase 1 - Robe of Volatile Power (drop from Lucifron, Shazzrah, Sulfuron Harbinger, and Gehennas, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Legs
  • Pre-Raid - Skyshroud Leggings (drop from Highlord Omokk, Lower Blackrock Spire)
  • Phase 1 - Nemesis Leggings (drop from Ragnaros, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Gloves
  • Pre-Raid - Hands of Power (drop from Quartermaster Zigris, Lower Blackrock Spire)
  • Phase 1 - Hands of Power
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Boots
  • Pre-Raid - Master's Boots of Shadow Wrath (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH; note: The item has a Random Enchantment) / Omnicast Boots (drop from Golem Lord Ardelmach, Blackrock Depths)
  • Phase 1 - Master's Boots of Shadow Wrath
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Shoulders
  • Pre-Raid - Eternal Spaulders of Shadow Wrath (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 1 - Eternal Spaulders of Shadow Wrath
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Wrists
  • Pre-Raid - Master's Bracers of Frozen Wrath (drop from Lord Incendius, Blackrock Depths; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 1 - Master's Bracers of Frozen Wrath
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Belt
  • Pre-Raid - Ban'thok Sash (drop from Ok'thor the Breaker, Blackrock Depths)
  • Phase 1 - Mana Igniting Cord (drop from Golemagg the Incinerator, Garr, Baron Geddon, and Magmadar, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Back
  • Pre-Raid - Archivist Cape of Shadow Wrath (drop from Archivist Galford, Stratcholme; note: The item has a Random Enchantment) /Master's Cloak of Shadow Wrath (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 1 - Master's Cloak of Shadow Wrath / Sapphiron Drape (drop from Onyxia, Onyxia's Lair)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA

The Best Enchants and Consumables

Proper enchants and consumables will greatly increase your Damage output. While getting enchants is a one-time-deal, farming consumables might be a real chore, but it is still worth it as numbers clearly show.

The Best Enchants
Weapon (1H)Enchant Weapon - Spell Power (+ 30 Spell Damage)
Weapon (TH)Enchant Weapon - Spell Power (+ 30 Spell Damage)
HeadLesser Arcanum of Voracity (+8 Intellect, available from Libram of Voracity Quest in Burning Steppes)
ChestEnchant Chest - Greater Stats (+4 to all stats)
LegsLesser Arcanum of Voracity (+8 Intellect, available from Libram of Voracity Quest in Burning Steppes)
HandsEnchant Gloves - Riding Skill (Minor Raiding Speed Increase)
FeetEnchant Boots - Minor Speed (+8% Run Speed)
ShouldersChromatic Mantle of the Dawn (+5 to all Resistances)
WristsEnchant Bracer - Greater Intellect (+7 Intellect)
BackEnchant Cloak - Greater Resistance(+5 to all Resistances)

The Best Consumables

Flask of Supreme Power
+150 Spell Power for 2 hours; effect persists through death. Created by Alchemy. The recipe can be dropped from Ras Frostwhisper, Scholomance.

Major Mana Potion
Restores 1350 to 2250 Mana. Created by Alchemy. Recipe drops from various high-level mobs, elites, and Bosses.

Greater Arcane Elixir
+35 Spell Damage for 1 hour. Created by Alchemy. The recipe can be dropped from Fireguard Destroyers in Blackrock Depths and Scareshield Raiders in Blackrock Spire.

Demonic Rune
Restores 1356 mana at the cost of 862 life. Drop from Demons in Azshara, Felwood, and Blasted Lands (Satyrs and Fel Guards).

Major Healthstone
Instantly restores 1200 Health. Created by Warlocks.

Cerebral Cortex Compound
+25 Intellect for 1 hour. Obtained from 'Infallible Mind' repeatable Quest, Blasted Lands

Nightfin Soup
It provides 8 mana per 5 seconds for 10 minutes. Created by Cooking.

Wizard Oil
+24 Spell Damage. Created by Enchanting. This is applied to a Weapon.

Rotations

In Classic, Warlock follows more of a priority list than a strict rotation. This means that if you have multiple spells available for casting, you should always choose the one that is higher on the list.

Note: most of the time, you'll want to use your Cooldowns at the start of combat, so that you'll get a second (and a third in long encounters) charge before the fight ends.

Note2: You might not be allowed to cast your DoTs (Corruption/Curse of Agony) and/or tasked with maintaining a specific Curse on a Target.

Please use the following Priority List for sustained Single-Target Damage output:

  1. Maintain Curse Debuff (if designated for it)
/ / /
  1. Maintain Corruption (if you were allowed to use it)
  1. Shadowburn while relocating to minimize downtime
  1. Spam Shadow Bolt as your main Damage source
Please use the following Sequence while in the Multi-Target Engagement:
  1. Use Hellfire / Rain of Fire (if getting into melee is dangerous) if dealing with adds is a priority
+
  1. Cast Corruption and Siphon Life (if applicable) on all Targets
/
  1. Resume your Single-Target Rotation

Tips and Tricks for aspiring Warlock Raiders

  1. If you want to deal more Damage and stand out from your Raid competition, Stack Consumables. Spending some additional Gold or a few extra hours grinding might secure you a spot in a Raid, as Raid leaders prefer dedicated and well-prepared players.
  1. Make sure that you have enough Soul Shards before a Raid. This will allow you to avoid awkward situations. In other words: always remember about the basics of your Class!
  1. If you plan on using the SM/Ruin Build, learn how to micromanage your pet effectively. Keeping your Imp alive will increase your overall DPS by about 10%.
  1. Always try to improve. Get an addon that tracks your performance and try to optimize your equipment and rotation.

END NOTE

This Guide should help you to prepare yourself for that legendary Vanilla Raiding Experience and allow you to progress through Raid Tiers efficiently and with a good amount of fun.

We hope that you have found this guide useful and informative. If we have missed a piece of information that is important to you, please let us know!

Please do note that this is an early version of our guide, and we will be happy to receive constructive criticism, that will help us improve it, so leave your suggestions in the comments section below.

Pictures used in this article are the intellectual property of Blizzard Entertainment Inc.

Complete guide on becoming a viable Priest DPS by descending into the Shadow's Specialization Tree

You can find all our Pocket Guides for other WoW Classic Classes builds right here: Best WoW Classic Builds

Wow Intellect Or Shadow Dmg

If you have just started leveling your Priest, you may want to check out our Priest leveling Guide first

Overview

According to the Warcraft lore, Undead who were Priests in life became the first Shadow Priests in death. They woke up to the new life-after-death only to discover that the power of Light, that they've devoted their lives to, now burns them and causes agonizing pain. These first Shadow Priests did not have much choice, they had to forsake the Light to survive. The 'new' Shadow Priests have the choice, however, and only the most dedicated will remain loyal to the ways of Shadow, while most of them will end up as sad Holy Healers.

Shadow Priests have a unique ability that allows them to leech the life force out of their enemies and mend their group members with it. They are also in possession of one of the most powerful Spells of Classic - the Mind Blast. Moreover, they can Shield their group members or leave their Shadow Form and support their Raid with Healing if needed. However, PvE Shadow Priests have a multitude of problems that overweigh their benefits, the largest of them being low damage output and severe sustain issues. This is why most guilds force aspiring Spriests to respec Holy. However, one lucky follower of the Shadow is often allowed to not forsake his ways and provide Raid's Warlocks with the Shadow Weaving buff that considerably increases their DPS.

Magic iso dmg won& 39

Pros Cons
The 'Cool' priest Low Sustain
Provides powerful Shadow Weaving debuff Low overall DPS
Can passively Heal his group members thanks to the Vampiric Embrace ability Competes for gear with a class that is better at dealing damage - Warlocks
Great at PvP Usually, there is only a single spot for a Shadow Priest in a 40-man Raid
More resistant to Physical Damage than other casters Constantly asked to respec Holy


The Best Race Choice

Race choice is more impactful for Priests than for other Classes because Priests get a race-specific 'Priest Racials' in addition to the standard set of Racial traits.

Note: Here, we will point you only towards the best PvE DPS Shadow Priest Race. If you'd like to know more about other race picks, please check our WoW Classic Beginners Guide, where we dive deep into all available Mage's race choices for both factions.


Alliance

The Dwarf is a clear winner here as He receives a set of very powerful tools that affect Shadow Priest's gameplay. Firstly, he gets Fear Ward that is essential for encounters like Onyxia, where it allows the Priest to shield a Tank from Fear mechanics present in the fight and is also incredibly powerful in PvP. Secondly, he receives the Stoneform that considerably increases his survivability, and for emergencies, he gets access to the Desperate Prayer. On top of that, Dwarf is also the best choice for PvP.


Horde
Because of the debuff slot limits, Troll comes out on top as the best PvE Horde Shadow Priest Race. His Berserking has a direct impact on DPS and it does not take up a valuable debuff slot. Moreover, Troll is also the best for Healing. However, if you'd like to do some PvPing you'll be better off picking Undead (the power of the Will of the Forsaken should not be underestimated).

The Best Professions Choice

Sadly, Truefaith Vestments, theBoP Priest-specific Chest made by Tailoring is not suited for Shadow Priest gameplay at all (it gives Healing power and not Spell Power). This leaves just one profession that makes a real impact in Raids - Engineering (Alchemy is also a decent option, but you can buy Flasks, Elixirs, and Potions from other players, which makes it much less impactful). It gives you access to powerful explosives that increase your AoE and Single-Target DPS. Moreover, Engineering gadgets come in handy in many back-to-the-wall situations. The fact that Engineering is also considered the best PvP profession is an added benefit to its power in a PvE environment.

At the start, you should pick Mining to supplement your Engineering Skill, you can always switch it to another profession of your liking later on.

Note: If you want to know more about all available professions and secondary skills, please check our detailed WoW Classic Professions Guide.

Statistics Priority

  1. Spell Hit Chance - Increases your chance to hit with all your offensive Spells. You need a total of 16% Hit Rating. Shadow Focus Talent provides you with 10% Spell Hit Chance, which means that all you need from Gear is additional 6%. Getting Hit-Capped should be your top priority while gearing up for Raids.
  1. Spell Damage/Shadow Damage - Increases your Damage/Shadow Damage done with Spells. The damage bonus from Spell Damage is calculated differently for different Spells and their Ranks, but in general, this is one of the best statistics for Shadow Priests.
  1. Mp5 (Mana per 5 seconds) - Regenerates X mana every 5 seconds. This effect continues while casting, which makes it much better than Spirit when it comes to the sustain that it provides.
  1. Intellect - Increases your total Mana Pool and provides you with additional Spell Critical Chance (59,2 Int = 1% Spell Critical Strike Chance).
  1. Spell Critical Chance - Gives you a chance to do additional (Critical) Damage with your offensive Spells.
  1. Spirit - Increases your mana regeneration while not casting (5-second rule). Priests benefit from Spirit while in combat thanks to the Meditation Talent.

Statistic Priority for a Shadow Priest:

Spell Hit CapSpell Damage/Shadow Damage Mp5 IntellectSpell Critical Chance Spirit

The Best Talent Builds

Proper Talent allocation is essential for maximizing Damage output. Here, we will describe the most optimal spec and lead you through the Talent Trees level-by-level to explain some choices.

Shadow Priest's Talent Build should depend on his current Gear. Raid-ready Spriest should go for the more aggressive setup, while beginner should aim for Talents that will allow him to stay useful when he inevitably runs out of mana:

  • Entry-level Shadow Priest Build - Shadow Priests are famous for running out of Mana incredibly quickly, especially when they are undergeared. This build tries to offset that fact by securing Talents, like Spirit Tap and Wand Specialization. These create a solid backup plan for situations when Priest's mana runs out - finish off a trash mob, pull out a Wand, and Shoot Targets while your mana regenerates. While solid in 5-man Dungeons, this strategy will not work too well in Raids, which means that this version of the Build should only be used to farm pre-Raid BiS items (this is why it closely resembles a leveling build). As soon as you build-up enough Spell Power and high enough mana pool, you should switch to the Build featured below (Spell Power makes Wanding obsolete and high mana pool allows you to maximize your Mind Blast usage which considerably increases your DPS).
  • Raid-ready Shadow Priest Build - This version of the Shadow Priest build forgoes utility and sustain-related Talents, and instead focuses on maximizing DPS. To use it effectively, you'll need at least pre-Raid BiS gear and a hefty stock of consumables (Mana Potions, Runes, Mana Regen Food, etc.). In the Raid environment, you will not be required to support healers with Shields and the only instant-cast spell you'll be using in your rotation is Shadow Word: Pain, which means that Improved Power Word: Shield and Mental Agility Talents are completely redundant. This means that 8 Talent Points can be spent elsewhere: Thanks to 4/5 Improved Mind Blast Spriest's rotation becomes much smoother - 6 seconds (the new Mind Blast's cooldown length) is enough to cast two Mind Flays which allows you to use Mind Blast Mind FlayMind Flay Mind Blast sequence without clipping into Mind Blast's cooldown (which would happen if you used 5/5Improved Mind Blast). However, using Mind Blast more often creates a Threat problem. This is why 4 remaining points were used for 5/5Silent Resolve which should minimize the problem.

Entry-level Shadow Priest PvE DPS Build

Discipline Tree:

  • 5/5Wand Specialization - Your Wand now deals 25% more DPS. This Talent makes a big difference if you don't have Spell Power/Shadow Damage gear equipped - when you are gearing up, in other words.
  • 1/5Silent Resolve - With this version of the build, you will not be using Mind Blast too often which means that Threat should not be a problem.
  • 2/2Improved Power Word: Fortitude - In a build designed for High-Level 5-man Dungeons, this Talent is necessary (there might not be a second priest in the group, so you will te the one buffing people).
  • 3/3Improved Power Word: Shield - PW: Shield does not scale with gear almost at all, which means that this Talent is the only way of improving it. The shield is incredibly useful in 5-mans and for solo content, so skipping this Talent is not recommended. Sadly, Shield can be used on Group members only, which limits its viability in Raids and other mass content.
  • 1/1Inner Focus - Great for casting a free, hard-hitting Mind Blast, although you should try to save this Cooldown for an emergency.
  • 3/3Meditation - Makes Spirit a bit more valuable and slightly improves your sustain.
  • 5/5Mental Agility - In 5-mans, you will constantly be using spells like Power Word: Shield, Shadow Word: Pain, and even Renew, which means that this Talent will generate a lot of value over time.

Shadow Tree:

  • 5/5Spirit Tap - Considerably improves your mana regeneration after you deal a killing blow. For the best effect, you should try to snipe trash mobs with your Wand. This Talent will keep you going during trash pulls but is useless in most Boss encounters.
  • 3/3Shadow Affinity - This should take care of Threat spikes caused by occasional Mind Blast crits.
  • 2/2Improved Shadow Word: Pain - SW: Pain now lasts for 24 seconds, which makes it much more efficient.
  • 5/5Shadow Focus - Makes you much more effective at dealing with enemies that are resistant to Shadow Damage.
  • 1/1 Mind Flay - One of Shadow Priest's signature abilities. It has a Slow effect attached but at the cost of a short, 20yd range.
  • 3/3 Shadow Reach - 20% extra range on Shadow Spells gives you some much-needed breathing room when it comes to staying within the Mind Flay range.
  • 5/5 Shadow Weaving - Your Shadow Spells now cause your Target to take increased Shadow Damage. This Talent makes Shadow Priests borderline Raid-viable - a single Shadow Priest boosts DPS of all Warlocks present in the Raid.
  • 1/1Vampiric Embrace - Gives your spells life-leech effect when applied to a Target. This effect heals your whole group which gives some breathing room to a healer.
  • 5/5 Darkness - Makes you 10% better at dealing Shadow Damage.
  • 1/1 Shadow Form - The reason why one becomes a Shadow Priest. Makes your Shadow Spells deal 15% more damage and increases your physical damage resistance by 15%, but prevents you from casting Holy Spells.

Raid-ready Shadow Priest PvE DPS Build

Discipline Tree:

  • 5/5Unbreakable Will - Makes you randomly resist Raid mechanics, which is nice. Just don't count on it occurring too often.
  • 5/5Silent Resolve - This should reduce Threat problems caused by hard-hitting Mind Blasts.
  • 2/2Improved Power Word: Fortitude.
  • 1/1Inner Focus - Great for casting a free, hard-hitting Mind Blast. Remember not to use it immediately after combat starts as it will most likely result in pulling Aggro.
  • 3/3Meditation.

Shadow Tree:

  • 5/5Spirit Tap.
  • 3/3Shadow Affinity.
  • 2/2Improved Shadow Word: Pain.
  • 5/5Shadow Focus.
  • 4/5Improved Mind Blast - Lowers Mind Blast's cooldown to 6 seconds, which is enough to squeeze 2 Mind Flays between its casts.
  • 1/1 Mind Flay.
  • 3/3 Shadow Reach.
  • 5/5 Shadow Weaving.
  • 1/1Vampiric Embrace.
  • 5/5 Darkness.
  • 1/1 Shadow Form.

Where to get Pre-Raid/Raid BiS Gear

In order to maximize your DPS, you should aim to assemble the best possible Gear. This applies to both Pre-Raid and each of the Raid Tiers/Phases.

Note1: The list will be updated with new items concurrently with the introduction of new Raids/Phases, so remember to visit this page after a new Raid opens for an update on what current best Shadow Priest items in each lot are.

The Best Shadow Priest Items
Main Hand
  • Pre-Raid - Scepter of the Unholy (Drop from Baron Rivendare, Stratcholme) / Witchblade (Drop from Darkmaster Gandling, Scholomance)
  • Phase 1 - Anathema (Quest Reward from 'The Balance of Light and Shadow', Priest Class Quest)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Off-Hand
  • Pre-Raid - Drakestone of Shadow Wrath (Drop from Weaver, Dreamscythe, and Hazzas, Sunken Temple; note: The item has a Random Enchantment) / Spirit of Aquementas (Quest Reward from 'It's Dangerous to Go Alone', Un'Goro Crater)
  • Phase 1 - none (Anathema takes up both hands)
    Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Ranged
  • Pre-Raid - Skul's Ghastly Touch(Drop from Skul, Stratcholme) / Lunar Wand of Shadow Wrath (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 1 - Skul's Ghastly Touch / Bonescreeper Stylus (Drop from Darkmaster Gandling, Scholomance)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Trinket 1
  • Pre-Raid - Mindtap Talisman (Drop from Magister Kalendris, Dire Maul) / Burst of Knowledge (Drop from Ambassador Flamelash, Blackrock Depths)
  • Phase 1 - Talisman of Ephemeral Power (drop from Baron Geddon, Gaar, Golemagg the Incinerator, and Magmadar, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Trinket 2
  • Pre-Raid - Briarwood Reed (Drop from Jed Runewatcher, Upper Blackrock Spire)
  • Phase 1 - Briarwood Reed
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Neck
  • Pre-Raid - Dark Advidor's Pendant (Drop from Vectus, Scholomance) / Star of Mystaria (Drop from Balnazzar, Stratcholme)
  • Phase 1 - Choker of the Fire Lord (drop from Ragnaros, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Ring 1
  • Pre-Raid - Songstone of Ironforge (Quest Reward from 'The Princess's Surprise', Blackrock Depths) / Eye of Orgrimmar (Quest Reward from 'The Princess Saved?', Blackrock Depths)
  • Phase 1 - Ring of Spell Power (drop from Shazzrah, Lucifron, Gehennas, and Sulfuron Harbinger, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Ring 2
  • Pre-Raid - Maiden's Circle (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH) / Underworld Band (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH)
  • Phase 1 - Maiden's Circle / Ring of Spell Power (not Unique, you can equip two)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Head
  • Pre-Raid - Green Lens of Shadow Wrath(Engineering recipe, requires 245 Engi to use; it has a Random Enchantment) /The Postmaster's Band (Drop from Postmaster Malown, Stratcholme)
  • Phase 1 - Green Lens of Shadow Wrath
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Chest
  • Pre-Raid - Robe of Winter Night (Created by Tailoring, the Recipe drops from Cobalt Mageweaver NPC found in Winterspring)
  • Phase 1 - Robe of Winter Night / Robe of Volatile Power (drop from Lucifron, Shazzrah, Sulfuron Harbinger, and Gehennas, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Legs
  • Pre-Raid - Skyshroud Leggings (drop from Highlord Omokk, Lower Blackrock Spire) / Spiritshroud Leggings (Drop from The Beast, Upper Blackrock Spire)
  • Phase 1 - Skyshroud Leggings
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Gloves
  • Pre-Raid - Hands of Power (drop from Quartermaster Zigris, Lower Blackrock Spire) / Dreamweave Gloves (Created by Tailoring, Base Recipe taught by a Trainer)
  • Phase 1 - Hands of Power / Atal'ai Gloves of Shadow Wrath (Drop from Atal'ai Defenders, Sunken Temple; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Boots
  • Pre-Raid - Maleki's Footwraps (Drop from Maleki the Pallid, Stratcholme) / Omnicast Boots (drop from Golem Lord Ardelmach, Blackrock Depths)
  • Phase 1 - Maleki's Footwraps
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Shoulders
  • Pre-Raid - Felcloth Shoulders (Created by Tailoring, Recipe is a random World Drop) / Elder Wizard's Mantle (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH)
  • Phase 1 - Felcloth Shoulders / Elder Wizard's Mantle
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Wrists
  • Pre-Raid - Flameweave Cuffs of Shadow Wrath (drop from Lord Incendius, Blackrock Depths; note: The item has a Random Enchantment) / Tearfall Bracers of Shadow Wrath (Drop from The Unforgiven, Stratcholme; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 1 - Flameweave Cuffs of Shadow Wrath
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Belt
  • Pre-Raid - Ban'thok Sash (drop from Ok'thor the Breaker, Blackrock Depths)
  • Phase 1 - Sash of Whispered Secrets (Contained in Cache of the Firelord, Molten Core)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA
Back
  • Pre-Raid - Archivist Cape of Shadow Wrath (drop from Archivist Galford, Stratcholme; note: The item has a Random Enchantment) /Master's Cloak of Shadow Wrath (BoE World Drop; can be purchased on AH; note: The item has a Random Enchantment)
  • Phase 1 - Archivist Cape of Shadow Wrath / Sapphiron Drape (drop from Onyxia, Onyxia's Lair)
  • Phase 2 - TBA
  • Phase 3 - TBA
  • Phase 4 - TBA
  • Phase 5 - TBA
  • Phase 6 - TBA

The Best Enchants and Consumables

Proper enchants and consumables will greatly increase your Damage output. While getting enchants is a one-time-deal, farming consumables might be a real chore, but it is still worth it as numbers clearly show.

The Best Enchants
Weapon (1H)Enchant Weapon - Spell Power (+ 30 Spell Damage)
Weapon (TH)Enchant Weapon - Spell Power (+ 30 Spell Damage)
HeadLesser Arcanum of Voracity (+8 Intellect, available from Libram of Voracity Quest in Burning Steppes)
ChestEnchant Chest - Greater Stats (+4 to all stats)
LegsLesser Arcanum of Voracity (+8 Intellect, available from Libram of Voracity Quest in Burning Steppes)
HandsEnchant Gloves - Riding Skill (Minor Raiding Speed Increase)
FeetEnchant Boots - Minor Speed (+8% Run Speed)
ShouldersChromatic Mantle of the Dawn (+5 to all Resistances)
WristsEnchant Bracer - Mana Regeneration (+4 Mana per 5 seconds)
BackEnchant Cloak - Greater Resistance(+5 to all Resistances)

The Best Consumables

Flask of Distilled Wisdom
+2000 maximum Mana for 2 hours; effect persists through death. Created by Alchemy. The recipe can be dropped from Balnazzar, Stratcholme.

Major Mana Potion
Restores 1350 to 2250 Mana. Created by Alchemy. Recipe drops from various high-level mobs, elites, and Bosses.

Greater Arcane Elixir
+35 Spell Damage for 1 hour. Created by Alchemy. The recipe can be dropped from Fireguard Destroyers in Blackrock Depths and Scareshield Raiders in Blackrock Spire.

Elixir of Shadow Power
+40 Shadow Damage for 30 minutes. Created by Alchemy. The recipe can be bought from Alchemy Supplies Vendors in Stormwind and Undercity

Demonic Rune
Restores 1356 mana at the cost of 862 life. Drop from Demons in Azshara, Felwood, and Blasted Lands (Satyrs and Fel Guards).

Mageblood Potion
+12 Mp5 for 1 hour. Created by Alchemy. The recipe can be bought from Rin'wosho the Trader, located in north Stranglethorn Vale

Cerebral Cortex Compound
+25 Intellect for 1 hour. Obtained from 'Infallible Mind' repeatable Quest, Blasted Lands

Nightfin Soup
It provides 8 mana per 5 seconds for 10 minutes. Created by Cooking.

Brilliant Mana Oil
+12 Mp5 and +25 Healing Power for 30 minutes. Created by Enchanting. This is applied to a Weapon.

Rotations

In Classic, Shadow Priest's Rotation revolves around applying and maintaining 5 stacks of the Shadow Weaving debuff while trying not to prematurely run out of mana.

Note1: Avoid using Vampiric Embrace and Devouring Plague in Raids. These spells take a valuable debuff slot and provide very little in return.

Note2: Consumables that restore mana are Shadow Priest's best friends, always have a hefty amount of them in your bags.

Wow Intellect Or Shadow Dmg Free

Please use the following Priority List for sustained Single-Target Damage output:

  1. Maintain Shadow Word: Pain
  1. Mindblast on Cooldown
  1. Mind Flay twice when Mindblast is recharging
  1. Rank 1 Shadow Word: Pain to maintain Shadow Weaving when you are low on mana
  1. Spam Shoot (Wand Attack) when out of mana and without mana regen consumables to pop

Tips and Tricks for aspiring Shadow Priest Raiders

  1. Stack Consumables and always have Mana Potions and Runes on you. This will allow you to deal more damage more reliably. Spending some additional Gold or a few extra hours grinding might secure you a spot in a Raid, as Raid leaders prefer dedicated and well-prepared players.
  1. Downrank your Spells if needed. Downranking is the key to proper mana management as a Shadow Priest.
  1. Always try to improve. Get an addon that tracks your performance and try to optimize your equipment and rotation.

Scroll Of Intellect Wow

END NOTE

This Guide should help you to prepare yourself for that legendary Vanilla Raiding Experience and allow you to progress through Raid Tiers efficiently and with a good amount of fun.

We hope that you have found this guide useful and informative. If we have missed a piece of information that is important to you, please let us know!

Please do note that this is an early version of our guide, and we will be happy to receive constructive criticism, that will help us improve it, so leave your suggestions in the comments section below.

Wow Intellect Or Shadow Dmg 2

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