Table of Contents:
I. Why a Shadow Priest?
II. Talents
III. Skills
IV. Gear %2B Instances
V. Strategy
VI. Leveling 1-80
I. Why would I level a Shadow Priest?
If you were to ask 100 World of Warcraft players how much fun it is to level a priest, 98 of them would tell you they would rather kill themselves. They picture a priest as a Fortitude spamming, flash healing drone who is completely incapable of slaughtering mass quantities of mobs (and maybe you do too!)
The other two would probably tell you that it is the most fun class to level, that Shadow priests have the highest damage per mana ratio of any class, that their dps is always at the top of the charts, that they don’t need good gear to chain pull and slaughter mobs by the dozen.
My priest was the easiest to level to cap out of any character I have ever leveled, and it is because Shadow priests have an incredible array of talents that allow them to deal immense amounts of damage very quickly for very little mana, while draining the life out of your foes. How would you like to be able to group fear five mobs and kill two of them before they reach you? This is the power of a Shadow Priest.
Oh, did I mention you can heal yourself?
So, I’m assuming you’re interested by now. What exactly makes them so powerful. By the end of this guide, I hope to have you convinced by now that it’s worth giving a Shadow priest a try. It’s time you made an alt that you will stick with, or your first 80, right?
The best part about leveling a priest to 80 is you will always be in incredibly high demand. Naxx runs require a Shadow priest for boss fights, and every instance run needs priests as healers. With a quick respec and gear switch you can fill two different roles at 80, based on your liking.
Now, if I’ve convinced you that building a Shadow priest is worthwhile, open up worldofwarcraft.com and follow along on my extensive talent breakdown, and you will see exactly why Shadow priests are so powerful.
II. Talent Breakdown
In this section, I’ll break down each talent you should fill, level by level, and give you a brief explanation of how effective it is. If you haven’t already, you should open up worldofwarcraft.com Priest talent tree and look over the talents I recommend so you can see how simple it is to boost your damage and lower your mana costs.
Level 10-12: Spirit Tap 3/3
Gives you a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit after killing a target that yields experience or honor. For the duration, your mana will regenerate at a 50% rate while casting. Lasts 15 sec.
This is arguably the best tier 1 talent for leveling in the game. What exactly does this do? Basically, after every kill, your mana regen rate will double, and if you are casting, you will still regen mana at your normal rate.
Spirit Tap means no downtime. Many will argue that Blackout is equally effective. Blackout grants you no added bonus for leveling, and will actually hurt your ability to use one of your most important abilities later (Mind Flay) since its range is so tiny. With Spirit Tap and plenty of spirit from gear, you will rarely have to stop fighting to drink and recover mana. My favorite leveling talent… and you’re still only level 12!
Level 13-14: your choice:
Improved Spirit Tap 2/2
Your Mind Blast and Shadow Word: Death critical strikes increase your total Spirit by 10%. For the duration, your mana will regenerate at a 20% rate while casting. Lasts 8 sec.
This talent is an investment in the future, when your Mind Blast crit rate will be much higher. However, it will not do much for you until your late 40’s, so for those of you who cannot live without Blackout…
Blackout 2/5
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 4% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.
An extremely powerful PvP talent, Blackout will save your skin in a few tight PvE situations. However, its use in PvE is very limited. I strongly recommend you pick Improved Spirit Tap.
Level 15-16: Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2/2
Increases the damage of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 6%.
Your talents are already beginning to inflate your damage, and what better place to start than your primary DoT, Shadow Word: Pain? Helps you chain pull more effectively and helps eliminate runners (not that they are a problem for you). The effect will be more potent at higher levels.
Level 17-19: Shadow Focus 3/3
Increases the chance to hit with your Shadow spells by 3%, and reduces the mana cost of your Shadow spells by 6%.
6% mana reduction means your mana pool is effectively 6% larger. Enough said.
Level 20: Mind Flay 1/1
Assault the target’s mind with Shadow energy, causing 45 damage over 3 sec and slowing their movement speed by 50%.
Your most important damaging spell as a Shadow priest, and the most damage per mana efficient spell in the game. As soon as you get this spell, get as much spell power as possible. You want the dps of this spell to be HIGH! At first, it will probably cost too much mana to be used repeatedly in a single fight, and your wand might do just as much damage. Just wait, this skill will increase in strength very quickly.
Level 21-24: your choice…
Improved Mind Blast 4/5
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 2 sec.
This talent is very nice later on when you might want to use Mind Blast twice in a fight (vs. elites, etc). However, it won’t do much for you now, as you probably (unless you’re really geared) don’t have the mana pool to use it twice per fight. This is recommended, however, if you find yourself needing to use Psychic Scream to survive…
Improved Psychic Scream 2/2, Improved Mind Blast 2/5
Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 4 sec.
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 1 sec.
This combo will help your survivability, however it will limit your dps vs. elites and PvP foes later on in the game. If you need to use Psychic Scream often to survive, go with this build, however, I don’t recommend it.
Level 25-27: Shadow Weaving 3/3
Your Shadow damage spells have a 100% chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 15 sec. Stacks up to 5 times.
This is the first of many talents that will give you +10% Shadow spell damage. A must have for any Shadow priest.
Level 28-29: Shadow Reach 2/2
Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 20%.
Crucial talent for making Mind Flay more effective, as its normal range is only 20 yards! This is absolutely necessary for grinding and PvP. You will notice yourself getting hit less and pulling from longer ranges after you grab this beauty.
Level 30-32: Focused Mind 3/3
Reduces the mana cost of your Mind Blast, Mind Control, Mind Flay and Mind Sear spells by 15%.
Now you see why Mind Flay is the most mana-efficient spell in the game. This saves you 15% on two of your most important spells, and by now you should easily be able to use Mind Flay twice per fight without having to drink too often.
Level 33: Vampiric Embrace 1/1
Afflicts your target with Shadow energy that causes you to be healed by 15% and other party members to be healed for 3% of the Shadow damage you deal for 1 min.
Level 34: Improved Vampiric Embrace 1/2
Increases healing received from Vampiric Embrace by 33%.
These talents will save your life and save you time and mana. You shouldn’t ever have to heal, just drop Vampiric Embrace on a mob and go with your normal sequence of spells.
And now, for the big time talents:
Level 35-39: Darkness 5/5
Increases your Shadow spell damage by 10%.
I think Blizzard didn’t realize how unfair this would be. Free 10% spell damage.
Level 40: Shadowform 1/1
Assume a Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 15%, reducing physical damage done to you by 15% and threat generated by 30%. However, you may not cast Holy spells while in this form. Your Shadow Word: Pain, Devouring Plague and Vampiric Touch abilities deal increased percentage damage equal to your spell critical strike chance.
Between levels 35 and 40, you just became a superhero (or supervillain, if that’s how you roll). 25% increased damage from Shadow spells, plus additional damage to Shadow Word: Pain. In addition, you take less physical damage!
The only problem with Shadowform is getting used to it. Where healing yourself used to be cheap and quick, now it costs an immense amount of mana, as you will now have to recast Shadowform after you heal. Try to keep your health up with Power Word: Shield and Vampiric Embrace at all times. Shadowform takes some getting used to. In emergency situations, don’t be afraid to cast a heal on yourself, however, you WILL have to stop and drink after doing so.
Level 41-44: Shadow Power 4/5
Increases the critical strike damage bonus of your Mind Blast, Mind Flay and Shadow Word: Death spells by 80%.
This is a nice damage bonus to Mind Blast and Mind Flay, two of your primary damage spells. Expect this to proc at least every other fight.
Level 45-47: Misery 3/3
Your Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Flay and Vampiric Touch spells also increase the chance for harmful spells to hit by 3% lasting 24 sec, and increases the damage of your Mind Blast, Mind Flay and Mind Sear abilities by an amount equal to 15% of your spell power.
Another crazy boost to your Mind Blast and Mind Flay damage. By now you’re definitely roasting mobs in groups of two and three. Blizzard is just unfair sometimes, aren’t they? 
Level 48-49: Mind Melt 2/2
Increases the critical strike chance of your Mind Blast, Mind Flay and Mind Sear abilities by 4%.
Can’t go wrong with crit chance for two of your primary abilities. Compliments Shadow Power nicely.
Level 50: Vampiric Touch 1/1
Causes 495 Shadow damage over 15 sec to your target and causes up to 10 party or raid members to gain 0.25% of their maximum mana per second when you deal damage from Mind Blast.
Another uber-powerful DoT to add to your collection of ridiculously powerful spells. Opening with this will now give you mana back! With this ability, you are going to start to feel like a PvE god. Nothing can really slow you down at this point…
Level 51-53: Pain and Suffering 3/3
Your Mind Flay has a 100% chance to refresh the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain on the target, and reduces the damage you take from your own Shadow Word: Death by 30%.
A great talent for long fights, such as elite quests, which you are probably soloing more of by now.
Level 54: Shadow Power 5/5
Finishing off this talent is a nice addition at this level.
Level 55-59: Twisted Faith 5/5
Increases your spell power by 10% and your damage done by your Mind Flay and Mind Blast is increased by 10% if your target is afflicted by your Shadow Word: Pain.
Another unfair talent. 10% bonus damage plus 10% spell power. Just plain rigged.
Note: don’t get dispersion! While it is a nice talent for tight situations, you can do better things with your points, such as…
Level 60-64: Twin Disciplines 5/5
Increases the damage and healing done by your instant spells by 5%.
Switch over to the discipline tree and start pumping it. This talent does apply to your most important spell, Mind Flay, and I would rather have this than Dispersion.
Level 65-67: Improved Inner Fire 3/3
Increases the effect of your Inner Fire spell by 45%, and increases the total number of charges by 12.
A very nice talent that will increase the spell power bonus of Inner Fire by 45%, as well as make you more survivable.
Level 68-69: Unbreakable Will 2/5
Reduces the duration of Stun, Fear and Silence effects done to you by an additional 6%.
Nice talent for higher level mobs with those annoying Stun and Silence mechanics.
Level 70-72: Meditation 3/3
Allows 30% of your mana to regenerate while casting.
Saves you plenty of mana, especially now that your Spirit is boosted from Northrend gear.
Level 73: Inner Focus 1/1
When activated, reduces the Mana cost of your next spell by 100% and increases its critical effect chance by 25% if it is capable of a critical effect.
Very useful once in a while for a quick Mind Blast crit or a quick crit heal. Use in PvP situations as much as you can.
Level 74: Unbreakable Will 3/5
Nice extra point here to keep moving up the discipline tree.
Level 75-79: Mental Agility 5/5
Reduces the mana cost of your instant spells by 10%.
By now, you’re in full grind mode to hit level 80, so this extra 10% will save you tons of downtime and allow you to chain pull more effectively.
Level 80: Divine Spirit 1/1
Holy power infuses the target, increasing their Spirit by 17 for 30 min.
First off, congratulations on reaching level 80! It was a lot of work but I’m sure it was well worth it.
This talent will make you a PvE machine. Go grind and see how long it takes you to regenerate mana with Spirit Tap. You will literally never have to drink, and you’ll be in high demand for raids and instances since you now have two incredibly powerful buffs.
III. Skills
1. Shoot - wands are greatly underappreciated, and your wand will be one of your primary sources of dps until around level 20-25. Try to always pick up the highest dps wand before level 25, after level 25 try to get one that will boost your stats, as you will use it less and less.
2. Shadow Word: Pain [SW:P] (Level 4) - your only DoT until level 50, use it in EVERY fight. Always watch how much time is left on your SW:P, and keep refreshing it on your opponent when it goes down. It is an invaluable source of dps.
3. Power Word: Shield [PW:S] (Level 6) - your protection from death as a Shadow priest, a discipline skill which can be used even in Shadowform. This is among the most powerful instant heals in the game. In addition, it will prevent enemies from interrupting your spell casts while it is up. The main drawback is it costs a ton of mana, try to avoid casting it very frequently. At higher levels, you should be able to cast PW:S, pull two or three mobs, and drop them all before the shield goes down. If you do that, you can keep Spirit Tap going and save yourself the cost of recasting this every fight.
4. Mind Blast [MB] (Level 10) - your “nuke” spell. High damage and moderate mana cost. When you get it, it should become your “opener,” and the only non-instant spell you will use until you get Vampiric Touch.
5. Inner Fire [IF] (Level 12) - this is your protection from physical death. Without this talent you will quickly die to a high damage melee dps. IF increases your damage reduction by about 12%. At higher levels, it will also grant you spell power.
6. Psychic Scream [PS] (Level 14) - a.k.a. “fear bomb.” PS is the most effective PvE fear in the game, as it sends multiple enemies fleeing. As with any fear, be careful not to get yourself into more trouble by using it… You might end up as dinner for some ugly ogre and his wife.
7. Mind Flay (Level 20) - your main source of dps as you level. This is the most mana-efficient dps spell in the game, and it can be channeled indefinitely. It also slows melee foes as they try to charge you down.
8. Shadowform (Level 40) - increases damage done and reduces damage taken. Beast mode for priests.
9. Vampiric Touch (Level 50) - a new DoT that will restore your mana and contributes a very high amount of dps.
IV. Gear and Instances
The most important stats you will need as a Shadow priest are, in order, spell power, Spirit, Intellect, and Stamina. After level 40, your spell power will start to take off and your Intellect and Stamina will begin to decrease, since you will have Shadowform and won’t need as much Stamina to survive. Before then, however, pump Spirit, Intellect and Stamina all as much as possible, with emphasis on Spirit.
Always keep a good wand on you through level 25. Here are my recommendations:
- Lesser Magic Wand, Requires Level 6, 11.3 dps
- Greater Magic Wand, Requires Level 13, 17.5 dps
- Cookie’s Stirring Rod, Requires Level 17, 22.3 dps: this wand is a pretty rare drop from the Deadmines, but if you happen to pick it up it will be incredibly helpful.
Never worry about buying gear from the AH. Your quest and instance drops will sustain you, and after Level 40 the drops will be just plain rigged. As soon as you hit Level 58 head for the Outlands, as the green quest rewards there will double your spell power in just a few levels. After 70 your gear will be greens and blues from Northrend quests and you won’t have to worry about gear until 80.
Here are the instances I would recommend you run for gear. WARNING! Running instances may require you to sacrifice your Shadow capabilities and heal.
- Deadmines (Level 18-22): Corsair’s Overshirt, Cookie’s Stirring Rod, Emberstone Staff, Gold-flecked Gloves, Lavishly Jeweled Ring, Staff of Westfall (quest)
- Scarlet Monastery (Level 30-40): (graveyard) Necrotic Wand, Blighted Leggings, Ghostshard Talisman, Embalmed Shroud, (library) Robe of Doan, Mantle of Doan, Hypnotic Blade, Illusionary Rod, (cathedral) Hand of Righteousness, Triune Amulet, Whitemane’s Chapeau
- Zul’Farrak (Level 41-51): Bad Mojo Mask, Jumanza Grips, Lifeblood Amulet, Zum’rah’s Vexing Cane
After level 50, your quest drops will grant more spell power and you should no longer be dependent on instances for gear or leveling. Most instances other than these are very difficult to find a good group. These are the only three instances I do when leveling quickly, and when powerleveling I skip these completely unless I have someone to run me through.
You can survive without top-notch gear as a Shadow priest. Quest rewards will do just fine.
V. Strategy
In this section I’ll give you a brief outline of the spell sequences I used to fight mobs at certain levels and with certain skills. Skills in brackets [] are optional.
Level 1-3 ( Smite - Smite - Melee )
Level 4-6 ( SW:P - Smite - [Smite] - Melee )
Level 6: get a damn wand!
Level 6-9 ( PW:S - SW:P - [Smite] - Wand )
Level 10-20 ( PW:S - Mind Blast - SW:P - [Smite] - Wand )
Level 20-49 ( PW:S - Mind Blast - SW:P - Mind Flay - [Wand] ) - Wand here if you need to save mana.
Level 50-80 ( PW:S - Vampiric Touch - SW:P - Mind Blast - Mind Flay - [Wand] )
After level 30, I usually cast Mind Flay 2-3 times consecutively or just until my target drops, then move on. If you are pulling a group, start by casting SW:P on every mob in the group.
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