by Byron Mudry on Aug 30, 2007
This shadow talent guide goes over each of the talents in the Priest's shadow talent tree. This is the tree that most priests focus on while leveling since it allows you to do significant amounts of damage quickly. While many players find leveling a holy priest slow and painful, few players complain about "melting faces" as a shadow priest. Once at the end game though, few players choose to stay shadow though other than those that mainly solo, pvp or are needed in raids, Shadow Priests are still viable at end game in all situations, but most players look at priests as healers, not damage dealers and you will have a harder time finding groups.
Tier 1 is available at level ten, when your first talents open up.
Spirit Tap - Max 3 points, provides up to a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your spirit for 15 seconds after killing a target that yields experience. You also continue to regenerate mana at 50% rate while casting. Amazing base level ability as it allows you to grind and level much faster. Requires you to land the killing blow, if someone else kills the target you do not get the buff. Strongly Recommended Improved Spirit Tap - Max 2 points,Tier 2 talents are available as soon as you have 5 points in that talent tree.
Shadow Affinity - Max 3 points, reduces the threat you generate from shadow spells by up to 25% This is a must for Shadow Priests in groups and raids so that you will not draw aggro as often, useless for PvP and Soloing. Shadow spells generate a significant amount of threat and without this in a raid situation you will be forced to lay off damage dealing for periods of time in many fights. Recommended for Raiding or Group Shadow Priests Improved Shadow Word: Pain - Max 2 points,Tier 3 talents are available as soon as you have 10 points in that talent tree.
Improved Psychic Scream - Max 2 points, reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream by up to 4 seconds. Useful in many situations such as multiple MOB fights and PvP. The 4 second reduction is only a 14% reduction, but every little bit helps. Required to access Silence which you will want for PvP fights. Recommended for PVP Improved Mind Blast - Max 5 points, reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by up to 2.5 seconds. This cuts the cooldown time down to less than 6 seconds, which allows a much better rotation with Mind Flay. Great for PvP where speed of damage counts for a lot more. If used to much in PvE in a group it is very easy to pull aggro. RecommendedTier 4 talents are available as soon as you have 15 points in that talent tree.
Veiled Shadows - Max 2 points,Shadow Reach - Max 2 points, increases the range of your shadow spells by 20% A very good talent for almost any situation, but especially with the movement slowing ability of Mind Flay. Allows you to strike first in PvP and avoid some additional AoE effects in PvE. Recommended Shadow Weaving - Max 3 points, provides up to a 100% chance to cause your target to become vulnerable to shadow damage. When vulnerable shadow damage done is increased by 2% for 15 seconds, and can stack up to 5 times. Great boost to the damage you cause as a shadow priest. If there is a Warlock in your group they will love you as it boosts there damage as well. A must have for at least one Shadow Priest in ever raid. Must have for Shadow Priest
Tier 5 talents are available as soon as you have 20 points in that talent tree.
Silence - 1 point skill, silences the target preventing them from casting anything for 5 seconds. Works very well when pulling casters in PvE encounters so that they come away from other dangerous MOBs. Really shines in PvP where you can interrupt and shut down enemy casters for a short period of time. Recommended and a must for PvP Vampiric Embrace - 1 point skill that allows you to afflict your target with Shadow energy that causes you to be healed by 15% and other party members to be healed for 3% of any Shadow spell damage you deal for 1 min. A staple Shadow talent and a must have for all players this deep into the tree. Scales as you increase damage you increase healing and is often the only healing needed on trash pulls in instances and raids. Great for soloing as well as it allows you to be healed in combat as you damage your opponent. Must have for a Shadow PriestTier 6 talents are available as soon as you have 25 points in that talent tree.
Mind Melt - Max 2 points,Tier 7 talents are available as soon as you have 30 points in that talent tree.
Shadow Form - 1 point skill, allows you to enter shadow form causing 15% additional shadow damage and reducing all physical damage you take by 15%. While in shadow form you can not cast any holy spells.Tier 8 talents are available as soon as you have 35 points in that talent tree.
Improved Shadowform - Max 2 points,Misery - Max 3 points that grants your Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Flay and Vampiric Touch spell an increase to the chance for harmful spells to hit by up to 3% lasting 24 sec, and increases the damage of your Mind Blast, Mind Flay and Mind Sear spells by an amount equal to up to 15% of your spell power. A very nice raid buff that allows players to save points towards hit capping their gear. Can be a big deal if players know for and can plan for it as they can redirect some +hit to +spell power. Also a very nice boost to the damage on some of your key damage spells. Recommended
Tier 10 talents are available as soon as you have 40 points in that talent tree.
Psychic Horror - Max 2 points,Vampiric Touch - 1 point skill, a shadow damage dot that at max level does damage over 15 seconds and causes up to 10 party or raid members to gain up to 0.25% of their maximum mana per second when you deal damage with mind blast. The spell that really solidified Shadow Priests position in raids. Allows you to act as a mana battery for all players in your group. While the mana is not enough to keep you going forever, it does add up and become significant over a fight. Must have for Raids Pain and Suffering - Max 3 points,
Tier 10 talents are available as soon as you have 45 points in that talent tree.
Twisted Faith - Max 5 points.Tier 11 is the top tier talent and is available as soon as you have 50 points in that talent tree.
Dispersion - 1 point skill that allows you to disperse into pure Shadow energy, reducing all damage taken by 90%. You are unable to attack or cast spells, but you regenerate 6% mana every 1 sec for 6 sec. Dispersion can be cast while stunned, feared or silenced. This is a great save your backside ability that allows you to take time out from a fight and or when under attack and get a significant amount of mana back. In PvP it allows you to survive when enemies use their damage boosting abilities or trinkets. RecommendedComments or questions? Email us (wow-admin@tentonhammer.com) or post on our forums!