Shadow Priest DPS Gear and Best in Slot — Battle for Azeroth (BfA) 8.1

1. General Gearing Strategy

With Titanforging existing, it is extremely difficult to provide one specific list of gear that will not change in any situation. Instead, it is more valuable to explain how you may want to choose what pieces of gear to wear.

Item level is rather important in Battle for Azeroth, mainly due to the relative value increase of primary stats. In the case of Shadow, this means we want to prioritize Intellect first over any other stat; in other words, item level of gear will generally be the most important factor when looking at replacing something. Secondary stats are still important as well, however, and currently Shadow wants to focus on acquiring as much Critical Strike and Haste as it can. Mastery and Versatility are both low in value and there is not really a way to have too much of Haste or Critical Strike. If it is not an obvious choice, sim your own character to find out. For a more detailed explanation, you can read the Simulations page.

2. Azerite

For a comprehensive overview of what Azerite traits are best as well as looking at what items have what traits, you can take a look at the Shadow Azerite page.

3. Mythic+

Mythic+ rewards gear based upon the keystone level you complete:

1. 2-3: 345
2. 4: 350
3. 5-6: 355
4. 7: 360
5. 8-9: 365
6. 10: 370

In addition, if you have completed a Mythic+ keystone in a week, you will be able to open a chest every week which contains loot based on the highest key you have completed (up to a maximum of 10). It is worth noting that you do not need to make the timer on the key to be eligible for getting loot from the chest. The rewards are structured as follows:

4. World Quests

World Quests can give you a bunch of different rewards, including valuable Azerite gear, weapons, or trinkets. While the gear possibilities are too great to list here, always try to do the World Quests that reward gear, as you might get lucky with Titanforging or Warforging. Do bear in mind that Azerite gear has no chance of getting upgraded in any way, either through Warforging, Titanforging, or getting a socket. Weapons are not able to Titanforge either, but they can Warforge up to 10 extra item levels.

5. Gearing Spreadsheet

For a more comprehensive overview of the gear that drops in Battle for Azeroth, I recommend taking a look at this sheet made by Imoral. This spreadsheet singles out items with Critical Strike and Haste and shows which Azerite gear has which traits.

6. Reputation Gear

In Battle for Azeroth, there is a lot of gear you can get through gaining Reputation with the numerous factions. Below you will find the rewards from these factions, separated between Horde and Alliance factions. There are also two neutral factions that both the Alliance and the Horde can gain reputation with: Tortollan Seekers and Champions of Azeroth. These will be covered in their own paragraph as well.

6.1. Horde Factions

6.1.1. Talanji's Expedition

• Swamp Medic's Leggings — Item level 335 Legs that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Zo'bal Spirit Gloves — Item level 350 Hands that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• Drape of the Blood Purge — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.1.2. The Honorbound

• Wristwraps of the Dutiful Apothecary — Item level 335 Wrist that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Witch Doctor's Slippers — Item level 350 Feet that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• Drape of the Horde's Fury — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.1.3. Voldunai

• Alpaca Wool Gloves — Item level 335 Hands that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Sash of the Scaled Devoted — Item level 350 Waist that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• Dune Shroud — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.1.4. Zandalari Empire

• Cord of the Loa Worshippers — Item level 335 Waist that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Shadraspun Legwraps — Item level 350 Legs that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• Dinomancer's Cloak — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.2. Alliance Factions

6.2.1. Proudmoore Admiralty

• Sailing Master's Sash — Item level 335 Waist that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Maritime Spellweaver's Leggings — Item level 350 Legs that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• Navy Blue Boat Cloak — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.2.2. 7th Legion

• Warmage's Flame-Brimming Wristcords — Item level 335 Wrists that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Medical Corps Slippers — Item level 350 Feet that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• 7th Legionnaire's Cloak — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.2.3. Storm's Wake

• Handwraps of Deep Faith — Item level 335 Hands that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Sea Priest's Waistcord — Item level 350 Waist that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• Cape of the Divine Depths — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.2.4. Order of Embers

• Leggings of Devout Opposition — Item level 335 Legs that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Eternal Flamekeeper's Handwraps — Item level 350 Hands that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• Witch Hunter's Cape — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.3. Neutral Factions

6.3.1. Champions of Azeroth

• Azerothian Champion's Crown — Item level 355 Head that requires Exalted reputation to buy. Note that this Head is Azerite gear.
• Drape of the Azerothian Champion — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

6.3.2. Tortollan Seekers

• Sea-Treated Footwraps — Item level 335 Feet that requires Revered reputation to buy.
• Wristwraps of Scrollbinding — Item level 350 Wrists that requires Exalted reputation to buy.
• Cape of the Scroll Keepers — Item level 320 Cloak that requires Honored reputation to buy.

7. Crafting Gear

There are two professions that give you the opportunity to craft gear as a Shadow Priest: Engineering and Tailoring. Below, you can find the pieces of gear that you can obtain through crafting.

7.1. Tailoring

Tailoring offers you two pieces of gear to craft that are Bind on Pickup when you make them. This means that you can not sell these to other players, nor can you buy them from other players.

Embroidered Deep Sea Gloves are item level 355 Hands, the Pattern for which you can buy from Pin'jin the Patient, as Horde, or Daniel Brineweaver, as Alliance. Once you have learned this Pattern, crafting it gives you a chance to discover how to make the item level 370 version of these Hands: Imbued Deep Sea Gloves. Finally, crafting Imbued Deep Sea Gloves gives you a chance to discover how to make Emblazoned Deep Sea Gloves, the final upgrade which has an item level of 385.

Embroidered Deep Sea Breeches are item level 355 Legs, the Pattern for which you can buy from Pin'jin the Patient, as Horde, or Daniel Brineweaver, as Alliance. Once you have learned this Pattern, crafting it gives you a chance to discover how to make the item level 370 version of these Legs: Imbued Deep Sea Breeches. Finally, crafting Imbued Deep Sea Breeches gives you a chance to discover how to make Emblazoned Deep Sea Breeches, the final upgrade which has an item level of 385.

7.2. Engineering

AZ3-R1-T3 Synthetic Specs is a craftable Head that also has several unique Azerite traits to pick from that are exclusive to players with Zandalari, or Kul Tiran, Engineering, depending on your faction. This Head has an item level of 340 and can not be upgraded any further. These are the Azerite traits you can pick from:

7.3. Outer Ring Traits

• Barrage Of Many Bombs gives you a chance to fire a clusterbomb at your current target. When the bomb gets close, it explodes into smaller bombs which do AoE damage when they hit the ground.
• Relational Normalization Gizmo causes your spells to have a chance to grant you a primary stat and maximum health buff or Haste and 50% movement speed for 10 seconds. This trait is only obtainable through crafting Engineering goggles.
• Ricocheting Inflatable Pyrosaw causes your spells to have a chance to heal up to 4 allies for a large amount. This trait is only obtainable through crafting Engineering goggles.
• Synaptic Spark Capacitor gives your abilities a chance to put a debuff on your target. This debuff will deal damage to enemies within 8 yards of the target with the debuff, and causes them to do 5% less damage to you. This trait is only obtainable through crafting Engineering goggles.

7.4. Inner Ring Traits

• Auto-Self-Cauterizer grants you a chance, when taking damage, to self-heal for a large amount and remove most bleed effects as well as slowing nearby enemies by 30% for 5 seconds. This trait is only obtainable through crafting Engineering goggles.
• Personal Absorb-o-Tron grants you a chance, when taking damage, to gain a large absorb shield for up to 1 minute. This trait is only obtainable through crafting Engineering goggles.

8. Trinket Rankings

Below you will find a ranking of the trinkets in Battle for Azeroth, provided by Bloodmallet.

8.1. Trinket Rankings for Single-Target

8.2. Trinket Rankings for AoE

9. Changelog