Shadow Priest DPS Guide — Dragonflight 10.0.7

In Dragonflight, Shadow Priest is going to feel quite different than what you might be used to. The Dragonflight talent tree reworks are in full swing and this will be a good time to get into Shadow Priest. The talent tree has started an experimental build-your-own Shadow Priest, where you can choose between two different core cooldowns ( Void Eruption or Dark Ascension) and capping it off with thematic Idol spells. The spec has lots of options and playstyle can vary widely depending on talents so there is a lot to talk about!

We are maintaining a list of changes for Priests, so you can see what changes with every patch of Dragonflight.

Below we have also summarized a short list of changes to the spec:

• Can choose between a 2-minute Void Eruption cooldown or a 1-minute Dark Ascension cooldown
• Option to use Mind Spike as an upgraded filler to Mind Flay
• Access to thematic new Idol talents: Idol of Y'Shaarj, Idol of C'Thun, Idol of Yogg-Saron, and Idol of N'Zoth
• Searing Nightmare has been removed in favour of reworked talent options: Mind Sear, Dark Void, and Shadow Crash.
• Dark Thoughts has been removed in favour of Shadowy Insight
• Mindgames is the only Covenant ability from Shadowlands to return in the Class Talent Tree

The following changes have arrived with Patch 10.0.7 for Shadow Priest.

• Fixed an issue causing the Idol of N'Zoth debuff to be exclusive to one Priest.

This section goes over bugs that change our gameplay due to their interactions. The guide is updated to account for all of these when giving suggestions.

• Idol of Y'Shaarj soothe effect does not always work.
• Mind Sear consumes Insanity without ticking if cancelled early enough.
• Screams of the Void does not function properly when channeling Mind Flay for Shadow Word: Pain.
• If you queue a Mind Spike with Surge of Darkness you will not get a stack of Mind Melt.
• Idol of Yogg-Saron does not scale with our Mastery.

The video version of this guide is also available if you would like to listen to me explain the below pages!

If the new changes to Shadow Priest sound interesting and you would like to level a fresh Priest, check out the leveling guide below to get you to max level with ease!

After getting to max level, or once you feel more comfortable with the spec, you should check out the suggested Addons page to get you started on mastering your Shadow Priest.

Shadow Priest gameplay combines the basic builder-spender idea used in other specs, while twisting in being an active DoT class with lots of cooldowns to use. The basics of the rotation involve getting as much uptime as possible on your cooldowns while making sure to keep up all 3 of your DoTs on as many active targets as possible, especially Devouring Plague.

If you are new to Shadow Priest, or maybe just want a quickstart guide to the spec, we suggest first looking through the Spell Summary first, as well as the Easy Mode page linked below. This will get you up and running on your Shadow Priest in no time!

If this is not your first time playing Shadow Priest you can jump right into the Talents and Rotation sections of the guide to start mastering the ins and outs of playing your Shadow Priest in a PvE environment.

While gearing these days can seem overwhelming or challenging, there are a few things to keep in mind that will make this process a bit less painful. Check out the gearing page to decide what pieces to aim for from various forms of content.

With any gearing setup if you are looking to optimize your character you should always make sure you are using the correct consumables, gems, enchants, and more on your Shadow Priest. All the little things can add up to a noticeable difference in damage! The stats page goes over each stat in-depth and why we like (or do not like) each secondary enhancement.

Once you have your character prepared you are ready to dive into various forms of end-game content. We have dedicated pages for Raiding, Mythic+, and PvP depending on what you are interested in. Each one will go over various talent and build changes best for that form of content. Our Raiding, Mythic+, and PvP guides can help you maximize your character for each of these environments, regardless of your focus in end-game content.

If you are struggling to perform on your Shadow Priest we have compiled a list of mistakes and how to overcome them on your Shadow Priest as well as general questions answered on the FAQ page. You can also try simulating your character to make sure you are using the optimal build for your character.