WoW: Shadow Priest attack sequence

chowmein

Platinum Member
Oct 31, 2004
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i'm a Lowbie L24 shadow priest but my sequence is:

smite, PW:p, Mind Blast, PW:S, renew, M.F., M.B again, and M.F again.

i can kill a same lvl mob w/o my shield expiring or absorbing too much dmg. this eats up about 600-800 mana. but i get 100% spirit sometimes for a few seconds that helps regen the mana and hp quicker.

i'm interested in high lvl priest's sequence battles commands.
 

Malladine

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2003
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I was a 60 priest and at one time spec'd shadow all the way.

iirc it was Mind blast, PW: P ,mind flay (complete this mind flay before it touches me), pw:s, mind blast then renew the pw: p if necessary and finish with mind blast, mind flay if it runs. Against ranged units it's the same except without mind flays as shadow spec'ing allowed me to spam mind blasts pretty well and a few stormrage (sp?) shots in between was cool as well. 60+dps wand
 

Quixfire

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2001
6,892
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When I used to play a priest I attacked like this.

PW: S, Smite, Mind Blast, PW: P, Mind Flay, and another Mind Blast or Flay depending on the mobs health level. I had to rest about every 5-6 mob.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
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At the early levels I used shield a lot, because it is dangerous to be at half health early on due to inferior escape mechanisms the priest has until later. In the later levels not as much. Here's my sequence either way.

With shield:

Shield
Mind Blast
Shadow Word: Pain
Mind Flay
(Wand once or twice, if necessary)
Mind Blast
(depending on enemy strength) Mind Flay
(depending on enemy strength) Mind Flay
Wand to death (so I can receive full spirit tap benefits when it dies)

Without shield:

Mind Blast
Vampiric Embrace
Mind Flay
Shadow Word: Pain
Mind Blast
Mind Flay / Mind Blast repeatedly until at 10% or less
Wand to death

I forgot the name of the talent, shadow weaving I think, but if you have it (it makes them vulnerable to shadow magic) then smite is kind of a waste as an opener.

War of attrition mode:
Shield
shadow word: Pain
wand, wand wand
renew (when shield drops)
Vampiric embrace (when shield drops)
shadow word: pain
wand, wand, wand
heal if necessary, mind blast now and then otherwise


Hard hitting enemy (generally elite) mode:
Shield
Mind Blast
Shadow word: pain
mind flay span until they are close, psychic scream
mind flay while they run out
mind blast (they then start running back)
mind flay
At this point I either:
a) renew shadow word: pain and run around while it ticks until psychic scream is ready
b) go into attrition mode long enough for scream to be ready
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
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Originally posted by: chowmein
any suggestions for surprise PvP encounters?

If it's a rogue, especially an undead one, pee your pants and run. Otherwise it depends on the situation.
 

Malladine

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2003
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scream first (or shield if undead), pw: p as they run around, pw:s then flay as they run back to you. Scream again asap - undead immunity is 30 secs isnt it? Cleverly timed mind blasts and constant pw: p attention. Flash heals instead of renew, don't use pw: s unless emergency (ie they're in your face and your scream is deep in cooldown.)

basic principles here, every situation will be different.
 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
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Originally posted by: torpid
Originally posted by: chowmein
any suggestions for surprise PvP encounters?

If it's a rogue, especially an undead one, pee your pants and run. Otherwise it depends on the situation.

If it is a warlock, do the happy dance and then laugh sadistically while you erase his existence...
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
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Originally posted by: Mwilding
Originally posted by: torpid
Originally posted by: chowmein
any suggestions for surprise PvP encounters?

If it's a rogue, especially an undead one, pee your pants and run. Otherwise it depends on the situation.

If it is a warlock, do the happy dance and then laugh sadistically while you erase his existence...

Come on now, warlock versus priest should be a decent fight, since both are so gimped in PvP these days. By decent fight, I mean the warlock can do a small amount of damage before dying.

 

GasX

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
29,033
6
81
Originally posted by: torpid
Originally posted by: Mwilding
Originally posted by: torpid
Originally posted by: chowmein
any suggestions for surprise PvP encounters?

If it's a rogue, especially an undead one, pee your pants and run. Otherwise it depends on the situation.

If it is a warlock, do the happy dance and then laugh sadistically while you erase his existence...

Come on now, warlock versus priest should be a decent fight, since both are so gimped in PvP these days. By decent fight, I mean the warlock can do a small amount of damage before dying.
Here is the sequence:

Send in pet
Immolate
Corruption
Curse of Agony
use healthstone
use potion
bandage
scream
bleed
die
 

Argo

Lifer
Apr 8, 2000
10,045
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Here's a typical priest attack sequence:

Sot DoT spell
Some priest spell
Some other priest spell
/s Can you help me, please?

 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
76
Originally posted by: Argo
Here's a typical priest attack sequence:

Sot DoT spell
Some priest spell
Some other priest spell
/s Can you help me, please?

For reference, here's the druid one:

Go into bear form for 30 minutes
Enemy is still not dead, heal yourself and go back into bear for for another 30 minutes
Go into cat form to relieve boredom
Enemy is still not dead, go into cheetah form and run back to town, because it's time to go to sleep
 

Quixfire

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2001
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You guys make me glad I'm a warrior but I would be a dead warrior if there wasn't a druid, paladin, priest, or shaman backing me up. :)
 

Schadenfroh

Elite Member
Mar 8, 2003
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Well, they added a new Antifear trinket with the honor system. You acquire it very early on in the PvP honor system. If you fight an undead rogue with one of these, WoTF + FEARmeNOT trinket = you should just bend over.
 

Malladine

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2003
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Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
Well, they added a new Antifear trinket with the honor system. You acquire it very early on in the PvP honor system. If you fight an undead rogue with one of these, WoTF + FEARmeNOT trinket = you should just bend over.
gayness, not returning EVAR
 

chowmein

Platinum Member
Oct 31, 2004
2,252
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i have to say, warrior is the easiest class to play. rogue is the cheapest pvp class, priest is the hardest to play and level. Hunters are unwanted in late game instance. druid and pallys are the low-dps boring class hybrids. warlock is under-played but useful in instances. shamans is the best all around class.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
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Originally posted by: Malladine
Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
Well, they added a new Antifear trinket with the honor system. You acquire it very early on in the PvP honor system. If you fight an undead rogue with one of these, WoTF + FEARmeNOT trinket = you should just bend over.
gayness, not returning EVAR

It's not that bad if you consider that the only way to actually get anything out of PvP is to participate in huge zerg battles. In this case the trinket and WOTF don't do much good, because if someone sees you as a rogue, you are basically dead.

Unfortunately it is totally game breaking as far as 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 skirmishes go. This weekend me and my warlock friend (great combination, I know) tried to fend off an undead rogue and shaman in astranaar. We were disorganized and died a few times early. By then our res timer was 2 minutes and the UD rogue could remain in stealth, generally kill one of the two of us who went after the shaman. And by this time one of this two 5 minute abilities (trinket or WOTF) were available so fear was useless.

PvP is the one area where I have newfound interest in playing my hunter again.
 

fs5

Lifer
Jun 10, 2000
11,774
1
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Soloing the lvl56 elite paladins/sentry in Hearthglen this is what I do (33 shadow points (reduced mindblast cooldown + spirit tap).

from max distance:
Mind Blast
SW: P
Vamp. Embrace

turn around and RUN or sidestep, not walk backwards. When your mind blast is up again, turn around an blast it. Then melee/wand until they're about to cast heal, then silence, mind blast, melee again. If they try to heal again, fear, mind blast/flay until dead. (If you land a black out, run again while they're stunned.)

I never have to drink. I don't shield myself because it's a mana eater, and casting only mind blast give me the chance to land a crit (sw: p and flay don't crit).

As for low levels, I'm don't remember, it's been such a long time.
When grinding avoid shielding as much as possible since it is the worst mana wise. Instead use a renew or flash heal after the battle. Also never mind flay if you're getting hit. It's a channeled spell that means you lose a tick if your getting hit. Use your staff/mace/wand while your mind blast is on cooldown. You'll drink less this way which = more time killing.
 

exilera

Senior member
Apr 12, 2005
940
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0
Rogue vs. Priest (at 60)

Cheap shot
one SS, wait 1 second
Gouge, wait 2 seconds
Cold Blood eviscerate
Vanish
Repeat
If necessary, Prep., repeat

Crippling poison is a good idea incase gouge or kidney misses, or you're too slow to pull off the sequence.

Obviously if you're anything but a ass/sub specced rogue you're screwed. Solo or Duo pvp with rogues requires lockdown, which can't be done effectively if you don't use cheap shot, and backstab uses too much energy.

Edit: Sorry this is off topic, but if you can find a way around an effective rogue's sequence, maybe you'll be able to beat rogues consistently.
 

fs5

Lifer
Jun 10, 2000
11,774
1
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Originally posted by: exilera
Edit: Sorry this is off topic, but if you can find a way around an effective rogue's sequence, maybe you'll be able to beat rogues consistently.

not much you can do unless you have the stun trinket. stunlock ftw.
 

jer0608

Member
Sep 24, 2004
96
0
0
Originally posted by: fs5

As for low levels, I'm don't remember, it's been such a long time.
When grinding avoid shielding as much as possible since it is the worst mana wise. Instead use a renew or flash heal after the battle.

I read this a lot and I've always wondered what the basis for this statement is. If you look at damage mitigated per mana spent, then PW:S is much less efficient than Renew or Flash Heal. The problem is, if you're not shielded, your flash heal and damage dealing spells WILL be interrupted (talking near player level Mobs here). The mob gets in more hits, creating more damage to mitigate.

For melee mobs, unless they're more than 3 levels below me (I'm lvl 28, holy spec'd), I am much more successful using PW:S before Renew. For the record, this is my standard routine, assuming equal level:

Smite (may substitute Mana Burn for a caster)
SW: Pain
Mindblast (Mace followed by Mindblast on the swing if the mob has closed)
PW:S
Mace followed by Wand on the swing
Mace followed by Mindblast on the swing
Renew (if necessary)
Mace/Wand
Mace/Mindblast or SW: P(if necessary)
Mace/Wand to death

If the mob surprises me, eliminate Smite.

This leaves me in position to handle an equal level add with more than half my mana and at least 2/3 health remaining, worst-case.

For two equal levels, the routine is more like this, although it varies a lot per situation:

Smite #1
SW: P #1
SW: P #2
Mindblast #1 (Mace followed by Mindblast on the swing if the mob has closed)
PW:S (May come sooner if mobs have closed)
Smite #1
Mindblast #1
Renew
SW: P #1
Mace/Wand #1 to death
PW:S
SW: P #2
Mace/Mindblast #2
Renew or Flash Heal
Mace/Wand #2
Mindblast #2 (mana permitting)
Mace/Wand #2 to death

If things go badly or a third is added, substitute psychic scream, more heals and potions as needed. To survive three I need a bit of luck, as well.



 

rstove02

Senior member
Apr 19, 2004
508
0
71
Originally posted by: chowmein
i'm a Lowbie L24 shadow priest but my sequence is:

smite, PW:p, Mind Blast, PW:S, renew, M.F., M.B again, and M.F again.

i can kill a same lvl mob w/o my shield expiring or absorbing too much dmg. this eats up about 600-800 mana. but i get 100% spirit sometimes for a few seconds that helps regen the mana and hp quicker.

i'm interested in high lvl priest's sequence battles commands.


Level 57 shadow/disc priest here.

As long as you keep putting all your points into shadow you should have shadowform round 40/41 or so. Once I got 4 points into improved mind blast, I never touched smite again.

There is alot of debate about spirit tap vs blackout. At lower levels spirit tap proves very useful, but as you level it gives diminishing returns (cause of the 300 spirit soft cap).

PW:S was used a lot until I got shadow form and vampiric embrace. After that I only used PW:S when the VE was losing ground to mob damage output. At level 45+ in open hunting areas I preffered Scream over PW:S because you can use the lower mana cost rank 1 scream with the same results vs 1 target.

For solo grinding as a shadow spec'd priest, go for targets with fairly low HP and do not have status effects. While in shadow form you can not use your cure disease magic. One popular target for lvl47-54 shadow priests are the turtles in the Hinterlands. High def, low hp, medium-low dmg output and have no status effects. Defense means nothing to casters.

Going against the turtles was usually like this:
1) Max range cause SW Pain
2) Vampric Embrace
3) Mind Blast (at the end of blast the mob is now in melee range).
3a) Click on attack with dagger.
4) Wand 2-3x as MB is cycling
5) Scream
6) Mind Blast as running away
7) Mind Flay when returning
8) Wand 2-3x
9) Mob dead

At the lowel range (47ish) you may have to toss in another pain or mind blast to take down the turtle.

At levels 56+ grinding will dramitically slow down, but thankfully at these levels you will have raids and runs of instances aplenty.

Note there is a trick with using daggers and wands at the same time. Both are on seperate timers and daggers almost always faster timing than a wand. So what happens is while your charging up your wand you get an extra "free" hit on the mob with the dagger.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
76
Step 3a is unnecessary. You can go into attack mode before casting your first spell. Saves time and once in a while you get a free swing in just as they arrive.
 

rstove02

Senior member
Apr 19, 2004
508
0
71
Originally posted by: torpid
Step 3a is unnecessary. You can go into attack mode before casting your first spell. Saves time and once in a while you get a free swing in just as they arrive.
Said it was my pattern.....not to be used as gospel. Entering attack mode when mob is acutally in melee range prevent those red lines appearing in the middle of your screen saying your out of melee range.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
11
76
Originally posted by: rstove02
Originally posted by: torpid
Step 3a is unnecessary. You can go into attack mode before casting your first spell. Saves time and once in a while you get a free swing in just as they arrive.
Said it was my pattern.....not to be used as gospel. Entering attack mode when mob is acutally in melee range prevent those red lines appearing in the middle of your screen saying your out of melee range.

Yeah I should have been a little less blunt there. I was just offering an alternate suggestion. It's gotten to the point where I don't even notice those red lines of text... let's hope next week's winning lottery numbers are never shown there.