Afternoon Delight

So we have almost as many priests in the guild as warriors and its probably time I put some thoughts down on digital paper as to how to shred PVE pixels with shadow damage.

Face Melting 101

1. Spells

Useful Damaging spells for a shadow priest:

Vampiric Touch http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48159(VT, dot)
Devouring Plague http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48300(DP, dot)
Shadow Word: Painhttp://www.wowhead.com/spell=48125 (SW:P, dot)
Mind Blast http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48127(MB, direct damage)
Mind Flay http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48156(MF, Channeled)
Shadow Word: Death http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48158(SW:D, Instant Cast hurts self if it doesn't kill target)
Shadow Fiend http://www.wowhead.com/spell=34433(SF, dps CD and mana return)
Mind Sear http://www.wowhead.com/spell=53023 (MS, AOE, All your faces will melt)

Utility Spells for a shadow priest:

Dispersion http://www.wowhead.com/spell=47585(DS, Damage Reduction and Mana return)
Vampiric Embrace http://www.wowhead.com/spell=15286(VE, health returned as a % pain you dish out)
Inner Fire http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48168(IF, boost to spell power and armor)
Divine Spirit http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48073(DS, Boost to Spirit)
Power Word: Fortitude http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48162(PW:F, boost to Stamina)
Prayer of Shadow Protection http://www.wowhead.com/spell=48170(SP, shadow resistance)
Shadow Form http://www.wowhead.com/spell=15473(SF, the whole reason to play this class, we look frickin baddass and so do our mounts CAUTION: TOOLTIP MAY BLOCK OUT SUN)
Silence http://www.wowhead.com/spell=15487 (For advanced players only)
Psychic Horror http://www.wowhead.com/spell=64044(PH, for extremely advance players only and fun comes with a personal FU tag for opponents in PVP)

I'll assume you're at 80 for this discussion. If you're not quite there yet, I can build a leveling guide as well, but it basically sounds like this: get spirit tap, get shadow form, attack everything on your screen and race someone to 80. You should win.

2. Builds:

Basic 80 Raiding Build
http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?priest#Q_UA4ON_Dju6,RywR-O,11723
Maximizes dps with one extra point to place in desired spot. Most choose Focused mind for mana effeciency, some choose Inner Focus minor mana effeciency and crit boost, Few choose Psychic Horror entertainment

Pro Face Melter Build (4P tier 10 + comparable gear)
http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?priest#Q_UA4HOrqHQ1,RywR-O,11723
Thanks to the 4P t10 bonus MF produces roughly equal amounts of damage as MB, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on buffs and haste level. Its usually about the same. Regardless, with the value of them being roughly equal, you are free to pick up utility spells that may help you in raiding

I play with shitty tanks build:
Any build that includes:
http://www.wowhead.com/spell=15320

To be continued...

I am going to try to find a few minutes to turn this and your warrior guide into Wordpress posts for the blog portion of the site. Good stuff Al, as always!

http://afternoondelight.apmeyer.com/201 ... st-primer/

I need to get some screenshots of Domonique in shadow form, casting, so we have some visuals for this page.