Spell Rotation | Pugnacious Priest's Warcraft Blog

So I’ve QQ’d about loot, now I want to QQ about the Spell range of a Shadow Priest.

The Single fact that Mindflay keeps us at a Max DPS range from a target of 24 Yards ( if we have Shadow Reach to increase our spell range or else its only 20 Yards)

So What is the point of of having all our other offensive spells at 36 ( inc that 20% range increase) When we can’t use it. 24 Yards is awefully close to any boss with an AOE.

Most recommended Spell rotations for a shadow priest Start with a 36 range Spell, but for the fans of Sticking VT up first, its not an instant cast, whereas sticking Shadow Word Pain up first lets you run in that extra couple of yards to get range.

The Casts are as follows with their orginal range and Max Range,

Shadow Word Pain 30 yards – 36 Yards Instant
Shadow Word Death 30Yards – 36 Yards Instant
Mindflay 20 Yards – 24 Yards Channeled
Mindblast 30 Yards- 36 Yards Cast
Vampiric Embrace 30 yards – 36 Instant
Vampirc Touch 30 Yards – 36 Cast
NE Priests – Star Shards 30 yards Instant
Devouring Plague – 30 Yards – 36 yards?

Here are some random Spell rotations for a shadow Priest

Eg Boss fight for Max DPS: VE ; VT ; SWP ; SWD ; MB ; MF
This one seems to give you best opportunity to get into range, it also allows you to start the dot up on CC’d Mobs, as Vampiric Embrace ( VE ) does not break CC, and it also seems to best use Vampiric Touches for Mana regen.

Oh Boss!
Run- Instant- VE
Stand still -Cast- VT ( 36)
Run- Instant -SWP
Run- Instant- SWD
Stand Still- Cast MB
Stand Still- MF MF ( 24)

SWP ; VT ;SWD; MB ; MF x2 ; MB ( No VE.. )

Run – Instant SWP
Stand Still- Cast VT
Run – Instant – SWD
Stand Still -MB
Stand Still- MF MF
Stand Still -MB

However one also needs to consisder for NE priests Star Shards
No one covers where to stick in Star Shards, Keeping in mind that while it also does more damage, and its an instant cast, it still uses one global cool down of 1.5 secs, which is alot considering that Vampiric Touch is the one buff that everyone likes, yet it takes 1.5 secs to Cast, So if you are wasting potentially 3 secs of VT Buffs time if you include Star Shards into your rotation,
Eg

Run- Instant- VE Instant
Global Cooldown 1.5
Stand still -Cast- VT 1.5 ( 36)
Global Cooldown 1.5
Run- Star Shards- Instant
Global Cooldown 1.5
Run- Instant -SWP
Run- Instant- SWD
Stand Still- Cast MB
Stand Still- MF MF

So inconclusion Cast Star Shards Before VT

Star Shards -Instant
Global Cooldown 1.5
Cast VT -1.5
Global Coodown 1.5
Cast next Spell….

Both of these are heavily reliant on Shadow Word Death as being part of Spell roation, I would like to see a priest with DPS comparable to other DPS classes where Shadow Word death is not used, because depending on the fight at least in BT and Hyjal so Far, you really don’t want to hurt yourself for upto 4k damage ( my swd crits at the moment with a boomkin) and then get a spine from Naj, or Entombed by winterchill.. or hit by a Volcano in supremous or come under a reign of fire for or have death and decay underyou, or blown up by someone with no mana at Kaz. Because then you are dead. And The Dead do not do good DPS..