I resurrected this character from the depths of my backlog last night. It was a character that I boosted all the way back in WoD, but WoD was a train wreck so I didn’t actually do much playing. And when I came back for BFA I used my boost on a Druid. So I have spent most of my time playing him. So my Priest lay forgotten and unused. It also didn’t help that I have continuously heard that Spriest was in a terrible spot mechanically, that it was unfun, and that it was pretty much an overall broken spec in BFA.
BUT
I have been getting bored with my Resto Druid lately and didn’t really feel like levelling another alt. And to be honest I had pretty much forgotten this character existed. So I decided to resurrect the old toon to take a stab at Holy/Disc. I had no intention of even bothering to try Spreist based on what I had heard. But I ended up in a position where I needed to do some herb gathering and so I decided to just queue in Timewalking as a Spriest so I could farm herbs while I waited for my queue to pop.
And I know it’s just one night. And I know I have very little experience with the spec, but for what it’s worth…I actually had a whole lot of fun.
-
The abilities are visually spectacular. Void eruption in particular is fantastic.
-
The rotation is easy, but very satisfying. A good mixture of DoTs, AoE DoTs (Dark Void), single target, and useful cool downs.
-
Shadow form looks cool.
-
The crazy spheres to the wall nature of Voidform is kind of hectic at first, but once I got the hang of it very very fun. I loved going in and out of it.
-
Their sets look AMAZING. I know this means literally nothing to most people, but the ability to look cool and have fun at the same time is a rare thing these days for me.
I know it’s just one night and I know I’m nowhere near being competent at the spec yet, but if last night was any indication I think I might have found a new home with Spriest. I just wish I had tried the spec out sooner for myself rather than listened to all the downers out there.
4 Likes
You have surface level exposure. You will soon realize that shadow priest cant match other classes in most content because it has significant ramp up time that prevent it from having any meaningful burst.
8 Likes
I don’t really care about damage meters to be honest. As long as I can get through content and get to maybe +6-8 keys I’ll be fine. I’m not a high end raider or +15 Mythic+ person.
I just like doing the occasional Mythic+ and farming old content for mogs and mounts.
3 Likes
You missed a lot. Shadow priest was so much fun in Ashran.
2 Likes
I hope you have a long honeymoon! I’m still playing Shadow only because I’m mentally trapped and unable to commit myself to playing anything else after sticking with this character for 12+ years.
3 Likes
Have you been smoking?
Spriest is 3rd highest DPS ATM, in Sims, 5th on wow logs in Nya, a god in PVP.
Its not fun, I will give you that. But acting like Spriest don’t major Pump, LMFAO.
Can’t match other classes?? Lololol, they blow other classes away… You are actually smoking, or very bad at Spriest and trying to blame the spec.
3 Likes
Does shadow still play like it does in Legion? I shelved my priest in Legion, but man was that class fun. It was… exhilarating to play.
Mashing your void bolt and mind blast to stay in void form. I just loved Surrender to Madness. I’d always start really low on the meters and then when it was execute phase, oh boy I shot up the meters within seconds. Super fun class for me at the time.
It’s basically the same as far as I can tell. Except you don’t STAY in Voidform. You move in and out of it as time goes on.
Looking at Sims and Logs right now is pretty pointless. Gear inflation and corruptions have made them all over the place. You cant say spriest is good, because with ideal azerite traits, essences, and corruptions it pumps. Every class can pump right now.
Shadow is fundamentally flawed as a spec. I love the spec, but if it remains in its current build, SL is going to be the same as BfA. Shadow will have a couple niche encounters, but it will not be in a good spot for the bulk of the expansion, till gear and bandaids (Soulbinds and Conduits) smooth it out.
1 Like
They will probably be able to get Shadow into place where it’s a strong spec in raids, PVP, and Mythic+. It’s already strong in raids on patch 8.3. Not sure in PVP, I haven’t cared about PVP in ages.
I think what Shadow players are more worried about is how the spec plays. Whether or not Voidform is satisfying to use (it doesn’t grant you haste like in Legion or crit like in BFA). SWD trying to kill you. Void Bolt rank 2 creating incentives to do some dumb stuff in the rotation. Many of the talent choices not actually being a choice (Shadow Word Void, Lingering Insanity are two examples).
It’s fine to enjoy it OP. It’s not fine to brush off folks that played SP for years and are unhappy with the route the devs took the spec. Especially after experiencing what they gave us back in MoP and WoD.
1 Like
Play what you like, and stick to it. Ive found that folks who KNOW their class and spec can be successful, and outperform a similar toon thats 5-10 ilvls higher. Do your thing, its your money and your time 
2 Likes
tf you on about? Ever since bod shadow has been one of the best specs. The worst you can argue for it is that it was merely A tier.
You’ll soon change your mind. I’ve been a spriest main since the start of cata and this expansion is the worst time ever to be a shadow priest. I force myself to play this character simply because there’s too much history here to switch mains, but the spec is awful.
We’re far too reliant on borrowed power systems(especially the artifact), have HUGE ramp up times to be viable, not to mention no one wants us for content of any kind.
Personally I dislike void form and the mechanics that come with it too. I long to return to the days of MoP shadow priest back when the spec felt awesome to play.
1 Like
You’re one of many who sadly misses the point when people express concerns about Shadow. It has very little to do with numbers (EDIT: though Shadow is more gear-dependent than many other specs and is borderline unplayable at the start of an expansion because of it). It’s about everything else.
1 Like
Priests going on about their Lambo being a stick-shift? The insanity!
i guess i am? i personally find shadow fine and have found it fine ever since legion when i picked it back up again. I mean, you can argue all you want about voidform and whatnot being bad, thats an opinion but, theres no way you can tell people that shadow itself is in a bad spot due to bad dps.
Grats! You found fun in a game! Stick to it and ignore listening to the naysayers, the whole reason you waited so long to try it in the first place!
If you had actually read my post, you would equate large ramp ups with being fine in raids. No one disputes that.
How about you look at spriest performance is mythic +? You don’t have time to ramp up on trash and your boss damage isn’t enough to compensate.
I always like when I am waiting for ramp up to hit and it hits. On the last mob. Who is at 25% health. Woohoo…overkill on the last mob after working my butt off to clear the real fight.
Where the hell was this 30 seconds ago when in a 3 on 1 I was vampire tapping to stay alive? Question I ask myself in my solo runs. A lot.
S. priest to me is a labor of love. I am more into the lore RP aspects so I enjoy the whole VE s. priest combo (mine is a VE). I am the master of the void!
Game play wise I just go ugh…lets hope I find some random persons on harder ST WQ’s to be my tank for the moment.