As I've been leveling my shadow priest I've begun to notice that I need to stop and drink more often between fights. Going up through the late 20's and 30's I could take out five or six mobs before stopping to drink, but once I hit 40 and moved on to Tanaris and Feralas my mob kill count dropped to two or three before having to drink.
My normal spell rotation is PW:S, Mind Blast, SW:P, Mind Flay, Mind Flay, Mind Blast (if needed) and wand to death. My mana is at 3553 right now and I've got +54 bonus damage (if that matters). I did spec into Focused Mind to try and reduce some mana costs.
So my question is, is it normal to go OOM after two or three mobs at this level? I see other caster classes running around and killing a lot more before having to drink. Or is it because my mana is too low? I've been stacking +int and +spi gear (mostly "of the Owl" stuff) but should I try for more? Or is this just a normal thing at this level?
Overall I love playing my priest as it's a very different and pleasant change of pace from playing my warrior.
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Going OOM a lotFollow
Once I got VE I pretty much stopped using PWS in my spell rotation (I had ImpVE though). One you spirit tap off a mob that extra spirit should regen any health you have lost while you go look for your next mob.
Try something like VE, SWP, MB, Flay, Flay, Wand.
Try something like VE, SWP, MB, Flay, Flay, Wand.
Doesn't Mind Flay get interrupted by an attack?
Nevermind, I read incorrectly.
Edited, Feb 25th 2008 1:01pm by Zackary
Edited, Feb 25th 2008 1:01pm by Zackary
Scholar
20 posts
Like before 40, your wand needs to be the best you can find. The wand talents can also help a lot for chain killing. No matter what sequence you use you shouldn't have to repeat mind blast. Ideally you use VE or shield or fear, SW:P, Mind blast, flay, flay, wand. For mobs your level you should be able to go almost non stop now you have shadow form.
4 posts
Personally i found the best way (which i am sure people may disagree with) is:
Mind Blast (start peddling backwards)
SW:P
VE
Mindflay
Mindflay
Mind Blast
Wand to death
With Imp VE and Shadowreach this works really nicely and you can grind a lot of mobs before resting, as long you think about it with each mob. Easier mobs won't require 2 Mindblasts & a SW:P, you don't have to always use the cycle exactly as it stands. If you get a good crit, switch to wand earlier etc. If on low health/ high mana pop a Shield on before you pull and pull with VE. If on low mana/ high health try Shield, SW:P and wand to death, surprisingly this can work really well to get some mana back.
I fount that in my 40s i could grind reasonably up to 15-20 mobs before eating and drinking, this was the level range i could grind most mobs comfortably until i hit 70 and got lots of new tricks.
Hope this helps
Mind Blast (start peddling backwards)
SW:P
VE
Mindflay
Mindflay
Mind Blast
Wand to death
With Imp VE and Shadowreach this works really nicely and you can grind a lot of mobs before resting, as long you think about it with each mob. Easier mobs won't require 2 Mindblasts & a SW:P, you don't have to always use the cycle exactly as it stands. If you get a good crit, switch to wand earlier etc. If on low health/ high mana pop a Shield on before you pull and pull with VE. If on low mana/ high health try Shield, SW:P and wand to death, surprisingly this can work really well to get some mana back.
I fount that in my 40s i could grind reasonably up to 15-20 mobs before eating and drinking, this was the level range i could grind most mobs comfortably until i hit 70 and got lots of new tricks.
Hope this helps
36 posts
Ok, I noticed this too. In Tanaris I was in the Dunemaul Compound and I was on the line of them towards the west and just went down the line killing them all and then restarted at the top again. in order, i used VE (Backpeddle) SW:P, Bubble, MB,MF,MB Wand. I never lost health and generally took one down before the DoT went off. Generally I could get 5 to 6 before drinking, but that is also giving a couple of seconds for Tap to work.I think DoTing them first gives more time for that spell to work on them...by the time you hit them with the first MB at the same time they are getting the second DoT hit. That's like 300 points before they even reach you. Anyways, yes I have noticed I'm becoming a drink-o-holic...LOL
9 posts
I do exactly like CorvusTozon. Often, I don't even have to wand. At 50, I tended to throw in Vamp. Touch first, then SW:P, VE, MindFlay, Mind Blast, then wand (if they survive). If you walk backwards immediately after casting Touch/MB, and continue walking back through SW:P and VE, you can keep a good distance for the Mindflay. I play Blood Elf, so using Touch of Weakness Rank 1 (25 mana) to proc extra Shadow Weaving too. Blood Elves can also use Rank 1 Touch of Weakness followed by Consume Magic to instantly generate a decent chunk of mana (400+ at my level, 53), as well as Mana Tap/Arcane Torrent when available. With this system, I only need to drink if I get a link. I haven't used Power Word: Shield since Mindflay, I think. It just eats up too much mana.
Edited, Feb 29th 2008 12:15am by aperfektflaw
Edited, Feb 29th 2008 12:15am by aperfektflaw
If you have the room for it then use fear instead of PW:shield. Shield eats up mana rather quickly.
If I'm fighting one mob I'll do; Mind Blast, SW:P, Mind Flay, Mind Flay, Fear, Mind Flay, Mind Blast or wand.
I keep Mind Flay on a feared mob to keep them running away slowly and coming back slowly. You have to be a little careful of your surroundings when using fear because it can cause adds.
If its one mob I'll tend to take the beating at the end of the fight and just do a quick heal and renew after. Takes less mana than a shield. Using fear keeps the mobs from hitting you anyways so shields aren't as necessary. However if you get too many mobs or in tighter situations you'll need to use a shield.
If I'm fighting one mob I'll do; Mind Blast, SW:P, Mind Flay, Mind Flay, Fear, Mind Flay, Mind Blast or wand.
I keep Mind Flay on a feared mob to keep them running away slowly and coming back slowly. You have to be a little careful of your surroundings when using fear because it can cause adds.
If its one mob I'll tend to take the beating at the end of the fight and just do a quick heal and renew after. Takes less mana than a shield. Using fear keeps the mobs from hitting you anyways so shields aren't as necessary. However if you get too many mobs or in tighter situations you'll need to use a shield.
once ya get to 50, get vampiric touch.
then your rotation will be something like myn
VT
SWP
VE
MF
MF
wand
then your rotation will be something like myn
VT
SWP
VE
MF
MF
wand
I didnt care about if I had alot mana left after the kills or not when I leveld.
you know, there is water vendor's, and there is mages. :P
and I rather kill 1-2mobs quick and then drink, then kill 1 mob over 1 minute just to keep my mana up. :P
The only time I used wand when I leveld, was when I was oom.
and from what I can remember, it didnt occur that often actually.
you know, there is water vendor's, and there is mages. :P
and I rather kill 1-2mobs quick and then drink, then kill 1 mob over 1 minute just to keep my mana up. :P
The only time I used wand when I leveld, was when I was oom.
and from what I can remember, it didnt occur that often actually.
Thanks for the advice everyone.
Over the past few days I've been experimenting with my spell rotation to try and find the most efficient combination. In open areas (such as The Dunemaul Compound in Tanaris) I've replaced PW:S with fear like MentalFrog suggested. Keeping Mind Flay on the mob keeps them from getting too far away (most of the time). If I take a beating I put VE on the next mob and heal up. One Mind Blast, a SW:P and a few Mind Flays and the mob is dead and my health is topped off. I've been able to take out an average of 6-8 mobs doing this before having to drink.
In more enclosed and confined areas I've stuck with PW:S followed by a Mind Blast, SW:P, Mind Flay 2-3 times and wand to death. If the mobs are grouped close enough and are right around my level I can take out two of them before PW:S fails. This rotation nets me an average of 4-6 mobs before having to drink.
I haven't played with it enough to get a good feel for VT, but it seems that it is a mana sink for solo grinding. My mana just doesn't seem to regen fast enough to justify casting it. On the other hand I ran Sunken Temple last night and VT was the only thing keeping our pally tanks mana up since he didn't bring any water.
So overall what I'm finding out is that spell rotation is situational, as CorvusTozon pointed out. I've dropped my standard rotation that I did for every mob and adjusted it to what was happening at that point in time. I still can't get 15-20 mobs down before stopping to have a drink but trust me when I say I'm still working on it.
Thanks again everyone for your help.
Over the past few days I've been experimenting with my spell rotation to try and find the most efficient combination. In open areas (such as The Dunemaul Compound in Tanaris) I've replaced PW:S with fear like MentalFrog suggested. Keeping Mind Flay on the mob keeps them from getting too far away (most of the time). If I take a beating I put VE on the next mob and heal up. One Mind Blast, a SW:P and a few Mind Flays and the mob is dead and my health is topped off. I've been able to take out an average of 6-8 mobs doing this before having to drink.
In more enclosed and confined areas I've stuck with PW:S followed by a Mind Blast, SW:P, Mind Flay 2-3 times and wand to death. If the mobs are grouped close enough and are right around my level I can take out two of them before PW:S fails. This rotation nets me an average of 4-6 mobs before having to drink.
I haven't played with it enough to get a good feel for VT, but it seems that it is a mana sink for solo grinding. My mana just doesn't seem to regen fast enough to justify casting it. On the other hand I ran Sunken Temple last night and VT was the only thing keeping our pally tanks mana up since he didn't bring any water.
So overall what I'm finding out is that spell rotation is situational, as CorvusTozon pointed out. I've dropped my standard rotation that I did for every mob and adjusted it to what was happening at that point in time. I still can't get 15-20 mobs down before stopping to have a drink but trust me when I say I'm still working on it.
Thanks again everyone for your help.
Corvus is exactly right in his answer, and thus deserves a rank up.
As for VT - this is used mainly in groups and when you need an extra DoT. It is not used for you to regen mana, but to help the group. It is nice to throw on high HP mobs to bring them down faster and the casting time lets you throw it out there even if you are getting hit. However, it is mana intensive thus your analogy to a Mana Sink is correct.
However, if you ever partner with a Pally, then VT is his (or her) best friend as this combined with VE and they will be constantly healed and gaining mana so with the right seals and blessings, they become quite god like. When I was still leveling with a Pally friend in the plaguelands, we would literally gather 12 - 15 mobs and just destroy them. While we did have to mana up and heal afterwards, it was just plain fun killing that many mobs at one time... especially since Shadow Priest excel at solo killing, but not multiple mobs.
As for VT - this is used mainly in groups and when you need an extra DoT. It is not used for you to regen mana, but to help the group. It is nice to throw on high HP mobs to bring them down faster and the casting time lets you throw it out there even if you are getting hit. However, it is mana intensive thus your analogy to a Mana Sink is correct.
However, if you ever partner with a Pally, then VT is his (or her) best friend as this combined with VE and they will be constantly healed and gaining mana so with the right seals and blessings, they become quite god like. When I was still leveling with a Pally friend in the plaguelands, we would literally gather 12 - 15 mobs and just destroy them. While we did have to mana up and heal afterwards, it was just plain fun killing that many mobs at one time... especially since Shadow Priest excel at solo killing, but not multiple mobs.
15 posts
I actually agree most w/ Zang's response on sequence. I wouldn't bother casting the 2nd MB and just wand instead to get you into the 5 sec rule a lot quicker for better mana regen. Then let spirit tap take over once mob is dead. With this sequence, unless you get runover w/ mob's, you can basically go forever.. I also agree to keep up w/ the best wand and possibly take the imp wand if possible. Lastly, I like to walk backwards after the SW:P is cast while casting the VE to allow for a little more Flay before getting hit.
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