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Purpose of Shadow Word:Death?Follow
Scholar
31 posts
I just got SW:D. Im wondering what the purpose of this spell is? Ive use it as a closing hit, but never really understood where this spell shines. Its seems Mind Fray for another second or two will have the same impact. Can anybody tell how to properly use this spell? Thanks!
The damage to mana ratio is actually pretty decent, close to that of Mind Blast. I often use it to finish off mobs (well, I only use it for that, come to think of it), instead of a Mind Blast.
And in instance, while healing, it's nice to use it to get that killing blow which triggers Spirit Tap.
Edit: Since some of you don't use Mind Blast when soloing, you're probably thinking my method is mana inefficient. And it is, sorta. But Spirit Tap saves the day.
Vampiric Touch (SWx1)(Misery)
Shadow Word: Pain (SWx2)
Starshards (racial)
Psychic Scream (Rank 1)
Mind Flay (SWx3)
Mind Flay (SWx4)
<pause to let the DoTs work>
Shadow Word: Death (used to be Mind Blast)
or
Mind Flay
I've got the trinket from Blood Furnace which chops off half the mana cost on Vampiric Touch or Shadow Word: Pain, plus Inner Focus which makes the other spell free. 3-minute cooldown.
I also have 2/3 Meditation plus some items which gives me mp5, putting me at 40 mp5 and 303 spell damage.
I'm level 63, by the way, but I still need to upgrade my gloves, wrists and boots. Not to mention the cloak, shudder.
Edited, Apr 19th 2008 1:50am by Mazra
And in instance, while healing, it's nice to use it to get that killing blow which triggers Spirit Tap.
Edit: Since some of you don't use Mind Blast when soloing, you're probably thinking my method is mana inefficient. And it is, sorta. But Spirit Tap saves the day.
Vampiric Touch (SWx1)(Misery)
Shadow Word: Pain (SWx2)
Starshards (racial)
Psychic Scream (Rank 1)
Mind Flay (SWx3)
Mind Flay (SWx4)
<pause to let the DoTs work>
Shadow Word: Death (used to be Mind Blast)
or
Mind Flay
I've got the trinket from Blood Furnace which chops off half the mana cost on Vampiric Touch or Shadow Word: Pain, plus Inner Focus which makes the other spell free. 3-minute cooldown.
I also have 2/3 Meditation plus some items which gives me mp5, putting me at 40 mp5 and 303 spell damage.
I'm level 63, by the way, but I still need to upgrade my gloves, wrists and boots. Not to mention the cloak, shudder.
Edited, Apr 19th 2008 1:50am by Mazra
Please "talk up" if your comprehension white-shifts. I will use simple-happy language-words to help you understand.
If you use SW: Death as opposed to using Mind Flay and getting the same damage over a longer period of time, that is more DPS, literally.
So it has a place in damage rotations. It's also very nice in PvP. Combine it with a Mind Blast and you can achieve high burst damage, something people don't expect out of SPriests.
Most importantly, as an instant-cast spell, you can cast it on themove, which is something the priest ******* was sorely lacking.
So it has a place in damage rotations. It's also very nice in PvP. Combine it with a Mind Blast and you can achieve high burst damage, something people don't expect out of SPriests.
Most importantly, as an instant-cast spell, you can cast it on themove, which is something the priest ******* was sorely lacking.
Another use is to tag a mob with an instant cast spell. If you are competing for a quest mob, there is a place for being able to tag it instantly. I wouldn't use it to steal another person's mob, but wouldn't hesitate if someone else kept stealing mine.
As a DPS in an instance if you have a good tank you can run with VE and put the SW:D into your casting rotation. In this case I fire SW:D then Mind Blast. This usually heals me of most damage which nullifies the SW:D downside. Then as the mob nears death I try to flip my cast order and fire off a Blast/SW:D combo to get the killing blow for the spirit tap. When I was in fresh level 70 gear I used to get 3-5k damage from that combo.
A few spirit taps during a long fight in someplace like shattered halls can make a big difference in your mana regen thus damage output.
A few spirit taps during a long fight in someplace like shattered halls can make a big difference in your mana regen thus damage output.
I also read it is useful in BGs and Arena if you see a mage trying to polymorph you. Once you cast SW:D, the spell will fail to cause the mage to die and the damage will bounce back to you and break sheep.
I haven't tried that myself, but it sounds good in theory. I would be a little worried on the timing aspect of it though.
I haven't tried that myself, but it sounds good in theory. I would be a little worried on the timing aspect of it though.
I'm not exactly sure if this still works. They fixed a similar problem with the Reflective Shield breaking CC with the last patch.
"Reflective Shield: The reflective damage from this talent no longer breaks crowd control effects which break on taking damage."
<http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/>
If anyone could double check this and give a final update that would be great. As for me, I'm still only 61.
"Reflective Shield: The reflective damage from this talent no longer breaks crowd control effects which break on taking damage."
<http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/patchnotes/>
If anyone could double check this and give a final update that would be great. As for me, I'm still only 61.
SWD is excellent for finishing off mobs. At very high gear levels (my grind gear has 1250dmg I think), you can finish off mobs very quickly. Farming primal water (skettis) or primal mana (netherstorm), I can
VT
Blast
Flay
Death
And they're dead before they hit me, I have constant spirit tap, and with shadowfiend I *never* run out of mana.
SWD can also be useful for tagging mobs (Quel'Danas, especially at the boats or the naga, comes to mind). It's insane burst when combined with Blast (lucky Blast->Death crits have netted me over 8000dmg in raids, over 6500 solo). In instances or raids, provided you're careful about using it, it's a significant boost in DPS (accounts for a little less than one-fifth of my total damage on bosses).
EDIT: Oh, and you can break sheep with it, I believe. I've broken Maiden's Repentance several times on accident with it, allows me to recoup a little bit of my lost damage that fight :p
Edited, Apr 21st 2008 12:53pm by lsfreak
VT
Blast
Flay
Death
And they're dead before they hit me, I have constant spirit tap, and with shadowfiend I *never* run out of mana.
SWD can also be useful for tagging mobs (Quel'Danas, especially at the boats or the naga, comes to mind). It's insane burst when combined with Blast (lucky Blast->Death crits have netted me over 8000dmg in raids, over 6500 solo). In instances or raids, provided you're careful about using it, it's a significant boost in DPS (accounts for a little less than one-fifth of my total damage on bosses).
EDIT: Oh, and you can break sheep with it, I believe. I've broken Maiden's Repentance several times on accident with it, allows me to recoup a little bit of my lost damage that fight :p
Edited, Apr 21st 2008 12:53pm by lsfreak
fluffydragon wrote:
As a DPS in an instance if you have a good tank you can run with VE and put the SW:D into your casting rotation. In this case I fire SW:D then Mind Blast. This usually heals me of most damage which nullifies the SW:D downside. Then as the mob nears death I try to flip my cast order and fire off a Blast/SW:D combo to get the killing blow for the spirit tap. When I was in fresh level 70 gear I used to get 3-5k damage from that combo.
A few spirit taps during a long fight in someplace like shattered halls can make a big difference in your mana regen thus damage output.
A few spirit taps during a long fight in someplace like shattered halls can make a big difference in your mana regen thus damage output.
/nod
Depending on the situation, ie aoes, taking dmg, amp magic, etc, I use SW:D in my spell rotations.
Also, it can be a useful toy for holy priests in non-AoE situations. Big waste of mana when your Prayer of Mending hops directly from the tank to you?... SW:D and bounce it off to someone who should be taking a hit. I got the priest in my guild doing this after listening to him ***** that he always got his PoM back on fights where he was the only one not taking hits. I've used a similar trick of lifetapping on my lock to pass PoM for a long time.
JamisonP wrote:
Also, it can be a useful toy for holy priests in non-AoE situations. Big waste of mana when your Prayer of Mending hops directly from the tank to you?... SW:D and bounce it off to someone who should be taking a hit. I got the priest in my guild doing this after listening to him ***** that he always got his PoM back on fights where he was the only one not taking hits. I've used a similar trick of lifetapping on my lock to pass PoM for a long time.
Interesting. I usually don't notice when I've got PoM back. Boss fights are the ones I notice it on 'cause I'm usually #2 on the list for a little while (and in some fights ... a LONG while).
I'll keep this one in mind. If I can time it right ... I can probably get a free bounce back to the tank on it.
I actually like to use SW:D and Inner Focus while soloing.
If I notice that I have the IF cooldown up and the mob is close to dead, I'll use the two together. It doesn't cost mana, therefore, it doesn't go against the 5SR. I'm usually outside the 5SR soon enough to get the full benefit of Spirit Tap, and I didn't have to wait for my priest to wand the thing to death.
*Prepares to get called a noob for not using my IF on more important spells*
If I notice that I have the IF cooldown up and the mob is close to dead, I'll use the two together. It doesn't cost mana, therefore, it doesn't go against the 5SR. I'm usually outside the 5SR soon enough to get the full benefit of Spirit Tap, and I didn't have to wait for my priest to wand the thing to death.
*Prepares to get called a noob for not using my IF on more important spells*
On that same note, does anyone here actually use the wand?
My build (shadow) includes Martyrdom which enables me to cast a full Mind Flay or two when the mob crits me, but my rotation is usually:
Vampiric Touch
-backtrack-
Shadow Word: Pain
Starshards
Mind Flay
-mob reaches me-
Psychic Scream (rank 1, of course)
Mind Flay
Mind Flay or wait for the DoTs and then Shadow Word: Death when the mob is at around 800 health.
Since Psychic Scream makes the mob not hit me for a while, Martyrdom seldom procs and it honestly seems like a bit of waste of talent points.
And don't think I've used my wand since I entered Outland, to be honest. Sometimes I even spam Mind Blast just because I want to see my mana pool move. I have two mana cost reducing abilities, both on a 3-minute cooldown. One is Inner Focus and the other is Auslese's Light Channeler from Blood Furnace. Using them when the other one is halfway through the cooldown makes for very mana efficient grinding.
Not to mention, I also have the Vengeance of the Illidari trinket. When I pop it, I don't have to do the last Mind Flay or Shadow Word: Death, saving me 150-250 mana. I'm honestly never in mana need when in a controlled situation. I've taken on two or three mobs at a time to speed things up and if I time the Spirit Taps right, I'll regen more than enough mana.
Wanding seems pointless at the moment. Is it needed later on?
Edit: Build, by the way. I'm only level 64 as you probably noticed from the amount of talent points spent.
Edited, Apr 30th 2008 9:30pm by Mazra
My build (shadow) includes Martyrdom which enables me to cast a full Mind Flay or two when the mob crits me, but my rotation is usually:
Vampiric Touch
-backtrack-
Shadow Word: Pain
Starshards
Mind Flay
-mob reaches me-
Psychic Scream (rank 1, of course)
Mind Flay
Mind Flay or wait for the DoTs and then Shadow Word: Death when the mob is at around 800 health.
Since Psychic Scream makes the mob not hit me for a while, Martyrdom seldom procs and it honestly seems like a bit of waste of talent points.
And don't think I've used my wand since I entered Outland, to be honest. Sometimes I even spam Mind Blast just because I want to see my mana pool move. I have two mana cost reducing abilities, both on a 3-minute cooldown. One is Inner Focus and the other is Auslese's Light Channeler from Blood Furnace. Using them when the other one is halfway through the cooldown makes for very mana efficient grinding.
Not to mention, I also have the Vengeance of the Illidari trinket. When I pop it, I don't have to do the last Mind Flay or Shadow Word: Death, saving me 150-250 mana. I'm honestly never in mana need when in a controlled situation. I've taken on two or three mobs at a time to speed things up and if I time the Spirit Taps right, I'll regen more than enough mana.
Wanding seems pointless at the moment. Is it needed later on?
Edit: Build, by the way. I'm only level 64 as you probably noticed from the amount of talent points spent.
Edited, Apr 30th 2008 9:30pm by Mazra
Please "talk up" if your comprehension white-shifts. I will use simple-happy language-words to help you understand.
Mazra I found martyrdom to be of most value for PVP. When I was leveling in Outlands I thought that 3 points in Improved power word: shield was better.
My only other issue with your talent point distribution right now is you don't have any points in shadow affinity. Even this is fine until you want to run an instance. In an instance you will need to nerf your damage 25% to make up for the lack or run with over geared tanks. (Something to make up for the +25% threat you will produce.)
The other thing I did while leveling was take shadow power. This is another talent that is not maybe so great for instancing but added nicely to my solo DPS. I would often change my rotation to add in a blast/death combo at the end. In mid 60s gear this would get me about 3k damage +crit in a 1.5 seconds.
Oh and to answer your question about the wand. I also found that I did not use the wand much in Outlands. The blast/death combo was much faster.
My only other issue with your talent point distribution right now is you don't have any points in shadow affinity. Even this is fine until you want to run an instance. In an instance you will need to nerf your damage 25% to make up for the lack or run with over geared tanks. (Something to make up for the +25% threat you will produce.)
The other thing I did while leveling was take shadow power. This is another talent that is not maybe so great for instancing but added nicely to my solo DPS. I would often change my rotation to add in a blast/death combo at the end. In mid 60s gear this would get me about 3k damage +crit in a 1.5 seconds.
Oh and to answer your question about the wand. I also found that I did not use the wand much in Outlands. The blast/death combo was much faster.
Mazra wrote:
Wanding seems pointless at the moment. Is it needed later on?
Wanding scales down instead of up. The lower lvl you are the more powerful wands are. When I started a priest I would wand instead of cast because it hit harder.
Now I rarely wand. I'll use a wand if I'm OOM and can't really do anything else but with all my abilities and gear that's very rare.
My solo rotation:
Mind Blast
SW:Pain
Mind Flay
Mind Flay
-Fear
Mind Flay
Mind Flay
SW: Death
Fear I only use if the area and mobs allow me to. Some situations it'll cause more problems if you don't have enough room. Mind Flay keeps them running around slowly.
I don't use Vamp touch while soloing. The higher I got the less I needed it. If you're not mana starved and drinking that often then replace it with mind blast.
After a couple of fights I'll pop a renew.
Being a draenei is nice for the mana. I've got a mana over time priest racial. Pop that when I'm low on mana or the shadowfiend and a vamp touch I can quickly recover my mana pool.
I tried martyrdom but put the 2 points into imp: shield instead. I rarely use my shield but in cases where I can't fear mobs is when it's useful.
Your points look fine the way they are. If you don't feel martyrdom is doing much for you then put those points somewhere else. If you group then you'll want the shadow affinity. If you just solo then shadow power is nice.
Spells cast by NPCs cannot crit.
NPCs have a 5% crit chance.
If you don't PvP, Martyrdom is terrible. In PvP, though, Martyrdom is a no-brainer if you're in that tier in Disc.
As for wanding in Outlands, I still do in Hellfire on my 61 Disc priest. But I actually end up spamming a couple Smites because I'm at full mana in the middle of a fight.
NPCs have a 5% crit chance.
If you don't PvP, Martyrdom is terrible. In PvP, though, Martyrdom is a no-brainer if you're in that tier in Disc.
As for wanding in Outlands, I still do in Hellfire on my 61 Disc priest. But I actually end up spamming a couple Smites because I'm at full mana in the middle of a fight.
a well-timed SWD can be used as a counter to polymorph. time your SWD to go off just as poly finishes and the damage you take will break the poly. this will force the next poly (if one comes) to be shorter due to DR.
Can't believe no one brought this one up.
SW:D is obviously for instantly killing yourself in the middle of Curator.
SW:D is obviously for instantly killing yourself in the middle of Curator.
fluffydragon wrote:
My only other issue with your talent point distribution right now is you don't have any points in shadow affinity. Even this is fine until you want to run an instance. In an instance you will need to nerf your damage 25% to make up for the lack or run with over geared tanks. (Something to make up for the +25% threat you will produce.)
I've done Hellfire Ramparts and Blood Furnace without threat issues so far. I didn't check the DPS meter, but we never wiped so I guess I did okay. Granted, I did those places with a second Spriest and a Warlock in the group as well, so our shadow damage was insane.
However, focusing so much on the amount of DPS you contribute with, in my opinion, should be reserved for end-game playing. It really doesn't matter much in mid-game instances, because anything that isn't a wipe is good. There is no enrage timer to watch and the mobs don't insta-gib clothies. I also popped out of Shadowform to heal once or twice, so my DPS would've been gimped anyway. I'll go Disc/Holy at level 70, so I'm not planning on doing heroics/raiding as a Spriest.
fluffydragon wrote:
The other thing I did while leveling was take shadow power. This is another talent that is not maybe so great for instancing but added nicely to my solo DPS. I would often change my rotation to add in a blast/death combo at the end. In mid 60s gear this would get me about 3k damage +crit in a 1.5 seconds.
I wanted to get Meditation before Shadow Power which is why I don't have any points in that yet. Mind Blast and SW:Death crits a lot as it is. It's not really something I rely on in my solo rotation, because I rarely spend more than a Vampiric Touch duration on a mob and never more than a SW:Pain duration. And I never run out of mana, unless I go overboard. I haven't used the remaining water from back when I was a Disc Priest in Hellfire Peninsula.
Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll go respec and put the points from Wand Spec back into Unbreakable Will. And I'll dump Martyrdom for Imp. PW:Shield.
The next three points will be spent on Shadow Affinity as well.
Please "talk up" if your comprehension white-shifts. I will use simple-happy language-words to help you understand.
Quote:
I've done Hellfire Ramparts and Blood Furnace without threat issues so far. I didn't check the DPS meter, but we never wiped so I guess I did okay. Granted, I did those places with a second Spriest and a Warlock in the group as well, so our shadow damage was insane.
/envy
On my server, we have a sever shortage of tanks AND healers (more tanks than healers, though), especially while leveling. I'm usually stuck in the back healing, simply because we couldn't find a better healer. I've gone up to Underbog like that (I'm level 63).
But oh well, I have a few pieces of healing gear in my bags just in case of such situations.
I just wish it wasn't all the time.
Ive only used wand in two circumstances (as a 70 raiding SP):
1) I'm OOM and have nothing better to do. This happens once in a blue moon since the 2.4 spirit buff.
2) The fight against Zul'Jin Phase 3 - when casting anything incurs a health dot.
As for the OP - I use it in my rotations as per descriptions above. In general it should always be done before mind blast. It is probably worth noting that it isnt with getting improved VE as that in combination of SWD and MB will generally send you over top of the threat meter. Normal VE should be enough to get most of your life back anyway (that and maybe a flay or two).
1) I'm OOM and have nothing better to do. This happens once in a blue moon since the 2.4 spirit buff.
2) The fight against Zul'Jin Phase 3 - when casting anything incurs a health dot.
As for the OP - I use it in my rotations as per descriptions above. In general it should always be done before mind blast. It is probably worth noting that it isnt with getting improved VE as that in combination of SWD and MB will generally send you over top of the threat meter. Normal VE should be enough to get most of your life back anyway (that and maybe a flay or two).
Use of SWD? Use it in blue beam on Netherspite, but it can work on Curator during evocate too.
I've taken to blowing Inner Focus, trinkets, and destro pots when Netherspite it as about 2% and I'm sitting at 40+ stacks. My record so far is 39980-ish, but I haven't done him in a while.
A full group of Shadow Priests using VE and SW:Death is pretty much the scariest thing I've run into on a battleground. You die so fast you don't even know what hit you.
14 posts
SW:D is usefull on many occasions.
Like others I use a great deal especially on boss fights if the healers are doing their job u got renew on you already. Combined with VE healing all the time doing a SW:D at any time in the fight does not effect your health that much. Haveing shield up on yourself also very useful so u dont even take the damage. Another tip for those herbalists out there is saving Fel Blossoms for boss fights popping this just before SW:D as it takes the damage for you.
Likewise in BG's a good rotation is Mind Blast SW:D SW:P Mindflay before u know it they popping trinkets/potions poss healing self. Then your CD on Mindblast and SW:D is up dependingon how low just a quick SW:D maybe needed.
A lot of times the casting of Mind Blast a 2nd time can be wasted if SW:D does the job correctly. So just step back /slight run away then SW:D. Turn pick next target and begin rotation again with mindblast.
However these days in BGS a lot of Shadow damage is being blocked by rogues and locks and adding reflect in there also u may need from time to time to put a VE in before the Mindblast on a target especially if hes in action with another target although u dont get much it keeps yourself topped up.
Lately in Bgs especially this weekend I noticed a lot more Alliance healing SP'S so congrats to them!!!
Like others I use a great deal especially on boss fights if the healers are doing their job u got renew on you already. Combined with VE healing all the time doing a SW:D at any time in the fight does not effect your health that much. Haveing shield up on yourself also very useful so u dont even take the damage. Another tip for those herbalists out there is saving Fel Blossoms for boss fights popping this just before SW:D as it takes the damage for you.
Likewise in BG's a good rotation is Mind Blast SW:D SW:P Mindflay before u know it they popping trinkets/potions poss healing self. Then your CD on Mindblast and SW:D is up dependingon how low just a quick SW:D maybe needed.
A lot of times the casting of Mind Blast a 2nd time can be wasted if SW:D does the job correctly. So just step back /slight run away then SW:D. Turn pick next target and begin rotation again with mindblast.
However these days in BGS a lot of Shadow damage is being blocked by rogues and locks and adding reflect in there also u may need from time to time to put a VE in before the Mindblast on a target especially if hes in action with another target although u dont get much it keeps yourself topped up.
Lately in Bgs especially this weekend I noticed a lot more Alliance healing SP'S so congrats to them!!!
themag wrote:
if the healers are doing their job u got renew on you already
It's not the healer's job to heal you unless the group's taking AoE damage. If they can, great, but you shouldn't expect it. This is true when filling any DPS role.
themag wrote:
Haveing shield up on yourself also very useful so u dont even take the damage
Useful if you don't like mana efficiency or maximizing your DPS. Take the shield off your hotbar if you're DPSing...you don't need it.
Above comments are to be taken in the original context...PvE.
As for the rest of that - I can't even read it, but if you can I wouldn't take it as good advice.
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