Type of wand for SPriest :: Free Realms

Sage

110 posts

Hey.

Forum posts, and I think the FAQ, have told that it's important for a Priest to always have an up-to-date wand.
But, I noticed that using a wand with shadow damage gains me the healing effect of Vampiric Embrace.

I am just wondering what priority should be given between purely the DPS (or stats) on the wand, and it being a shadow damage wand?
Would the healing effect of a shadow wand make up for having slightly reduced DPS?

This is purely from a soloing / leveling point of view.
I have 2 points in Improved Vampiric Embrace, but have not yet got as far down as Shadowform (if it makes a difference).

#2 May 13 2008 at 5:03 AM Rating: Decent

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Scholar

6,318 posts

My spriest is in the mid 50's, and I don't think I have used my wand in a while. By the time I finish my spell rotation, the mob is pretty much dead...

Just think about how much you are actually using your wand. If you are still using it a lot right now, then opting for a shadow damage wand may be worth it. If you are not using it that much right now, then just worry about the overall boost from stats.

#3 May 13 2008 at 5:37 AM Rating: Excellent

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Sage

679 posts

Actually as far as I know, neither vampiric touch nor vampiric embrace effects are triggered by shadow damage wands. The spell descriptions specify spell damage only, not shadow damage from non-spells

So really there's not much in it. The only difference is that shadow wands gain damage from the shadow weaving and misery debuffs.

#4 May 13 2008 at 5:50 AM Rating: Good

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Guru

4,074 posts

From WoWWiki:

Quote:

Does only affect spells that deal Shadow damage and will not grant you healing from Shadow damage wands.

This is consistent with my experience.

So just get the best wand you can. :)

At level 43 I still use my wand all the time when soloing, for mana efficiency. I start wanding at about 30%, and by the time Spirit Tap kicks in I've done the five second thing. I'm sure at some point I'll hit the magic place where I'm efficient without it, but I'm not there yet.

Edited, May 13th 2008 9:51am by teacake

#5 May 13 2008 at 6:02 AM Rating: Good

Sage

110 posts

Quote:

Does only affect spells that deal Shadow damage and will not grant you healing from Shadow damage wands.

Well, I'll be damned.
I was sure I saw healing entries on my combat log while I was wanding, but on second thought it could have just been ticks of SW:P causing it.
I'll have to go over my combat log a little closer and check it out.

#6 May 13 2008 at 6:37 AM Rating: Good

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Guru

4,074 posts

Fraeky wrote:

it could have just been ticks of SW:P causing it.

Just what I was thinking.

#7 May 13 2008 at 10:43 AM Rating: Good

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Guru

150 posts

I agree with teacake that what you are experiencing must be the ticks of SW:P. I still use my wand even though my priest is 70...although it isn't necessary all the time I find it still useful for farming.

Slightly off topic, but still germane:

I think while it is good to get shadow damage wands for Shadow weaving, if one isn't available you should just try to get the highest dps wand you can. While I was leveling I was very hung up on that myself "I HAVE to have a shadow wand". When it became harder to find one at certain levels I asked if it was necessary on another forum I belonged to, and was told to not stress about it.

Edited, May 13th 2008 2:44pm by Miskreant

#8 May 14 2008 at 4:10 PM Rating: Default

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36 posts

I use my wand all the time at 65, I keep it as up to date as possible. Shadow wands stack with shadow weaving, making the target more vulnerable to shadow attacks, but do not work with VE. I usually use my wand when I know I can save a couple hundred mana by just finishing it with the wand, doing that 5 times will give me anough mana to have another go on the 6th mob to get hit.....

#9 May 17 2008 at 11:11 AM Rating: Good

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Sage

2,826 posts

thegreatmothra wrote:

Actually as far as I know, neither vampiric touch nor vampiric embrace effects are triggered by shadow damage wands. The spell descriptions specify spell damage only, not shadow damage from non-spells

So really there's not much in it. The only difference is that shadow wands gain damage from the shadow weaving and misery debuffs.

According to the tooltip on the VE talent, you regain health based off of all shadow damage you gain. VT's tooltip refers specifically to shadow spell damage, though.

Tooltip from Wowhead's talent calculator in case anybody wanted to check.

Also, here's the tooltip from the Blizzard official talent calculator.

Edited, May 17th 2008 2:14pm by Bigdaddyjug

#10 May 17 2008 at 8:50 PM Rating: Decent

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102 posts

I'm pretty sure shadow weaving makes shadow wands deal more dmg... could be wrong though

#11 May 17 2008 at 10:41 PM Rating: Decent

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Scholar

246 posts

thegreatmothra wrote:

So really there's not much in it. The only difference is that shadow wands gain damage from the shadow weaving and misery debuffs.

#12 May 18 2008 at 6:36 PM Rating: Good

Sage

110 posts

From Shadowform talent tooltip:

Quote:

Assume a Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 15% and reducing Physical damage done to you by 15%. However, you may not cast Holy spells while in this form.

I wonder if this affects wand damage?

#13 May 18 2008 at 7:17 PM Rating: Decent

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Sage

5,599 posts

Quote:

I wonder if this affects wand damage?

It does not.

Source: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html;jsessionid=BD1B5D729866424066E9B8AE7F861329?topicId=4071469700&sid=1

#14 May 18 2008 at 10:55 PM Rating: Good

Sage

110 posts

Thanks for the answers on these questions. It will help immensely.
My SPriest just hit 50 and is wandering through Searing Gorge at the moment, performing random acts of kindness.