So I think I suck at shadow lol, barely breaking 2k dps on the target dummy with 4/5 T7 gear. I'm still getting use to the whole cooldown thing, but not entirely sure I'm doing it right.
I start out with VE > VT > DP > SW:P > SW:D > MB > MF. Then continue spamming MF until MB is off cooldown, and renewing VT and DP as they fade from the target.
It's pretty much a priority system of Cooldowns
1. VT
2. DP
3. MB
4. MF if MB is off cooldown
I'm still not sure how SW:D should fit in though.
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Man I suck at shadowFollow
You're right about the priority system. We don't have rotations.
First off, I can't see your armory, so I'm just going to assume you have a cookie-cutter spec, including 3/3 Shadow Weaving.
One problem is that you aren't waiting for 5 stacks of Shadow Weaving to apply Shadow Word: Pain. Believe it or not, this actually does affect your dps. I'll save you the long explanation and basically say this: You're priorities are good (don't worry about SW:D, its benefit is minimal), you just need a better opening as far as I can see.
Try something like this:
VE
VT
MB
MF (or SW:D)
DP
MF (or SW:D)
SW:P
From then on, continue with your priority system. Don't worry about SW:D too much.
And if you still have questions, check out Shadowpriest.com
P.S.: Don't forget ot be hitcapped!
Edit: Here's the build I'm using. Some points are swappable, but it's basically the 3.1 variant of the cookie cutter shadow spec. Essentially. Link
Edited, Apr 14th 2009 11:55pm by IDrownFish
First off, I can't see your armory, so I'm just going to assume you have a cookie-cutter spec, including 3/3 Shadow Weaving.
One problem is that you aren't waiting for 5 stacks of Shadow Weaving to apply Shadow Word: Pain. Believe it or not, this actually does affect your dps. I'll save you the long explanation and basically say this: You're priorities are good (don't worry about SW:D, its benefit is minimal), you just need a better opening as far as I can see.
Try something like this:
VE
VT
MB
MF (or SW:D)
DP
MF (or SW:D)
SW:P
From then on, continue with your priority system. Don't worry about SW:D too much.
And if you still have questions, check out Shadowpriest.com
P.S.: Don't forget ot be hitcapped!
Edit: Here's the build I'm using. Some points are swappable, but it's basically the 3.1 variant of the cookie cutter shadow spec. Essentially. Link
Edited, Apr 14th 2009 11:55pm by IDrownFish
The rotation that I'm using is a little different.
VT -> VE -> SW:P -> MB -> MF -> SW:P -> VT -> MB/priority. With Imp DP, I'm slowly starting to slip that into the initial rotation between the MB and MF.
Getting SW:P up early will help your MB and MF both hit for 10% more (5/5 Twisted Faith) and putting it up after you get 5/5 Shadow Weaving stacked up, will let it take advantage of the extra 8% of the extra SW stacks put up after the spell was initially cast.
Other than that, the basic priority would be:
1) Keep VT up
2) Keep DP up (if you're using it)
3) Keep MB on cooldown.
4) MF at all other times.
Getting near 100% uptime for SW:P shouldn't be an issue with 3/3 Pain & Suffering.
Edit - the build I use is just a slight variation (drop 4 out of Imp MB and 1 out of Veiled Shadows to go 2/2 Imp Shadow form and 2/2 Imp PS and pick up Silence). So far, it appears to be working.
Edited, Apr 15th 2009 12:59pm by Shamandin
VT -> VE -> SW:P -> MB -> MF -> SW:P -> VT -> MB/priority. With Imp DP, I'm slowly starting to slip that into the initial rotation between the MB and MF.
Getting SW:P up early will help your MB and MF both hit for 10% more (5/5 Twisted Faith) and putting it up after you get 5/5 Shadow Weaving stacked up, will let it take advantage of the extra 8% of the extra SW stacks put up after the spell was initially cast.
Other than that, the basic priority would be:
1) Keep VT up
2) Keep DP up (if you're using it)
3) Keep MB on cooldown.
4) MF at all other times.
Getting near 100% uptime for SW:P shouldn't be an issue with 3/3 Pain & Suffering.
Edit - the build I use is just a slight variation (drop 4 out of Imp MB and 1 out of Veiled Shadows to go 2/2 Imp Shadow form and 2/2 Imp PS and pick up Silence). So far, it appears to be working.
Edited, Apr 15th 2009 12:59pm by Shamandin
Would IF + SW:P be a good combo? With dots critting and refreshing SW:P through MF, I was wondering if that 25% crit bonus stays with the SW:P for the entire duration.
Trylofer wrote:
Would IF + SW:P be a good combo? With dots critting and refreshing SW:P through MF, I was wondering if that 25% crit bonus stays with the SW:P for the entire duration.
From what I've been able to pick up, the crit part doesn't apply at all to SW:P. However, if it DID, it would stick through out the life (even with the refreshes from P&S) of the DoT.
Scholar
17 posts
2k is fine on practice dummy.
In raid on boss you will see alot more dps with buffs and such.
One question, are you hit capped? Need 289 with right talent tree. Big difference if your not.
I am seeing 1800 to 2300 dps on dummy and over 3k in raid.
In raid on boss you will see alot more dps with buffs and such.
One question, are you hit capped? Need 289 with right talent tree. Big difference if your not.
I am seeing 1800 to 2300 dps on dummy and over 3k in raid.
15 posts
You have the basics. Let's get down to specifics. You want 5 stacks of Shadow Weaving on the target before you cast SW:P. -- VT, MB, SW:D and DP all put 1 stack of Shadow Weaving on the target. MF puts up two. So your starting rotation should be like VT, DP, MB, MF, SW:P. This gets all your dots ticking. You can skip using SW:D as it's impact on DPS is minimal. If you have a gap in your casting where you can fit it in, use it (or when you are running), but don't focus on using it.
Then, like you said, we have a priority system. VT, DP, MB, MF.
IF and SW:P are a BAD combo. You get the crit on the ticks, but the crit does not carry over after refresh. Use IF on MB so you get Improved Spirit Tap proc.
2K is ok on a target dummy. With raid buffs/debuffs you will do much more.
Then, like you said, we have a priority system. VT, DP, MB, MF.
IF and SW:P are a BAD combo. You get the crit on the ticks, but the crit does not carry over after refresh. Use IF on MB so you get Improved Spirit Tap proc.
2K is ok on a target dummy. With raid buffs/debuffs you will do much more.
For me it depends what I am killing. A boss rotation would be different to a mob rotation. If I am just burning through mobs I use VT, SW:P, MB, MF then MB/MF until dead mostly by then the mob is dead after one round of the 4 spells and replenishment has kicked in. This is for grinding those mobs for the new dailies "kill 10 scourge" in Icecrown and similar (level 78-80 mid HP mobs). If the mob is a bit meatier I will use the same rotation as Synn but minus SW:D and sometimes also minus DP.
So far I am happy with this as it is giving me enough dps to plough through things and keeping Replenishment up most of the time is keeping my mana nice and high. I will go and check my dps though as I haven't done this. I was just happy because I am killing things so fast compared to my Disc spec lol. I have virtually no tier gear (2 pieces, one shadow, one holy, still no idea how that happened) although I do have a couple of bits of 25 man gear I also have 4 rep/crafted blues as shadow.
So far I am happy with this as it is giving me enough dps to plough through things and keeping Replenishment up most of the time is keeping my mana nice and high. I will go and check my dps though as I haven't done this. I was just happy because I am killing things so fast compared to my Disc spec lol. I have virtually no tier gear (2 pieces, one shadow, one holy, still no idea how that happened) although I do have a couple of bits of 25 man gear I also have 4 rep/crafted blues as shadow.
Well an update on the situation.
We cleared Naxx over the weekend, and I went holy, which was an odd feeling. Was very hard to not fall into the habit of healing people. Saturday we cleared the 4 main wings, and was averaging about 3k DPS which I'm fine with. Starting to get use to my timing of cooldowns and Dot times.
Sunday we cleared frost wing. It sucked for me.
Apparently on Sapph, regardless if you are behind an ice block, if you stand on the ramp leading from the portal you enter the area, you die from the massive ice breath... So I died pretty early in the fight, which I probably won't live down(heard some guff about it on KT fight).
KT wasn't much better, he didn't like me at all. I was iceblocked twice and mind controlled on phase 2. Then phase 3 comes and I get hit by one of the slower spawning adds, nearly kills me, then KT aoe frost bolts immediately after and I'm down. Things settle into routine. I get a battle rez, I wait for the AoE frost bolts, then hit rez and boom Ice Block... down again...
Overall though I was pretty impressed with my performance. I would like it to be better, but that will come with getting even more comfortable with my spell cooldowns.
We cleared Naxx over the weekend, and I went holy, which was an odd feeling. Was very hard to not fall into the habit of healing people. Saturday we cleared the 4 main wings, and was averaging about 3k DPS which I'm fine with. Starting to get use to my timing of cooldowns and Dot times.
Sunday we cleared frost wing. It sucked for me.
Apparently on Sapph, regardless if you are behind an ice block, if you stand on the ramp leading from the portal you enter the area, you die from the massive ice breath... So I died pretty early in the fight, which I probably won't live down(heard some guff about it on KT fight).
KT wasn't much better, he didn't like me at all. I was iceblocked twice and mind controlled on phase 2. Then phase 3 comes and I get hit by one of the slower spawning adds, nearly kills me, then KT aoe frost bolts immediately after and I'm down. Things settle into routine. I get a battle rez, I wait for the AoE frost bolts, then hit rez and boom Ice Block... down again...
Overall though I was pretty impressed with my performance. I would like it to be better, but that will come with getting even more comfortable with my spell cooldowns.
I did some reading on EJ and found that starting off with SWP can't really hurt. The rotations I saw most were;
SWP->VT->DP->SWD->MB ->SWP
and
SWP->VT->DP->MB->SWD->SWP->MF->MB
SWP->VT->DP->SWD->MB ->SWP
and
SWP->VT->DP->MB->SWD->SWP->MF->MB
I've kinda liked this starting setup:
VT > MB > SW:D > DP > SW:P > VE > MB > MF > VT > SW:D > MB
..yeah I know, long start, but I found it to minimized cooldowns. After that, my priority is:
VE
VT
MB
SW:P
DP
SW:D
VT > MB > SW:D > DP > SW:P > VE > MB > MF > VT > SW:D > MB
..yeah I know, long start, but I found it to minimized cooldowns. After that, my priority is:
VE
VT
MB
SW:P
DP
SW:D
After some reading around other forums Ive decided to always prioritize MB over VT/DP and its going nicely. Prioritize as in, if I see that MB is off cd but VT/DP are about to fall off, ill cast MB and reapply the dots afterward.
And Im using IF with MB.
Edited, Apr 29th 2009 11:16am by Amaiya
And Im using IF with MB.
Edited, Apr 29th 2009 11:16am by Amaiya
Best way I've found of starting is VT, DP, MF, SW:P, MB .........
Its about the fastest way to get the 5 stacks of shadow weaving up on your target there is. After that its all about keeping your dots up properly, that bit is just down to practice.
Its about the fastest way to get the 5 stacks of shadow weaving up on your target there is. After that its all about keeping your dots up properly, that bit is just down to practice.
21 posts
What about the FaceMelter addon?? Anyone use that? And if so, is its priority system any good? I have used it and have hit 2750-3k dps in raids, but I think I can hit more if I can get a better priority system
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