Shadow (WoW talent tree)  

See Priest Talent Builds

The Shadow Tree is the priest's primary damage tree. It contains talents which boost the personal damage of the priest as well as utility talents that give bonuses to the party and raid.

Primary uses

Shadow is generally considered to be the best spec for leveling. With the increase in damage dealt, the reduction in damage taken while in shadow form and the mana return from spirit tap, a shadow priest can level without having to stop and drink. At level 80, shadow priests are one of the most important utility roles in a raid through the health and mana they return to their party and the increase in spell and shadow damage they bring to all spellcasters in the raid.

Tier 1

• Spirit Tap (3 points) - Gives you a 33/66/100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit after killing a target that yields experience or honor. For the duration, your mana will regenerate at a 50% rate while casting. Lasts 15 seconds. An excellent leveling talent
• Improved Spirit Tap (2 points) - (Requires 3 point in Spirit Tap) Your Mind Blast and Shadow Word:Death critical increase your spirit by 5%/10%. For the duration your mana will regenerate at 10%/20% rate while casting. Last 8 seconds.
• Blackout (5 points) - Gives your Shadow damage spells a 2/4/6/8/10% chance to stun the target for 3 seconds. A must have for pvp.

Tier 2

(5 points required)

• Shadow Affinity (3) - Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 8%/16%/25%. Essential for raiding.
• Improved Shadow Word: Pain (2) - Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 3/6 sec.
• Shadow Focus (3) - Reduces your target's chance to resist your Shadow spells by 1/2/3% and the mana cost of your shadow spell by 2/4/6%.

Tier 3

(10 points required)

• Improved Psychic Scream (2) - Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 2/4 sec.
• Improved Mind Blast (5) - Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by .5/1/1.5/2/2.5 sec.
• Mind Flay (1) - Assault the target's mind with Shadow energy, causing 75 Shadow damage over 3 seconds and slowing their movement speed by 50%.

Tier 4

(15 points required)

• Veiled Shadows (2) - Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 3/6 sec, and reduces the cooldown of your Shadowfiend ability by 1/2 minutes.
• Shadow Reach (2) - Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 10%/20%.
• Shadow Weaving (3) - Your Shadow damage spells have a 33/66/100% chance to cause your target to be vulnerable to Shadow damage. This vulnerability increases the Shadow damage dealt to your target by 2% and lasts 15 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.

Tier 5

(20 points required)

• Silence (1) - Requires 2 point(s) in Improved Psychic Scream. Silences the target, preventing them from casting spells for 5 seconds.
• Vampiric Embrace (1) - Afflicts your target with Shadow energy that causes all party members to be healed for 15% of any Shadow spell damage you deal for 60 seconds.
• Improved Vampiric Embrace (2) - Requires 1 point(s) in Vampiric Embrace. Increases the percentage healed by Vampiric Embrace by an additional 5%/10%. Generally not required as it generates un-needed threat.
• Focused Mind (3) - Reduces the mana cost of your Mind Blast, Mind Control, Mind Sear and Mind Flay spells by 5%/10%/15%.

Tier 6

(25 points required)

• Mind Melt (2) - Increase the critical chance of your Mind Flay, Mind Sear and Mind Blast by 2%/4%.
• Darkness (5) - Increases your Shadow spell damage by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10%.

Tier 7

(30 points required)

• Shadowform (1) - Requires 1 point(s) in Vampiric Embrace. 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. The defining talent of the tree.
• Shadow Power (5) - Increases the critical strike chance of your Mind Blast and Shadow Word: Death spells by 3%/6%/9%/12%/15%.

Tier 8

(35 points required)

• Improved Shadowform (2) - Requires 1 point in Shadowform. Gives your Fades ability a 50%/100% chance to remove all movement impairing effect while in shadowform, and reduce casting and channeling time lost when damaged by 35%/75% while casting any shadow spell in shadowform.
• Misery (3) - Your Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Flay and Vampiric Touch spells also increase the chance for harmful spells to hit by 1%/2%/3% lasting 24 seconds, and increases the damage of your Mind Blast, Mind Flay and Mind Sear spells by an amount equal to 5%/10%/15% of your spell power

Tier 9

(40 points required)

• Psychic Horror (2) - Cause your psychic scream ability to inflict psychic horror on the targets after the fear effect end. Psychic Horror lower all damaged caused by the target by 15%/30% for 6 seconds.
• Vampiric Touch (1) - Causes 650 Shadow damage over 15 seconds to your target and causes all party members to gain mana equal to 5% of any Shadow spell damage you deal. Everyone with a mana bar wants to be in your group because of this talent.
• Pain and Suffering (3) - Your Mind Flay has 33%/66%/100% chance to refresh your Shadow Word: Pain on the target and lower the damage you take from your Shadow Word:Death by 10%/20%/30%.

Tier 10

(45 points required)

• Twisted Faith (5) - Increase your spell power by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10% of your total Spirit and your damage done by your Mind Flay or Mind Blast is increased by 2%/4%/6%/8%/10% if the target is afflicted by your Shadow Word: Pain.

Tier 11

(50 points required)

• Dispersion (1) - Requires 1 point in Vampiric Touch. You disperse into pure Shadow energy, reducing all damage taken by 90%. You are unable to attack or cast spells, but you regenerate 6% mana every 1 sec for 6 seconds. Dispersion can be cast while stunned, feared or silenced.

World of Warcraft Wikibase™

Spell Hit Caps:

• 290 hit is the cap with 6 points between Shadow Focus and Misery
• 315 hit before you can go to 5 points between Shadow Focus and Misery
• 341 hit before you can go to 4 points between Shadow Focus and Misery
• 368 hit before you can go to 3 points between Shadow Focus and Misery
• 394 hit before you can go to 2 points between Shadow Focus and Misery
• 420 hit before you can go to 1 point between Shadow Focus and Misery
• 446 hit before you can go to 0 points between Shadow Focus and Misery