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Priest Builds

Rotations & Guide · PvE · PvP · Builds · Abilities · Talent Calculator · Macros · Changes vs Classic

Priests are cloth healers and shadow casters. Forever gives them a large new toolkit: Penance for Discipline, Binding Heal, Litany of Light and Prayer of Mending for Holy (all talents), and baseline Shadow Word: Death for Shadow. Divine Spirit is now a trainer spell at 30. Several new spells are racial: Contingency Plan and Confounding Flash (Gnome), Divine Grace (Human), Dark Sacrifice (Undead) and Chastise (Dwarf).

Discipline: Wand and Shield Leveling (level 20)

A low-downtime leveling build: a harder-hitting wand, a stronger shield, more reliable Smites and Holy Fires, stronger instant spells and a first rank of Meditation, so you chain pulls with fewer stops to drink.

• Wand Specialization 2/2: Both ranks raise your wand damage by 25% (13% at rank 1). The wand costs no mana, so finishing every enemy with it is how a Discipline priest keeps drinking to a minimum.
• Twin Disciplines 3/5: Three ranks add 3% to the damage and healing of your instant spells, and Shadow Word: Pain and Renew are instants you cast in almost every fight. Power in Light, the other damage talent in tier 1, only works on targets burning with your Holy Fire, which you don't learn until 20.
• Improved Power Word: Shield 3/3: All three ranks make Power Word: Shield absorb 20% more (7% and 14% at ranks 1 and 2), so the shield you cast before each pull soaks more hits and protects your casts for longer.
• Holy Precision 2/3: Two ranks improve your chance to hit with Holy spells by 12%. A missed Smite or Holy Fire wastes the whole cast and its mana, which hurts most against elites and enemies above your level.
• Meditation 1/3: Rank 1 lets 17% of your mana regeneration continue while casting, so some mana keeps coming back during the fight; ranks 2 and 3 (33% and 50%) follow at 30.

Keep Inner Fire and Power Word: Fortitude up, and shield yourself before every pull. Open with Mind Blast or, from level 20, Holy Fire, add Shadow Word: Pain, then let your wand finish the enemy so you start the next pull with more mana. Smite is the filler if the wand is too slow. If a second enemy joins, Psychic Scream buys time. Take Wand Specialization and Twin Disciplines with your first five points, Improved Power Word: Shield and Holy Precision from 15, and Meditation at 20. Some races get extra tools: Night Elves add Starshards (300 Arcane damage over 6 sec at rank 2), Dwarves get Desperate Prayer as an instant self-heal, and Gnomes get Confounding Flash to escape a bad pull.

Discipline: Shield Healer for Dungeons (level 20)

For healing level 20 dungeons: Twin Disciplines strengthens Renew, Improved Power Word: Shield adds 20% to every shield, Silent Resolve lowers the threat of your heals, and Meditation keeps some mana coming back while you cast.

• Twin Disciplines 5/5: All five ranks add 5% to the healing of your instant spells, and Renew, which you keep on the tank all fight, is your main one at this level. Tier 1 has no other healing talent, and tier 2 needs five points here.
• Improved Power Word: Shield 3/3: All three ranks add 20% to every Power Word: Shield absorb (7% and 14% at ranks 1 and 2), your most-used spell as a Discipline healer.
• Silent Resolve 2/3: Two ranks lower the threat of your Holy spells by 20%, and your heals are Holy spells, so monsters stay on the tank; they also shorten stuns, fears and silences on you by 10%.
• Meditation 1/3: Rank 1 lets 17% of your mana regeneration continue while casting, which helps a healer who rarely stops casting; ranks 2 and 3 (33% and 50%) come at 30.

Buff the group with Power Word: Fortitude, shield the tank as the pull starts and keep Renew on them. Heal (a 3 sec cast) is your efficient heal, Flash Heal your fast one, and Lesser Heal tops people up cheaply. A shielded target can't be shielded again for 15 sec, so time the shield for the start of the pull and for damage spikes. If monsters turn on you, Fade, then shield yourself. Mana is the limit at this level, so drink between pulls rather than starting the next one half empty. Some races get extra safety nets: Gnomes can put Contingency Plan on the tank before a boss, and Humans get Divine Grace, an instant heal on an ally below 50% health that also clears Weakened Soul.

Discipline: Holy Fire and Penance Leveling (level 30)

The level 20 leveling build carried on to 30, the current beta cap: Power in Light makes Smite and Penance hit 10% harder on targets burning with your Holy Fire, Meditation reaches 50%, Mental Agility makes your spells cheaper, and all 21 points lead to Penance.

• Wand Specialization 2/2: Both ranks add 25% wand damage; the wand is still your mana-free finisher.
• Twin Disciplines 3/5: Three ranks add 3% to the damage and healing of your instant spells, which now include Penance as well as Shadow Word: Pain and Renew.
• Power in Light 5/5: All five ranks make Smite and Penance deal 10% more damage (2% per rank) to targets afflicted with your Holy Fire, so open with Holy Fire and follow with Smite and Penance while it burns.
• Improved Power Word: Shield 3/3: All three ranks make Power Word: Shield absorb 20% more, so your pre-pull shield lasts longer.
• Holy Precision 2/3: Two ranks improve your chance to hit with Holy spells by 12%, so fewer Smites, Holy Fires and Penances are wasted.
• Meditation 3/3: All three ranks let 50% of your mana regeneration continue while casting, up from 17% at rank 1, so you drink far less between pulls.
• Mental Agility 2/3: Two ranks cut the mana cost of Smite, Holy Fire and your instant spells by 7%; Shadow Word: Pain, Power Word: Shield, Renew and Penance are all instant.
• Penance 1/1: Teaches Penance: 81 Holy damage to an enemy, or 184 healing to an ally, instantly and every 1 sec for 2 sec. It's a tier 5 talent, so it needs 20 points in the tiers above it, which is why every other point in this build is in Discipline too.

Shield, open with Holy Fire so Power in Light is active, then Smite and Penance while it burns, with Shadow Word: Pain and Mind Blast for extra damage; let the wand finish. Penance heals you instead when a fight goes badly: 184 healing instantly and every 1 sec for 2 sec, on a 12 sec cooldown. Divine Spirit, which every priest now learns from the trainer at 30, adds 17 Spirit for 1 hour, and with Meditation at 50% that Spirit keeps working while you cast. Night Elves also get Starshards (528 Arcane damage over 6 sec at rank 3). The talent teaches Penance rank 1; the trainer sells rank 2 at 40, rank 3 at 50 and rank 4 at 60.

Discipline: Shield and Penance Healer (level 30)

For healing dungeons at the level 30 cap: Penance joins the shield, Soul Warding takes away the shield's cooldown and makes it cheaper, Meditation reaches 50%, and Inner Focus makes one big heal free. Divine Spirit is a trainer spell at 30 in Forever, so it no longer costs points.

• Twin Disciplines 5/5: All five ranks add 5% to the healing of your instant spells: Renew and now Penance.
• Improved Power Word: Shield 3/3: All three ranks add 20% to every Power Word: Shield absorb, and all three are required for Soul Warding.
• Silent Resolve 2/3: Two ranks lower the threat of your Holy spells, heals included, by 20% and shorten stuns, fears and silences on you by 10%.
• Meditation 3/3: All three ranks let 50% of your mana regeneration continue while casting, which is what keeps a healer going through long dungeon pulls.
• Inner Focus 1/1: Your next spell costs 100% less mana and, if it's a non-periodic spell, gains 25% critical chance; pair it with Prayer of Healing, your most expensive heal. Since the 1 October build the critical bonus no longer applies to periodic effects such as Renew.
• Mental Agility 3/3: All three ranks lower the mana cost of your instant spells by 10%, and a Discipline healer's shields, Renews and Penances are all instant.
• Soul Warding 1/1: Takes 4 sec off Power Word: Shield's cooldown and 15% off its mana cost. The shield's cooldown is 4 sec, so this removes it, and you can shield several players back to back when a pull goes wrong.
• Mental Strength 2/5: Two ranks raise your total Intellect by 6%, a bigger mana pool for long fights.
• Penance 1/1: Teaches Penance: 184 healing to an ally, or 81 Holy damage to an enemy, instantly and every 1 sec for 2 sec. The talent teaches rank 1; trainers sell rank 2 at 40, rank 3 at 50 and rank 4 at 60.

Shield the tank, use Penance on whoever needs it most every time its 12 sec cooldown is up, and keep Renew rolling. With Soul Warding the shield has no cooldown, so shield anyone a loose monster hits; Weakened Soul still stops you shielding the same player again for 15 sec. Heal rank 3 (490 to 556) is the efficient heal and Flash Heal the fast one. Prayer of Healing heals the target's whole party but costs 410 mana at rank 1, so it's the best use of Inner Focus. Cast Divine Spirit, learned from the trainer at 30, and Power Word: Fortitude on the group before the first pull. Renewed Hope and Divine Aegis sit deeper in the tree and need more points than a level 30 character has. Gnomes add Contingency Plan (the client doesn't include its shield and heal amounts yet) and Humans add Divine Grace, both on 10 min cooldowns.

Discipline: Silent Resolve Shield PvP (level 20)

For PvP at level 20: Silent Resolve shortens the stuns, fears and silences that stop a healer by 15%, Twin Disciplines strengthens the instant spells you cast on the move, Improved Power Word: Shield adds to your shield, and Inner Focus gives you one free spell with extra critical chance when a fight turns. It gives up the dungeon build's Meditation, so drink between fights.

• Twin Disciplines 5/5: All five ranks add 5% to the damage and healing of your instant spells, and in PvP you cast mostly instants: Renew on the run and Shadow Word: Pain on anyone chasing you. Tier 2 needs five points here.
• Silent Resolve 3/3: All three ranks shorten stuns, fears and silences on you by 15% (5% per rank), the reason a Discipline priest takes it in PvP. Its 30% threat reduction only matters against monsters.
• Improved Power Word: Shield 2/3: Two ranks make Power Word: Shield absorb 14% more. While the shield holds, damage doesn't interrupt your casts, so a bigger shield keeps your heals going for longer; the third rank comes at 30.
• Inner Focus 1/1: Your next spell costs 100% less mana and, if it's a non-periodic spell, gains 25% critical chance: a free Flash Heal when you're being focused, or a free Mind Blast to finish someone. It takes the place of Meditation from the dungeon build.

Before a fight, keep Power Word: Fortitude and Inner Fire up and shield yourself; while the shield holds, damage doesn't interrupt your casts. Heal with Flash Heal when you're under pressure and with Heal when nobody is hitting you, and keep Renew on whoever is taking damage. Psychic Scream breaks up melee players who reach you, Fear Ward protects you or a teammate from the next fear, and Dispel Magic strips a buff from an enemy or clears a harmful spell from a friend. Save Inner Focus for a free Flash Heal when you're focused, or a free Mind Blast to finish a fleeing enemy. Your race adds a lot here: Dwarves get Desperate Prayer and Chastise, Humans Divine Grace and Feedback, Gnomes Confounding Flash and Contingency Plan, Night Elves Elune's Grace and Starshards, Undead Touch of Weakness and Dark Sacrifice, and Trolls Hex of Weakness and Shadowguard.

Discipline: Shield and Mana Burn PvP (level 30)

For PvP at the level 30 cap: the level 20 PvP build plus Martyrdom against melee critical hits, Soul Warding for back-to-back shields, Improved Mana Burn to drain enemy healers faster, Improved Inner Fire against melee, Mental Agility for cheaper instant spells, and Penance. Compared with the dungeon healing build it gives up Meditation and Mental Strength for Martyrdom and a faster Mana Burn.

• Twin Disciplines 5/5: All five ranks add 5% to the damage and healing of your instant spells, now including Penance.
• Silent Resolve 3/3: All three ranks shorten stuns, fears and silences on you by 15%. The threat reduction only matters against monsters.
• Improved Power Word: Shield 3/3: All three ranks make Power Word: Shield absorb 20% more, and all three are required for Soul Warding.
• Martyrdom 2/2: Both ranks give a 100% chance to gain Focused Casting for 6 sec after you take a melee or ranged critical strike: you stop losing casting time to damage and resist Interrupt effects 20% better, just when a Warrior or Rogue is hitting hardest.
• Inner Focus 1/1: Your next spell costs 100% less mana and, if it's a non-periodic spell, gains 25% critical chance: a free emergency heal, or a free Mana Burn.
• Mental Agility 2/3: Two ranks lower the mana cost of Smite, Holy Fire and instant spells by 7%; your shields, Renew, Shadow Word: Pain, Psychic Scream, Dispel Magic and Penance are all instant.
• Soul Warding 1/1: Takes 4 sec off Power Word: Shield's cooldown and 15% off its cost, so you can shield yourself and then a teammate without waiting.
• Improved Mana Burn 2/2: Both ranks take 1.0 sec off Mana Burn's cast (0.5 sec at rank 1), so you spend less time open to interrupts while you drain an enemy healer or caster.
• Improved Inner Fire 1/3: Rank 1 adds 15% to Inner Fire's armor and 4 more charges, so it lasts longer when a Warrior or Rogue is on you.
• Penance 1/1: Teaches Penance: 184 healing to a teammate or 81 Holy damage to an enemy, instantly and every 1 sec for 2 sec, so it's both your quickest heal and an instant finisher.

The level 20 plan with more tools. Penance heals an ally or damages an enemy instantly and every 1 sec for 2 sec, so it's both your quickest heal and an instant finisher. Mana Burn, learned at 24, is your answer to enemy healers and casters: this build shortens its cast, and Inner Focus can make it free. Soul Warding takes away Power Word: Shield's cooldown, so you can shield yourself and a teammate back to back, and Martyrdom protects your casts after a melee critical hit once the shield is gone. Keep Inner Fire up against melee and recast it when the charges run out, and put Shadow Protection on yourself against Warlocks and Shadow Priests. Mind Control, learned at 30, can take a humanoid enemy out of a fight, but it's a long cast, so only start it when nobody is hitting you.

Holy: Smite Leveling (level 20)

A Holy damage build for leveling: Divine Fury speeds up Smite and Holy Fire, Twilight Focus gives your casts a 70% chance to shrug off interruption from damage, and five points in Divine Fury set up Searing Light at 25.

• Twilight Focus 3/3: All three ranks give a 70% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage on any spell (23% and 47% at ranks 1 and 2), so Smite keeps going while an enemy hits you.
• Holy Specialization 2/5: Two ranks add 2% critical chance to Holy spells such as Smite and Holy Fire, and bring tier 1 to the five points tier 2 needs.
• Divine Fury 5/5: All five ranks take 0.5 sec off Smite, Holy Fire, Heal and Greater Heal (0.1 sec per rank), and all five are required for Searing Light at 25.
• Holy Nova 1/1: Teaches Holy Nova: 25 to 29 Holy damage to every enemy within 10 yards and 47 to 55 healing to your party there, with no threat. A small extra for when enemies crowd you; trainers sell rank 2 at 28.

Shield yourself, open with Holy Fire from range, then Shadow Word: Pain. Smite is your main nuke, with Mind Blast on cooldown and the wand to finish. Forever lowered Smite's base damage but raised its spell power coefficient to 0.714 from rank 3, so spell damage on gear makes it much stronger. Holy Nova's damage is small and rank 1 costs 185 mana, so keep it for tight spots rather than using it as your pack rotation. Before 20, put your first five points into Twilight Focus and Holy Specialization and the next five into Divine Fury. Night Elves can add Starshards (300 Arcane damage over 6 sec at rank 2) after Shadow Word: Pain.

Holy: Renew and Heal Dungeon Healer (level 20)

For healing level 20 dungeons: a 15% stronger Renew, more critical heals from Holy Specialization, a Heal that's half a second faster, and Holy Nova for groups that stand together.

• Improved Renew 3/3: All three ranks add 15% to Renew's healing (5% per rank), the heal you'll keep on the tank all fight; Blizzard's notes say Renew can now land critical hits too.
• Holy Specialization 2/5: Two ranks add 2% critical chance to your Holy spells, which covers every heal, and bring tier 1 to the five points tier 2 needs.
• Divine Fury 5/5: All five ranks take 0.5 sec off the cast of Heal, your main heal at this level, and of Greater Heal later.
• Holy Nova 1/1: Teaches Holy Nova: heals all party members within 10 yards for 47 to 55 and damages enemies there with no threat, good when the group is stacked on the tank.

Keep Renew on the tank and use Heal as your main heal; Divine Fury makes it a quicker cast, so start it as soon as the tank takes damage. Flash Heal is for spikes and Power Word: Shield for sudden danger. When everyone is standing together, Holy Nova heals the whole group without threat, though at 185 mana it's not cheap. Fade if your heals pull monsters off the tank. Humans also get Divine Grace, an instant heal for an ally who drops below 50% health.

Holy: Smite Leveling with Searing Light (level 30)

The level 20 Smite build carried on to 30, the current beta cap: Searing Light adds 5% Holy damage and free Holy Novas, Holy Reach adds range, Blessed Recovery heals back big hits, and Holy Specialization reaches 5%.

• Twilight Focus 3/3: All three ranks give a 70% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage on any spell.
• Holy Specialization 5/5: All five ranks add 5% critical chance to Smite, Holy Fire and Holy Nova.
• Divine Fury 5/5: All five ranks take 0.5 sec off Smite and Holy Fire, and all five unlock Searing Light.
• Holy Nova 1/1: Hits enemies within 10 yards and heals your party there with no threat; rank 2 from the trainer at 28 deals 45 to 53, and Searing Light can make it free.
• Blessed Recovery 3/3: After a melee or ranged critical hit, or a single attack that takes more than 30% of your maximum Health, all three ranks heal you for 25% of the damage over 6 sec (8% and 17% at ranks 1 and 2).
• Searing Light 2/2: Both ranks raise all your Holy damage by 5% and give each periodic tick of Holy Fire a 10% chance to make your next Holy Nova cost no mana.
• Holy Reach 2/2: Both ranks add 20% range to Smite and Holy Fire, so you can pull from further away, and widen Holy Nova by 20%.

Holy Fire from range, then Shadow Word: Pain and Smite, with Mind Blast on cooldown. Searing Light gives each Holy Fire tick a chance to make your next Holy Nova free, so when two enemies reach you, a free Holy Nova is worth casting. Smite rank 5 does only 76 to 86 base damage for 140 mana, so spell damage gear is what makes this build hit hard; until you have some, lean on Mind Blast and the wand, and Night Elves on Starshards too. Penance is a Discipline talent, so a Holy build can't reach it. Divine Spirit, now a trainer spell at 30, adds Spirit for faster regeneration between pulls.

Holy: Holy Healer with Binding Heal (level 30)

For healing dungeons at the level 30 cap: Binding Heal heals the tank and you in one cast, Improved Healing makes your main heals 15% cheaper, Inspiration toughens the tank after critical heals, and Litany of Light refunds mana when you vary your heals.

• Improved Renew 3/3: All three ranks add 15% to Renew's healing, and Blizzard's notes say Renew can now land critical hits.
• Holy Specialization 5/5: All five ranks add 5% critical chance to your Holy spells, every heal included, which also feeds Inspiration.
• Divine Fury 5/5: All five ranks take 0.5 sec off Heal's cast, and off Greater Heal's later.
• Holy Nova 1/1: Heals all party members within 10 yards with no threat when the group is stacked; rank 2 from the trainer at 28 heals 77 to 87.
• Inspiration 2/3: Two ranks make your non-periodic critical heals raise the target's armor by 17% for 15 sec, so a critical Heal on the tank also makes the next hits hurt less.
• Improved Healing 3/3: All three ranks cut 15% off the mana cost of Lesser Heal, Heal and Greater Heal, the heals you cast most.
• Binding Heal 1/1: Teaches Binding Heal: heals a friendly target and you for 223 to 271 in one cast. The talent teaches rank 1; trainers sell rank 2 at 32 and more ranks up to rank 6 at 56.
• Litany of Light 1/2: Rank 1 returns mana equal to 5% of a heal's base cost whenever your previous heal was a different spell, so a Renew, Heal and Binding Heal mix pays you back; rank 2 doubles it to 10% with your next point.

Keep Renew on the tank and use Heal rank 3 (490 to 556) as your main heal. Flash Heal covers spikes, and Binding Heal heals the target and you when you're both hurt. Mixing them isn't just good healing: Litany of Light refunds mana whenever a heal differs from the one before. When most of the party is hurt, Prayer of Healing heals the target's whole party, but at 410 mana it's your most expensive spell. Holy Nova is the no-threat option when everyone is stacked. Cast Divine Spirit, now a trainer spell at 30, on yourself and the other casters. Spirit of Redemption and Spiritual Guidance share Litany of Light's tier; this build takes Litany because it saves mana in every fight.

Holy: Twilight Focus PvP Healer (level 20)

For PvP at level 20: Twilight Focus gives your casts a 70% chance to shrug off interruption from damage, Spell Warding cuts the spell damage you take by 6%, Improved Renew strengthens your instant heal, and Holy Nova is an instant group heal you can cast on the move. Compared with the dungeon healing build it moves points out of Holy Specialization and Divine Fury into defence against casters and interruption.

• Twilight Focus 3/3: All three ranks give a 70% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any spell, the most important PvP talent for a healer who's being hit.
• Improved Renew 2/3: Two ranks add 10% to Renew, your instant heal while you're running, and Blizzard's notes say Renew can now land critical hits.
• Spell Warding 3/5: Three ranks reduce all spell damage you take by 6% (2% per rank), a direct cut to casters' damage on you.
• Divine Fury 2/5: Two ranks take 0.2 sec off Heal, Smite and Holy Fire, and bring the build to the ten points tier 3 needs.
• Holy Nova 1/1: Instantly hits enemies within 10 yards for 25 to 29 Holy damage and heals party members within 10 yards for 47 to 55, so you can heal while you run.

Keep Inner Fire and Power Word: Fortitude up, and shield yourself when an enemy turns to you. Cast Heal when you're safe; Twilight Focus gives you a 70% chance to finish it even while you're hit. When you're chased, switch to instant spells: Renew, Power Word: Shield and Holy Nova. Use Psychic Scream when melee players reach you, Fear Ward on yourself or a teammate before a fight with a fear caster, and Dispel Magic on enemy buffs and on harmful spells on your team. Race tools: Humans get Divine Grace and Feedback, Dwarves Desperate Prayer and Chastise, Gnomes Confounding Flash and Contingency Plan, Night Elves Elune's Grace, Undead Touch of Weakness and Dark Sacrifice, and Trolls Hex of Weakness and Shadowguard.

Holy: Twilight Focus Healer with Binding Heal (level 30)

For PvP at the level 30 cap: the level 20 PvP build plus Binding Heal to heal a teammate and you at once, Blessed Recovery to heal back part of big hits, Improved Healing for cheaper heals, and the full 10% from Spell Warding. Compared with the dungeon healing build it keeps Twilight Focus and Spell Warding and adds Blessed Recovery, at the cost of Holy Specialization, Divine Fury and Litany of Light.

• Twilight Focus 3/3: All three ranks give a 70% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any spell.
• Improved Renew 3/3: All three ranks add 15% to Renew's healing, the heal you keep rolling on yourself during a chase.
• Spell Warding 5/5: All five ranks reduce all spell damage you take by 10%.
• Divine Fury 2/5: Two ranks take 0.2 sec off Heal, so it's quicker to land between enemy attacks.
• Holy Nova 1/1: Instant heal for party members within 10 yards and damage to enemies there, for healing while you move.
• Blessed Recovery 3/3: After a melee or ranged critical hit, or a single attack that takes more than 30% of your maximum Health, all three ranks heal you for 25% of the damage over 6 sec.
• Binding Heal 1/1: Teaches Binding Heal: heals a teammate and you for 223 to 271 in one cast, which suits a healer who's being chased.
• Improved Healing 3/3: All three ranks cut 15% off the mana cost of Lesser Heal, Heal and Greater Heal, the heals you'll cast most in a long battleground.

The same plan as at 20 with bigger tools. Heal rank 3 (490 to 556) is your main heal when you have room to cast, Flash Heal the fast one, and Binding Heal heals a teammate and you together, which suits a healer who's being chased. Prayer of Healing heals a whole party but costs 410 mana at rank 1, so keep it for when most of your group is hurt. Mana Burn (from 24) lets you drain an enemy healer when your team is safe. Penance is a Discipline talent, so a Holy build can't reach it, and Spirit of Redemption is left out because it only helps after you die.

Shadow: Spirit Tap and Mind Flay Leveling (level 20)

The Shadow leveling build: Spirit Tap doubles your Spirit after every kill, Improved Shadow Word: Pain makes it last longer, Shadow Reach adds range, and Mind Flay adds damage and a slow.

• Spirit Tap 5/5: All five ranks give a 100% chance, after you kill a non-trivial target, to increase your Spirit by 100% for 15 sec, and for that time 50% of your mana regeneration continues while casting. Chain your pulls and it keeps your mana coming back between them.
• Shadow Focus 1/5: Rank 1 improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1%, and it's the point that brings tiers 1 and 2 to the ten that Mind Flay's tier needs.
• Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2/2: Both ranks add 6 sec to Shadow Word: Pain (3 sec at rank 1), so one cast covers more of each fight.
• Shadow Reach 2/2: Both ranks add 20% range to your offensive Shadow spells, so you can pull from further away and keep hitting an enemy you've slowed.
• Mind Flay 1/1: Teaches Mind Flay: 63 Shadow damage over 3 sec and a 50% slow, your filler between Mind Blasts and your way to keep melee enemies away. Trainers sell rank 2 at 28.

Shield yourself, open with Mind Blast, then Shadow Word: Pain. Mind Flay fills the gaps and slows the enemy as it closes in. Let the wand finish enemies to save mana; after each kill Spirit Tap doubles your Spirit for 15 sec, so pull the next enemy soon rather than sitting down straight away. Devouring Plague heals you as it deals damage, but it costs 215 mana for 128 damage at rank 1, so keep it for tough enemies. Night Elves should add Starshards (300 Arcane damage over 6 sec at rank 2) after Shadow Word: Pain. Blackout's stun chance is in the PvP build instead, since Spirit Tap saves more time while leveling.

Shadow: Low-Threat Shadow for Dungeons (level 20)

For level 20 dungeons: Shadow Affinity cuts the threat of your Shadow spells by 30%, so you can keep casting Mind Blast without pulling monsters off the tank, and Shadow Focus adds 5% hit for bosses.

• Shadow Focus 5/5: All five ranks improve your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 5%, fewer misses on bosses above your level, and fill the five points tier 2 needs.
• Shadow Affinity 3/3: All three ranks lower the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 30%, which matters because Mind Blast causes a lot of threat.
• Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2/2: Both ranks add 6 sec to Shadow Word: Pain, so it keeps ticking through longer boss fights.
• Mind Flay 1/1: Teaches Mind Flay: 63 Shadow damage over 3 sec, your filler between Mind Blasts, with a 50% slow for monsters that run.

Let the tank hit first, then put Shadow Word: Pain on the main target and fit Mind Blast in on cooldown; Mind Blast causes a lot of threat, so give the tank a few seconds on each new pull. Mind Flay fills the rest, and Night Elves add Starshards whenever it's ready. If a monster comes for you, Fade, then shield yourself. On hard pulls your Power Word: Shield and Renew can take pressure off the healer.

Shadow: Vampiric Embrace Leveling (level 30)

The level 20 Shadow build carried on to 30, the current beta cap: faster Mind Blasts, Shadow Weaving, Vampiric Embrace healing you from your own damage, and a cheaper Devouring Plague that spreads when its target dies.

• Spirit Tap 5/5: All five ranks give a 100% chance to increase your Spirit by 100% for 15 sec after a kill, and since the 1 October build Spirit Tap's own tooltip adds a second trigger: an enemy dying while your Vampiric Embrace is on it.
• Shadow Focus 1/5: Rank 1 improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1% and completes the ten points tier 3 needs.
• Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2/2: Both ranks add 6 sec to Shadow Word: Pain.
• Shadow Reach 2/2: Both ranks add 20% range to your offensive Shadow spells, so you can pull from further and kite with Mind Flay.
• Mind Flay 1/1: Teaches Mind Flay: Shadow damage over 3 sec and a 50% slow, your filler that keeps Shadow Weaving stacked.
• Improved Mind Blast 5/5: All five ranks cut Mind Blast's cooldown by 2.5 sec (0.5 sec per rank), so you cast your hardest-hitting Shadow spell more often.
• Vampiric Embrace 1/1: For 30 sec, your party is healed for 20% of the Shadow damage you deal; solo, that's steady self-healing. With Spirit Tap, an enemy that dies with Vampiric Embrace on it can also trigger Spirit Tap.
• Shadow Weaving 3/3: All three ranks give each Shadow damage spell a 100% chance to add 2% Shadow damage for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times. Blizzard's 1 October notes say Shadow Weaving can no longer fail to apply.
• Devouring Contagion 1/2: Rank 1 cuts Devouring Plague's mana cost by 25%, and if the target dies with it still on, the plague jumps to a nearby enemy within 5 yds for the rest of its duration. Rank 2 (10 yds and a 50% cheaper plague) needs one more point, so level 31 at the earliest.

Put Vampiric Embrace on the target first so your Shadow damage heals you, then Shadow Word: Pain and Mind Blast. Mind Flay fills the gaps and keeps Shadow Weaving stacked. Devouring Plague adds damage and healing on tough enemies (since the 1 October build it can also land critical strikes), and Devouring Contagion makes it cheaper and moves it to a nearby enemy when its target dies, so it pays off most when you fight two at once. Night Elves also get Starshards (528 Arcane damage over 6 sec at rank 3). Shadow Word: Death is learned at 32, above the current level 30 cap, and Shadowform needs level 40 and 30 points in Shadow.

Shadow: Shadow DPS with Vampiric Embrace (level 30)

For dungeons at the level 30 cap: low threat, a stronger and longer-ranged Mind Flay, faster Mind Blasts, Shadow Weaving, Vampiric Embrace healing the whole party from your damage, and Silence to stop a dangerous caster.

• Shadow Focus 5/5: All five ranks improve your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 5%, fewer misses on bosses.
• Shadow Affinity 3/3: All three ranks lower the threat of your Shadow spells by 30%, so Mind Blast is less likely to pull monsters off the tank.
• Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2/2: Both ranks add 6 sec to Shadow Word: Pain.
• Mind Flay 1/1: Teaches Mind Flay: Shadow damage over 3 sec, the filler that keeps Shadow Weaving stacked.
• Improved Mind Flay 2/2: Both ranks make Mind Flay deal 20% more damage and reach 10 yards further. The trade-off is a weaker slow (20% at rank 2), which hardly matters in a dungeon where the tank holds the monsters.
• Improved Mind Blast 3/5: Three ranks cut Mind Blast's cooldown by 1.5 sec; with Shadow Affinity keeping its threat down, you can use it more often.
• Vampiric Embrace 1/1: Heals every party member for 20% of the Shadow damage you deal for 30 sec, which takes pressure off the healer.
• Shadow Weaving 3/3: All three ranks give each Shadow damage spell a 100% chance to add 2% Shadow damage for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times, so steady casting keeps it high.
• Silence 1/1: Silences a target for 5 sec and interrupts its spellcast for 3 sec: the interrupt a Shadow priest otherwise lacks, for a monster casting a heal, a fear or a big spell.

Vampiric Embrace on the main target first, then Shadow Word: Pain, and Mind Blast on cooldown once the tank has threat, with Mind Flay filling the gaps (Night Elves add Starshards). On long fights keep Vampiric Embrace up, since every Shadow spell you cast heals the group. Save Silence for a caster about to finish something dangerous. Fade if a monster turns to you. Devouring Contagion, in Silence's tier, is the alternative if your group already has enough interrupts.

Shadow: Blackout and Mind Flay PvP (level 20)

For PvP at level 20: five ranks of Blackout give every Shadow damage spell a 10% chance to stun, Shadow Reach lets you hit from further away, a longer Shadow Word: Pain keeps ticking on runners, and Mind Flay slows anyone chasing you.

• Blackout 5/5: All five ranks give your Shadow damage spells a 10% chance to stun the target for 3 sec (2% per rank), which can stop a cast or a melee attack before it lands. All five are also required for Improved Psychic Scream at 30.
• Shadow Focus 1/5: Rank 1 improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1%, and it's the point that brings tiers 1 and 2 to the ten that Mind Flay's tier needs.
• Shadow Reach 2/2: Both ranks add 20% range to your offensive Shadow spells, so you can hit casters from further back and keep a slowed melee player in range.
• Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2/2: Both ranks add 6 sec to Shadow Word: Pain, so it keeps ticking on a player who runs out of range.
• Mind Flay 1/1: Teaches Mind Flay: 63 Shadow damage over 3 sec and a 50% slow, so a Warrior or Rogue chasing you reaches you more slowly. It's a Shadow damage spell, so it can also trigger Blackout.

Shield yourself first; while it holds, damage doesn't interrupt your casts. Open with Mind Blast, put Shadow Word: Pain on straight away and keep casting, since every Shadow damage spell can stun through Blackout. When a melee player reaches you, Psychic Scream them away, then Mind Flay to slow them as they come back, and keep Shadow Word: Pain ticking while you move. Devouring Plague heals you as it deals damage, which wins long duels. Race tools: Night Elves add Starshards (300 Arcane damage over 6 sec at rank 2, instant) and Elune's Grace against melee, Undead Touch of Weakness and Dark Sacrifice, Trolls Hex of Weakness (cuts an enemy's healing by 20%) and Shadowguard, Dwarves Chastise's root and Desperate Prayer, Humans Feedback against casters and Divine Grace for a teammate, and Gnomes Confounding Flash.

Shadow: Silence and Blackout PvP (level 30)

For PvP at the level 30 cap: Silence stops an enemy caster or healer, Improved Psychic Scream brings your fear back sooner, Improved Mind Blast adds burst, Shadow Weaving adds damage, and Vampiric Embrace heals you as you fight. In Forever's tree Silence and Vampiric Embrace sit in different tiers, so 21 points reach both.

• Blackout 5/5: All five ranks give your Shadow damage spells a 10% chance to stun the target for 3 sec, and all five are required for Improved Psychic Scream.
• Shadow Focus 1/5: Rank 1 improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1% and completes the ten points tier 3 needs.
• Shadow Reach 2/2: Both ranks add 20% range to your offensive Shadow spells, so you can start on casters from further back.
• Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2/2: Both ranks add 6 sec to Shadow Word: Pain.
• Mind Flay 1/1: Teaches Mind Flay: Shadow damage over 3 sec and a 50% slow for keeping melee players away. Improved Mind Flay would weaken that slow, so the PvP build skips it.
• Improved Psychic Scream 2/2: Both ranks take 4 sec off Psychic Scream's cooldown (2 sec at rank 1), so you can fear melee players more often.
• Improved Mind Blast 3/5: Three ranks cut Mind Blast's cooldown by 1.5 sec, more burst in a short fight.
• Shadow Weaving 3/3: All three ranks give each Shadow damage spell a 100% chance to add 2% Shadow damage for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times. Blizzard's 1 October notes say Shadow Weaving can no longer fail to apply.
• Vampiric Embrace 1/1: For 30 sec, you and your party are healed for 20% of the Shadow damage you deal, so a long duel tilts your way.
• Silence 1/1: Silences the target, preventing them from casting spells for 5 sec and interrupting their spellcasts for 3 sec: the tool that stops a healer's heal or a caster's big spell.

Open with Mind Blast from the edge of your range, then Shadow Word: Pain, and put Vampiric Embrace on your target so your damage heals you. Keep Shadow Weaving stacked with Mind Blast and Mind Flay. Save Silence for the moment an enemy starts a heal or a big spell, or to stop a healer while your team kills their target. Psychic Scream comes back faster, so use it freely against melee players and follow it with Mind Flay's slow. Devouring Plague rank 2 (from 28) heals you as it deals damage. Mind Control, learned at 30, can take a humanoid out of a fight, but it's a long cast. Race tools: Night Elves add Starshards (528 Arcane damage over 6 sec at rank 3), Undead Dark Sacrifice for mana and Touch of Weakness, Trolls Hex of Weakness and Shadowguard, Dwarves Chastise and Desperate Prayer, Humans Feedback and Gnomes Confounding Flash.

Checked against WoW Forever beta build 1.60.1.70170.

Best in slot gear at any level: Discipline, Holy, Shadow

Priest abilities

• Focused Casting
• Lesser Heal (level 1)
• Power Word: Fortitude (level 1)
• Smite (level 1)
• Shadow Word: Pain (level 4)
• Power Word: Shield (level 6)
• Fade (level 8)
• Renew (level 8)
• Confounding Flash (level 10)
• Desperate Prayer (level 10, from the Classic class quest Desperate Prayer (rank 1))
• Divine Grace (level 10)
• Hex of Weakness (level 10, from the Classic class quest Hex of Weakness (rank 1))
• Mind Blast (level 10)
• Resurrection (level 10)
• Starshards (level 10, from the Classic class quest Returning Home (rank 1))
• Touch of Weakness (level 10, from the Classic class quest Touch of Weakness (rank 1))
• Inner Fire (level 12)
• Cure Disease (level 14)
• Psychic Scream (level 14)
• Heal (level 16)
• Dispel Magic (level 18)
• Chastise (level 20, from the Classic class quest A Lack of Fear (rank 1))
• Contingency Plan (level 20)
• Dark Sacrifice (level 20, from the Classic class quest Devouring Plague (rank 1))
• Devouring Plague (level 20)
• Elune's Grace (level 20, from the Classic class quest Elune's Grace)
• Fear Ward (level 20)
• Feedback (level 20, from the Classic class quest Arcane Feedback (rank 1))
• Flash Heal (level 20)
• Holy Fire (level 20)
• Mind Soothe (level 20)
• Shackle Undead (level 20)
• Shadowguard (level 20, from the Classic class quest Shadowguard (rank 1))
• Mind Vision (level 22)
• Mana Burn (level 24)
• Divine Spirit (level 30)
• Mind Control (level 30)
• Prayer of Healing (level 30)
• Shadow Protection (level 30)
• Abolish Disease (level 32)
• Shadow Word: Death (level 32)
• Levitate (level 34)
• Greater Heal (level 40)
• Lightwell (level 40)
• Lightwell Renew (level 40)
• Prayer of Fortitude (level 48)
• Prayer of Shadow Protection (level 56)
• Prayer of Spirit (level 60)