DPS Rotation & Cooldowns

This rotation offers a general priority list for Shadow Priest abilities, along with key cooldowns at the bottom. It's based on a standard build and is here to help while we work on a smarter, build-aware system. If you are very new to the game or this class, we added info on the new assisted rotation features at the bottom of this guide. Updated for the latest patch in World of Warcraft: Midnight Pre-Patch (12.0.0).

Single Target

Ensure Shadowform is active before combat begins.

• Shadow Word PainView detailsIf not active on the target.
• Vampiric TouchView detailsMaintain via Tentacle Slam or hard cast.
• VoidformView detailsEnter Voidform on cooldown.
• Power InfusionView detailsUse with other cooldowns.
• Void Volley
• Shadow Word MadnessView detailsSpend Insanity if not active or about to cap.
• Mind Flay InsanityView detailsIf Shadow Word Madness is active.
• Mind Blast
• Shadow Word DeathView detailsIf target is in execute range.
• Mind FlayView detailsUse as filler.

Maintain Shadow Word Pain and Vampiric Touch, enter Voidform on cooldown, and prioritize Shadow Word Madness to avoid capping Insanity. Use Mind Flay Insanity and Mind Blast as fillers.

AoE

• Shadow Word PainView detailsApply to all targets.
• Vampiric TouchView detailsMaintain on multiple targets.
• VoidformView detailsEnter Voidform on cooldown.
• Void Volley
• Shadow Word MadnessView detailsSpend Insanity if not active or about to cap.
• Mind Flay InsanityView detailsIf Shadow Word Madness is active.
• Mind Blast
• Tentacle SlamView detailsUse for cleave damage.
• Shadow Word DeathView detailsIf target is in execute range.
• Mind FlayView detailsUse as filler.

Apply Shadow Word Pain and Vampiric Touch to all targets, enter Voidform on cooldown, and prioritize Shadow Word Madness to avoid capping Insanity. Use Tentacle Slam for cleave and Mind Flay as filler.

Cooldowns

• Power InfusionView detailsUse on yourself or an ally for maximum haste benefit.
• VoidformView detailsUse on cooldown and align with other major abilities.
• HaloView detailsUse early in cooldown sequences for ramp-up effects.

Use Power Infusion for haste, Voidform on cooldown, and Halo early in sequences to maximize its effects.

New to Class? Try Assisted Rotation

Patch 11.1.7 introduced new features that make it eaiser to pick and play new characters. These new settings can be enabled from settings » gameplay enhancements:

• Single-Button Assistant
• Assisted Highlight
• Cooldown Manager

If you are new to World of Warcraft or a certain class, enabling Assisted Highlight and Cooldown Manager can help you learn which abilities to prioritize and use.

While the Single-Button Assistant can be a much easier and more accessible way to play the game, it does come with a slight performance hit due to a small GCD penalty, as you will have to wait 25% longer in between spells and abilities.

To see which specs are best with the Single-Button Assistant feature, you can check out our DPS Rankings which uses SimC to sim every class using this feature.