In this article, we explain what the best statistics are for Shadow Priests (WoW 4.3), how the class benefits from each of them, and what your reforging strategy should be. We also detail what the various caps are and why they should be attained. The statistics priority is important as it influences reforging strategies as well as itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

Make sure to check our Gear Optimisation Guide, which serves as a support guide for this article. The other articles of our Shadow Priest guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

1. Basics↑top

The stat priority for a Shadow Priest is:

1. Intellect;
2. Hit Rating or Spirit (until 17%);
3. Haste Rating (until your soft haste cap, see below);
4. Mastery Rating;
5. Critical Strike Rating;
6. Haste Rating.

If you are unsure what the optimal reforging strategy is for this priority, please refer to the reforging section of our Gear Optimisation Guide.

2. Getting a Better Understanding↑top

2.1. Statistics Explanations

Intellect is your most important stat, which provides the most benefit; you should look for this stat in all of your upgrades, as point for point it surpasses any other stat. It provides you with Spell Power and a higher mana pool, and increases your critical strike chance.

Hit Rating (or Spirit) is your second most important stat as it determines your chances to miss a target when casting a spell. Once you have reached the spell hit cap, at 17%, it is no longer necessary to increase your Hit Rating. As a Shadow Priest, any Spirit found on your gear will also provide you its full amount as Hit Rating, making it rather easy to reach the Hit Cap.

Haste Rating influences the cast speed of your spells and increases the number of ticks from your DoTs. After Intellect and Hit Rating, this is your best stat.

Haste Rating is only the best secondary statistic until reaching the soft cap. For more details about this, read our detailed section below.

Mastery Rating increases the damage dealt by your Shadow Orbs. It is, overall, a very good statistic.

Critical Strike Rating increases the critical strike chance of all your spells. It is your worst statistic.

3. Caps↑top

3.1. Hit Cap

As for all caster classes, after 17% hit chance, additional Hit Rating becomes useless. Draenei require 1640 Hit Rating to reach the hit cap, while other races need 1742 Hit Rating.

3.2. Soft Haste Caps

As a Shadow Priest, there are several soft haste caps you can reach:

• at +18.74% spell haste, you gain a second additional tick of Devouring Plague;
• at +24.97% spell haste, you gain a second additional tick of Shadow Word: Pain;
• at +30% spell haste, you gain a second additional tick of Vampiric Touch;
• at +31.26% spell haste, you gain a third additional tick of Devouring Plague;
• at +41.67% spell haste, you gain a third addition tick of Shadow Word: Pain.

Your personal haste cap is whichever haste cap you can attain with your current gear. If the next cap is out of your reach, then you should stop adding more Haste Rating as soon as you have reached your cap.

In the following sections, the +3% spell haste given by Darkness and the +5% spell haste given by Shadowform are accounted for when computing Haste Rating values. For each cap, we list 4 values of Haste Rating, depending on whether Dark Intent is cast on you by a Warlock and whether you are a Goblin.

3.2.1. First Soft Haste Cap

The first soft haste cap is at +18.74% spell haste, when you get a second additional tick of Devouring Plague. The table below will tell you how much Haste Rating you need to reach the first soft haste cap.

Dark Intent?	Goblin?	Haste Rating Needed
NO	NO	1255
NO	YES	1115
YES	NO	845
YES	YES	710

3.2.2. Second Soft Haste Cap

The second soft haste cap is at +24.97% spell haste, when you get a second additional tick of Shadow Word: Pain. The table below will tell you how much Haste Rating you need to reach the second soft haste cap.

Dark Intent?	Goblin?	Haste Rating Needed
NO	NO	1993
NO	YES	1846
YES	NO	1562
YES	YES	1419

3.2.3. Third Soft Haste Cap

The third soft haste cap is at +30% spell haste, when you get a second additional tick of Vampiric Touch. The table below will tell you how much Haste Rating you need to reach the third soft haste cap.

Dark Intent?	Goblin?	Haste Rating Needed
NO	NO	2589
NO	YES	2437
YES	NO	2149
YES	YES	1993

3.2.4. Fourth Soft Haste Cap

The fourth soft haste cap is at +31.26% spell haste, when you get a third additional tick of Devouring Plague. The table below will tell you how much Haste Rating you need to reach the fourth soft haste cap.

Dark Intent?	Goblin?	Haste Rating Needed
NO	NO	2737
NO	YES	2583
YES	NO	2284
YES	YES	2135

3.2.5. The Fifth Soft Haste Cap

The fifth soft haste cap is at +41.67% spell haste, when you get a third additional tick of Shadow Word: Pain. It is only reachable by Goblins, benefiting from Dark Intent, in best-in-slot Tier 13 gear. For completeness' sake, the table below will tell you how much Haste Rating you need to reach the fifth soft haste cap.

Dark Intent?	Goblin?	Haste Rating Needed
NO	NO	3970
NO	YES	3804
YES	NO	3482
YES	YES	3320