Shadow Priest leveling build (level 40)

This is a full Shadowform rush: Spirit Tap is the engine, doubling Spirit after kills so you recover while moving to the next pull; Blackout adds random control; Improved Shadow Word: Pain, Shadow Reach, Mind Flay, Improved Mind Flay, Shadow Weaving, Darkness, and Shadowform all multiply the core Shadow rotation. Vampiric Embrace gives passive self-healing on harder targets, while four ranks in Improved Mind Blast keep a strong nuke available without delaying the Shadowform breakpoint.

The gear favors spell power first, then stamina, intellect, spirit, and mp5. Spellpower Goggles Xtreme, Dreamweave Vest/Gloves, Dryad’s Wrist Bindings, Earthen Silk Slippers, and Master Hunter’s Wand are the main damage pieces. Black Cord and Shadoweave Pants lean into Shadow damage specifically. Advisor’s Gnarled Staff plus the two mp5 trinkets give excellent sustain for solo play; if you cannot access both faction-style trinkets, use the matching one for your side and a stamina trinket until you can replace it. Most of the crafted cloth pieces come from Tailoring or Engineering, while Scorn’s Icy Choker is from Scarlet Monastery Graveyard.

Keep Fortitude, Divine Spirit, Inner Fire, and Shadowform up. For normal mobs, open with Starshards when available, apply Shadow Word: Pain and Void Plague only if the target will live long enough, then Mind Blast and Mind Flay. Use Vampiric Embrace on tougher mobs or when you expect to take damage. Shadow Word: Death is your execute, but avoid it if the backlash would endanger you. Shield when low, Psychic Scream when surrounded, then finish safely with wand or Mind Flay to trigger Spirit Tap.