Shadow Priest / Rogue / Mage
Shadow Priest/Rogue/Mage is an aggressive variant of RMP that trades Disc Priest's healing safety for Shadow Priest's damage and Vampiric Embrace sustain. The burst is higher than standard RMP — Shadow Word: Death, Mind Blast, and SW:Pain add significant damage to the Rogue/Mage burst window. The risk is that Shadow Priest is a much worse healer, so if the opener fails, you're more vulnerable than traditional RMP.
General Strategy
All-in burst. Sap one, Poly one, all three DPS the third. Shadow Priest adds Mind Blast + SW:Death to the Rogue/Mage burst. Vampiric Embrace provides group healing during damage. Must kill in the opener or first re-open — long games are very hard without a real healer.
Matchups
vs WLD (Warrior / Lock / Druid)
Very hard. WLD survives your burst and outlasts you. Must kill Druid in opener. Sap Warrior, Poly Lock, all-in Druid. If Druid survives, you probably lose.
- Must kill in opener
- Sap Warrior, Poly Lock, kill Druid
- If opener fails, very hard
- WLD outlasts you
- Worst common matchup
vs RMP (Rogue / Mage / Priest)
Whoever opens first wins. Your burst is higher. Their healing is better. Open on Disc Priest — squishy. Track enemy Rogue.
- Whoever opens first wins
- Your burst > their burst
- Open on Disc Priest
- Track enemy Rogue
- Higher burst, less sustain
vs Warrior / Druid / Priest
Double healer is very hard to burst. Must kill one healer in opener. Sap Warrior, Poly one healer, kill the other. Pain Suppression makes this tough.
- Hard to burst through double healer
- Kill one healer in opener
- Sap Warrior, CC one healer
- Pain Suppression is problematic
- Uphill battle
vs RLS (Rogue / Lock / Shaman)
Both burst-oriented. Open on Shaman. Sap Rogue, Poly Lock. Your burst kills Shaman. Soul Link is annoying if they open on you — Shadowform helps survive.
- Open on Shaman
- Sap Rogue, Poly Lock
- Your burst kills Shaman
- Shadowform helps survive
- Opener decides
vs Warlock / Shaman / Warrior
Open on Shaman. Sap Warrior, Poly Lock. Burst Shaman down. Survive with Shadowform + VE. After Shaman dies, Lock/Warrior can't sustain.
- Open on Shaman
- Sap Warrior, Poly Lock
- Shaman dies to burst
- VE for sustain
- Cleanup after Shaman
vs PHD (Paladin / Hunter / Druid)
Kill the Hunter. Sap Paladin, Poly Druid. All-in Hunter. If opener fails, double healer outlasts you. Mass Dispel Bubble.
- Kill the Hunter
- Sap Paladin, Poly Druid
- Mass Dispel Bubble
- Must kill in opener
- Double healer outlasts you
vs Mage / Lock / Priest
Both caster comps. Open on their Priest. Sap Lock, Poly Mage. Your burst > their burst. Soul Link is annoying but Priest is still squishy.
- Open on their Priest
- Sap Lock, Poly Mage
- Your burst is higher
- Priest is squishy
- Opener determines game
vs Warrior / Paladin / Druid
Passive comp. All-in one healer. Sap Warrior, Poly one healer, kill the other. Bubble forces Mass Dispel. Must kill in opener.
- All-in one healer
- Sap Warrior
- Mass Dispel Bubble
- Must kill in opener
- Passive comp is still tanky
vs Hunter / Shaman / Warrior
Open on Shaman. Sap Warrior, Poly Hunter. Burst kills Shaman. Watch for Flare. After Shaman, cleanup.
- Open on Shaman
- Sap Warrior, Poly Hunter
- Shaman dies to burst
- Watch for Flare
- Cleanup after Shaman