Shadow Word: Pain

"SWP" redirects here. For the raid instance, see Sunwell Plateau.

Shadow Word: Pain
Shadow Word: Pain Level 3 priest ability 40 yd range 4% of base mana Instant cast A word of darkness that causes X Shadow damage instantly, and an additional Y Shadow damage over 18 sec.
Usable by
Class	Priest
Properties
Type	Offensive
School	Shadow
Cooldown	None/Global Cooldown
Other information
Level learned	3
Improvements	[Shadowy Apparitions]
Related debuff
Magic Shadow Word: Pain [Y/6] Shadow damage every 3 seconds. Duration: 18 sec

"Your pain is my pleasure." — Omedus the Punisher

This spell envelopes a target briefly in a cloud of dark energy conjured from the netherworld.

Shadow Word: Pain is a Shadow Word - a Shadow-based damage over time Priest spell with a direct damage component. It deals damage over 18 seconds, and a smaller amount (equal to a single tick) instantly.

Improvements

Specializations

• [Shadowy Apparitions]

Notes

• Like all damage over time spells, sufficient haste will cause Shadow Word: Pain to grant extra ticks.
• Shadow Word: Pain receives 29.3% spell power.
• The level 70 Absolution Regalia 2-piece set bonus extends the spell's duration by 3 seconds, adding at least one tick.

In the World of Warcraft: Trading Card Game.

Tips and tactics

Shadow priests use Shadow Word: Pain (SW:P) as one of their key DoTs, with [Shadowy Apparitions] improving its damage considerably. As an instant cast DoT which does not consume [Shadow Orbs], it can also be useful for preventing rogues from stealthing and dealing damage while on the move.

Unlike most DoTs, Shadow Word: Pain has an initial direct damage component that will interrupt flag captures and similar processes, making it highly useful for this purpose. This makes SW:P the shadow priest's only instant spammable direct damage ability.

Although costly and time-consuming, in mobile situations such as when chasing a fleeing target, the direct damage generated by repeatedly casting SW:P on the target will deal damage more quickly than simply allowing SW:P to tick.

Patches and hotfixes

• Hotfix (2013-03-12): "Shadow Word: Pain now deals 25% less damage."
  
• Hotfix (2013-03-05): "Shadow Word: Pain now deals 25% more damage."
  
• Hotfix (2012-09-14): "Shadow Word: Pain should now interrupt flag captures and other similar processes with its initial damage (but not its periodic damage over time)."
  
• Patch 5.0.4 (2012-08-28): Now also deals damage instantly in addition to the DoT.
  
• Patch 4.2.0 (2011-06-28): Shadow Word: Pain damage done has been decreased by 12%.
  

See also

• Shadow Word: Pain TCG Card

External links

• Wowhead
• WoWDB