Arcane Mage
vs
Shadow Priest
Debating whether to play a Shadow Priest or Arcane Mage? Knowing which currently performs better DPS in PvE might help make a decision.
This page analyzes multiple simulations for both Shadow Priests and Arcane Mages using profiles and settings intended to achieve their maximum DPS. Multiple sim environments are used to test how they perform in various conditions. Is one the AoE king? Does one scale better with gear upgrades? Is one more bursty, and more reliant on big cooldowns? Below analyzes the data to find the strengths of each.
Simulation results were created with SimulationCraft
Using game data from Patch 10.2.7 • WoW Dragonflight •
- Arcane Mage
Simplest Gameplay
Arcane Mage has fewer damaging abilities which could indicate a simpler rotation.
Shadow PriestBest boss DPS (in perfect settings)
Shadow Priest achieved 0.81% more maximum boss DPS than Arcane Mage when there was no movement or lag.
Best boss DPS (in realistic settings)
Shadow Priest achieved 24.65% more maximum boss DPS than Arcane Mage when dealing with occasional movement, lag and crowd-control.
Best AoE DPS (in perfect settings)
Shadow Priest achieved 6.41% more AoE DPS than Arcane Mage when there was no movement or lag.
Least affected by movement (single-target)
Shadow Priest’s single-target DPS was -80.5% less affected by increased movement compared to Arcane Mages.
Best gear scaling
Shadow Priest scaled better with increased item-levels, single-target DPS benefited 3.11% more from 446 ilvl to 488 compared to Arcane Mages.
DPS less dependant on big cooldowns
Shadow Priest’s DPS is less bursty, meaning it had more consistent damage. With 26.52% less difference in lowest and peak DPS during a fight when compared to Arcane Mages.
While the above highlights the DPS advantages between Arcane Mage and Shadow Priests, the DPS potential should not be the only factor in your decision. Ultimately, you should also consider the playstyle that you enjoy most while crushing it in Mythics+ and Raids!
Resources
More Spec Comparisons