Can Priests Use Daggers in WoW? The Definitive Answer and FAQ Guide

Yes, Priests can use Daggers in World of Warcraft. Throughout the game’s history, Priests have maintained the ability to equip daggers, alongside other weapon types appropriate for their class fantasy, like wands, maces, and staffs. Understanding the practical implications of this ability, however, is key to optimizing your Priest’s gameplay. This article will delve deep into the Priest’s weapon options, focusing on the relevance of daggers and answering frequently asked questions.

Priest Weapon Proficiencies: More Than Just Daggers

The Priest class in World of Warcraft has a defined set of weapon proficiencies that have varied slightly throughout different expansions. Understanding these proficiencies is crucial to knowing what options are available. Generally, Priests can wield:

• Daggers: A common choice, especially during earlier levels.
• Wands: Quintessential Priest weapons, often providing useful stats and spellpower.
• Maces: Usually one-handed, offering a balance of power and support capabilities.
• Staffs: Two-handed weapons providing significant stat bonuses.

While Priests can use daggers, whether they should is another matter, which depends heavily on the specific expansion, available gear, and the Priest’s chosen specialization (Discipline, Holy, or Shadow).

Daggers: A Viable Option for Priests?

In many situations, daggers are not the optimal weapon choice for Priests, especially at higher levels and in end-game content. This is largely due to item level and stat distribution on available gear. However, there are some instances where a dagger might be a good choice:

• Early Levels: Daggers can be readily available and offer stat upgrades as you level.
• Specific Stat Combinations: If a dagger has a particularly favorable combination of stats, such as Critical Strike, Haste, or Intellect, it could be better than other available options, even if the weapon’s base damage is lower.
• Off-hand Use: Some daggers are designed to be used in the off-hand, complementing a primary weapon like a wand or mace.
• Transmogrification: For aesthetic purposes, players might choose to transmogrify their weapon’s appearance to a dagger, regardless of its actual stats.
• Shadow Priests in Specific Circumstances: Certain iterations of Shadow Priests have benefited from daggers due to specific talent interactions or legendary effects. This is less common than other weapon choices, though.

Factors Influencing Weapon Choice

Several factors will ultimately determine the best weapon choice for your Priest:

• Item Level: Generally, a higher item level weapon will be superior, regardless of the weapon type.
• Stats: Intellect is the primary stat for Priests, but secondary stats like Haste, Critical Strike, Mastery, and Versatility also play a significant role.
• Specialization: Each Priest specialization (Discipline, Holy, and Shadow) prioritizes different stats, influencing weapon choice.
• Enchants and Gems: Adding enchants and gems can significantly improve a weapon’s effectiveness.
• Rarity and Availability: Some weapons are simply easier to obtain than others, influencing what players will realistically use.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Priests and Daggers

Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding Priests and their ability to use daggers in World of Warcraft:

1. Can Discipline Priests effectively use daggers?

Discipline Priests can use daggers, but they are typically outperformed by maces or staffs at higher levels due to stat allocation and available item level. The exception would be if a dagger drops with incredibly ideal stats for your Discipline Priest, which does happen on occasion.

2. Are daggers ever BiS (Best in Slot) for any Priest specialization?

While rare, there have been instances where daggers were BiS for specific Priest specializations in particular patches, usually for Shadow Priests due to unique procs or stat weights. This is highly dependent on the current expansion, raid tier, and available items.

3. Do daggers offer any unique advantages for Priests compared to other weapons?

Not inherently. The advantage comes down to the stats that are provided by the item, not the weapon type itself. A dagger offering a perfect combination of stats may be preferable to another weapon.

4. What are the best stats for Priests on daggers?

Intellect is always the most important stat. Beyond that, the optimal secondary stats vary depending on your specialization and current stat weights. Generally, Haste, Critical Strike, Mastery, and Versatility are all valuable. Refer to a class guide for your specific spec to determine stat priority.

5. How does weapon damage affect Priest healing and damage spells?

Weapon damage is no longer a direct factor in spell power calculations. Spellpower comes from intellect and is the main source that drives the damage and healing of a Priest.

6. Should I prioritize a higher item level weapon over a dagger with better stats?

Generally, yes. Item level provides a significant increase in primary stats (Intellect), which usually outweighs the benefits of slightly better secondary stats. However, always sim your character (if possible) or use a stat weight calculator to be absolutely sure.

7. Can I transmog my Priest’s weapon into a dagger?

Yes! Transmogrification allows you to change the appearance of your weapon to any other weapon type you can equip. This means you can make your staff look like a dagger even if you are using it as a staff.

8. Are there any legendary daggers that Priests can use?

Yes. Shadowmourne for example, could technically be equipped by a priest although it is almost always associated with melee classes. Also, some legendary daggers can be equipped but will not provide the unique legendary bonuses.

9. Does the type of weapon affect my auto-attack as a Priest?

Yes, weapon type does affect auto-attack speed and damage, but Priests primarily rely on spells, making auto-attacks a negligible part of their overall damage.

10. Are there any class-specific quests that require Priests to use daggers?

No. Class quests are designed to use various weapons or skills available to your class.

11. How do I determine the best weapon for my Priest?

The best way to determine the best weapon is to use a simulation tool like Raidbots, or a stat weight calculator appropriate for your current expansion. These tools take into account your current gear, talents, and playstyle to determine the optimal stat weights.

12. Is a dagger a good leveling weapon for a Priest?

Daggers are perfectly fine for leveling a Priest, especially if they have good stats. Focus on maximizing your intellect and whatever secondary stats benefit your chosen leveling spec.

13. Where can I find good daggers for my Priest?

Daggers can be found as drops from dungeons, raids, world quests, crafting, and vendors. Using online resources like Wowhead can help you locate specific daggers with desirable stats.

14. Does the weapon type influence my Priest’s casting speed?

No, weapon type does not directly influence casting speed. Haste is the stat that increases your casting speed.

15. What should I do if I find a really high item level dagger, but it’s not ideal for my spec?

Consider the following:

• Equip it Temporarily: If the item level increase is significant, it might still be better to equip it for the raw Intellect boost.
• Vendor or Disenchant: If the stats are truly terrible, you might be better off selling it or disenchanting it for materials.
• Alt Use: If you have an alt character who can use the dagger effectively, consider sending it to them.

In conclusion, while Priests can use daggers, their viability depends on the specific expansion, available gear, and the Priest’s chosen specialization. Always prioritize intellect and the secondary stats that best support your playstyle, and use simulation tools to make informed decisions about your gear.