Ipos

Consumables and raid buffs help mitigate the lack of abilities like lifetap and evocation. Gotta pretty much wait until ZG as well for the 16 debuff slots and god knows when we will get ZG on fresh server, maybe 6 months? Itemization is miserable as well and you have a relatively small number of abilities. Don't play SPriest and expect a smooth experience.

That's wrong. I tried it on nostalrius third stress test and it did work. Keep in mind however it only works every 3 secs or so.

With a bit of spell power (400ish) you get around 1k damage out of one shadow guard cycle (9 seconds I believe it takes to deplete) since in my testing I got 50% of spell power on each orb. You can clear two cycles of shadow guard assuming you're being attacked in the time it takes for devouring to finish. Devouring does heal you a bit but the amount is relatively marginal and the 30% chance to stun per cycle of shadowguard + 3 procs of shadow weaving is better. 4 classes can remove devouring as well, it has a 3 minute CD unlike shadowguard which can instantly be recast and also does not eat up a GCD when you are being jumped since it's pre-cast. Outside of duels only priests will dispel shadow guard and it's better if you lose shadow guard than PW:fortitude, you can recast it for 205 mana (i.e. non-issue). I believe dots do not trigger it however, only direct damage abilities and pets can eat the charges. Overall I find shadow guard a better ability and it helps with leveling. BUUUUT keep in mind undead still get 10% chance to proc stun and deal a small bit of damage with touch of weakness and WOTF is arguably better than having a better damage ability. troll berserking is pretty useless. it's up to you, I'd chose based on aesthetics really.

I tested Shadowguard on final stress test and it DOES proc blackout, this does NOT happen on some other servers like retrowow. It also procs shadowweaving. Berserking is largely pointless anyway for SPriest.