Soul Shard (item)

• Soul Shard
• Conjured Item
• Unique (32)

The Soul Shard is a required reagent for many warlock spells.

Acquiring shards

Soul Shards can be obtained by channeling the [Drain Soul] spell on a mob or a player from which the caster gains experience or [Honor] by killing. If the mob dies while under the effect of Drain Soul, the player is granted a Soul Shard. The warlock talent skill [Shadowburn] requires the use of a Soul Shard when cast; however, if the target dies within five seconds and yields experience or honor, the player gains a Soul Shard back. These skills can be used in PvP.

Usage

The following spells consume a shard when successfully cast:

• [Summon Voidwalker]
• [Summon Succubus]
• [Summon Felhunter]
• [Summon Felguard]
• Enslave Demon
• [Create Healthstone]
• [Create Soulstone]
• [Create Firestone]
• [Create Spellstone]
• [Ritual of Summoning]
• [Shadowburn]
• [Soul Fire]
• [Create Soulwell]
• [Soulshatter]

Heavy usage

The usage of shards varies between warlocks given their particular talents.

Destruction warlocks use [Shadowburn], an instant-cast direct-damage spell that consumes a Soul Shard when cast. If the target dies within 5 seconds, and gives experience, the caster gains a replacement Soul Shard.

Demonology warlocks tend to use slightly more Soul Shards for summoning demons than other warlocks, as they tend to summon more frequently, or use Enslave Demon more often. Also, with Improved Stone talents, demonology warlocks may be more apt to use Healthstones, Spellstones, Firestones.

Raiding warlocks use Soul Shards to create Healthstones for their raid members, and to summon other raid members with [Ritual of Summoning].

Storage

Players can use soul bags to specifically hold Soul Shards in. Their benefit is that they are larger than comparative generic containers, and they automatically sort all incoming Soul Shards to that bag. Their icon on the container bar will have the number of shards remaining displayed upon it.

Notes

It is advised to keep a bag full of these at hand. While leveling, it may be a good idea to keep some in the bank because soloing with the Imp to get a shard can be quite annoying, and sometimes difficult.

As of patch 3.1.0, you could farm soul shards from training dummies, making recovering shards if you run low much easier.

Soul Shards may be refunded to the player if their pet despawns under the following circumstances, providing that the pet required a Soul Shard to be summoned:

• If the player and their pet become separated by too great a distance.
• Zoning under certain circumstances.
• When the player chooses to relearn their talents at a class trainer.
• When the player switches from one talent specialization to another using Dual Talent Specialization.

Cataclysm

Main article: Soul Shard

The new Soul Shard resource mechanic as it appears in the user interface

In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, Soul Shards became a unique resource mechanic integrated with the user interface, appearing beneath the player's health and mana bars similar to Death Knight Runes.

Patch changes

• Patch 4.0.1 (2010-10-12): Now a resource within the user interface instead of an item.
  
• Patch 3.1.0 (2009-04-14): This item now has a maximum count of 32 in inventory.
  
• Patch 1.5.0 (2005-06-07): Honorable kills will now generate a Soul Shard when Drain Soul and Shadowburn are used.
  

External links

• Wowhead
• WoWDB

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