Priest Discussion

Many Priests advocate using the 28/33 build. Heck, my priest has the exact same build. But if all of your Priests have Improved Divine Spirit, then doesn’t that kind of render that spec pointless? You may as well change it up and vary it up some. I don’t think you really need 4 Priests with Imp. Divine Spirit, do you? If you examine the holy tree, realize that heals can still get boosted higher. So let’s check out my proposed build and when to put it to good use.

Here’s the overall chart:

Most of these choices are self explanatory, but I’ll highlight the important stuff.

Discipline

Silent Resolve: This one’s an optional one here. If you have trouble with aggro management (or have a really bad tank), then pick this up. Otherwise, blow a point in Absolution and max out Mental Agility to achieve your 20 points in Discipline. My personal stance on this is that Silent Resolve should not be needed due to 1) A Priest who is aware of his/her aggro 2) A tank that can generate insane threat 3) A raid with enough healers to help even out heals on the tank so not anyone healer is over extending him or herself. If you’re somehow catching up to the tank, drop a PW: Shield, Renew, and fade for a few seconds.

Holy

For the most part, the Holy tree is remarkably similar to the standard 28/33 build except for the extra extensions at the end of the tree.

Empowered Healing: 20% extra healed with Greater Heal and 10% extra on Flash and Binding Heal. Ain’t that just peachy? Not much else to say about that besides the fact that it IS awesome to increase your healing by a fairly substantial margin. You may not think 10% is much, but 10% additional healing over a 30 minute is a damn lot of healing.

Circle of Healing: Finally we come to the most controversial spell in the Holy tree. A lot of Priests slam Circle of Healing because they don’t consider it useful or mana efficient or some other excuse that I haven’t thought of. Start thinking in terms of situational healing. Now when would it be a good time for me to ever use a spell similar to Holy Nova, that can be used on any target in a raid, which would heal their party? What class would you surmise takes more damage? That’s right, Melee classes. Face it, these poor suckers have to stay point blank staring at the butt of some boss having to repeatedly run out and bandage before being able to go back in because healers can’t be spared to keep them alive or topped off.

Remember, this spell is entirely situational. I would not recommend speccing Circle of Healing if you are working your way through Karazhan. It’s just not worth it on a ten-man group. But once you get to the 25 man raids, you’ll start having heavy DPS groups consisting of classes like an Enhancement Shaman and four Rogues (hypothetically speaking). On a fight like Voidreaver, who steps on players within Melee range for a lot within a few seconds, a spell like Circle of Healing would be a blessing. Why? You’ve healed about 2500 HP in total. That’s almost the same as a max rank Flash of Light. You can’t use Prayer of Healing because it only heals players within your party. But Circle of Healing heals any player within the raid and their party. One of my fellow Priests in my Guild does this very thing. Every time we engage a boss where Melee classes are allowed to step in, he assigns himself to healing the DPS because his build allows him to do so without much problem. It’s time inefficient to flash heal five times over five players. It’s also inefficient to lob 5 renews. Three or four pumps of Circle of Healing can breathe enough life to your specialist group and ensure damage dealt is still maximized.

Us Priests have so many different Healing spells at our disposal. The trick is to discern which is right for what situation.

What’s one of the biggest thrills you get from playing WoW? Doing a five-man quest with two players.

Doc and I wanted to wrap up the Ashtongue quest series which culminated in you killing a mounted Orc on a Netherdrake. Oh it was a glorious battle indeed. Wave after wave of Shadowmoon Orcs rushed against us the moment we touched down and killed the channelers. Eventually I drew aggro since it was just me and a hunter. Naturally this gave him free reign to just shoot everything. I think there was a point where I was down to 6% health and still managed to survive. What helped was that the incoming mobs were ranged and shooting their pathetic arrows at me. This allowed me enough time to predict their next shot so I can time my heals accordingly. If you ever find yourself being under siege, spam everything you have to stay alive. Remember, forget what you’ve been taught at the academy. In the real world of WoW, the law of the jungle reigns supreme.

Even in WoW, rules are meant to be broken.

As Holy Priests, the main stats we are concerned with are +healing, mana per five, intellect, spirit, and stamina (yes, stamina is up there since we can’t heal if we’re dead). I’ve compiled a list here of the best possible pre-raiding gear you can acquire before venturing into Karazhan. I will also list your gem choices and possible enchants. The ideal professions for Priests would be enchanting and tailoring as we get some awesome BoP recipes for us to use only. This helps maximize our healing and means less dungeon instances we need to do. I know there may be better items to get out there, but this Burning Crusade priest healing gear list shows you the quickest and most cost effective way to gear up your Priest.

Updated 10/13/07: Hallowed Shoulders and Garments as well as Veteran’s Mooncloth Cuffs added. [Thanks Gnomik/Luni]

Updated 11/24/07: Typos fixed. I think.

Updated 07/17/08: Added Shadow Pearls and Star of Elunes for Spirit regen.

Head

Watcher’s Cowl (+79 Healing): It costs about 13 gold but is quite possible one of the best blue cloth healing pieces in the game. I’ve even seen resto druids use it (because they can’t find anything better?). You need to be Revered with Cenarion Expedition to purchase and equip it. Find it at the Quartermaster at the CE Camp in Zangarmarsh.

Whitemend Hood (+79 Healing, 11 Mana Per 5): If you’ve got some extra cash lying around, consider getting this made for you. Difficulty lies in finding a player with the recipe and who has a Nether for sale.

Neck

Necklace of Eternal Hope (+48 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): This one will set you back about 25 heroic badges. If you don’t think you’re geared properly enough for heroics yet, then try the next one which is a little longer to get.

Natasha’s Guardian Cord (+55 Healing, 6 Mana Per 5): You can get this neckpiece from Blade’s Edge Mountains. It’s at the end of a ridiculously long chain quest which starts when you find a Mask on the Ground that you hear voices from. The 9th step in the quest will reward you with this decent neck.

Sethekk Oracle’s Focus (+35 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): Go to Sethekk Halls, get the quest to kill Darkweaver Syth, kill Darkweaver Syth, turn in quest. Voila! Easy neck!

Shoulders

Primal Mooncloth Shoulders (+92 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5): This is a Tailoring Mooncloth recipe which is BoP. It requires:

• 8 Primal Mooncloth
• 8 Primal Life
• 2 Netherweb Spider Silk

But boy is it worth it. The pattern will cost you 6G.

Hallowed Pauldrons: With the amount of times you’ll be running Shadow Labs, odds are high this will drop for you. Grandmaster Vorpil will have this for you.

Back

White Remedy Cape: Easiest cape you can possibly get. It’s a tailoring BoE blue. The pattern itself is a world drop. If you put a tell in trade chat, hopefully you’ll be able to find someone who can create it on your server. It’s Level 69 so you can start shopping for it a little earlier. If you’re on Ner’Zhul, look up Mallet and I can craft it for you. Here’s the mats requirement:

• 6 Bolt of Imbued Netherweave
• 6 Primal Life

Chest

Primal Mooncloth Robe (+121 Healing, 10 Mana Per 5): Best. Healing. Chest. Pre-raid. Ever. If you don’t have Mooncloth tailoring, drop whatever profession it is you have and use it. It’s just about on par with T4.

Hallowed Garments: Killing Murmer could yield this drop for you as well. Good alternative for you non-tailors.

Wrists

Bindings of the Timewalker (+64 Healing): Have a lot of time on your hands? Go run Black Morass a billion times. This sweet bracer comes at a not so sweet price of about 43G and lost hours better spent playing hockey or watching the Office.

Veteran’s Mooncloth Cuffs: The time required to grind out the Honor for this vs the Bindings of the Time Walker would work out in favour of these cuffs. One weekend in Alterac Valley should yield you enough honor points for this PvP item.

Gloves

Gloves of Penitence (+46 Healing): Chances are you might have this. All you had to do was kill Levixus the Soul Caller and it’s yours.

Prismatic Mittens of Mending (+55 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5): Consider upgrading to these once you get the Gloves. The first boss in Botanica, Commander Sarannis drops them.

Belt

Primal Mooncloth belt (+81 Healing, 8 Mana per 5): Finish out the set, get a set bonus where you gain mana back (5% of your mana regen to continue while casting). Like the shoulders, this pattern is also 6G. Mats are:

• 4 Primal Mooncloth
• 2 Netherweb Spider Silk
• 8 Primal Life

Legs

Whitement Pants (+62 Healing, 11 Mana Per 5): The difficulty here would be finding a tailor with the pattern who has a Nether available for use. Nether costs have dropped in price so it shouldn’t be as as before the patch when the only way to get them was killing the end boss in Heroics.

Feet

Jeweled Boots of Sanctification (+55 Healing, 6 Mana Per 5): Dropped by the big bad confused Ogre from Shattered Halls who doesn’t know which way he’s going.

Rings

Keeper’s Ring of Piety (+42 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5): This one’s easy to get. If you’ve been following your Karazhan attunements, then you will have this one by now. The Quest is given by Sa’at in the Caverns of time after you’ve completed Hero of the Brood.

Ring of Convalescence (+57 Healing, 4 Mana Per 5): Requires you to be Revered with Honor Hold (Or Thrallmar). Will cut into your gold pouch with a price of about 18G. Pick it up from the Quartermaster.

Trinkets

Lower City Prayerbook (+70 Healing): Yeah the on use effect sucks. But just look at the passive ability! Besides, -22 mana isn’t that bad. Any mana saved is mana that can be used later. Think of endurance fights. Think of how often you you will use it and think of what that mana can be used for later. Requires a Revered Reputation with Lower City (Shadow Labs loves you).

Scarab of the Infinite Cycle (+70 Healing): Spell haste rating is cool. It makes your spells go faster. Too bad it requires running Black Morass a couple of times.

Weapons (Staff)

Epoch-Mender (+227 Healing, 10 Mana Per 5): For a staff, it’s not the greatest. It drops off of Temporus in the Black Morass. Personally, I would stick to a 1 Hand/Off hand combination until later on. But it’s still a decent staff. If you’re Scryer, opt for the Seer’s Cane instead.

Weapons (1 Hand))

The Essence Focuser (+227 Healing, 11 Mana Per 5): Scout your local auction house as it is a world drop. Unfortunately, no stats.

Gavel of Pure Light (+299 Healing, 8 Mana Per 5): Do lots of Mechanar runs to increase your rep. You need Exalted to be able to buy this from the Quartermaster. This will really make your wallet hurt with a near 192G cost. If you’re lucky, you might be able to get Hammer of the Penitent to drop off of the Mechano-Lord in Mech. Either way, you’ll get a good mace to use.

Weapons (Off Hand)

Netherwing Spiritualist’s Charm (+33 Healing, 6 Mana Per 5): Once you become neutral with Netherwing, you’ll get this as a reward. Head down to Shadowmoon Valley and look for an Elf wandering around killing Flayers just below the Netherdrakes.

Wands

Soul-Wand of the Aldor (+22 Healing): Hands down, the best wand you’ll get for a long time.

Enchants & Other Augments

Glyph of Renewal (+35 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5): This goes on your head. Requires Honor Hold/Thrallmar reputation of revered. Costs 100G.

Greater Inscription of Faith or Greater Inscription of the Oracle: Depends on which faction you chose (Aldor or Scryer). Aldor for the win!

Enchant Cloak – Subtlety: Wait for Patch 2.2 and Enchanters will be able to get this beauty. It’s updated for BC materials. It reduces the threat you cause by 2%. That means 2% more healing! Whee!

Enchant Chest – Restore Mana Prime (6 Mana Per 5): Easy to get. You’ll want this.

Enchant Bracer – Superior Healing (+30 Healing): Same thing. 4 Primal Life’s and 4 Greater Planar Essences and your bracer got a whole lot better.

Enchant Gloves – Major Healing (+35 Healing): Ouch. In addition to 6 Greater Planars and 6 Primal Lifes, now you need 6 Large Prismatic Shards. Put it on the best possible gloves you have knowing that you won’t be replacing it for a while.

Enchant Weapon – Spellsurge: This unique enchant has a 3% chance on cast to restore 100 mana (not 100% mana) to all party members over 10 seconds. This is most useful in a raid environment, but there is a lot of debate between this and +81 Healing. Hopefully one of my other fellow Priest bloggers will dwell on this topic (Ego? Kurt? Anyone? Eh, guess not. I’ll get around to it eventually).

Enchant Weapon – Major Healing (+81 Healing): Stick to this for now. It’s cheaper.

Enchant Boots – Vitality (4 Mana Per 5): Restores Health and Mana every 5 seconds. The enchant is a world drop.

Enchant Ring – Healing Power (+20 Healing): Remember when I told you to take up Tailoring and Enchanting? Here’s the other half of the reason why. Enchanters are able to enchant their own rings (Must be Soulbound).
Golden Spellthread (+66 Healing): Here’s a big hint: Put this on your Whitemend Pants. You’ll need 10 Primal Life’s and an Aldor Exalted Tailor with a Primal Nether. If you’re on Ner’Zuhl as Alliance, send Mallet a tell and I’ll do it for you.

Gems

Purified Shadow Pearl (+9 Healing, 4 Spirit): Spirit changes in recent patches have modified the Priest choice of gems rather extensively. The ideal blue slot gem now belongs to these Shadow Pearls. Bear in mind, they’re not something that can be mined or prospected easily so the cost of acquiring these might be higher than normal.

Sparkling Star of Elune (8+ Spirit): This is another option for you if you’d like to focus more exclusively on mana regen. But at an early level, having both +healing and mana regen should be worked on simultaneously.

Royal Nightseye (+9 Healing, 2 Mana Per 5): This is your best friend. Most of the time, you’ll want to get a yellow gem for the socket bonus. Personally I say it’s hogwash. Most of your red and blue’s should be Nightseyes. There’s not a lot of gear where the socket bonus is good enough to warrant not using a Nightseye.

Teardrop Living Ruby (+18 Healing): I don’t use this at all personally. I heavily favor Mana Per 5 over miniscule amounts of +healing. It’s only 9 more than the Nightseye. I do not foresee it making a huge impact.

Luminous Noble Topaz (+9 Healing): For the rare pieces that do have a kickass bonus when you slot in a yellow gem, use one of these babies.

Conclusions and the Math

I’ve factored in my top choices in gear and included the best enchants, augments, and recommended gems. Here’s the final numbers:

Head: 135 Healing, 24 Mana Per 5 (Whitemend Hood, 3 x Royal Nightseye, Glyph of Renewal)

Neck: 48 Healing, 4 Mana Per 5 (Necklace of Eternal Hope)

Shoulders: 125 Healing, 11 Mana Per 5 (Primal Mooncloth Shoulders with the Aldor Greater Faith Inscription)

Back: 59 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5 (White Remedy Cape)

Chest: 139 Healing, 20 Mana Per 5 (Primal Mooncloth Robe, 2 x Royal Nightseye, Enchant Chest – Restore Mana Prime)

Bracer: 94 Healing (Bindings of the Timewalker, Enchant Bracer – Superior Healing)

Gloves: 90 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5 (Prismatic Mittens of Mending, Enchant Gloves – Major Healing)

Waist: 99 Healing, 12 Mana Per 5 (Primal Mooncloth Belt, 2 x Royal Nightseye)

Legs: 154 Healing, 17 Mana Per 5 (Whitemend Pants, 3 x Royal Nightseye, Golden Spellthread)

Feet: 55 Healing, 10 Mana Per 5 (Jeweled Boots of Sanctification, Enchant Boots – Vitality)

Ring: 77 Healing, 4 Mana Per 5 (Ring of Convalescence, Enchant Ring – Healing Power)

Ring: 62 Healing, 7 Mana Per 5 (Keeper’s Ring of Piety, Enchant Ring – Healing Power)

Trinket: 70 Healing (Lower City Prayberook)

Trinket: 70 Healing (Scarab of the Infinite Cycle)

Weapon 1H: 380 Healing (Gavel of Pure Light, Enchant Weapon – Major Healing)

Weapon OH: 33 Healing, 6 Mana Per 5 (Netherwing Spiritualist’s Charm)

GRAND TOTAL:

1690 Healing (Does not include the Whitemend Bonus. Factor that in, and you’ll get healing increased by up to 10% of your intellect. So you could easily be looking at over 1700 Healing)

129 Mana Per 5 (Note that this is just from the gear. I did not calculate spirit bonuses into it)

With those kinds of numbers, you can easily begin raiding Karazhan. I started doing it with ~1300 Healing.

And there you have it! Matticus’ recommended pre-raiding checklist for the Holy Priest. If I’m wrong somewhere, please leave a comment and I’ll fix it. Remember, there are better blues out there you can get, but I only listed those that offer the best value for the buck (and time).

Whew, that list took a lot of time. I started compiling this at 6:30 AM. It’s about 9:23 AM right now. Good thing it’s server downtime day.

Sources:
WoW Wiki
WoW Head

You are a Horde Warlock being beaten upon by three Alliance players. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Howl of Terror is now available for use. Your eyes narrow and you slowly grin. You activate it and watch your attackers flee befor- Oh wait, that Rogue is unaffected. You die and curse the Alliance a thousand times over.

Fear Ward.

The spell itself is an annoyance to Horde. It is the ability to 100% resist the next Fear effect from affecting a player. The Psychic Scream of Priests are one of the most powerful spells in their arsenal. Used properly, it can provide you with precious seconds to heal you and your allies. Improperly, and it will wipe the most battle hardened players.

Tremor Totem was the Horde response to Fear Ward. I suppose it did it’s job, but not as efficiently as Dwarves (and now Dranei). That particular totem wipes off fear every couple of seconds. Unlike a Priest’s Fear Ward which automatically mitigates and prevents the fear effect from taking place, the Tremor Totem continually pulses and removes the fear effect if you have it on you. Believe me, I’ve dropped my totems within 30 yards of tanks on Nightbane. I would gladly take Fear Ward over Tremor Totem in a heart beat. The damn totem only has 30 yards, but most players get feared out of range before the effect is removed! But bear in mind, I’m speaking strictly in the PvE sense. In addition to fear removals, it also removes sleep effects, Mind Control and the Seductions of a Succubus (As stated by WoWWiki). It’s best to drop the totem immediately when your mates are hit with fear and you still retain control of your character.

But fear not Hordelings, it’s been confirmed by the blue that Fear Ward will be given to all Priests. Of course, I can’t read French to confirm that, but the folks over at MMO-Champion have been able to translate it (Scroll down a post). It may not have as much of an impact on the PvE side of things because I’m positive that Horde players have been able to adapt to the absence of Fear Ward. I can only imagine what kind of an effect this will have in competitive play. All I can think of now is Alliance are screwed. There’s too much possible theorycrafting that it’s impossible to map it all. I predict more Horde teams will be dominating in the upper echelons of Arena play. If you think I’m wrong (I know there’s someone), please do tell me. I’ve played Alliance my entire WoW career and I know next to nothing about what the Horde can do (Besides what’s been done to me of course).

On another side note, here is the worldofmatticus.com misplay of the week.

There’s this Warrior on my server who decided to start some trouble in trade chat. He began swearing a couple of times and I guess some players made good on their threats to screenshot his in game chat and report it to the Blizzard GM’s. Several hours later, his Guild is busy in SSC tackling Leotheras. He’s one of their primary tanks. I’m sure by now you know where this is going. Leotheras is dropped down to 1%, and that Warrior all of a sudden stops moving and appears to be disconnected. The raid wipes without the tank maintaining control.

He got suspended.

So, if you ever get the urge to start swearing or cussing out other players on trade chat, bite the urge and leave town or move on. It’s not worth it at all.

EDIT 23:39: Anonymous comments enabled. Discuss, praise, and flame away. Too much of the latter and consider that removed. With great power comes great responsibility after all.