I keep hearing about how great priests are now, so I want to give it a shot with some RAF love. Only problem is.... I have no idea how to play one. I think I am going to do a disc spec with shadow off spec. I have read the EJ forums a bit, but it's not so good for beginner priests, it kind of assumes you already somewhat know how to play a priest.

Does anyone have good resources for the basics of each? Or can someone just give some advice? I am really just looking for priority rotations mostly and just some general tips. I know there are a lot of people that play priests on here, so any advice is appreciated!

Also- I am a BG addict and will most likely be doing PvP a majority of the time. With that in mind, I would also like to find some info on builds. I was planning on making a disc PvP build with a shadow PvE build. Then I could heal in my disc PvP build since the current content is not particularly difficult. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks!

 

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Since you dont get shadowform until later on (when i leveled my priest i wanna say it was 40, or so)...level as Disc.

You will be able to heal 5 mans with just bubbles and renews, and will have near instant queues.


When shadowform becomes available, get it. You will flat out have a blast in BG's as shadow spec...(as you can still cast disc spells while formed)


Rotation wise, as disc, throw your two dots, mind blast, holy fire, smite, smite, smite, then mind blast or holy fire when they become available. (and of course, keep yourself bubbled)


As shadow, two dots, mind blast, mind flay (channel until blast cools down again), blast, mind flay...


if you have a bunch of temmates around, vampiric touch can add some healing to the group


You will be surprised at how much dps you can do as disc, btw..


Give it a shot, and have fun with it

 

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Thanks! But now I am confused because the shadow tree is loaded with fun sounding PvP stuff. Am I better off going with the disc "smite" spec or full-out shadow for BGs? Since I like PvP, I might just make a disc PvP build and a shadow PvP build and roll through PVE stuff like that until I figure out which way to go. I know you PvP alot gutter, have you tried both? And if so- which do you prefer?

 

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Hey Siu, I don't PVP at all, so I can't offer much about leveling with PVP together. I do know of a fantastic resource though: http://www.wowhead.com/forums?board=8http://www.wowhead.com/forums?board=8

Very knowledgeable players with some great discussions on all aspects of priesting. Hope this helps a bit.

I believe you get shadow form at level 10 now. (Yes, it was level 40 back in the day) [edit]bah, see post below It's much later than that, but not as late as level 40.


You can level disc, it will take a little more mana (sitting after some pulls), than shadow.


Both a disc priest and a shadow priest will do well in PvP, wielded well. Most will say go Disc, for quick cool down on bubble, Shadow just for dispersion (the thing is nasty when used at the right time).


Shadow solo: keep your 3 buffs on (fortitude, inner fire, vampiric embrace. Before you pull, toss a shield on yourself, 2 flavors of DoT (shadow word: pain, devouring plague), then depending on your mana, how close the mob is: mind blast, mind flay (channel spell that slows mob down), finish off with shadow word: death (if the mob is still around.)


You can toss Vampiric touch (your mana return ability) at the beginning of the fight (after you shield), it will pull aggro and isn't always useful, depending on the difference in your level and the mobs's. Definitely useful on elites and bosses.


Mind flay is your bread and butter.


In groups, after giving the tank a good lead (SP's can pull aggro easily), bubble tank, bubble self, 2 DoTs, then mind sear for AoE, finish last mob off with flay/blast or shadow word: death.


Use your fears in there judiciously and situationally. If you are NOT glyphed for freeze the mobs in place as they are feared, do be careful about tossing fears in a group (if at all).


You also have a stun (Psychic Horror which is a talent). And silence (Also a talent, there will be tradeoffs).

 

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You still dont get shadow form at level 10. Its level 29 now. Also disc has almost 0 downtime due to archangel. My priest is 42 and leveling as disc is maybe a little slower then shadow but I have no downtime and can chain pull. Also when I feel like it I can queue up in the DF and get in right away. Keep up your smite stacks, penance, archangel when low on mana or you cant reach another mob before your stacks drop and shadow word death mobs that are low.

 

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Is it 29, oh bah. That stinks. Guess I should not pay attention to rumors.


Disc, learn to get bubble happy. See post above.


In a group, you are always going to be considered a healer. So keep main tank bubbled, use bubbles to heal others, and if you can, slip in your rotation (probably can now, I'm not counting on that for Cata).


Penance is part of your rotation for both healing and DPS, so pay attention to cool down and judge using it accordingly.


And yes, definitely dual-spec both Disc and Shadow.


/runs for coffee before attempting to post again

 

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Once you get shadow word death (level 32 I think) and the spirit tap glyph (usable at 32) you will have zero downtime as any spec for solo questing.

Do that, then dual spec (10g) one disc one shadow. Quest as shadow, dungeon as healer (disc) or shadow depending what you fee like doing.

--Sly

 

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Disc is not so hot for leveling compared to shadow imo early on and at low gear levels.

 

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I just started a priest monday. playing off and on I have her up to level 21 now, going as disc. Soloing as Disc isn't bad at all. Penance hits damn hard. Most things at level will take a holy fire, penance, and then possibly a smite. Just keep your bubble up and you hardly ever take any damage.

Healing in groups early on was kinda tricky due to low mana pool (I have no heirloom.) But now after ragefire, deadmines, and SFK, I have a 1400 mana pool with my bubbles costing about 60 each.