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Topic Quick Reference: Pointers for Healing Priests
Ashleycakez
Sargeras
Profile
Ashleycakez
85 Troll Priest
Seraphim
14165
Edited by Ashleycakez on 1/15/12 11:49 AM (PST)
If you are looking for more in-depth information on stats and talents please check the Disc and Holy stickies on this forum!

Hello! I'm Ashleycakez. I play Holy Main Spec and Disc or Shadow Off Spec - whatever my guild needs me to play to kill the big bad bosses!

Many starting Priests stop by our forum looking for useful tips to help them as they progress through Priesthood. I've provided these pointers to help not only low level Priests but Priests at 85 who still feel uncomfortable healing or may be switching to healing from playing Shadow! These are tips for those of you beginning healing to help you in the dungeons and heroic dungeons you encounter in your journey.

I would also like to say that these pointers are exclusively for PvE (player vs. environment).

Which spec should I play?
Either one works. Remember this when making the decision:
  • Holy is a reactive healing spec. This means that your group will take damage and you will heal it after the fact.
  • Disc is a mitigation spec, which means that you will prevent incoming damage on your group via absorption.

    • Tips for Holy and Discipline:
  • Prayer of Mending (PoM) is a particularly useful spell for area-of-effect (AoE) damage. The best use of this spell in dungeons involves casting it on your tank and monitoring when it fades or all its charges are used. PoM is not necessarily the best spell to cast on cooldown. It is in your best interest to use it only when AoE damage is going out, especially if your mana is suffering.
  • Flash Heal is only to be used for emergencies! There are better spells to use for both Disc and Holy when you are not in an emergency situation (a player is at <40% hp).
  • 4.3 brought a change to Divine Hymn. It now heals 5 targets, up from 3. As such it is now a great heal to use in a 5 man, especially for Holy (read below to see how!).

    • Tips for Holy:
  • Use Inner Fire.
  • Once you spec into Chakra, make sure you are ALWAYS in a Chakra state. The best Chakra state to use for dungeons and heroic dungeons is Chakra: Serenity, which increases the chance for your single target heals to crit and more importantly, causes your single target heals to refresh Renew.
  • Maintain Renew on your tank. It will be refreshed with single target heals if you are in Chakra: Serenity.
  • Stick to Heal, Holy Word: Serenity, and Greater Heal for single target healing (player above 60% hp).
  • If a player’s health drops below 40%, use one of the following methods to bring him up:
  • HW: Serenity -> Flash Heal -> Greater Heal
  • Flash Heal -> Flash Heal -> Greater Heal
  • There is absolutely no requirement to keep stacks of Serendipity up. Think of this talent as a way of making Flash Heal ok to use when necessary.
  • Note that HW: Serenity is not only an emergency spell, but also a low cost single target heal to be used at any time.
  • If you and another player in your group take damage use Binding Heal.
  • If 3+ players in your group take damage use Prayer of Healing followed by Circle of Healing. Throw in another PoH if needed.
  • Always drop Lightwell for boss fights and politely instruct your group to use it. Lightwell is also a great resource for large trash pulls.
  • If you heal in Chakra: Sanctuary (increases AoE healing) use Inner Will to reduce the mana cost of Holy Word: Sanctuary. Without Inner Will, HW: Sanc is a very high cost spell. HW: Sanc is best used when your party/raid will remained stacked in the heal for its full duration.
  • While Power Word: Shield is ok to use at lower levels, at 80+ limit its use to only speed boosting group members around via the Body & Soul Talent.
  • Group taking way too much damage on a fight in a dungeon? Activate your Chakra ability and trigger Chakra: Sanctuary via a PoM. As soon as this is done, begin to channel Divine Hymn. Best results when talented 2/2 into Heavenly Voice.
    		•
    Highly Rated #1
    9/23/2011
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    Ashleycakez
    Sargeras
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    Ashleycakez
    85 Troll Priest
    Seraphim
    14165
    Edited by Ashleycakez on 12/8/11 2:48 PM (PST)
    Tips for Discipline:
  • Use Inner Fire UNTIL you learn Inner Will at level 83.
  • Maintain Power Word: Shield, Grace, and Divine Aegis (if possible) on your tank.
  • Once you are able to spec into Divine Aegis, do your best to maintain DA on your party by casting Prayer of Healing every 10 seconds or so. Keep the buff rolling so as to build larger and larger mitigation against incoming damage.
  • If 2+ people in your group take damage, use Prayer of Healing. If you and another player take damage, use Binding Heal.
  • If a player’s health drops below 40% then PW: Shield (to gain Borrowed Time) -> Penance -> Greater Heal. Hint: Penance does not consumed Borrowed Time but it does benefit from it!
  • If a player's health is under 40% and they already have Weakened Soul, use Flash Heal to remove WS (Strength of Soul talent) so you can reapply PW: Shield on that target and use the above strategy
  • If you want to cast multiple PW: Shields on your party and be mana efficient about it, use Power Infusion at the same time.
  • If you anticipate incoming damage use PW: Barrier on your party to block most of it. Don't be afraid if you need to use it as a single target cooldown for your tank if Pain Suppression has already been used.
  • Once you spec into Inner Focus make sure you macro its use to each spell that benefits from it - Binding Heal, Flash Heal, Greater Heal, and Prayer of Healing. This way you will always use it on cooldown and always benefit from the reduced mana cost.
  • If you are specced for Evangelism make sure you are using Holy Fire and Smite to build Evangelism stacks so you can use Archangel when damage picks up (also make sure you spec into Atonement for this spec).
  • Stick to Heal (or HF/Smite for Archangel/Atonement spec)/Greater Heal when your group members are above 70% hp.
  • Renew can be used at lower levels, but its use is discouraged at 85 as it is lackluster compared to other spells in your arsenal. At 85 Renew should only be used if:
  • You are moving (and absolutely cannot pause to channel Penance or cast any other heal)
  • Your target already has Weakened Soul
  • Prayer of Mending is on cooldown

    • Shadowfiend tips:
  • Pop Shadowfiend when you feel necessary. The best time to pop it is when you have an intellect proc/trinket up (Power Torrent, Lightweave Embroidery, etc).
  • Pop Shadowfiend and immediately begin to channel Hymn of Hope for an even larger mana pool.
  • If you use Shadowfiend with intellect proc(s)/HoH up you can stand to go from 30% mana to 95%.
  • Of course at lower levels you won't have these buffs but use Shadowfiend around 50% mana if the fight is going to be long.
  • If you aren't ooming during fights just Sfiend on trash/bosses to regen more and kill things faster.
    		•
    Highly Rated #2
    9/23/2011
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    Ashleycakez
    Sargeras
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    Ashleycakez
    85 Troll Priest
    Seraphim
    14165
    Um yeah. Request sticky if you like this :x It was originally posted here to rave reviews: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3229374822
    #3
    9/23/2011
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    Yunocchi
    Gilneas
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    Yunocchi
    85 Gnome Priest
    Judges
    2460
    Voted and sticky requested! This is a great cheat sheet for new healers.
    #4
    9/23/2011
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    Ashleycakez
    Sargeras
    Profile
    Ashleycakez
    85 Troll Priest
    Seraphim
    14165
    I think I covered all the most important points :x I'll probably tweak it a bit more through the day.
    #5
    9/23/2011
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    Avrianna
    Greymane
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    Avrianna
    85 Human Priest
    The Lions Main
    8225
    Sticky requested.

    Simple and concise, good for less experienced healers who might be too lazy to read the really in depth guides.
    #6
    9/23/2011
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    Quorelm
    Vashj
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    Quorelm
    85 Blood Elf Paladin
    Vile Slander
    6190
    Edited by Quorelm on 9/23/11 11:43 AM (PDT)
    Too much troll, not enough blood elf, imo. >.>
    #7
    9/23/2011
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    Atilladagun
    Dentarg
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    Atilladagun
    85 Worgen Hunter
    Night Wraiths
    9245
    I stickied the original thread, but great suggestion to repost like this. Liked and Stickied. Thank you sir.

    ~Z
    #8
    9/23/2011
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    Ghoti
    Nagrand
    Profile
    Ghoti
    90 Undead Priest
    Fatigue
    12340
    A troll with the mojo. :)

    -stickied, liked, favortied, subscribed, watched, awed, done.
    #9
    9/23/2011
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    Ashleycakez
    Sargeras
    Profile
    Ashleycakez
    85 Troll Priest
    Seraphim
    14165
    I stickied the original thread, but great suggestion to repost like this. Liked and Stickied. Thank you sir.

    ~Z


    /cough

    Ma'am >.>
    #10
    9/23/2011
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    Quorelm
    Vashj
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    Quorelm
    85 Blood Elf Paladin
    Vile Slander
    6190
    I stickied the original thread, but great suggestion to repost like this. Liked and Stickied. Thank you sir.

    ~Z


    /cough

    Ma'am >.>


    HE lies! I've seen the truth! ...Or have I?? o.O

    *X-Files music*
    #11
    9/23/2011
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    Ashleycakez
    Sargeras
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    Ashleycakez
    85 Troll Priest
    Seraphim
    14165
    HE lies! I've seen the truth! ...Or have I?? o.O

    *X-Files music*


    Don't make me slap you. /glare
    #12
    9/23/2011
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    Atilladagun
    Dentarg
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    Atilladagun
    85 Worgen Hunter
    Night Wraiths
    9245
    I stickied the original thread, but great suggestion to repost like this. Liked and Stickied. Thank you sir.

    ~Z


    /cough

    Ma'am >.>


    /facepalm

    Sorry. I've clearly been effected by Brewfest and my Brew Goggles.

    ~Z
    #13
    9/23/2011
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    Ashleycakez
    Sargeras
    Profile
    Ashleycakez
    85 Troll Priest
    Seraphim
    14165
    /facepalm

    Sorry. I've clearly been effected by Brewfest and my Brew Goggles.

    ~Z


    You might want to get your computer checked if the in-game hazy screen is effecting you internet browsing abilities. ;)
    #14
    9/23/2011
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    Discohobbit
    Feathermoon
    Profile
    Discohobbit
    90 Gnome Priest
    Crit Happenz
    3840
    First off, thanks for all your help. I used to think I was a good healer (and actually I must have been, considering I achieved a lot of end-game content withOUT the help I've read in this forum lately), but now I'm actually able to keep up and I have mana throughout fights that I'm actually undergeared for!

    On to my question:
    For Disc:
    • Once you spec into Inner Focus make sure you macro its use to each spell that benefits from it - Binding Heal, Flash Heal, Greater Heal, and Prayer of Healing. This way you will always use it on cooldown and always benefit from the reduced mana cost



    I'm at work so I can't look at my setup to test...
    But any suggestions as to how this can be done with Healbot or something similar?
    Can you even write a macro to run with those?

    I'm assuming something like:

    /cast Inner Focus
    /cast Greater Heal

    or whatever...

    Okay, now I'll go back and read through all the responses to see if the answer is already here. hehehe Sorry, but I'm old. If I don't ask a question when I have it, I might forget it before I hit page 2!
    #15
    9/23/2011
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    Ashleycakez
    Sargeras
    Profile
    Ashleycakez
    85 Troll Priest
    Seraphim
    14165
    I've never used Healbot so I have no idea how to make macros work for it.

    The most basic macro would be

    /cast Inner Focus
    /cast Flash Heal

    I personally use Grid with mouseover macros but I don't know how to write that macro off the top of my head. I could post it for you later when I get on my computer.
    #16
    9/23/2011
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    Shanthi
    Kargath
    Profile
    Shanthi
    90 Blood Elf Priest
    That Guild
    9190
    Edited by Shanthi on 9/23/11 2:16 PM (PDT)
    I'd toss a [combat] into the Inner Focus part, so you don't burn it if casting a healing spell out of combat.

    i.e.:

    /cast [combat] Inner Focus
    /cast [@mouseover] Flash Heal

    Also, for the guide: haste, mastery or crit??

    Just kidding. /hide
    #17
    9/23/2011
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    Ashleycakez
    Sargeras
    Profile
    Ashleycakez
    85 Troll Priest
    Seraphim
    14165
    Edited by Ashleycakez on 9/23/11 2:20 PM (PDT)
    Stack agi. LOL jk

    You don't really need the combat thing because Inner Focus doesn't fade until you cast a spell that consumes it.

    Unless you are topping people off pre-pull? /shrug
    #18
    9/23/2011
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    Aliena
    Mug'thol
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    Aliena
    90 Blood Elf Priest
    Void
    11570
    Sticky requested!
    #19
    9/23/2011
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    Voddka
    Tichondrius
    Profile
    Voddka
    85 Blood Elf Priest
    Sanctified
    3510
    Sticky Requested :)
    #20
    9/23/2011
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