WoW Priests - What you want to know

[Solmancer]

Instead of doing a massive writeup, someone beat me to it. So instead, I'm going to provide a link to what I feel is an exceptional post on the class. Without further ado...

General Priest Information

[Tuco]

So that's a guide for Paladins, Warriors, Rogues and now Priests that I've seen.

Any decent guides for the other classes in beta?

Especially Shamans? No one seems to talk about Shamans, I really want to know how 'fun' they are compared to other classes or if they're tedius. I'd like to know how mages operate but it seems futile considering they're being retooled. Unless someone who played Mages before they got heavily nerfed, or something.

[taebin]

I think people are reluctant to talk about the Shaman class because they left alot to be desired. Alot of the high level shamans (30) had trouble taking on mobs that other classes found easy. The main stay of the shaman class is totems, and they also had alot of problems. Expect a large upgrade to the class as a whole next push, and some good reviews.

[Grimmlokk]

I only got my Shaman to 18 before the horde push ended but even by then the totems were getting pretty weak. They just didn't scale up enough. It was a fun class, but definately needs some work. Eager to get back to him and level up some.

[Awanka]

Holy Word: Shield looks broken. They'll probably change it.

[Froofy-D]

Holy Word: Fortitude - increases the Stamina of a friendly target for 30 minutes, Instant Cast, 30 range
1. +2 Stam, 65M
2. +4 Stam, 165M, CLvl 12, 10s
3. +8 Stam, 430M, CLvl 24, 50s

Does +2, +4, +8 to a stat really make that big a difference?

[Minnae]

from reading the worldofwarcraft.com boards i have discovered that 1 sta gives 20 hp for warriors and 1 str gives +2/3 damage. so, i would say that +2, +4, and +8 to attributes is a big deal. a much bigger deal than say +attribute stuff was and is in eq

[Lenardo]

the main reason noone is talking about shaman is simple

CURRENTLY noone CAN be a shaman.

i got mine to 18th and had no trouble killing spawn that were up to 5 levels higher than me(ok the one 5 levels higher required a bit o luck on the resist site but i never died). granted that might change at higher levels.

in fact shaman is my favorite class for wow. rogue warrior and paladin are close 2nd 3rd and 4th respectively.

last major push they altered a bunch of things for totems that we have not been able to try out due to it being the alliance push.

[Samus Aran]

i hate clickign links:

This is a priest guide I've been working on over at the vn boards. I'm looking to add as much information as possible, so feel free to comment and let me know if you have other things to add =)

The original post was here http://vnboards.ign.com/WoW_General_...9/66375678/?33

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Updated: 3/31/04 - I didn't want to repost the whole thing but this update includes some major revisions, so here it is again.

*/SPOILER INFO - don't read if you don't want to be spoiled/*

Hope people find this useful. This guide is designed for Priests, and lists as much objective information about the class as well as my own personal experiences and play style. I have some things I need to mention right off the bat.


1. I've played two priests. First was during Undead Push, and he was used to test Resists, which ended up not functioning. My second priest was in TriHorde Push, and his focus was Spirit with side Intellect and Stamina. My third and current Priest I am working on (new name).
2. I'm a hardcore player, which means there will be an inherent bias reflected in my experiences and suggestions.
3. I love warriors... I have four of them, so I will mention Warriors often because they are a Priest’s best friend.
4. I don't have access to markup codes (bold, underline, bullets, etc), so bear with the way I have things formatted.
5. Visit the Official Priest Basics guide on the beta website and take a look at that too. Also visit the Priest Beta Forums.

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Introduction
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What are Priests? They are masters of healing, crowd control, and are good secondary tanks! In short they are the best class so everyone should play one! More seriously though, they are one of the more complex and dynamic classes to play and master.

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1. The first part of this guide will list every Priest skill available up to Level 30. The trainers have up to to Level 40, but since we can't level that high yet I will leave it at that. It will briefly discuss Skill, Hate, and Mana Management, and some other tibits.
2. The second part will list an example of a common Priest, some examples of equipment, beginning stats, and level ups. This part is work in progress.
3. The third part will describe leveling, a Priest's role with other classes. I’ll also mention a bit about Dueling and Powering in the last section.


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1.
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Listed by Rank
x range = maximum casting distance in Yards
xM = mana cost
xs cast = time in seconds to cast
CLvl x = Level at which you can learn this spell
xc/xs = copper or silver cost to learn


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Dispel Magic - removes 1 harmful spell from a friend or 1 beneficial spell from an enemy, Instant Cast, 30 range
1. 75M, CLvl 18, 25s


Heal - restores lost health, 40 range
1. +305 to 351 heal, 200M, 3.5s cast, CLvl 16, 18s
2. +494 to 564 heal, 305M, 4.0s cast, CLvl 22, 40s
3. +755 to 857 heal, 440M, 4.0s cast, CLvl 28, 70s

Holy Protection - Increases targets Holy Resist for 30 minutes, Instant Cast, 30 range
1. 30 resist, 500M, CLvl 30, 80s

Holy Smite - deals holy damage, 30 range
1. 16 to 20 dmg, 25M, 1.5s cast
2. 27 to 31 dmg, 35M, 2.0s cast, CLvl 8, 3.5s
3. 64 to 74 dmg, 75M, 2.0s cast, CLvl 16, 18s
4. 112 to 128 dmg, 120M, 2.0s cast, CLvl 24, 50s


Holy Word: Fortitude - increases the Stamina of a friendly target for 30 minutes, Instant Cast, 30 range
1. +2 Stam, 65M
2. +4 Stam, 165M, CLvl 12, 10s
3. +8 Stam, 430M, CLvl 24, 50s

The mana cost of Rank 3 was never worth the effort for me (drinks cost money!), but many people really really want it. Early on, you’ll find it beneficial, but once you become “strong” you may forget you ever had it.


Holy Word: Shield - target absorbs damage up to 1 minute, Instant Cast, 40 range
- spells cannot be interrupted while shield holds
1. 45 dmg absorbed, 35M, CLvl 6, 2s
2. 83 dmg absorbed, 60M, CLvl 12, 10s
3. 141 dmg absorbed, 95M, CLvl 18, 25s
4. 215 dmg absorbed, 135M, CLvl 24, 50s
5. 305 dmg absorbed, 180M, CLvl 30, 80s

Holy Word: Shield takes into account Armor prior to absorbing damage, so the higher your Armor, the more effective the Shield. Try to keep track of how many hits you can absorb before recasting. When grouping, keep this spell up on your tank to maximize the amount of damage absorbed.


Inner Fire - Increases caster's physical damage and armor for 3 minutes, Instant Cast, Self targeted
1. +2 dmg, +60 armor, 20M, CLvl 12, 10s
2. +4 dmg, +100 armor, 45M, CLvl 20, 30s
3. +6 dmg, +140 armor, 75M, CLvl 30, 80s

Make sure to keep Inner Fire on at all times. Most all of the Custom UI scripts include /autocast and /timedcast, so use those to avoid forgetting.


Lesser Heal - restores lost health, 40 range
1. +45 to 55 heal, 40M, 1.5s cast
2. +72 to 86 heal, 60M, 2.0s cast, CLvl 4, 80c
3. 172 to 202 heal, 120M, 2.5s cast, CLvl 10, 7.5s


Nullify Disease - grants target disease immunity for 15 seconds and cures any existing diseases, Instant Cast, 30 range
1. 60M, CLvl 14, 13s


Prayer of Healing - heals the entire party, 4s cast
1. 221 to 235 heal, 330M, CLvl 30, 80s

This spell is really only useful if you get hit by an AOE.


Renew - Heals over 15 seconds, 2.0s cast, 40 range
1. 50 health, 30M, CLvl 8, 3.5s
2. 90 health, 50M, CLvl 14, 13s
3. 150 health, 80M, CLvl 20, 30s
4. 225 health, 115M, CLvl 26, 60s

Renew is a good supplementary heal that doesn’t generate a lot of hate instantly unlike the direct Heals. If your teammate is taking damage, a good combo is to cast Renew followed by Shield, allowing them to heal while the Shield is up.


Resurrection - revives dead player back with 15% base health and mana
1. 150M, 10s cast, 40 range, CLvl 10, 7.5s




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Brainwash - Removes threat from all enemies of the target, 1.5s cast, 30 range
1. Medium amount, 50M, CLvl 20, 30s

If the mob is attacking you or a weak teammate instead of your tank, use Brainwash.

Mana Burn - Takes a targets mana and deals 1/2 of it as inflicted damage, 3s cast, 30 range
1. Drains 225 to 241 mana, 110M, CLvl 26, 60s

Once you get Mana Burn, go kill casters! This makes them very easy to deal with because of their low life and inability to retaliate against you.


Mind Blast - Direct Shadow Damage, Instant Cast, generates a large amount of hate, 8s cool down, 30 range
1. 38 to 42 dmg, 45M, CLvl 10, 7.5s
2. 74 to 80 dmg, 75M, CLvl 16, 18s
3. 117 to 125 dmg, 105M, CLvl 22, 40s
4. 174 to 186 dmg, 145M, CLvl 28, 70s

Mind Blast generates a very large amount of agro, so you can use it to pull a mob onto yourself. This is useful if you want to tank and is a great way to “finish off” a target as it tries to flee.


Mind Control - gives you control of a humanoid, but its attack speed is lowered by 20%, lasts 1 minute
- target gets a chance to break free every 5 seconds, 3s cast, 20 range
1. Target must be Level 30 or under, 350M, CLvl 30, 80s


Mind Vision - Lets you see through the targets eyes for 1 minute, Instant Cast, 1 min cooldown, 100 range
1. 65M, CLvl 22, 40s

This is a great scouting spell, especially in cramp dungeons like SFK.

Pacify - reduces the range at which a monster will attack you, 2s cast, 15s duration, 40 range
1. Lowers by 10 range, 50M, only affects monsters level 39 or lower, CLvl 20, 30s


Psychic Scream - AOE fear, monsters flee for 8 seconds, Instant Cast, 30s cooldown
1. 2 targets flee, 100M, CLvl 14, 13s
2. 3 targets flee, 140M, CLvl 28, 70s


Shadow Protection - Increases targets Shadow Resist for 30 minutes, Instant Cast, 30 range
1. 30 resist, 500M, CLvl 30, 80s


Shadow Word: Pain - damage over 18s, Instant Cast, 30 range
1. 30 dmg, 25M, CLvl 4, 80c
2. 72 dmg, 50M, CLvl 10, 7.5s
3. 138 dmg, 95M, CLvl 18, 25s
4. 246 dmg, 160M, CLvl 26, 60s


Sleep - Only one target may be slept at a time, any hostile action or sleeping another target will awaken the target, 1.5s cast, 30 range
1. Lasts up to 15s, 60M, CLvl 6, 2s
2. Lasts up to 30s, 80M, CLvl 20, 30s

Sleep does not necessarily have the full 15 or 30 second duration. Every few seconds, the target will have a chance to “break” free depending on its resistance (determined currently only by its and your level difference) and on your Shadow Attack Rating. To ensure low chances of resistance, you should keep your shadow ratings as high as it can go. If sleeping a target that is higher than your level, never hesitate to keep your cursor over the mob to immediately re-Sleep again should it break free.


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Skill Management
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Skills get costly at higher levels, so make sure to save up money. If you have any wealthy friends, ask to borrow some if you don’t have enough. Try to keep track of when you need to go visit the Trainer. You only learn new spells on even levels.

Here are all the skills re-listed by name, level, and total costs so you can plan accordingly. Indeed, there are many spells which you won’t need to train. It costs 15.4 gold to purchase every Priest Spell up to Level 30.

Level 1: TC = 10c
-Holy Word: Fortitude R1. 10c

Level 4: Total Cost = 1.6s
-Lesser Heal R2. 80c
-Shadow Word: Pain R1. 80c

Level 6: TC = 4s
-Holy Word: Shield R1. 2s
-Sleep R1. 2s

Level 8: TC = 7s
-Renew R1. 3.5s
-Holy Smite R2. 3.5s

Level 10: TC = 25s
-Lesser Heal R3. 7.5s
-Resurrection R1. 7.5s
-Mind Blast R1. 7.5s
-Shadow Word: Pain R2. 7.5s

Level 12: TC = 30s
-Holy Word: Fortitude R2. 10s
-Inner Fire R1. 10s
-Holy Word: Shield R2. 10s

Level 14: TC = 39s
-Renew R2. CLvl 14, 13s
-Psychic Scream R1. CLvl 14, 13s
-Nullify Disease R1. CLvl 14, 13s

Level 16: TC = 64s
-Mind Blast R2. 18s
-Holy Smite R3. 18s
-Heal R1. 18s

Level 18: TC = 75s
-Holy Word: Shield R3. 25s
-Shadow Word: Pain R3. 25s
-Dispel Magic R1. 25s

Level 20: TC = 1.5g
-Pacify R1. 30s
-Sleep R2. 30s
-Brainwash R1. 30s
-Renew R3. 30s
-Inner Fire R2. 30s

Level 22: TC = 1.2g
Mind Blast R3. 40s
Mind Vision R1. 40s
Heal R2. 40s

Level 24: TC = 1.5g
-Holy Word: Shield R4. 50s
-Holy Smite R4. 50s
-Holy Word: Fortitude R3. 50s

Level 26: TC = 1.8g
-Mana Burn R1. 60s
-Renew R4. 60s
-Shadow Word: Pain R4. 60s

Level 28: TC = 2.1g
-Mind Blast R4. 70s
-Heal R3. 70s
-Psychic Scream R2. 70s

Level 30: TC = 4.8g
-Inner Fire R3. 80s
-Prayer of Healing R1. 80s
-Holy Word: Shield R5. 80s
-Holy Protection R1. 80s
-Mind Control R1. 80s
-Shadow Protection R1. 80s


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Hate Management
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This is one of the more difficult parts about playing the Priest. Healing generates large amounts of hate. The stronger the heal, the larger the hate generated. New players are plagued with this issue for various reasons.

To avoid drawing agro from mobs, I suggest making your second strongest heal as your primary heal spell. Casting your strongest heal will usually cause the mob to target you, so it is better to cast weaker heals and space them out (as opposed to casting a giant heal once). Health/Mana wise, this is less efficient, but it makes you far less prone to dying.

Also, avoid healing your tank at the start of the fight (unless he can taunt) so he can deal enough damage to hold agro. Should you fear being targeted, having Brainwash ready to cast will remove some of your generated hate. Though, this spell shouldn’t be something that you need to cast often. Learning to play w/o relying on hate reduction can go a long way, and even further develop your Mana Management skills.


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Spell Disruption
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If you are hit by a melee attack while in the process of casting a timed spell, your casting bar will drop by roughly half the bar’s capacity. The faster the attacker, the less likely you will be able to cast your spell. If you are being attacked by more than one mob at a time, it is impossible to pull off a spell w/o Shield on. Spells do not disrupt Spells currently (you can even eat and drink while getting hit by spells).


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Swing Casting
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When you complete a spell, your weapon’s delay will determine the next time you swing your weapon. If you time correctly, you can Swing and cast a spell simultaneously, eliminating extra idle time. For example, if my staff has 3 second delay, I will swing once every 3 seconds. If I interrupt with a spell, I will have to wait 3 seconds following the spell to restart swinging my staff. The trick is to cast your spell at the same time that you swing your staff - doing so will maximize your swing rate.

[Faddor]

Priests are the fucking own. I've played every available class to at least 15 and Priests are my favorite thus far. All you EQ clerics will rejoice when you hit this game.