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{{for|the Warcraft III unit|Priest (Warcraft III)}}
   
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The '''priest''' is the master of healing and preservation, restoring his wounded allies, shielding them in battle and even resurrecting his fallen comrades from death. While he has a variety of protective and enhancement spells to bolster his allies, the priest can also wreak terrible vengeance on his enemies, using the grand powers of the [[Light|Holy Light]] to smite and purge them or the devastating powers of the shadow to decimate their minds. The priest is a diverse and powerful class, highly desirable in any group and capable of fulfilling multiple roles.
{| style="background:transparent; margin-right:1em" cellspacing=10
 
|- valign=middle
 
|[[Image:patch.png]]
 
|
 
''Summary info on [[World of Warcraft]] Hotfixes.''
 
   
  +
The priest is perhaps the best [[healing]] class in the game with a surprisingly strong damage potential as well (should the player choose to enhance this aspect of the class). Their ability to heal and buff allies, avoid [[aggro]], [[dispel]] [[buff]]s on enemies, dispel [[debuff]]s on their allies, and [[resurrect]] fallen comrades makes them an important member of any [[group]], whether it's [[PvP]] or [[PvE]]. Due to this, priests are one of the most highly sought after classes for any group.
   
  +
== Background ==
'''Additional info:'''
 
  +
[[File:Dwarf priest.jpg|thumb|A dwarven priestess.]]
* For information on specific patches, please see [[Patches]].
 
* For info on known bugs and other issues which may be fixed in the upcoming patch see the [[Known issues]] page.
 
* For official [[Blizz]]ard descriptions of types of patches, see [[Patch FAQ]].
 
* For articles related to patches, see [[:Category:World of Warcraft patches|Patches category]].
 
* Unless stated otherwise, all official announcements of hotfixes can be found in the monthly mega-thread - the link for which is found at the top of every month's hotfixes.
 
|}
 
   
  +
Priests practice a complex, organized form of spirituality built around moral philosophy, the worship of a particular deity (such as [[Elune]]) in some cases, and/or idol worship, rather than around the reverence of the elements that shamans practice, or the close divine connection with animals and the wilderness that druids maintain. Priests serve not only as influential religious figures in their respective societies, but also as powerful practitioners of divine magic, which they use to heal and protect, or harm and weaken.
==November 2010==
 
===Wednesday, November 24, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/topic/136974/patch-403a-hotfixes|subject=Patch 4.0.3a Hotfixes|datetime=2010/11/24 04:54:28 AM|author={{Blizz}} [[Blizzard Entertainment]]}}.
 
* [[Alterac Valley]], [[Isle of Conquest]], and [[Strand of the Ancients]] should no longer attempt to place players in a level 80-84 bracket.
 
* Players should no longer be disconnected from a realm when attempting to take an item out of the mail which has been marked for deletion.
 
* The title "Champion of [guildname]" can no longer be improperly awarded to players.
 
* The amount of gold received when converting Battleground Marks of Honor above the honor cap has been reduced to the intended amount.
 
* Classes
 
** [[Druid]]s
 
*** The damage done by the following abilities has been reduced by approximately 17%: {{ability|Mangle|Mangle (Bear)}}, {{ability|Maul}}, {{ability|Lacerate}}, {{ability|Pulverize}}, {{ability|Swipe (Bear)}}, {{ability|Thrash}}.
 
** [[Hunter]]s
 
*** A second pet can no longer be summoned when the active pet is dead.
 
** [[Mage]]s
 
*** {{ability|Arcane Concentration}} will not go on internal cooldown when it fails to proc.
 
*** The damage from {{ability|Deep Freeze}} on stun-immune targets is now properly benefitting from {{ability|Frostburn}}, including when increased by [[Mastery Rating]] on gear.
 
*** {{ability|Frostfire Orb}} now correctly triggers {{ability|Ignite}} on critical hits.
 
*** {{ability|Pyroblast}}! made available by {{ability|Hot Streak}} will no longer consume [[Clearcasting]].
 
*** When {{ability|Scorch}} is cast by a mage who has {{ability|Improved Scorch|Improved Scorch Rank 2}}, it will no longer consume [[Clearcasting].
 
*** {{ability|Shatter}} now only increases the chance for {{ability|Molten Armor}}'s damage to be a critical strike when the target is actually frozen, as intended.
 
** [[Paladin]]s
 
*** {{item|Glyph of Light of Dawn}} no longer incorrectly reduces the healing of {{ability|Light of Dawn}}.
 
** [[Priest]]s
 
*** {{ability|Prayer of Healing}} is now properly healing all of the target's party members, unless they are further than 30 yards away.
 
*** {{ability|Twisted Faith}} no longer gives a 4% damage increase to {{ability|Mind Flay}} when {{ability|Shadow Word: Pain}} is active on a target.
 
** [[Rogue]]s
 
*** {{ability|Envenom}} now properly scales with {{ability|Potent Poisons}}.
 
** [[Warlock]]s
 
*** {{ability|Soul Fire}} will no longer consume both {{ability|Empowered Imp}} and {{ability|Soulburn}} when they are active. It will consume {{ability|Empowered Imp}} and leave {{ability|Soulburn}} still active.
 
** Warriors
 
*** {{ability|Shield Slam}}'s damage has been reduced by about 28% at level 15, with less, but still noticeable reductions at higher levels.
 
* Quests
 
** The Wayward Fire Elemental is now properly tracked on the mini-map for the quest "[[Quest:Ice and Fire]]".
 
** Fishing daily quests in [[Stormwind]] and [[Orgrimmar]] have returned.
 
** Players will now reach their flight destination properly for the quest "[[Quest:Fuselight, Ho!]]"
 
** It is no longer possible to use all the charges on the Purified Moonwell Water at a single brazier for the quest "[[Quest:Dousing the Flames of Protection]]".
 
** The tauren quest "[[Quest:Heeding the Call]]" has been removed from the game and is no longer improperly still being offered to players.
 
   
  +
Devotion to the faiths of Azeroth leads many priests to the paths of courage and heroism. In dark times, priests carry the Light of faith with them as a reminder of the powerful forces at work beyond the comprehension of the peoples who walk the land. Powerful [[healer]]s with an intimate connection to the divine, priests are empowered with abilities that aid them in times of dire need.<ref>''[[World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]'', 70</ref>
===Monday, November 21, 2010===
 
This hotfix reverts the attempt to address the issue where on select realms, rifts for Phase 4 of [[Elemental Unrest]] don't spawn in [[Ironforge]]. Rifts still don't spawn, but you're no longer penalized for it by not being able to queue for the Ironforge bosses.
 
   
  +
Priests comprise quite a varied group in [[Azeroth (world)|Azeroth]]. A female priest is called a "priestess". Many are followers, in some manner, of the [[Light|Holy Light]]. Some priests choose to be [[pyremaster]]s or High Priest, while some of the most experienced become epic priests. There are also racial restrictions to some titles, such as [[witch doctor]] for trolls and [[Priestess of the Moon]] for night elf females.
===Saturday, November 20, 2010===
 
This hotfix attempts to address the issue where on select realms, rifts for Phase 4 of [[Elemental Unrest]] don't spawn in [[Ironforge]].
 
   
  +
== History ==
===Monday, November 15, 2010===
 
  +
[[File:VelenCardgameArt.jpg|thumb|Prophet Velen, an eredar priest.]]
* Phase 4 of [[Elemental Unrest]] has begun!
 
   
  +
The [[Clerics of Northshire]] were [[human]] priests who served the kingdom of [[Stormwind]] during the [[First War]]. The [[cleric]]s served as healers on the battlefield, but were ill-prepared for the hazards of combat, and thus suffered heavy casualties. This order was largely destroyed, and the [[Second War]] saw fragile priests replaced on the battlefield by armored [[Paladin (lore)|paladin]]s, the [[Knights of the Silver Hand]] — established by the clerics' leader Archbishop [[Alonsus Faol]] and his apprentice [[Uther the Lightbringer]].
===Friday, November 12, 2010===
 
* Phase 3 of [[Elemental Unrest]] has begun!
 
   
  +
During events of the [[Third War]], despite the [[High elf|high elves]]' official departure from the [[Alliance]], some elves still remained true to their former [[human]] and [[Dwarf|dwarven]] allies. The altruistic priests of [[Quel'Thalas]] refused to abandon their roles as healers and agreed to remain in [[Lordaeron]] despite the edicts from their reclusive masters in [[Silvermoon]]. The high elven priests used their Light-given powers to heal the wounded and bolster the spirits of Lordaeron’s fighting elite. A holy field medic, these padres roam the battlefield curing the wounds of fallen comrades.
===Monday, November 8, 2010===
 
* Phase 2 of [[Elemental Unrest]] has begun!
 
   
===Monday, November 1, 2010===
+
=== Forsaken priests ===
  +
[[File:Woe or Grow TCG.JPG|thumb|A forsaken priest.]]
* Phase 1 of [[Elemental Unrest]] has begun!
 
   
  +
[[Forsaken]] who once followed the tenets of the [[Light|Holy Light]] altered their philosophy upon their transformation. Forsaken have abandoned religion, just as they believe it abandoned them. Lost and hurt, these priests founded a new religion based on a self-centered version of their former faith. Dubbed the [[Cult of Forgotten Shadow|Forgotten Shadow]], this philosophy centers around self-empowerment and a desire to balance life with death. While they can no longer use the Holy Light, and have since learned how to use the shadow; the priests teach that there must be a balance between light and shadow, and members must learn the Light as well, but never forget they were born from the shadow.
==October 2010==
 
===Tuesday, October 19, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/27187856197/class-balance-amp-hotfixes-10-18/|subject=Class balance as of Oct 13, 2010|datetime=10/13/2010 17:38:58 PDT|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
* We have pushed a hotfix to improve hunter damage.
 
** Specifically, we increased the damage of the signature abilities (Chimera Shot, Explosive Shot and Kill Command) by 15-25%. This will both improve overall damage-dealing and make sure that these abilities are prioritized higher than other shots. We think this will bring hunters to a good enough state until they hit 85. Aspect of the Fox and Cobra Shot solve some specific issues at higher levels. Marksman hunters may still trump Survival and Beastmaster hunters until they’re 85, since their rotations rely a little on Cobra Shot.
 
   
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=== Troll priests ===
  +
The [[troll]] priesthoods are, much like the shamans and the [[witch doctor]]s of the various troll tribes, spiritual advisers and caretakers. With trolls being naturally superstitious and spiritual, it allows the various troll priests to manipulate the spiritual energy of the world in order to either heal or harm their targets. The various energies that the troll priests draw can come from various sources, be it Loa spirits, voodoo magic or the target itself. Drawing upon these energies, the troll priests either mend or harm, depending on which blessing the spiritual entity bestows. Arguably, in [[World of Warcraft]], troll priests can be considered witch doctors in a cultural perspective, in equal terms with the shamans.
   
  +
=== Tauren priests {{Cata-inline}} ===
===Monday, October 18, 2010===
 
  +
{{Speculation}}
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/27187856197/class-balance-amp-hotfixes-10-18/|subject=Class balance as of Oct 13, 2010|datetime=10/13/2010 17:38:58 PDT|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
  +
With the arrival of [[Cataclysm]], the [[Tauren]] have the ability to become priests. It is possible that they use the light of the Sun in their spells just like Tauren [[paladin]]s do, as opposed to the [[Light|Holy Light]]. If this is the case, it would similar to how the Night Elf priests use the power of the Moon, their goddess Elune, instead of the Holy Light. [[Tahu Sagewind]] became a priest trainer for the tauren. It is possible that he founded the group of tauren priests due to his conversation with [[Aponi Brightmane]], the first Tauren paladin, before Cataclysm.
* We are going to take the resilience buff down a little:<br />
 
** It should end up as a 25% buff from where it stood originally, not a 50% buff. For point of comparison, maxing out resilience before our first hotfix reduced damage by ~50%. After out hotfix, the damage reduction with max resilience was 80%. With this most recent change, damage reduction with max resilience will go down to 60%.
 
   
  +
=== Gnome priests {{Cata-inline}} ===
:Clarification:
 
  +
{{Speculation}}
:We had buffed resilience by 50% and then lowered it by 25%. This is a 12.5% buff from before the patch. To use clean numbers, if you had 40% damage reduction, we buffed it to 60% (a 50% increase) and then lowered it to 45% (a 25% decrease)
 
  +
With the arrival of [[Cataclysm]], Gnome priests are finally playable. Gnome priest NPCs (such as the [[Holdout Medic]]s in Gnomeregan and the [[North Fleet Medic]]s in the [[Howling Fjord]]) have existed in [[Azeroth (world)|Azeroth]] for some time, but the destruction brought on by [[Deathwing]] will most likely inspire many more Gnomes to turn to their allies and adopt devotion to [[The Light]].
   
  +
Notably, following the examples prior to Cataclysm, gnome priests seem to focus heavily on the divine's ability of healing, though more with the intention of practicing medicine rather than sorcery. Their usage of it is actually very similar to [[first aid]], and gnome priests refer to themselves as doctors, medics, and surgeons<ref>[["Doc" Cogspin]]</ref><ref>[[Chief Surgeon Gashweld]]</ref>. As a result, although not confirmed, it is likely that they pay less attention to a priest's capability to control darker powers.
===Wednesday, October 14, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/27187856197/class-balance-amp-hotfixes-10-18/|subject=Class balance as of Oct 13, 2010|datetime=10/13/2010 17:38:58 PDT|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
* We lowered the damage of Shadow Word: Death, except when the target is at the 20% wounded state, at which point it will do full damage. We also fixed a bug where the energize from Masochism was causing too much threat. (This is just a clarification on the above note -- we have not nerfed it twice.)
 
* We lowered the base points and coefficients of several Balance spells, especially Insect Swarm.
 
* We lowered the damage of Drain Soul slightly.
 
   
  +
{{Bluepost|poster=Slorkuz|title=Ask CDev 2 - Answers|date=06/23/2011|link=http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2283549208|body=The gnomes have had an interest in the Light since they joined the Alliance, but they were so focused on technology and, later, the retaking of Gnomeregan that studying the Light didn't feel necessary to them; the dwarven priests and paladins of Ironforge served as the only connection to the Light they needed. Now that the gnomes have reclaimed a foothold in Gnomeregan and begun rebuilding their culture outside of Ironforge, however, they've recognized the importance of having followers of the Light in their own ranks. In addition, researching new methods of purifying irradiated gnomes has led to radical advances in Light-based technology!}}
===Wednesday, October 13, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/27187856197/class-balance-amp-hotfixes-10-18/|subject=Class balance as of Oct 13, 2010|datetime=10/13/2010 17:38:58 PDT|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
* We buffed the base points and coefficients of many warrior dps abilities. We didn't do as much to tanking abilities.
 
* We buffed the base points and coefficients of many Ret abilities.
 
* We buffed the base points and coefficients of many Feral cat abilities.
 
* We lowered the base points and coefficients of many mage abilities, but lowered Fire more than the other two.
 
* We nerfed Shadow Word: Death, but it is possible we didn't nerf it enough. It should not be Shadow's biggest spell.
 
* We returned Searing Pain's damage to its 3.3.5 levels.
 
* We increased the benefit of resilience by 50% for players level 80 and below. The tooltips will probably not reflect this change.
 
   
  +
=== Notable priests ===
==September 2010==
 
  +
{{main|List of priests}}
===Tuesday, September 7, 2010===
 
  +
{|class="darktable sortable"
* The [[Operation: Gnomeregan]] and [[Zalazane's Fall]] events are now active.
 
  +
|-
  +
!Name!!Role!!Status!!Location
  +
|-
  +
|{{Alliance}}{{RaceIconExt|Anduin}} [[Anduin Wrynn]]
  +
|Prince of Stormwind
  +
|<font color="limegreen">Alive</font>
  +
|[[Stormwind Keep]],[[Stormwind City]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Alliance}}{{RaceIconExt|Turalyon}} [[Turalyon]] (Formerly)
  +
|High General of the Alliance Expedition
  +
|<font color="orange">Missing in action</font>
  +
|Unknown
  +
|-
  +
|{{Alliance}}{{RaceIcon|Human|Male}} [[Archbishop Benedictus]]
  +
|Leader of the [[Church of the Holy Light]]
  +
|<font color="limegreen">Alive</font>
  +
|[[Cathedral of Light]], [[Stormwind City]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Alliance}}{{RaceIcon|Human|Male}} [[Alonsus Faol|Archbishop Alonsus Faol]]
  +
|Leader of the Church of Light
  +
|<font color="red">Deceased</font>
  +
|[[Faol's Rest]], [[Tirisfal Glades]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Horde}}{{RaceIcon|Troll|Male}} [[Zabra Hexx]]
  +
|Priest
  +
|<font color="limegreen">Alive</font>
  +
|Unknown
  +
|-
  +
|{{Neutral}}{{RaceIconExt|Iridi}} [[Iridi]]
  +
|Priestess
  +
|<font color="red">Deceased</font>
  +
|Buried in [[Outland]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Neutral}}{{RaceIcon|Draenei|Female}} [[Ishanah|High Priestess Ishanah]]
  +
|Leader of the [[Aldor]]
  +
|<font color="limegreen">Alive</font>
  +
|[[Shrine of Unending Light]], [[Shattrath City]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Neutral}}{{RaceIcon|Troll|Male}} [[Rastakhan]]
  +
|King of all living trolls on Azeroth
  +
|<font color="limegreen">Alive</font>
  +
|[[Zuldazar]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Horde}}{{RaceIcon|Troll|Male}} [[Sen'jin]]
  +
|Former leader of the Darkspear tribe
  +
|<font color="red">Deceased</font>
  +
|Unknown
  +
|-
  +
|{{Alliance}}{{RaceIconExt|Velen}} [[Velen]]
  +
|Leader of the [[Draenei]]
  +
|<font color="limegreen">Alive</font>
  +
|[[Vault of Lights]], [[The Exodar]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Horde}}{{RaceIcon|Troll|Male}} [[Vol'jin]]
  +
|Leader of the [[Darkspear tribe]]
  +
|<font color="limegreen">Alive</font>
  +
|[[Valley of Wisdom]], [[Orgrimmar]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{Alliance}}{{RaceIconExt|Tyrande}} [[Tyrande Whisperwind]]
  +
|High priestess of [[Elune]]
  +
|<font color="limegreen">Alive</font>
  +
|[[Temple of the Moon]], [[Darnassus]]
  +
|}
   
==July 2010==
+
== Overview ==
  +
[[File:SisterRemba.jpg|thumb|Sister Remba, another dwarf priest.]]
   
===Tuesday, July 20, 2010===
+
=== Abilities ===
  +
{{main|Priest abilities}}
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/23425467230-icecrown-citadel-raid-buffs-active.html|subject=Icecrown Citadel Raid Buffs Active|datetime=2010-03-30 19:24:03|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
* We have increased the potency of the [[Strength of Wrynn]] and [[Hellscream's Warsong]] buffs in [[Icecrown Citadel (instance)|Icecrown Citadel]] by an additional 5% - these buffs are now at 30%.
 
   
  +
*[[Priest abilities#Healing|Healing]]: single target heals, group heals, heals over time, [[Resurrection]].
==June 2010==
 
  +
*Holy magic: [[Power Word]]s, [[Priest abilities#Buffs|buffs]], [[Priest abilities#Cures|dispels and cures]], [[Priest abilities#Direct Damage|direct damage]].
  +
*Shadow magic: [[Shadow Word]]s, direct damage, [[Priest abilities#Damage_over_Time|damage over time]], [[Priest abilities#Mana_Drains|mana drains]], [[Priest abilities#Aggro_Control|aggro control]], [[Mind Control]].
  +
*Miscellaneous: [[Priest abilities#Crowd_Control|limited crowd control]].
   
===Tuesday, July 22, 2010===
+
=== Stats, weapons, and armor ===
  +
*The most important stats for a priest are (depending on the chosen talents): [[intellect]], [[spirit]], [[stamina]], [[spell haste]] and [[Spell critical strike|spell crit]].
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/23425467230-icecrown-citadel-raid-buffs-active.html|subject=Icecrown Citadel Raid Buffs Active|datetime=2010-03-30 19:24:03|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
  +
*The priest can wield [[staff]]s, [[One-Handed|one-handed]] [[mace]]s, [[wand]]s, and [[dagger]]s.
* We have increased the potency of the [[Strength of Wrynn]] and [[Hellscream's Warsong]] buffs in [[Icecrown Citadel (instance)|Icecrown Citadel]] by an additional 5% - these buffs are now at 25%.
 
  +
*The priest can only wear [[Cloth Armor|cloth armor]]. For details on set items that are useful for priests, see [[priest sets]] and [[Healing equipment (priest)|healing equipment]].
  +
**For {{bc-inline}} end-game healing equipment go to [[BC healing equipment (cloth)]].
  +
**For {{bc-inline}} end-game DPS equipment go to [[BC Caster DPS cloth]].
  +
**For {{wotlk-inline}} end-game healing equipment go to [[Wrath healing equipment (cloth)]].
  +
**For {{wotlk-inline}} end-game DPS equipment go to [[Wrath casting equipment (cloth)]].
  +
* [[Priest recommended enchantments]]
   
==May 2010==
+
== Races ==
  +
[[File:Charkov TCG.jpg|thumb|Charkov, another forsaken priest.]]
  +
{{main|Priest races}}
   
  +
The priest class can be played by the following races:
===Tuesday, May 25, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/23425467230-icecrown-citadel-raid-buffs-active.html|subject=Icecrown Citadel Raid Buffs Active|datetime=2010-03-30 19:24:03|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
* We have increased the potency of the [[Strength of Wrynn]] and [[Hellscream's Warsong]] buffs in [[Icecrown Citadel (instance)|Icecrown Citadel]] by an additional 5% - these buffs are now at 20%.
 
   
  +
<!-- Record the stats by checking in-game, after taking any armor/shield off -->
===Thursday, May 12, 2010===
 
  +
{| class="darktable" style="text-align: center;"
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/24702015249/recent-in-game-fixes-may-2010-5-11/|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - May 2010 - 5/11|datetime=05/11/2010 17:29:49|author={{Blizz}} [[Drokthul]]}}.
 
  +
|-
* {{npc||Bryan Landers}} in [[Dalaran]] is no longer continuously repeating his greeting emote.
 
  +
! colspan="2" | Race !! Strength !! Agility !! Stamina !! Intellect !! Spirit !! Armor !! Health !! Mana
  +
|-
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Alliance Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Draenei}} {{bc-inline}}
  +
| 21 || 17 || 20 || 22 || '''25''' || 34 || 52 || 160
  +
|- class="alt"
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Alliance Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Dwarf}}
  +
| '''25''' || 16 || '''21''' || 21 || 22 || 32 || '''62''' || 145
  +
|-
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Alliance Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Gnome}} {{cata-inline}}
  +
| 15 || 23 || 19 || '''25''' || 23 || '''51''' || 51 || '''205'''
  +
|- class="alt"
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Alliance Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Human}}
  +
| 20 || 20 || 20 || 22 || 23 || 40 || 52 || 160
  +
|-
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Alliance Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Night elf}}
  +
| 16 || '''24''' || 20 || 22 || 23 || 48 || 52 || 160
  +
|- class="alt"
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Alliance Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Worgen}} {{cata-inline}}
  +
| 23 || 22 || 20 || 18 || 22 || 46 || 52 || 128
  +
|-
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Horde Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Blood elf}} {{bc-inline}}
  +
| 17 || '''22''' || 20 || '''25''' || 21 || '''44''' || 52 || '''205'''
  +
|- class="alt"
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Horde Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Undead}}
  +
| 19 || 18 || 20 || 20 || '''28''' || 38 || 52 || 130
  +
|-
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Horde Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Goblin}} {{cata-inline}}
  +
| 17 || '''22''' || 20 || '''25''' || 21 || 33 || 52 || '''205'''
  +
|- class="alt"
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Horde Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Tauren}} {{cata-inline}}
  +
| '''25''' || 15 || '''22''' || 17 || 25 || 35 || '''72''' || 127
  +
|-
  +
! style="text-align:left;" | {{Horde Icon Small}} !! style="text-align:left" | {{Race|Troll}}
  +
| 21 || '''22''' || 20 || 18 || 24 || '''44''' || 52 || 128
  +
|}
   
  +
== Talents ==
===Wednesday, May 11, 2010===
 
  +
[[File:aelthalyste.jpg|thumb|Aelthalyste resides in the War Quarter of Undercity ready to train priests of all capabilities.]]
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/24702015249/recent-in-game-fixes-may-2010-5-11/|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - May 2010 - 5/11|datetime=05/11/2010 17:29:49|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
* The amount of health has been increased on [[demolisher]]s in the [[Strand of the Ancients]] battleground.
 
   
  +
:''Main articles: [[Priest talents]] and [[Priest builds]].''
==April 2010==
 
   
===Tuesday, April 27, 2010===
+
=== Discipline ===
  +
[[File:Spell holy powerwordshield.png|left|link=Priest talents#Discipline]]
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/23425467230-icecrown-citadel-raid-buffs-active.html|subject=Icecrown Citadel Raid Buffs Active|datetime=2010-03-30 19:24:03|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
* We have increased the potency of the [[Strength of Wrynn]] and [[Hellscream's Warsong]] buffs in [[Icecrown Citadel (instance)|Icecrown Citadel]] by an additional 5% - these buffs are now at 15%.
 
   
  +
The [[Priest talents#Discipline|Discipline]] tree primarily focuses on damage mitigation through [[Power Word: Shield]], [[Divine Aegis]], and [[Power Word: Barrier]], with the [[mastery]] bonus improving these abilities. The priest receives [[Penance]] when choosing Discipline as their specialization, which is one of the most efficient single target heal spells in the game, with the bonus of being able to damage foes. The tree has strong cooldowns for emergency situations: [[Pain Suppression]] and [[Power Infusion]]. Discipline is the preferred spec for PvP, with the many absorption abilities giving the priest some "breathing room" when under attack. Discipline priests also have the unique ability to heal through the damaging spell [[Smite]], if the talents [[Evangelism]], [[Archangel]] and [[Atonement]] are chosen (a glyph to keep in mind when doing this is [[Glyph of Divine Accuracy|Divine Accuracy]], as healing gear doesn't have any [[hit]] on it).
* The number of attempts allotted for all final bosses in [[Icecrown Citadel (instance)|Icecrown Citadel]] on Heroic difficulty has been increased to 45.
 
   
  +
=== Holy ===
  +
[[File:Spell holy guardianspirit.png|left|link=Priest talents#Holy]]
   
  +
[[Priest talents#Holy|Holy]] priests are some of the most versatile healers, with a variety of tools to sustain their group. In comparison to the Discipline priest, the Holy priest focuses primarily on reactive healing rather than damage prevention, with their mastery giving healed targets a [[heal over time]] effect based on the initial heal. The priest receives [[Holy Word: Chastise]] when choosing Holy as their specialization. Holy priests have an instant [[area of effect]] 'smart' heal, [[Circle of Healing]], as well as bonuses to [[Prayer of Healing]] and [[Renew]]. [[Guardian Spirit]] is a very strong cooldown, being able to save someone from certain death. [[Chakra]] is what gives Holy priests their incredible versatility, allowing the priest to choose between substantial buffs to their direct healing, HoT and aoe healing, or even damage, while [[Revelations]] morphs Holy Word: Chastise into a different spell to complement the state the user is in. Holy priests can even heal from beyond the grave with [[Spirit of Redemption]] - for a limited time.
===Friday, April 16, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/13200290614/lil-xt-sounds/|subject=Lil XT sounds|datetime=04/16/2010 07:48:41 PDT|author={{Blizz}} [[Vaneras]]}}.
 
* A hotfix was recently applied, which temporarily disabled some of the sounds {{item|Lil' XT}} makes.
 
   
  +
=== Shadow ===
  +
[[File:Spell Shadow ShadowWordPain.png|left|link=Priest talents#Shadow]]
  +
[[File:undeadpriest.jpg|thumb|A Forsaken priest in shadowform.]]
   
  +
[[Priest talents#Shadow|Shadow]] talents primarily enhance a priest's [[damage per second|damage]] and gives the ability to enter [[Shadowform]], which makes the user purple and transparent. The priest receives [[Mind Flay]] when choosing Shadow as their specialization, a [[channeled]] spell that causes damage and slows the target to 50% of its movement speed. Shadow priests focus on using [[damage over time]] spells on their target, much like an [[Affliction]] [[warlock]], and once the target is below 25% [[Shadow Word: Death]] functions like an execute. The mastery bonus causes gives you a chance to receive shadow orbs when dealing damage through [[Shadow Word: Pain]] or Mind Flay and they increase the damage caused by your next [[Mind Blast]] or [[Mind Spike]]. [[Vampiric Embrace]] heals the priest and his group for a percentage of damage done. Apart from this heal, the priest will give other useful buffs to the raid, with [[Vampiric Touch]] providing [[replenishment]] and Shadowform giving raid members a 5% [[haste]] increase. Between [[Dispersion]] and [[Shadowfiend]], Shadow priests have very good mana throughput, with the former doubling as a defensive cooldown and the latter as an offensive one. The PvP talents in the Shadow tree, such as [[Silence]], [[Paralysis]], [[Improved Psychic Scream]] and [[Psychic Horror]] increase survivability and [[crowd control]] capability.
===Friday, April 2, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/24038608865-recent-ingame-fixes--april-2010--42.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - April 2010 - 4/2|datetime=2010-04-02 23:21:29|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
* The agility bonus provided by the {{ability|Strength of Earth Totem}} now applies to characters within the appropriate range.
 
   
==March 2010==
 
   
  +
See also common leveling and end game [[priest builds]].
===Wednesday, March 31, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/23425638763-recent-ingame-fixes--march-2010--34.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - March 2010 - 3/31|datetime=2010-03-24 20:46:09|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
* The talent {{ability|Brain Freeze}} should no longer to be triggered by casting the spell {{ability|Frostfire Bolt}}.
 
* {{mob|Scourgelord Tyrannus}} should no longer remount {{mob|Rimefang}} during the encounter.
 
* {{ability|Revenge}} can now only be used once for each time it activates.
 
* The damage buff the generals in [[Alterac Valley]] receive from the tower guards has been increased.
 
   
  +
== Tactics ==
  +
[[File:Zaduru TCG.jpg|thumb|Zaduru, a troll priest.]]
   
  +
{{main|Priest tactics}}
===Tuesday, March 30, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/23425467230-icecrown-citadel-raid-buffs-active.html|subject=Icecrown Citadel Raid Buffs Active|datetime=2010-03-30 19:24:03|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
* We have increased the potency of the [[Strength of Wrynn]] and [[Hellscream's Warsong]] buffs in [[Icecrown Citadel]] by an additional 5% - these buffs are now at 10%.
 
* The number of attempts allotted for all final bosses in [[Icecrown Citadel (instance)|Icecrown Citadel]] on Heroic difficulty has been increased to 40.
 
   
  +
Priests are generally regarded as a tough class to play in PvP, but they are highly desired in groups as the best healer in the game and as a great utility class. They are very dependent on how their talent points are spent. Discipline priests are considered better off in PvP, while holy and shadow priests are highly desired for instancing and raiding. While the discipline and holy talent trees focus on making very strong healers, the shadow tree focuses on damage dealing, while restoring the party's health and mana at the same time.
   
  +
Many players regard healing priests as being the jack-of-all-trades healing class due to the great diversity of healing spells at their disposal. This includes direct healing, healing over time, area of effect healing, and the ability to shield targets from damage. Due to this great diversity, a healing priest can heal any encounter, while the other healing classes may find it more difficult.
===Friday, March 26, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/23425638763-recent-ingame-fixes--march-2010--34.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - March 2010 - 3/24|datetime=2010-03-24 20:46:09|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
* The {{item|Endless Healing Potion}} is no longer usable in arenas as intended.
 
* [[Warlock]]s using a lower rank of {{ability|Life Tap}} will receive a reduced benefit from their shadow spell power.
 
* The damage done by the cannons in the [[Gunship Battle|gunship encounter]] in Icecrown Citadel has been increased and the rate at which their heat decays has been reduced.
 
* In [[Alterac Valley]], the buffs that the Generals get from the Warmasters and Marshals now grant them negative enemy dodge. This means they will now ignore some of their target's total dodge percentage. The base health of the Generals has been increased and the buff also grants a slightly increased amount of damage and health.
 
* The cheese items in [[Dalaran]] as well as the Kvaldir Berserkers in [[Icecrown]] will once again respawn at a faster rate.
 
* The window that comes up when talking to an NPC should no longer close on its own.
 
* Some changes to the battleground queuing system have been made to improve performance and group queuing.
 
* The timer for when the next battle in [[Wintergrasp]] will occur should no long disappear.
 
   
  +
Healing priest tactics generally involve conserving mana while deciding the ideal time to heal. The player must decide which spell to use and at what time. Many priests use a tactic known as stopcasting. In this method, the priest will constantly use Greater Heal; however, if in the 2.5-second cast time the target never takes sufficient damage, the priest will cancel the heal before it goes off and begin recasting.
   
  +
The goal of a shadow priest is to keep a series of spells with unique cool-downs and durations going constantly. A shadow priest must cycle through several [[direct damage]], [[channeled]], and [[damage over time]] spells. A shadow priest is unique in that [[Vampiric Embrace]] restores health to the priest's entire party, which is based upon the damage the priest deals. They can also help restore mana to up to 10 party or raid members through [[Replenishment]], which they trigger by using [[Vampiric Touch]] in conjunction with [[Mind Blast]]. A shadow priest, if talented, will also increase the effectiveness of all spell casters attacking the same target as the priest. These abilities make the shadow priest a great utility class while in instances and in raids.
===Wednesday, March 24, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/23425638763-recent-ingame-fixes--march-2010--34.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - March 2010 - 3/24|datetime=2010-03-24 20:46:09|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
* The {{achievement|Glory of the Icecrown Raider (10 player)}} meta achievement no longer requires Neck-Deep in Vile to be completed.
 
* For the {{mob|Sindragosa (tactics)||Sindragosa}} encounter, Frost Breath cast under 35% HP no longer has a snare component and there are no longer diminishing returns on Taunt effects.
 
* The {{item|High Test Eternium Fishing Line}} now correctly adds +5 fishing skill.
 
* The {{item|Weather-Beaten Fishing Hat}} now applies the +75 fishing buff as intended.
 
* Transmuting {{item|Spellweave}}, {{item|Ebonweave}}, and {{item|Moonshroud}} items no longer places a buff on the player.
 
* The NPC {{NPC|Horde|Halthenis}} is properly appearing again which allowing [[Hunter]]s to complete the Beast Training quest.
 
* Horde and Alliance Master Engineers should once again be able access the Auction House through {{NPC|Neutral|Reginald Arcfire}} and {{NPC|Neutral|Brassbolt Mechawrench}} respectively.
 
* [[Druid]]s are able to use {{ability|Swiftmend}} on targets that have received a rejuvenation from their 4-piece Tier 10 bonus as intended.
 
* {{ability|Pyroblast}} should correctly benefit from Torment the Weak for players with the {{ability|Molten Fury}} talent.
 
* The [[Warrior]] 4-piece Tier 10 bonus should now have the appropriate chance to proc.
 
   
  +
== End-game expectations ==
===Thursday, March 4, 2010===
 
  +
Though many priests found themselves originally pigeonholed into a single role in classic World of Warcraft, many are experiencing greater freedom in a post-Burning Crusade raiding environment. Priests are capable of filling both healing and damage dealing roles, depending on the priest's spec and the need of the raid. This flexibility is further aided by the increased debuff cap making it easier to allow multiple shadow priests to contribute without being detrimental to a raid.
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/23425638763-recent-ingame-fixes--march-2010--34.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - March 2010 - 3/4|datetime=2010-03-05 00:52:05|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
* In the {{mob|Lord Marrowgar}} encounters, the boss will no longer reset threat after a bone storm and will now wait a small amount of time before attacking at the end of a bone storm.
 
* In the {{mob|Deathbringer Saurfang}} encounters, the boss is now less likely to cast Blood Nova on targets affected by Mark of the Fallen Champion.
 
* In both normal and heroic versions of the 10 player {{mob|Rotface}} encounter, the mutated infection ability will not be cast as quickly while the fight progresses.
 
* In the 10- and 25-player heroic {{mob|Festergut}} encounters, the malleable goo ability should no longer target pets.
 
* In the {{mob|Valithria Dreamwalker}} encounters, the duration of Emerald Vigor and Twisted Nightmares were slightly increased.
 
* In the {{mob|Sindragosa (tactics)||Sindragosa}} encounters, the duration of the instability debuff was slightly reduced.
 
   
  +
=== End game healing ===
  +
[[File:EssenceOfMending.jpg|thumb|A draenei priest.]]
  +
Healing priests are valued by many as proficient and skilled healers, capable of utilizing a variety of heals and numerous buffs that benefit raiders such as [[Power Word: Fortitude]], [[Shadow Protection]] and [[Power Word: Shield]]. [[Power Word: Shield]] can be further improved by spending points in the [[discipline]] tree for [[Improved Power Word: Shield]]. While sometimes considered by some to be mana inefficient when compared with other healing classes, the introduction of the [[Shadowfiend]] in the Burning Crusade allows a healing priest to regain a significant amount of mana used to continue healing while providing negligible damage against one target. The use of the talent [[Lightwell]] can allow raiders to regain health by accessing the conjured well, while [[Spirit of Redemption]] allows holy priests to continue casting healing spells on a raid for 15 seconds beyond death (21 seconds with [[Glyph of Spirit of Redemption]]) with no expense to mana.
   
  +
Discipline priests' main strength lies in preventing damage. They cannot put out as much raw healing as holy priests can, however the strategy for discipline priests is quite different; they prefer to prevent damage where possible by shielding their allies from harm. Discipline priests are capable of healing multiple targets, but in a large group their role will usually be to keep the main tank alive. While healing priests do not possess the raid healing output of a druid or the tank healing capabilities of a holy paladin, priests are in fact incredibly proficient at both of these roles.
===Tuesday, March 2, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/1/23425467230-icecrown-citadel-raid-buffs-active.html|subject=Icecrown Citadel Raid Buffs Active|datetime=2010-03-03 00:27:20|author={{Blizz}} [[Zarhym]]}}.
 
* Hard-mode attempts on end of wing bosses in [[Icecrown Citadel (instance)|Icecrown Citadel]] increased from 20 to 35.
 
* The [[Icecrown Citadel (instance)|Icecrown Citadel]] zone-wide buffs are now active. {{alink|Strength of Wrynn|Strength of Wrynn}} / {{hlink|Hellscream's Warsong|Hellscream's Warsong}} are both now set to 5%. This buff increases total health, Healing Done, and Damage done by 5%.
 
   
  +
While holy priests collect [[spirit]] and [[haste]] stats, many discipline priests focus on high [[spell critical]] as well as haste.
==February 2010==
 
===Wednesday, February 17, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=22748763261&sid=1|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - February 2010 - 2/17|datetime=02/03/2010 05:43:46 PM PST|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
* The drop rate of {{item|Frost Lotus}}, from herbs in Northrend, has been increased by 50%.
 
   
===Thursday, February 11, 2010===
+
=== End-game damage dealing ===
  +
[[File:RembaAbbessOfAsh.jpg|thumb|Remba, Abbess of Ash, a dwarf shadow-priest.]]
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=22748763261&sid=1|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - February 2010 - 2/11|datetime=02/03/2010 05:43:46 PM PST|author={{Blizz}} [[Crygil]]}}.
 
  +
The strength and versatility of a shadow-specced priest has been recognized as an invaluable asset in both five mans and raids. A shadow priest is capable of contributing significant damage as well as providing a variety of buffs and debuffs that benefit the group as a whole. The [[Vampiric Embrace]] talent gives a portion of the shadow priest's single-target shadow damage as a group-wide heal that can aid in keeping the health of group members up; this can be especially helpful when grouped with a tank and warlocks who [[Life Tap]] frequently, as well as rogues and Feral druids performing melee damage.
* Using a {{item|Bag of Heart Candies}} with a full inventory will now cause the local postmaster to send you any candy not recieved.
 
* {{mob|Sindragosa (tactics)||Sindragosa}} will now be more consistent in her application of Unchained Magic in 25-player difficulty.
 
   
  +
Most importantly, [[Vampiric Touch]] benefits a caster or healer group by providing mana over the course of the fight. This is the primary reason to have a shadow priest in raids; to either provide the mana to healers during a healing-intensive fight, or to damage dealing casters in fights which focus on burst or constant [[area of effect]] damage, as well as to Paladin tanks who must use mana for their threat generating abilities.
===Wednesday, February 10, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=22748763261&sid=1|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - February 2010 - 2/10|datetime=02/03/2010 05:43:46 PM PST|author={{Blizz}} [[Crygil]]}}.
 
*In the {{mob|Apothecary Frye}} encounter, area of effect damage has been reduced against pets.
 
*Dying during the {{mob|Blood-Queen Lana'thel}} encounter will no longer prevent you from gaining {{achievement|Once Bitten, Twice Shy}} achievement.
 
   
  +
These debuffs are an addition to the base priest [[Power Word: Fortitude]], [[Shadow Protection]], and [[Power Word: Shield]] buffs and can be improved by delving into the [[discipline]] tree for [[Improved Power Word: Shield]] and [[Twin Disciplines]]. In addition to providing significant damage and buffs, shadow priests have the flexibility to drop out of [[Shadowform]] and provide backup healing if the situation warrants it, though they typically suffer from the lack of points spent in the holy tree and reduced bonus healing from damage-oriented gear.
===Tuesday, February 9, 2010===
 
See {{Blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=22748763261&sid=1|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - February 2010 - 2/9|datetime=02/03/2010 05:43:46 PM PST|author={{Blizz}} [[Crygil]]}}.
 
*{{item|Titan-Forged Spaulders of Triumph}} are purchasable by druids as intended.
 
*[[Lovely Charm]]s now stack to 40.
 
*Any player who has a [[Lovely Charm Collector's Kit]] in their bags now has a chance to receive a [[Lovely Charm]] when in a group or raid and a group member gets a killing blow as long as they are within a certain range of the kill.
 
*In all difficulties of the [[Lich King (Icecrown Citadel tactics)|Lich King encounter]], players who are tanking raging spirits are no longer valid Harvest Soul targets during phase 3, Vile Spirits in phase 3 now spawn at a greater height, and Vile Spirits in phase 3 will not be spawned as often.
 
*In the 10 player [[Lich King (Icecrown Citadel tactics)|Lich King encounter]], Raging Spirits have had their health decreased in both normal and heroic versions and then fewer Vile Spirirts will be summoned in just the 10 player normal mode.
 
*{{mob|Svala Sorrowgrave}} in Utgarde Pinnacle should no longer get stuck in the air during her transformation phase.
 
*The [[Cache of the Ley-Guardian|Blue Sack of Gems]] earned from completing a random heroic Occulus dungeon is no longer tradeable.
 
*The Tier 10 tanking plate gloves and chest pieces now have their appropriate durability on them.
 
   
  +
On the other hand, some DPS priests will go more into discipline and put some in either shadow, or holy to increase their damage even more. A DPS priest with discipline and shadow doesn't have the damage potential of a shadow priest with most talents into shadow, however, they will receive the boost to their group buffs, have a threat reducing move for others, and also have the potential to heal slightly to assist the healer when necessary.
===Monday, February 8, 2010===
 
  +
A DPS priest with discipline and holy is much more versatile than one with shadow, the holy hybrid has a few key moves that can benefit him/herself and even make things a little easier (little in a rather small sense) for the healer. With the talents in holy, usually a priest will spend points in [[Divine Fury]] to reduce cast time of some of your offensive spells, and [[Desperate Prayer]]. The discipline DPS class isn't for everyone and can take a long time to master, but it is a fun and challenging class to play and some will enjoy it more than others.
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/22748763261-recent-ingame-fixes--february-2010--23.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - February 2010 - 2/8|datetime=2010-02-04 01:43:46|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
*Sindragosa's Mystic Buffet will now pulse every 6 six seconds, up from 5 seconds. In the normal 10 player encounter the debuff increase has also been slightly reduced.
 
*In the {{mob|Toravon||Toravon the Ice Watcher}} encounter, the effect of the Whiteout debuff has been reduced. Additionally, the damage done by Frozen Orbs has been reduced.
 
   
  +
==Cataclysm changes {{Cata-inline}}==
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/23042295833-icecrown-citadel-attempts-on-normal.html|subject=Icecrown Citadel Attempts on Normal|datetime=2010-02-09 02:42:11|author={{Blizz}} [[Daelo]]}}.
 
  +
'''Please Note: The following are previews of changes to the Priest class posted in April 2010; while much of the below is still accurate, some details have changed. For more up-to-date and detailed information on the current implementations of abilities and talents for the Priest class, see the relevant pages.'''
*After each region's maintenance this week, raids will no longer lose attempts on wipes in Normal mode for Professor Putricide, Blood-Queen Lana'thel, Sindragosa, and the Lich King. There will still be limited attempts in Heroic mode.
 
  +
===General preview===
  +
{{Bluepost|poster=Zarhym|title=Cataclysm Class Preview: Priest|date=04/07/2010 11:57:38 PM PDT|link=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=24038432151&sid=1|body=
  +
In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, we'll be making lots of changes and additions to class talents and abilities across the board. In this preview, you'll get an early look at some of the changes in store for the priest class, including a rundown of some of the new spells, abilities, and talents, as well as an overview of how the new Mastery system will work with the different talent specs.
   
===Friday, February 5, 2010===
+
====New Priest Spells====
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/22748763261-recent-ingame-fixes--february-2010--23.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - February 2010 - 2/5|datetime=2010-02-04 01:43:46|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
   
  +
'''[[Heal]] (available at level 16)''': While priests already have a spell called Heal, the existing version becomes obsolete at higher levels, which is something we intend to change in Cataclysm. Introduced at a low level, the "new" Heal spell will functionally work much like a down-ranked [[Greater Heal]] did in the past, adding more granularity to your direct-healing arsenal. If you need to heal someone a moderate amount and efficiency is an issue (making [[Flash Heal]] the incorrect spell for the job), then Heal is what you want to use. Heal is intended to be the priest's go-to direct-healing spell unless they need something bigger (Greater Heal) or faster (Flash Heal). We will be following a similar philosophy with all the healing classes.
*{{mob|Rimefang}} now flies less frequently in all raid formats.
 
*The Fountain of Light proc effect can now heal players outside of the caster’s party.
 
*Animated Bones summoned by the Anub’ar Necromancers, no longer award experience when defeated.
 
*The amount of damage being absorbed by {{Ability|Sacred Shield}} and {{Ability|Power Word: Shield}} is being reduced by 10% correctly in only battlegrounds, Arenas, and Wintergrasp.
 
*The range of the Lich King’s Remorseless Winter aura has been increased in Halls of Reflection.
 
*The Val’kyr Shadowguards in the Icecrown Citadel Lich King raid encounter should always properly pick up their target.
 
*{{mob|Deathbringer Saurfang}} should gain blood power less rapidly in normal 10 and normal 25 player modes and players can also no longer zone in while this encounter is active.
 
*{{mob|Sindragosa (tactics)||Sindragosa}}’s Backlash ability can no longer crit.
 
*The rejuvenation procs from the [[Lasherweave Garb|Druid Tier 10]] will now work better in a raid group and not avoid targets that have any rejuvenation spell on them though it will continue to avoid targets that have the casting druid’s rejuvenation on them.
 
*The damage bonus done by {{ability|Devastate}} has been appropriate increased to be in line with the changes made in patch 3.3.2.
 
   
  +
'''[[Mind Spike]] (level 81)''': Deals Shadowfrost damage and puts a debuff on the target that improves subsequent Mind Spike damage. The intent of Mind Spike is to fill a niche missing in Shadow DPS, though it may be occasionally useful for healers as well. Mind Spike provides a quick nuke to use in situations where the priest doesn't have time to set up the normal rotation, such as when adds are dying too fast or you have to swap targets a lot. Spamming Mind Spike will do about as much damage as casting [[Mind Flay]] on a target afflicted with [[Shadow Word: Pain]]. The idea behind the debuff is that when you cast Mind Spike, we expect you to cast a lot of them; we don't intend you to fit it into an already full Shadow rotation. It also provides Shadow with a spell to cast when locked out of the Shadow school. (School lockouts will no longer affect both schools for multi-school spells.) 1.5-second cast. 30-yard range. No cooldown.
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/28/22049841555-nibelung-why-it-should-be-reevaluated.html|subject=Re: Nibelung: Why it should be reevaluated.|datetime=2010-02-04 21:44:03|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
   
  +
'''[[Inner Will]] (level 83)''': Increases movement speed by 12% and reduces the mana cost of instant-cast spells by 10%. This buff will be exclusive with [[Inner Fire]], meaning you can't have both up at once. Inner Fire provides a spell power and Armor buff; Inner Will should be useful on a more situational basis.
{{item|Nibelung}} & {{item|Nibelung (heroic)}}
 
*Proc chance for a val’kyr to appear being increased from 1% to 2%.
 
*Anytime a summoned val’kyr casts her smite spell, she will heal herself for 25% of the damage done.
 
   
  +
'''[[Leap of Faith]] (level 85)''': Pull a party or raid member to your location. Leap of Faith (or "Life Grip") is intended to give priests a tool to help rescue fellow players who have pulled aggro, are being focused on in PvP, or just can't seem to get out of the fire in time. Instant. 30-yard range. 45-second cooldown.
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/26/22749574063-tanking-and-survivability-changes.html|subject=Tanking and Survivability Changes|datetime=2010-02-05 06:38:04|author={{Blizz}} [[Crygil]]}}.
 
   
  +
====Changes to Abilities and Mechanics====
Tooltips to be fixed in the next patch.
 
   
  +
In addition to introducing new spells, we're planning to make changes to some of the other abilities and mechanics you're familiar with. This list and the summary of talent changes below it are by no means comprehensive, but they should give you a good sense of what we intend for each spec.
Paladin:
 
*[[Sacred Duty]] now provides 2 / 4% Stamina, down from 4 / 8% Stamina. The cooldown advantages of the talent remain unchanged.
 
Death Knight:
 
*[[Frost Presence]] now provides 8% Stamina, up from 6% Stamina.
 
*[[Icebound Fortitude]] now provides 30% base damage reduction, up from 20% damage reduction. For a geared tank with high defense, this translates to 50% damage reduction, up from 40%.
 
   
  +
* All HoTs and DoTs will benefit from [[Haste]] and [[Spell critical strike|Crit]] innately. Hasted [[HoT]]s and [[DoT]]s will not have a shorter duration, just a shorter period in between ticks (meaning they will gain extra ticks to fill in the duration as appropriate).
===Wednesday, February 3, 2010===
 
  +
* We want to bring back [[Shadow Word: Death]] as an "execute" -- something you do when the target is at 25% health.
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/22748763261-recent-ingame-fixes--february-2010--23.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - February 2010 - 2/3|datetime=2010-02-04 01:43:46|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
  +
* While we want to keep the priest's role as a well-rounded healer, we also want to make sure the class is a viable tank healer, which is something priests moved away from a little in Wrath of the Lich King. Greater Heal will probably be the tank-healing spell of choice, though we've also discussed giving Discipline a second shield so that they have a small shield to cast on lots of different targets, and a big, more expensive shield to cast on a tank or anyone else taking a ton of damage.
*{{mob|Blood-Queen Lana'thel}} will now begin her flight phase a little earlier in 25 player mode, Vampiric Bite is no longer mitigated by armor, and the damage of Vampiric Bite has been reduced.
 
  +
* [[Divine Spirit]] and [[Prayer of Spirit]] will be removed from the game. As [[Spirit]] will be the primary mana-regeneration stat, we don't want it to vary as much between solo, small group, and raid play. [[Blessing of Kings]] and [[Mark of the Wild]] will not boost Spirit either.
*{{mob|Toravon}} will not be affected appropriately by Area-of-Effect damage spells.
 
  +
* Mana will be a bigger consideration for all healers. We aren't trying to make healing more painful; we're trying to make it more fun. When the cost of a spell isn't an issue, then casting the right spell for the job is less of an issue because you might as well just use your most powerful spell all of the time. We are, however, getting rid of the [[five second rule|five-second rule]], because we don't want to encourage standing around doing nothing. We're also going to cut back on the benefits of buffs such as Replenishment so priests (and all healers) don't feel as penalized when those buffs aren't available.
*The Frost Orb corpses in the {{mob|Toravon}} encounter will now despawn faster.
 
*Players who are dead will now get credit as intended when defeating the {{mob|Valithria Dreamwalker}} encounter.
 
*Players can no longer zone in while the {{mob|Valithria Dreamwalker}} encounter is active.
 
*Anti Magic Shell no longer resets the Mystic Buffet stacks in the [[Sindragosa (tactics)|Sindragosa encounter]].
 
*The Val’kyr in the [[Lich King (Icecrown Citadel tactics)|Lich King encounter]] are no longer affected by Death Grip and will head to ledges faster.
 
   
  +
====New Talents and Talent Changes====
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/22748963186-disabling-saronite-bombs.html|subject=Disabling Saronite Bombs|datetime=2010-02-04 01:34:53|author={{Blizz}} [[Daelo]]}}.
 
*We just made a hotfix that disables the siege damage dealt by Saronite Bombs and the Global Thermal Sapper Charge. The siege damage of the bombs was causing the [[Lich King (Icecrown Citadel tactics)|Frozen Throne platform]] to rebuild, which greatly decreases the difficulty of the encounter.
 
   
  +
* We want to improve Discipline's single-target healing capacity. One key is to make sure shielding isn't always a more attractive option than healing.
==January 2010==
 
  +
* We want to improve Holy for PvP healing. One way to do this is to make sure that Heal's throughput is similar between both specs.
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/23/22418851790-recent-ingame-fixes--january-2010--14.html|subject=Recent In-Game Fixes - January 2010 - 1/11|datetime=2010-01-04 17:35:24|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
  +
* We want to improve Shadow for short fights and reduce its susceptibility to school lockouts.
  +
* Discipline will finally be getting Power Word: Barrier as a talented ability. Think of it like a group Power Word: Shield.
  +
* We want to make Holy a little bit more interesting to play. One new talent will push the Holy priest into an improved healing state when he or she casts Prayer of Healing, Heal, or Renew three times in a row. The empowered state varies depending on the heals cast.
  +
* Since the Shadow tree has a lot of passive damage-boosting abilities -- something we're trying to avoid in Cataclysm -- we will need to replace several of the tree's talents. One idea is to play off of the new Shadow Orbs mechanic (see Mastery section below), possibly allowing you to consume an orb to increase damage from Mind Blast or reduce Mind Spike's cast time.
  +
* Misery will no longer affect spell Hit chance. We want players to be able to gear themselves around a Hit cap that isn't variable depending on group composition.
   
  +
====Mastery Passive Talent Tree Bonuses====
===Friday, January 22nd===
 
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/22748755899-recent-icecrown-citadel-hotfixes.html|subject=Recent Icecrown Citadel Hotfixes|datetime=2010-01-22 19:03:59|author={{Blizz}} [[Daelo]]}}.
 
   
  +
;Discipline
{{mob|Blood Prince Council}}
 
  +
#Healing
*Prince Keleseth will no longer melee players. So if you get knocked into Keleseth or happen to move by him, he won't swipe in between his casts and kill a non-tank.
 
  +
#Meditation
*The first Shadow Resonance should appear earlier in the fight, which will allow the Keleseth tank to have more orbs on him or her if Keleseth is empowered second instead of third. We didn't want which Blood Prince was empowered second to be a major element of the difficulty in the fight.
 
  +
#Absorption: Improves the strength of shields such as Power Word: Shield, Divine Aegis, and Power Word: Barrier.
*We reduced the melee damage for the Princes by 10% for the 10 player difficulty. They were doing less damage than the 25 player before the hotfix, but this change lowers the damage further.
 
*Empowered Flames will now run out of power after shooting fewer firebolts in the 10 player difficulty. We did not change the initial impact damage.
 
   
  +
;Holy
{{Mob|Blood-Queen Lana'thel (tactics)||Blood Queen Lana'thel}}
 
  +
#Healing
*The Blood-Queen is no longer spawned until the Blood Princes dies. This will prevent any unfortunate entry of her highness while a raid is fighting the Blood Princes. The initial hotfix for this causes the Blood-Queen to not spawn at all in a particular circumstance, but this was also fixed last night.
 
  +
#Meditation
*We increased the duration of Essence of the Blood Queen to 60 seconds in 25 player difficulty, and 75 seconds in 10 player difficulty. A strategy developed for managing the Essences throughout the fight that involved intentionally killing a player, and this change addresses that strategy. The new timing does interact with some of her other abilities in new ways, but there are methods that players have to lessen that impact.
 
  +
#Radiance: Your direct heals add a small heal-over-time component to the target.
   
  +
;Shadow
===Thursday, January 21st===
 
  +
#Spell damage
*{{Mob|Blood-Queen Lana'thel (tactics)||Blood Queen Lana'thel}} will only be available after the {{mob|Blood Prince Council}} is defeated.
 
  +
#Spell Crit
*{{Mob|Blood-Queen Lana'thel (tactics)||Blood Queen Lana'thel}}'s Essence has a longer duration.
 
  +
#Shadow Orbs: Casting spells grants a chance for Shadow Orbs to be created that fly around you and increase your shadow damage. This will help lower-level characters feel more like "Shadow priests" before they obtain Shadowform.
*Kinetic Bombs no longer aggro Blood Queen Lana’thel during the Blood Princes encounter.
 
*{{Mob|Blood-Queen Lana'thel (tactics)||Blood Queen Lana'thel}} should no longer cast Vampiric Bite on pets.
 
   
  +
We hope you enjoyed this preview, and we're looking forward to hearing your initial thoughts and feedback on these additions and changes. Please keep in mind that this information represents a work in progress and is subject to change as development on Cataclysm continues.
===Wednesday, January 20th===
 
  +
}}
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/11/22739754001-pvp-resilience-changes.html|subject=PvP Resilience Changes|datetime=2010-01-20 16:50:00|author={{Blizz}} [[Bornakk]]}}.
 
*This hotfix will double the value of resilience in reducing damage done by players.
 
   
===Tuesday, January 19th===
+
===Clarifications===
  +
{{Bluepost|poster=Ghostcrawler|title=Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Priest|date=04/08/2010 12:30:48 AM PDT|link=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=24038432151&sid=1&pageNo=15#298|body=
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/22418860991-koralon-in-voa.html|subject=Koralon in VoA?|datetime=2010-01-19 21:03:52|author={{Blizz}} [[Daelo]]}}.
 
  +
A few quick clarifications:
*We're working on a hotfix to return Koralon back to the Vault of Archavon. He thought that the time in between Arena seasons was leisure time for him.
 
   
  +
Neither [[Inner Fire]] nor [[Inner Will]] has charges. The decision is on which armor you want up at the time.
===Wednesday, January 13th===
 
See {{blizzforumlink|archiveurl=http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/22418857064-professor-putricide-hotfixes.html|subject=Professor Putricide Hotfixes|datetime=2010-01-13 03:01:38|author={{Blizz}} [[Daelo]]}}.
 
* Fixed an issue where the Mutated Transformation and Mutated Plague ability were doing significantly less damage in 25 player mode than intended.
 
*{{mob|Professor Putricide}}'s Tear Gas should no longer cancel player abilities such as Devotion aura. Instead of being totally immune, players now take 99% less damage.
 
   
  +
Preventing dot clipping is something we want to do in general. It obviously benefits Shadow priests just as much as warlocks.
===Monday, January 11th===
 
*{{mob|Professor Putricide}}'s Tear Gas will no longer remove player auras.
 
*The Growing Ooze Puddles in the {{mob|Professor Putricide}} encounter will no longer continue to grow while players are stunned.
 
   
  +
The idea behind [[Mind Spike]] is that you can't always settle into your normal, and high-ramp up rotation. It's also useful when you have to move or get school locked.
===Thursday, January 7th===
 
*{{mob|Rotface}}’s hit points have been reduced in the 10 person encounter.
 
*Stealthed rogues should no longer trigger traps in Ice Crown Citadel from long range.
 
*The base damage bonus from [[Hunger for Blood]] has been reduced from 10% to 5%.
 
*The bonus damage rogues gain from attack power for poisons has been decreased. This applies to [[Instant Poison]], [[Deadly Poison]], and [[Wound Poison]].
 
   
  +
The closest analogue to [[Power Word: Barrier]] is the DK [[Anti-Magic Zone]], but it has some important differences, such as a way to counter it in PvP (since it absorbs all damage, not just magical damage).
===Wednesday, January 6th===
 
*Deathbringer’s Will trinket will now proc haste as a replacement for armor penetration.
 
*The val’kyrs spawned by the Nibelung staff will now always hit with their smite attack and their damage has been increased for both normal and heroic versions of the staff.
 
*The chance for the proc to activate on the [[Black Bruise]] weapon has been increased.
 
*In the {{mob|Rotface}} encounter, big oozes should now properly combine.
 
*{{mob|Rotface}}’s acidic blood and {{mob|Festergut}}'s acidic blood now function appropriately through the use of the group looting and master looting systems.
 
   
  +
The idea behind the Holy "cast three in a row" talent (it's called "Chakra") is that we've always positioned Holy as a versatile healer. This talent lets you shift into different modes. If you need to be a tank healer, cast three single target heals and your single-target healing is now better. Cast three area heals, and you can be a temporarily specialized group healer. We're going to try to play this mechanic up with a cool UI to try to get that "I'm almost in the zone" feel. We'll let it apply to as many types of spells as we can, perhaps even Smite for those times when nobody's taking damage.
===Tuesday, January 5th===
 
  +
*The proc for the item, the [[Last Word]], has been greatly increased to allow for more continuous uptime.
 
  +
We pulled [[Misery]] because we are pulling every group benefit that improves hit. It's annoying to have to swap your gear in and out depending on who shows up for your group. In general we're going to push even harder in Cataclysm for bringing people you like to play with, not bringing people who have awesome buffs. The answer to almost every question of "But why would they bring me?" should be "Because you know what the hell you're doing."
*The NPC Margrave Dhakar in Icecrown will properly respawn if killed while doing the quest, [[Quest:The Flesh Giant Champion|The Flesh Giant Champion]].
 
  +
}}
*{{ability|Wyvern Sting}} no longer triggers the extra shot effect from [[Zod's Repeating Longbow]].
 
  +
*[[The Oculus]] had some additional changes made. The Planar Anomlies during the Eregos encounter will have a shorter duration and do reduced damage, some of the drakes above Varos’s platform have been removed, and the drakes controlled by players will move a little faster.
 
  +
{{Bluepost|poster=Zarhym|title=Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Priest|date=04/08/2010 12:03:27 PM PDT|link=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=24038432151&sid=1&pageNo=57#1131|body=
*Players can now send a whisper to a player from another realm that is currently in their party.
 
  +
A few points of clarification:
*The Invigoration buff from melee attacks using the Heartpierce dagger will now grant twice as much resources as before. It now grants 2 rage, 4 energy, or 120 mana every 2 seconds for 10 seconds.
 
  +
* We've seen some confusion about Mind Spike. The intention is that you can’t always get your full DoTs up on a target in time before it’s dead. Shadow priests sometimes aren’t sure what to do on, for example, a fight where a boss suddenly spawns an add that you’re supposed to quickly burn down and then go back to the main boss. Mind Spike is what you do to that add. As a rule of thumb, if it’s going to die in under 15 seconds, then go with Mind Spike. Otherwise get your DoTs up and go into your longer rotation.
*The Lady Deathwhisper encounter has seen the following changes in the 25 player normal version: mana pool has been reduced, the health on all adds has been reduced, and Adherents will wait a little longer after spawning before they start casting.
 
  +
* The movement speed from Inner Will stacks with the boot speed bonus. It won’t stack with some movement buffs like say Body and Soul.
*Interrupting a fireball being cast by the Ymirjar Flamebearers in normal and heroic Pit of Saron will no longer make them instantly cast Hellfire.
 
  +
* We know a lot of people are looking for answers about Lightwell. We're reviewing the talent and spell functionality, but do not have any details to share as of yet regarding its future.
*The ghost waves at the beginning of both normal and heroic Halls of Reflection have undergone several changes that should make them easier to defeat such as preventing 2 mages or 2 mercenaries from spawning in the 5 mob pulls, a shorter duration of the spectral footman’s shield bash, and the spectral mage’s flamestrike having a longer cast time, shorter duration, and (in heroic) doing less damage.
 
  +
}}
*The Oculus loot improvements posted here have been made: http://blue.mmo-champion.com/12/12025295932-oculus-loot-improvements.html
 
  +
  +
== Note ==
  +
The priest [[prestige class]] was eliminated from the World of Warcraft RPG and replaced with the priest [[core class]].<ref>''World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Conversion Document'', 1-2</ref>
  +
  +
== Videos ==
  +
  +
! <youtube>EKBCXLV-hsQ</youtube>
  +
  +
{| class="darktable"
  +
|- valign=top
  +
! colspan=2 | Cataclysm Priest by [http://www.youtube.com/tgnWorldofWarcraft TGN on YouTube]
  +
|-
  +
! Class Changes || DPS Rundown: Shadow
  +
|-
  +
! <youtube>1y4K-BrPK2E</youtube>
  +
! <youtube>cmfskkTbFTY</youtube>
  +
|}
   
===Monday, January 4th===
+
== See also ==
  +
*[[Epic priest]] (lore)
*The mail Bloodsunder Bracers have had their appropriate socket bonus added.
 
  +
*[[Starting a priest]]
*The proc on [[Zod's Repeating Longbow]] should no longer reset auto shots.
 
  +
*[[Priest quests]]
*The gear requirement for heroic [[Halls of Reflection]] has been increased.
 
  +
*[[Priest PvE guide]]
  +
*[[Priest PvP guide]]
  +
*[[Useful macros for priests]]
  +
*[[Getting your first wand]]
   
==References==
+
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
+
{{reflist}}
   
==External links==
+
== External links ==
  +
<!-- Read http://www.wowpedia.org/Wowpedia:External_links before posting your links here.
{{elink|type=wowus|site=Official Forums (GM Archive)|link=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?sid=1&forumId=11120|desc= to view an unsorted list of Hotfixes}}
 
  +
Links that do not conform to the rules will be DELETED.
{{elink|type=wowus|link=http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/underdev/implemented/index.html|desc=WoW.com Implemented Patches page for links to official release notes from patch 1.2 on up.}}
 
  +
Repeat violations may result in a BAN.
{{elink|type=wowus|link=http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/underdev/|desc=WoW.com Under Development page for info on the next major patch.}}
 
  +
Have a nice day. :) -->
  +
{{elink|site=World of Warcraft|link=http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/priest/|type=wowus}}
  +
{{elink|site=PriestGuide.org|link=http://www.priestguide.org|desc=Cool tips and tricks for Holy and Shadow Priests.}}
  +
{{elink|site=ShadowPriest.com|link=http://www.shadowpriest.com/|desc=A forum-based community of endgame players.}}
  +
{{elink|site=Shadow Priest Build|link=http://shadowpriestbuild.net|desc=Leveling shadow priest build with talent details}}
  +
{{elink|site=The Holy Priest|link=http://theholypriest.com|desc=All interesting items, addons and tips for the priest}}
  +
{{elink|site=The University of Michigan Press|link=http://www.press.umich.edu/titleDetailDesc.do?id=1597570|desc= ''My Life as a Night Elf Priest,'' a book on Warcraft and the priest class.}}
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{{elink|site=WoW Forums|link=http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com|desc=Official WoW Forums}}
  +
{{elink|link=http://www.wowinsider.com/category/spiritual-guidance/|desc= Spiritual Guidance &mdash; Priest weekly feature at WoW Insider.|type=wowinsider}}
  +
{{elink|link=http://www.wowinsider.com/priest-guides/|desc= Priest guides at WoW Insider.|type=wowinsider}}
   
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{{Classfooter|Priest}}
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{{WoW RPG classes}}
   
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[[it:Prete]]
{{Patches}}
 
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[[nl:Priest]]
{{Hotfix archives}}
 
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[[pl:Priest]]
[[Category:World of Warcraft patches|Hotfixes]]
 
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[[ru:Жрец]]
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[[Category:Priests| ]]
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[[Category:WoW classes]]
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[[Category:Core classes]]
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[[Category:World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]

Revision as of 01:25, 27 June 2011

Classes Deathknight Demon hunter Druid Evoker Hunter Mage Monk Paladin Priest Rogue Shaman Warlock Warrior
Class races DK DH Dr Ev Hu Ma Mo Pa Pr Ro Sh Wl Wr
Quests DK DH Dr Ev Hu Ma Mo Pa Pr Ro Sh Wl Wr
Abilities DK DH Dr Ev Hu Ma Mo Pa Pr Ro Sh Wl Wr
Trainers DK DH Dr - Hu Ma Mo Pa Pr Ro Sh Wl Wr
Armor sets DK DH Dr Ev Hu Ma Mo Pa Pr Ro Sh Wl Wr
Useful macros DK DH Dr - Hu Ma Mo Pa Pr Ro Sh Wl Wr
Class Halls DK DH Dr - Hu Ma Mo Pa Pr Ro Sh Wl Wr
For the Warcraft III unit, see Priest (Warcraft III).

The priest is the master of healing and preservation, restoring his wounded allies, shielding them in battle and even resurrecting his fallen comrades from death. While he has a variety of protective and enhancement spells to bolster his allies, the priest can also wreak terrible vengeance on his enemies, using the grand powers of the Holy Light to smite and purge them or the devastating powers of the shadow to decimate their minds. The priest is a diverse and powerful class, highly desirable in any group and capable of fulfilling multiple roles.

The priest is perhaps the best healing class in the game with a surprisingly strong damage potential as well (should the player choose to enhance this aspect of the class). Their ability to heal and buff allies, avoid aggro, dispel buffs on enemies, dispel debuffs on their allies, and resurrect fallen comrades makes them an important member of any group, whether it's PvP or PvE. Due to this, priests are one of the most highly sought after classes for any group.

Background

Dwarf priest

A dwarven priestess.

Priests practice a complex, organized form of spirituality built around moral philosophy, the worship of a particular deity (such as Elune) in some cases, and/or idol worship, rather than around the reverence of the elements that shamans practice, or the close divine connection with animals and the wilderness that druids maintain. Priests serve not only as influential religious figures in their respective societies, but also as powerful practitioners of divine magic, which they use to heal and protect, or harm and weaken.

Devotion to the faiths of Azeroth leads many priests to the paths of courage and heroism. In dark times, priests carry the Light of faith with them as a reminder of the powerful forces at work beyond the comprehension of the peoples who walk the land. Powerful healers with an intimate connection to the divine, priests are empowered with abilities that aid them in times of dire need.[1]

Priests comprise quite a varied group in Azeroth. A female priest is called a "priestess". Many are followers, in some manner, of the Holy Light. Some priests choose to be pyremasters or High Priest, while some of the most experienced become epic priests. There are also racial restrictions to some titles, such as witch doctor for trolls and Priestess of the Moon for night elf females.

History

VelenCardgameArt

Prophet Velen, an eredar priest.

The Clerics of Northshire were human priests who served the kingdom of Stormwind during the First War. The clerics served as healers on the battlefield, but were ill-prepared for the hazards of combat, and thus suffered heavy casualties. This order was largely destroyed, and the Second War saw fragile priests replaced on the battlefield by armored paladins, the Knights of the Silver Hand — established by the clerics' leader Archbishop Alonsus Faol and his apprentice Uther the Lightbringer.

During events of the Third War, despite the high elves' official departure from the Alliance, some elves still remained true to their former human and dwarven allies. The altruistic priests of Quel'Thalas refused to abandon their roles as healers and agreed to remain in Lordaeron despite the edicts from their reclusive masters in Silvermoon. The high elven priests used their Light-given powers to heal the wounded and bolster the spirits of Lordaeron’s fighting elite. A holy field medic, these padres roam the battlefield curing the wounds of fallen comrades.

Forsaken priests

Woe or Grow TCG

A forsaken priest.

Forsaken who once followed the tenets of the Holy Light altered their philosophy upon their transformation. Forsaken have abandoned religion, just as they believe it abandoned them. Lost and hurt, these priests founded a new religion based on a self-centered version of their former faith. Dubbed the Forgotten Shadow, this philosophy centers around self-empowerment and a desire to balance life with death. While they can no longer use the Holy Light, and have since learned how to use the shadow; the priests teach that there must be a balance between light and shadow, and members must learn the Light as well, but never forget they were born from the shadow.

Troll priests

The troll priesthoods are, much like the shamans and the witch doctors of the various troll tribes, spiritual advisers and caretakers. With trolls being naturally superstitious and spiritual, it allows the various troll priests to manipulate the spiritual energy of the world in order to either heal or harm their targets. The various energies that the troll priests draw can come from various sources, be it Loa spirits, voodoo magic or the target itself. Drawing upon these energies, the troll priests either mend or harm, depending on which blessing the spiritual entity bestows. Arguably, in World of Warcraft, troll priests can be considered witch doctors in a cultural perspective, in equal terms with the shamans.

Tauren priests Cataclysm

Questionmark-medium
This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

With the arrival of Cataclysm, the Tauren have the ability to become priests. It is possible that they use the light of the Sun in their spells just like Tauren paladins do, as opposed to the Holy Light. If this is the case, it would similar to how the Night Elf priests use the power of the Moon, their goddess Elune, instead of the Holy Light. Tahu Sagewind became a priest trainer for the tauren. It is possible that he founded the group of tauren priests due to his conversation with Aponi Brightmane, the first Tauren paladin, before Cataclysm.

Gnome priests Cataclysm

Questionmark-medium
This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

With the arrival of Cataclysm, Gnome priests are finally playable. Gnome priest NPCs (such as the Holdout Medics in Gnomeregan and the North Fleet Medics in the Howling Fjord) have existed in Azeroth for some time, but the destruction brought on by Deathwing will most likely inspire many more Gnomes to turn to their allies and adopt devotion to The Light.

Notably, following the examples prior to Cataclysm, gnome priests seem to focus heavily on the divine's ability of healing, though more with the intention of practicing medicine rather than sorcery. Their usage of it is actually very similar to first aid, and gnome priests refer to themselves as doctors, medics, and surgeons[2][3]. As a result, although not confirmed, it is likely that they pay less attention to a priest's capability to control darker powers.

Ask CDev 2 - Answers | 2011-06-23 00:00 | Blizzard Entertainment Slorkuz

The gnomes have had an interest in the Light since they joined the Alliance, but they were so focused on technology and, later, the retaking of Gnomeregan that studying the Light didn't feel necessary to them; the dwarven priests and paladins of Ironforge served as the only connection to the Light they needed. Now that the gnomes have reclaimed a foothold in Gnomeregan and begun rebuilding their culture outside of Ironforge, however, they've recognized the importance of having followers of the Light in their own ranks. In addition, researching new methods of purifying irradiated gnomes has led to radical advances in Light-based technology!

View original post

Notable priests

Main article: List of priests
Name Role Status Location
AllianceIconSmall Anduin Anduin Wrynn Prince of Stormwind Alive Stormwind Keep,Stormwind City
AllianceIconSmall Turalyon Turalyon (Formerly) High General of the Alliance Expedition Missing in action Unknown
AllianceIconSmall Human Male Archbishop Benedictus Leader of the Church of the Holy Light Alive Cathedral of Light, Stormwind City
AllianceIconSmall Human Male Archbishop Alonsus Faol Leader of the Church of Light Deceased Faol's Rest, Tirisfal Glades
HordeIconSmall Troll Male Zabra Hexx Priest Alive Unknown
NeutralIconSmall Iridi Iridi Priestess Deceased Buried in Outland
NeutralIconSmall Draenei Female High Priestess Ishanah Leader of the Aldor Alive Shrine of Unending Light, Shattrath City
NeutralIconSmall Troll Male Rastakhan King of all living trolls on Azeroth Alive Zuldazar
HordeIconSmall Troll Male Sen'jin Former leader of the Darkspear tribe Deceased Unknown
AllianceIconSmall Velen Velen Leader of the Draenei Alive Vault of Lights, The Exodar
HordeIconSmall Troll Male Vol'jin Leader of the Darkspear tribe Alive Valley of Wisdom, Orgrimmar
AllianceIconSmall Tyrande Tyrande Whisperwind High priestess of Elune Alive Temple of the Moon, Darnassus

Overview

SisterRemba

Sister Remba, another dwarf priest.

Abilities

Main article: Priest abilities

Stats, weapons, and armor

  • The most important stats for a priest are (depending on the chosen talents): intellect, spirit, stamina, spell haste and spell crit.
  • The priest can wield staffs, one-handed maces, wands, and daggers.
  • The priest can only wear cloth armor. For details on set items that are useful for priests, see priest sets and healing equipment.
    • For Bc icon end-game healing equipment go to BC healing equipment (cloth).
    • For Bc icon end-game DPS equipment go to BC Caster DPS cloth.
    • For Wrath-Logo-Small end-game healing equipment go to Wrath healing equipment (cloth).
    • For Wrath-Logo-Small end-game DPS equipment go to Wrath casting equipment (cloth).
  • Priest recommended enchantments

Races

Charkov TCG

Charkov, another forsaken priest.

Main article: Priest races

The priest class can be played by the following races:

Race Strength Agility Stamina Intellect Spirit Armor Health Mana
Alliance DraeneiDraenei Draenei Bc icon 21 17 20 22 25 34 52 160
Alliance DwarfDwarf Dwarf 25 16 21 21 22 32 62 145
Alliance GnomeGnome Gnome Cataclysm 15 23 19 25 23 51 51 205
Alliance HumanHuman Human 20 20 20 22 23 40 52 160
Alliance Night elfNight elf Night elf 16 24 20 22 23 48 52 160
Alliance WorgenWorgen Worgen Cataclysm 23 22 20 18 22 46 52 128
Horde Blood elfBlood elf Blood elf Bc icon 17 22 20 25 21 44 52 205
Horde UndeadUndead Undead 19 18 20 20 28 38 52 130
Horde GoblinGoblin Goblin Cataclysm 17 22 20 25 21 33 52 205
Horde TaurenTauren Tauren Cataclysm 25 15 22 17 25 35 72 127
Horde TrollTroll Troll 21 22 20 18 24 44 52 128

Talents

Aelthalyste

Aelthalyste resides in the War Quarter of Undercity ready to train priests of all capabilities.

Main articles: Priest talents and Priest builds.

Discipline

Spell holy powerwordshield

The Discipline tree primarily focuses on damage mitigation through Spell holy powerwordshield [Power Word: Shield], Spell holy devineaegis [Divine Aegis], and Spell holy powerwordbarrier [Power Word: Barrier], with the mastery bonus improving these abilities. The priest receives Spell holy penance [Penance] when choosing Discipline as their specialization, which is one of the most efficient single target heal spells in the game, with the bonus of being able to damage foes. The tree has strong cooldowns for emergency situations: Spell holy painsupression [Pain Suppression] and Spell holy powerinfusion [Power Infusion]. Discipline is the preferred spec for PvP, with the many absorption abilities giving the priest some "breathing room" when under attack. Discipline priests also have the unique ability to heal through the damaging spell Spell holy holysmite [Smite], if the talents Spell holy divineillumination [Evangelism], Ability priest archangel [Archangel] and Ability priest atonement [Atonement] are chosen (a glyph to keep in mind when doing this is Divine Accuracy, as healing gear doesn't have any hit on it).

Holy

Spell holy guardianspirit

Holy priests are some of the most versatile healers, with a variety of tools to sustain their group. In comparison to the Discipline priest, the Holy priest focuses primarily on reactive healing rather than damage prevention, with their mastery giving healed targets a heal over time effect based on the initial heal. The priest receives Spell holy chastise [Holy Word: Chastise] when choosing Holy as their specialization. Holy priests have an instant area of effect 'smart' heal, Spell holy circleofrenewal [Circle of Healing], as well as bonuses to Spell holy prayerofhealing02 [Prayer of Healing] and Spell holy renew [Renew]. Spell holy guardianspirit [Guardian Spirit] is a very strong cooldown, being able to save someone from certain death. Chakra is what gives Holy priests their incredible versatility, allowing the priest to choose between substantial buffs to their direct healing, HoT and aoe healing, or even damage, while Ability priest bindingprayers [Revelations] morphs Holy Word: Chastise into a different spell to complement the state the user is in. Holy priests can even heal from beyond the grave with Inv enchant essenceeternallarge [Spirit of Redemption] - for a limited time.

Shadow

Spell Shadow ShadowWordPain
Undeadpriest

A Forsaken priest in shadowform.

Shadow talents primarily enhance a priest's damage and gives the ability to enter Spell shadow shadowform [Shadowform], which makes the user purple and transparent. The priest receives Spell shadow siphonmana [Mind Flay] when choosing Shadow as their specialization, a channeled spell that causes damage and slows the target to 50% of its movement speed. Shadow priests focus on using damage over time spells on their target, much like an Affliction warlock, and once the target is below 25% Spell shadow demonicfortitude [Shadow Word: Death] functions like an execute. The mastery bonus causes gives you a chance to receive shadow orbs when dealing damage through Spell shadow shadowwordpain [Shadow Word: Pain] or Mind Flay and they increase the damage caused by your next Spell shadow unholyfrenzy [Mind Blast] or Spell priest mindspike [Mind Spike]. Spell shadow unsummonbuilding [Vampiric Embrace] heals the priest and his group for a percentage of damage done. Apart from this heal, the priest will give other useful buffs to the raid, with Spell holy stoicism [Vampiric Touch] providing Spell magic managain [Replenishment] and Shadowform giving raid members a 5% haste increase. Between Spell shadow dispersion [Dispersion] and Spell shadow shadowfiend [Shadowfiend], Shadow priests have very good mana throughput, with the former doubling as a defensive cooldown and the latter as an offensive one. The PvP talents in the Shadow tree, such as Ability priest silence [Silence], Ability monk paralysis [Paralysis], Spell shadow psychicscream [Improved Psychic Scream] and Spell shadow psychichorrors [Psychic Horror] increase survivability and crowd control capability.


See also common leveling and end game priest builds.

Tactics

Zaduru TCG

Zaduru, a troll priest.

Main article: Priest tactics

Priests are generally regarded as a tough class to play in PvP, but they are highly desired in groups as the best healer in the game and as a great utility class. They are very dependent on how their talent points are spent. Discipline priests are considered better off in PvP, while holy and shadow priests are highly desired for instancing and raiding. While the discipline and holy talent trees focus on making very strong healers, the shadow tree focuses on damage dealing, while restoring the party's health and mana at the same time.

Many players regard healing priests as being the jack-of-all-trades healing class due to the great diversity of healing spells at their disposal. This includes direct healing, healing over time, area of effect healing, and the ability to shield targets from damage. Due to this great diversity, a healing priest can heal any encounter, while the other healing classes may find it more difficult.

Healing priest tactics generally involve conserving mana while deciding the ideal time to heal. The player must decide which spell to use and at what time. Many priests use a tactic known as stopcasting. In this method, the priest will constantly use Greater Heal; however, if in the 2.5-second cast time the target never takes sufficient damage, the priest will cancel the heal before it goes off and begin recasting.

The goal of a shadow priest is to keep a series of spells with unique cool-downs and durations going constantly. A shadow priest must cycle through several direct damage, channeled, and damage over time spells. A shadow priest is unique in that Spell shadow unsummonbuilding [Vampiric Embrace] restores health to the priest's entire party, which is based upon the damage the priest deals. They can also help restore mana to up to 10 party or raid members through Spell magic managain [Replenishment], which they trigger by using Spell holy stoicism [Vampiric Touch] in conjunction with Spell shadow unholyfrenzy [Mind Blast]. A shadow priest, if talented, will also increase the effectiveness of all spell casters attacking the same target as the priest. These abilities make the shadow priest a great utility class while in instances and in raids.

End-game expectations

Though many priests found themselves originally pigeonholed into a single role in classic World of Warcraft, many are experiencing greater freedom in a post-Burning Crusade raiding environment. Priests are capable of filling both healing and damage dealing roles, depending on the priest's spec and the need of the raid. This flexibility is further aided by the increased debuff cap making it easier to allow multiple shadow priests to contribute without being detrimental to a raid.

End game healing

EssenceOfMending

A draenei priest.

Healing priests are valued by many as proficient and skilled healers, capable of utilizing a variety of heals and numerous buffs that benefit raiders such as Spell holy wordfortitude [Power Word: Fortitude], Spell shadow antishadow [Shadow Protection] and Spell holy powerwordshield [Power Word: Shield]. Spell holy powerwordshield [Power Word: Shield] can be further improved by spending points in the discipline tree for Spell holy powerwordshield [Improved Power Word: Shield]. While sometimes considered by some to be mana inefficient when compared with other healing classes, the introduction of the Spell shadow shadowfiend [Shadowfiend] in the Burning Crusade allows a healing priest to regain a significant amount of mana used to continue healing while providing negligible damage against one target. The use of the talent Spell holy summonlightwell [Lightwell] can allow raiders to regain health by accessing the conjured well, while Inv enchant essenceeternallarge [Spirit of Redemption] allows holy priests to continue casting healing spells on a raid for 15 seconds beyond death (21 seconds with Inv glyph majorpriest [Glyph of Spirit of Redemption]) with no expense to mana.

Discipline priests' main strength lies in preventing damage. They cannot put out as much raw healing as holy priests can, however the strategy for discipline priests is quite different; they prefer to prevent damage where possible by shielding their allies from harm. Discipline priests are capable of healing multiple targets, but in a large group their role will usually be to keep the main tank alive. While healing priests do not possess the raid healing output of a druid or the tank healing capabilities of a holy paladin, priests are in fact incredibly proficient at both of these roles.

While holy priests collect spirit and haste stats, many discipline priests focus on high spell critical as well as haste.

End-game damage dealing

RembaAbbessOfAsh

Remba, Abbess of Ash, a dwarf shadow-priest.

The strength and versatility of a shadow-specced priest has been recognized as an invaluable asset in both five mans and raids. A shadow priest is capable of contributing significant damage as well as providing a variety of buffs and debuffs that benefit the group as a whole. The Spell shadow unsummonbuilding [Vampiric Embrace] talent gives a portion of the shadow priest's single-target shadow damage as a group-wide heal that can aid in keeping the health of group members up; this can be especially helpful when grouped with a tank and warlocks who Spell shadow burningspirit [Life Tap] frequently, as well as rogues and Feral druids performing melee damage.

Most importantly, Spell holy stoicism [Vampiric Touch] benefits a caster or healer group by providing mana over the course of the fight. This is the primary reason to have a shadow priest in raids; to either provide the mana to healers during a healing-intensive fight, or to damage dealing casters in fights which focus on burst or constant area of effect damage, as well as to Paladin tanks who must use mana for their threat generating abilities.

These debuffs are an addition to the base priest Spell holy wordfortitude [Power Word: Fortitude], Spell shadow antishadow [Shadow Protection], and Spell holy powerwordshield [Power Word: Shield] buffs and can be improved by delving into the discipline tree for Spell holy powerwordshield [Improved Power Word: Shield] and Spell holy sealofvengeance [Twin Disciplines]. In addition to providing significant damage and buffs, shadow priests have the flexibility to drop out of Spell shadow shadowform [Shadowform] and provide backup healing if the situation warrants it, though they typically suffer from the lack of points spent in the holy tree and reduced bonus healing from damage-oriented gear.

On the other hand, some DPS priests will go more into discipline and put some in either shadow, or holy to increase their damage even more. A DPS priest with discipline and shadow doesn't have the damage potential of a shadow priest with most talents into shadow, however, they will receive the boost to their group buffs, have a threat reducing move for others, and also have the potential to heal slightly to assist the healer when necessary. A DPS priest with discipline and holy is much more versatile than one with shadow, the holy hybrid has a few key moves that can benefit him/herself and even make things a little easier (little in a rather small sense) for the healer. With the talents in holy, usually a priest will spend points in Spell holy sealofwrath [Divine Fury] to reduce cast time of some of your offensive spells, and Spell holy testoffaith [Desperate Prayer]. The discipline DPS class isn't for everyone and can take a long time to master, but it is a fun and challenging class to play and some will enjoy it more than others.

Cataclysm changes Cataclysm

Please Note: The following are previews of changes to the Priest class posted in April 2010; while much of the below is still accurate, some details have changed. For more up-to-date and detailed information on the current implementations of abilities and talents for the Priest class, see the relevant pages.

General preview

Cataclysm Class Preview: Priest | 2010-04-08 06:57 | Blizzard Entertainment Zarhym

In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, we'll be making lots of changes and additions to class talents and abilities across the board. In this preview, you'll get an early look at some of the changes in store for the priest class, including a rundown of some of the new spells, abilities, and talents, as well as an overview of how the new Mastery system will work with the different talent specs.

New Priest Spells

Spell holy greaterheal [Heal] (available at level 16): While priests already have a spell called Heal, the existing version becomes obsolete at higher levels, which is something we intend to change in Cataclysm. Introduced at a low level, the "new" Heal spell will functionally work much like a down-ranked Spell holy heal [Greater Heal] did in the past, adding more granularity to your direct-healing arsenal. If you need to heal someone a moderate amount and efficiency is an issue (making Spell holy flashheal [Flash Heal] the incorrect spell for the job), then Heal is what you want to use. Heal is intended to be the priest's go-to direct-healing spell unless they need something bigger (Greater Heal) or faster (Flash Heal). We will be following a similar philosophy with all the healing classes.

Spell priest mindspike [Mind Spike] (level 81): Deals Shadowfrost damage and puts a debuff on the target that improves subsequent Mind Spike damage. The intent of Mind Spike is to fill a niche missing in Shadow DPS, though it may be occasionally useful for healers as well. Mind Spike provides a quick nuke to use in situations where the priest doesn't have time to set up the normal rotation, such as when adds are dying too fast or you have to swap targets a lot. Spamming Mind Spike will do about as much damage as casting Spell shadow siphonmana [Mind Flay] on a target afflicted with Spell shadow shadowwordpain [Shadow Word: Pain]. The idea behind the debuff is that when you cast Mind Spike, we expect you to cast a lot of them; we don't intend you to fit it into an already full Shadow rotation. It also provides Shadow with a spell to cast when locked out of the Shadow school. (School lockouts will no longer affect both schools for multi-school spells.) 1.5-second cast. 30-yard range. No cooldown.

Priest icon innewill [Inner Will] (level 83): Increases movement speed by 12% and reduces the mana cost of instant-cast spells by 10%. This buff will be exclusive with Spell holy innerfire [Inner Fire], meaning you can't have both up at once. Inner Fire provides a spell power and Armor buff; Inner Will should be useful on a more situational basis.

Priest spell leapoffaith a [Leap of Faith] (level 85): Pull a party or raid member to your location. Leap of Faith (or "Life Grip") is intended to give priests a tool to help rescue fellow players who have pulled aggro, are being focused on in PvP, or just can't seem to get out of the fire in time. Instant. 30-yard range. 45-second cooldown.

Changes to Abilities and Mechanics

In addition to introducing new spells, we're planning to make changes to some of the other abilities and mechanics you're familiar with. This list and the summary of talent changes below it are by no means comprehensive, but they should give you a good sense of what we intend for each spec.

  • All HoTs and DoTs will benefit from Haste and Crit innately. Hasted HoTs and DoTs will not have a shorter duration, just a shorter period in between ticks (meaning they will gain extra ticks to fill in the duration as appropriate).
  • We want to bring back Spell shadow demonicfortitude [Shadow Word: Death] as an "execute" -- something you do when the target is at 25% health.
  • While we want to keep the priest's role as a well-rounded healer, we also want to make sure the class is a viable tank healer, which is something priests moved away from a little in Wrath of the Lich King. Greater Heal will probably be the tank-healing spell of choice, though we've also discussed giving Discipline a second shield so that they have a small shield to cast on lots of different targets, and a big, more expensive shield to cast on a tank or anyone else taking a ton of damage.
  • Spell holy divinespirit [Divine Spirit] and Spell holy prayerofspirit [Prayer of Spirit] will be removed from the game. As Spirit will be the primary mana-regeneration stat, we don't want it to vary as much between solo, small group, and raid play. Spell magic greaterblessingofkings [Blessing of Kings] and Spell nature regeneration [Mark of the Wild] will not boost Spirit either.
  • Mana will be a bigger consideration for all healers. We aren't trying to make healing more painful; we're trying to make it more fun. When the cost of a spell isn't an issue, then casting the right spell for the job is less of an issue because you might as well just use your most powerful spell all of the time. We are, however, getting rid of the five-second rule, because we don't want to encourage standing around doing nothing. We're also going to cut back on the benefits of buffs such as Replenishment so priests (and all healers) don't feel as penalized when those buffs aren't available.

New Talents and Talent Changes

  • We want to improve Discipline's single-target healing capacity. One key is to make sure shielding isn't always a more attractive option than healing.
  • We want to improve Holy for PvP healing. One way to do this is to make sure that Heal's throughput is similar between both specs.
  • We want to improve Shadow for short fights and reduce its susceptibility to school lockouts.
  • Discipline will finally be getting Power Word: Barrier as a talented ability. Think of it like a group Power Word: Shield.
  • We want to make Holy a little bit more interesting to play. One new talent will push the Holy priest into an improved healing state when he or she casts Prayer of Healing, Heal, or Renew three times in a row. The empowered state varies depending on the heals cast.
  • Since the Shadow tree has a lot of passive damage-boosting abilities -- something we're trying to avoid in Cataclysm -- we will need to replace several of the tree's talents. One idea is to play off of the new Shadow Orbs mechanic (see Mastery section below), possibly allowing you to consume an orb to increase damage from Mind Blast or reduce Mind Spike's cast time.
  • Misery will no longer affect spell Hit chance. We want players to be able to gear themselves around a Hit cap that isn't variable depending on group composition.

Mastery Passive Talent Tree Bonuses

Discipline
  1. Healing
  2. Meditation
  3. Absorption: Improves the strength of shields such as Power Word: Shield, Divine Aegis, and Power Word: Barrier.
Holy
  1. Healing
  2. Meditation
  3. Radiance: Your direct heals add a small heal-over-time component to the target.
Shadow
  1. Spell damage
  2. Spell Crit
  3. Shadow Orbs: Casting spells grants a chance for Shadow Orbs to be created that fly around you and increase your shadow damage. This will help lower-level characters feel more like "Shadow priests" before they obtain Shadowform.
We hope you enjoyed this preview, and we're looking forward to hearing your initial thoughts and feedback on these additions and changes. Please keep in mind that this information represents a work in progress and is subject to change as development on Cataclysm continues.

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Clarifications

Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Priest | 2010-04-08 07:30 | Blizzard Entertainment Ghostcrawler

A few quick clarifications:

Neither Spell holy innerfire [Inner Fire] nor Priest icon innewill [Inner Will] has charges. The decision is on which armor you want up at the time.

Preventing dot clipping is something we want to do in general. It obviously benefits Shadow priests just as much as warlocks.

The idea behind Spell priest mindspike [Mind Spike] is that you can't always settle into your normal, and high-ramp up rotation. It's also useful when you have to move or get school locked.

The closest analogue to Spell holy powerwordbarrier [Power Word: Barrier] is the DK Spell deathknight antimagiczone [Anti-Magic Zone], but it has some important differences, such as a way to counter it in PvP (since it absorbs all damage, not just magical damage).

The idea behind the Holy "cast three in a row" talent (it's called "Chakra") is that we've always positioned Holy as a versatile healer. This talent lets you shift into different modes. If you need to be a tank healer, cast three single target heals and your single-target healing is now better. Cast three area heals, and you can be a temporarily specialized group healer. We're going to try to play this mechanic up with a cool UI to try to get that "I'm almost in the zone" feel. We'll let it apply to as many types of spells as we can, perhaps even Smite for those times when nobody's taking damage.

We pulled Misery because we are pulling every group benefit that improves hit. It's annoying to have to swap your gear in and out depending on who shows up for your group. In general we're going to push even harder in Cataclysm for bringing people you like to play with, not bringing people who have awesome buffs. The answer to almost every question of "But why would they bring me?" should be "Because you know what the hell you're doing."

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Priest | 2010-04-08 19:03 | Blizzard Entertainment Zarhym

A few points of clarification:
  • We've seen some confusion about Mind Spike. The intention is that you can’t always get your full DoTs up on a target in time before it’s dead. Shadow priests sometimes aren’t sure what to do on, for example, a fight where a boss suddenly spawns an add that you’re supposed to quickly burn down and then go back to the main boss. Mind Spike is what you do to that add. As a rule of thumb, if it’s going to die in under 15 seconds, then go with Mind Spike. Otherwise get your DoTs up and go into your longer rotation.
  • The movement speed from Inner Will stacks with the boot speed bonus. It won’t stack with some movement buffs like say Body and Soul.
  • We know a lot of people are looking for answers about Lightwell. We're reviewing the talent and spell functionality, but do not have any details to share as of yet regarding its future.

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Note

The priest prestige class was eliminated from the World of Warcraft RPG and replaced with the priest core class.[4]

Videos

!

Cataclysm Priest by TGN on YouTube
Class Changes DPS Rundown: Shadow

See also

References

 
  1. ^ World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, 70
  2. ^ "Doc" Cogspin
  3. ^ Chief Surgeon Gashweld
  4. ^ World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Conversion Document, 1-2

External links

nl:Priest ru:Жрец