Holy Contents Holy Priest Talents Glyphs Holy Stats Rotations Gems Enchants Consumables Professions Races Leveling Quickly

This Holy Priest guide is primarily intended for use at level 90. However, the principals will still apply during the leveling process. If you’re looking for advice on leveling your Priest, check out our Priest Leveling Guide. If you want the same in-game step by step leveling guide that we use to get to level 90 as fast as possible, take a look at our favorite in-game leveling guide. Other Priest Guides:  PvE: Discipline Healing, Shadow DPS PvP: Shadow, Discipline Other: Priest overview, Priest leveling

 

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Holy Priest Healing Talents

1. Void Tendrils is an AoE CC.
2. Psyfiend is the living incarnation of fear spam.
3. Dominate mind is exactly what it sounds like.

All three of these are situationally useful at best and unlikely to add much to a fight.

1. Body and Soul adds a nice speed boost to our Power Word: Shield.
2. Angelic Feather is ideal for providing on demand speed boosts to multiple players at once, my recommended choice.
3. Phantasm is of doubtful benefit and not recommended.

1. From Darkness, Comes Light is useful, but less reliable than the other two options.
2. Mindbender boosts Shadowfiend, increasing our mana regeneration.
3. Power Word: Solace is another method of returning mana and adds some DPS.

This tier is unlikely to have an immense impact one way or another.

1. Desperate Prayer is an instant self-heal for a decent amount of health. This is the best choice for most situations.
2.  Spectral Guise feels like a PvP talent more than anything.
3. Angelic Bulwark shields us when we drop to low health, an alternative method of survivability to Desperate Prayer. Angelic Bulwark might beat out Desperate Prayer on fights where you expect to drop to low health more often than Desperate Prayer can be of use.

1. Twist of Fate is a damage and healing boost that’s best taken for encounters where you expect to be throwing out emergency heals to low health targets on a frequent basis.
2. Power Infusion is a haste boost that also reduces the cost of our spells for the duration. This is the best option for most fights due to the control you in deciding when to trigger the buff.
3. Divine Insight is more attractive for Discipline Priests, and even then not necessarily a talent I would recommend. Skip it.

1. All three of these talents are quite useful and your choice should depend solely on your raid formation during an encounter. Cascade operates best when your raid is somewhat spread out while Halo is the better choice when your raid is stacked together.

 

Holy Priest Glyphs

1. Glyph of Lightwell
2. Glyph of Renew
3. Glyph of Circle of Healing
4. Glyph of Spirit of Redemption
5. Glyph of Prayer of Mending
6. Glyph of Purify
7. Glyph of Levitate
8. Glyph of Fade

 

Holy Priest Stat Priorities

1. Primary Stat: Intellect
2. Secondary: Spirit* > Haste > Mastery
3. Weaker: Critical
4. Useless: Hit and Expertise

Int provides your spellpower and some crit, it does not add to mana pool and has nothing to do with mana regeneration.

*Spirit provides your mana regen and you will need a lot of it. Consider it to be, point for point, more valuable than Int until your mana usage is where you want it to be. You have to have the mana to cast them, after all. After that point Int will be more useful.

Haste is really valuable at certain breakpoints, otherwise it just allows you to cast faster and your DoTs to tick faster at the expense of burning your mana faster. At the breakpoints you gain one extra tick on those DoTs or your casting suddenly becomes more efficient due to your cooldowns being more in sync. You can check Totemspot for a list of the Haste breakpoints you might want to shoot for.

 

In-Depth Ability/Rotation Guide

Inner Fire should be active at all times unless you need to make use of a number of instant cast spells such as Power Word: Shield and Prayer of Mending in which case Inner Will is a viable option.

1. Chakra: Sanctuary is the ideal healing Chakra for most situations as it grants you significant raid healing capabilities while allowing you to still perform quite well in single target healing.
2. If you happen to be relegated solely to single target healing duties such as on a tank then switch to Chakra: Serenity instead.
3. Holy Word: Serenity is an instant cast heal with a 15 second cooldown that also buffs the target granting your healing spells a 25% increased critical chance when cast on them for 6 seconds.
4. Power Word: Shield is weaker for Holy Priests than Discipline and you should avoid using it if a Discipline priest is in the raid as the Weakened Soul debuff will prevent them from applying their own Power Word: Shield to the target.

Our basic healing spell is Heal which has a very low mana cost but a moderate cast time and healing effect. Use this as much as possible to conserve mana.

1. Apply Renew to anyone in need of minor healing or you anticipate taking damage in the near future.
2. Prayer of Mending should be applied to a target at all times as it will jump to other players as they take damage.
3. Holy Word: Sanctuary should be placed where it will be most effective, ideally where the most players are stacked.
4. Circle of Healing should be used on cooldown whenever multiple players have taken damage and are within range of the healing effect.
5. Greater Heal is a slower, higher mana cost heal used for periods of heavy damage.
6. Flash Heal is quick and heals for a large amount but costs an exorbitant amount of mana and should be avoided unless a target requires an emergency heal.
7. Binding Heal heals both you and the target and should be used in the event that you need to heal yourself at the same time as someone else.

Using either Flash Heal or Binding Heal grants you stacks of Serendipity, each stack reducing the cast time by 20% and mana cost by 10% up to a maximum of 2 stacks. This buff lasts for 20 seconds.

Cooldowns

1. Use Prayer of Healing, Prayer of Mending and Circle of Healing on cooldown when AoE healing is required.
2. Guardian Spirit can be used on the tank or other target if they are in danger of dying. You should plan the use of this ability with your raid ahead of time.
3. Lightwell should be active as often as possible to obtain maximum effect.
4. Divine Hymn is a powerful raid healing tool that should be reserved for periods of high AoE damage.
5. Shadowfiend should be used on cooldown for extra mana regeneration and a minor amount of DPS.
6. Hymn of Hope is an important cooldown used to boost mana regeneration raid wide. This spell is channeled and therefore will prevent you from casting any other spells for the duration of the effect unless you choose to cancel it early.

Tier 3 Talented Abilities:

1. From Darkness, Comes Light procs will allow you to instantly cast Flash Heal with no mana cost. The charges of this proc stack up to a maximum of 2 times and so should be used as often as possible to avoid wasting charges.
2. Mindbender simply enhances your Shadowfiend.
3. Power Word: Solace can be used for extra mana regeneration.

Tier 5 Talented Abilities:

1. Twist of Fate is a passive effect that grants 15% increased healing and damage for 10 seconds after you damage or heal a target below 20% health.
2. Power Infusion is a cooldown you should save for when immense healing is required, it also reduces the mana cost of your spells making them more efficient.
3. Divine Insight procs have a chance to make your next Prayer of Mending not trigger a cooldown and instantly jump to each target, healing them.

 

Gems for Holy Priests

Gems with secondary stats have twice the value of those with primary stats, 320 Spirit Vs 160 Int, for example. This will make it worth your while to match socket bonuses, especially if they’re for Int or Spirit.  If you can’t afford the gems you will need to improve your gold stash.

Your Priest bonus adds to any Int gem bonuses, making them worth 5% more Int. That bonus does not add to other stats.

If you need more Mana regen:

• Meta: Revitalizing Primal Diamond
• Red sockets: Purified Imperial Amethyst (purple gem)
• Yellow sockets: Energized Wild Jade (green gem)
• Blue sockets: Sparkling River’s Heart (blue gem)

When your mana regeneration is good then start gemming for Int.

Gems for Holy Priests
Meta		Burning Primal Diamond: +216 Int & 3% Increased Crit Effect Revitalizing Primal Diamond: +432 Spirit & 3% Increased Crit Effect
Red		Brilliant Serpent’s Eye: 320 Int, self-only Jewelcrafting gem Brilliant Primordial Ruby: 160 Int
Yellow		Quick Sun’s Radiance: +320 Haste Fractured Sun’s Radiance: +320 Mastery
Blue		Sparkling River’s Heart: +320 Spirit
Orange		Reckless Vermilion Onyx: 80 Int, 160 Haste Artful Vermilion Onyx: +80 Int & +160 Mastery
Green		Energized Wild Jade: +160 Haste, +160 Spirit Zen Wild Jade: +160 Mastery, +160 Spirit
Purple		Purified Imperial Amethyst: +80 Int, +160 Spirit
Prismatic		Brilliant Primordial Ruby: 160 Int
Cogwheel		Sparkling Tinker’s Gear: 600 Spirit – requires an engie helm, such as this. Quick Tinker’s Gear: 600 Haste Fractured Tinker’s Gear: 600 Mastery

 

Holy Enchantments

Short on gold? If you want to buy the best enchants, fund all of your alts, donate to the guild, etc., but don’t have the cash, then see what the Tycoon Addon can do about about fixing your poverty.

Helm enchants are gone in Mists of Pandaria, shoulder enchants all come from the Inscription profession.

Enchantments for Holy
Weapon	Enchant Weapon – Jade Spirit: Sometimes increases Int by 1650, might increase Spirit by 750 if mana is low.
Shoulders	Secret Crane Wing Inscription: – 520 Int and 100 Crit rating, Requires Inscription 550. Greater Crane Wing Inscription: +200 Int and 100 Crit
Cloak	Enchant Cloak – Superior Intellect: +180 Int Lightweave Embroidery – attacks can give 2k Int for 15 sec, requires tailoring
Chest	Enchant Chest – Glorious Stats: +80 to all stats Enchant Chest – Mighty Spirit: +200 Spirit
Bracers	Enchant Bracer – Super Intellect: +170 Int Fur Lining increases Int by 500, requires leatherworking. Socket Bracer – Pop in a gem, requires Blacksmithing 400
Gloves	Enchant Gloves – Greater Haste: +170-Haste Socket Gloves – Pop in a gem, requires Blacksmithing 400
Belt	Livingsteel Belt Buckle: Gem slot for a nice Int gem
Leggings	Greater Pearlescent Spellthread: +285 Int and +165 Spirit
Boots	Enchant Boots – Pandaren’s Step: +140 Mastery, slight run speed increase.
Rings	Enchant Ring – Greater Intellect: +160 Int, Requires Enchanting 550

 

Consumables for Holy Priests

Note that Pandarens get twice the food buff. All food buffs last one hour. Alchemists get about 30% more effect and an extra hour from Flasks and Elixirs.

Foods

• Mogu Fish Stew: 300 Int
• Steamed Crab Surprise: 300 Spirit
• Braised Turtle: 275 Int
• Fire Spirit Salmon: 275 Spirit

Flasks

• Flask of the Warm Sun: 1,000 Int for an hour.
• Flask of Falling Leaves: 1,000 Spirit for an hour.

Potions

• Potion of the Jade Serpent: 4k Int for 25 seconds. If you pop one immediately before combat you will be able to pop another during combat.
• Master Healing Potion: Heals 60k HP
• Master Mana Potion: About 30k Mana

 

Race Choices for Priests

There are few racial changes for M of P. We have Pandaren’s, of course, and a couple of races now have Ranged Expertise, which would be nice if you were using ranged weapons. You’re not, so meh. The undead can now drain life, so your name will appear on the DPS meters, which is kinda cool.

Pandarens can be Priests, Orcs are the only race which cannot be priests.

The best race choice is the one that you want to play. Your skills will far outshadow any of the racials. That said, here’s a rundown of the racial bonuses.

Best race?

• Horde: Troll (Berserking, VooDoo Shuffle), Uneaded (PvP ? remove effects)
• Alliance: Human (Spirit, Escape, Rep gains)

Blood Elf - Not really any useful Priest abilities.

• Arcane Torrent restores some Mana and silences casting of opponents in melee range.
• Good with Enchanting

Goblin - Holy relics for sale! What? Of course they’re genuine! You calling me a con gob, bud?

• Rocket Jump is a nice escape or gap closer.
• 1% Haste is a nice stat for any Priest.
• Vendor Discounts are nice, but hardly ad to your healing totals. You also have a personal bank
• Good with Alchemy

Tauren - You have no interesting Priest specific abilities, but some wags might call you a “Care Cow.”

• War Stomp might have some use when mobs/melee get too close, allowing you to escape. More for PvP than PvE, but you still might find a use for it.
• Increased health isn’t increased by that much at high level, but is always nice.
• Good with Herbalism

Troll - Good Priest choice and the best tusks anywhere.

• Berkerk is a nice spell casting speed increase. Don’t know yet if it stacks with the Power Infusion talent.
• Damage increase Vs beasts would be nice at time, if you did damage.
• Reduced duration of movement impairing effects has more PvP use than otherwise.
• Ranged weapon expertise is useless to you.

Undead – And you are…?

• Removing fear, charm, etc is a nice PvP ability and has some PvE use.
• Cannibalism means rarely  having to pack food/water in your bags and is a nice “in your face” for PvP.
• Touch of the Grave occasionally drains life and heals you for the same amount. Your name will finally appear on the DPS meters.

Alliance

Draenei -

• +1 to Hit helps with end-game gearing in PvE, but mostly for Shadow. As Holy you don’t have much use for Hit.
• The heal is redundant, for Holy and Discipline. Shadow might find some use for it.

Dwarf - No “short jokes” please.

• Stoneform removes bleeds and reduces damage by 10%
• Ranged weapon expertise is useless to you.
• Good with Archeology

Human – The one, true Priest race.

• Increased Spirit helps with mana regen.
• Bonus to rep gains helps with faction grinding.
• PvP trinket ability allows use of two DPS/Healing trinkets in PvP and can break some PvE mechanics.

Gnome – Mechanical Priests? Or just short?

• Can escape from speed altering effects, which has PvP use and situational PvE use.
• Increased mana pool is useful.
• Good with Engineering

Night Elf

• Shadowmeld has its uses in PvP and can drop aggro in PvE. Just that thing for those “oops!” moments.
• Being 2% harder to hit has more PvP/Tanking use than for PvE, you won’t have any use for it.

Worgen – “Oh my, Mr Priest. What big teeth you have…”

• 1% crit bonus is nice for heals or damage, thought it’s not your best stat.
• Sprint-like ability has its uses when movement is necessary.
• Good with Skinning

 

Holy Professions

If you just need gold then go with the gathering professions and work them. The crafts are for those who need every last bit of burning power. All of the regular professions offer a self-only perk of some sort that works out to around 320 points of Int. Blacksmithing might be the profession of choice if you just want the perks, since it will allow you to equip two gems. That’s an additiona’ 640 Spirit or Haste Vs 320 Int.

Leveling any of the crafting professions will be expensive, especially at the launch of an expansion. Check out Tycoon if you are short on gold.

The professions can be leveled to 600 without using any Spirits of Harmony, though you will want to get those if you actually want to craft stuff.

• Blacksmithing – Add gems slots to gloves and bracers for the nice M of P gems. Note that gems with secondary stats (such as Spirit) have twice the value of those with Int.
• Enchanting – Enchant your rings, +160 Int each.
• Inscription – Best shoulder enchant, 520 Int and 100 Crit.
• Leatherworking – Bracer enchant for 500 Int.
• Alchemy – Better effects from your own potions – 30% more stats and an extra hour for flasks and elixirs.
• Engineering – Synapse Springs can increase your best stat by 1920.
• Jewelcrafting – Make better gems for your own use.
• Tailoring – Can embroider cloak for 2k more Int (occasionally.) Can make your own gear if you’re leveling.
• Mining – 480 stam, which doesn’t seem to be of much use to you.
• Herbalism – Small heal that adds 2,880 Haste for 20 seconds. Haste is a pretty good stat for you.
• Skinning – 480 Crit rating, but Crit is a weak stat for you.

 

The Easy Priest Leveling Guide

Leveling your Holy Priest or any other Priest build doesn’t have to be an exercise in frustration, even with the zillions of quests and regardless of whether you were playing Vanilla WoW (1 to 60) or Cataclysm (to 85) Mists of Pandara (to level 90) or whatever comes next.

What’s the easy way to hit the level cap? Dugi’s Guide:

Dugi’s comes in the form of a small in-game window which sows you your current quests and goals. Everything you need to know is contained within the guide and is displayed for you and everything is updated as you complete quests. You’ll always have an arrow pointing the way and you’ll never wonder where to go or what to do next, even if you just gained a few levels in the BGs or Dungeons.

Dugi’s makes leveling easy and fun, regardless of expansion, and you may never have to look at your quest log again. Grab yourself a copy and and blast through the levels with ease.

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