Discipline Priest
Shields first. Damage never lands.
The shield healer: Power Word: Shield, the new Penance and Divine Aegis, and Power Infusion on your best caster.
Three things to remember
Shield before damage
A shield placed early saves more mana than a heal cast late.
Penance
New: a short channel that heals an ally (or hits an enemy) every second.
Power Infusion at 40
Your 31-point talent: +20% spell damage and healing for 15 sec on any player.
What changed for you
New spells for every priest
Contingency Plan (a ward that shields and heals an ally who drops under 35%), Divine Grace (instant heal on an ally under 50%), Chastise, Confounding Flash, Dark Sacrifice (health into mana) and Shadow Word: Death.
Divine Spirit and Lightwell are trained
No longer talents: Divine Spirit from level 30, Lightwell from 40.
Racial spells opened up
Devouring Plague, Desperate Prayer and Fear Ward are no longer limited to one race. Gnomes can be priests.
Divine Aegis
Your critical heals leave a shield worth 5% of the heal.
Soul Warding and Renewed Hope
Power Word: Shield is cheaper with a shorter cooldown, and heals crit more on targets with Weakened Soul.
Low-level tips and what to press as you level
- Level with Smite, then a wand once you have one: it costs no mana.
- Power Word: Shield before you pull, Renew after.
- Shadow Word: Pain on everything; it is cheap and lasts.
- Take Twin Disciplines and Wand Specialization for levelling.
- Shield yourself, then Smite and wand.
- In dungeons: shield the tank before the pull.
- Take Mental Agility, Improved Power Word: Shield and Meditation.
- Take Soul Warding and Inner Focus (a free, stronger next spell).
- Divine Spirit (30) on your group.
- Take Penance, Renewed Hope and Divine Aegis.
- Power Infusion (31-point) on your best caster during the boss.
- Put Contingency Plan on the tank.
How to heal at level 60
- Contingency Plan on the tank before the pull.
- Power Word: Shield on whoever is about to take damage: the tank first.
- Penance on the tank or anyone dropping fast.
- Flash Heal or Heal for steady damage; crits leave a Divine Aegis shield.
- Divine Grace instantly on someone under 50% (it also clears Weakened Soul).
- Power Infusion on your top caster when the boss is low or during a big phase.
Talents that matter
| Talent | Tree | Why take it |
|---|---|---|
| Twin Disciplines | Discipline | +1% to instant spells. |
| Holy Precision | Discipline | +6% hit with Holy spells. |
| Mental Agility | Discipline | Cheaper instant spells. |
| Inner Focus | Discipline | Your next spell is free and more likely to crit. |
| Improved Power Word: Shield | Discipline | Stronger shields. |
| Meditation | Discipline | Mana regeneration while casting. |
| Soul Warding | Discipline | Cheaper shield, shorter cooldown. |
| Penance | Discipline | A healing or damaging channel. |
| Renewed Hope | Discipline | More crits on shielded targets. |
| Divine Aegis | Discipline | Crit heals leave a shield. |
| Power Infusion | Discipline (31) | +20% damage and healing for one player. |
Best race for this spec
Eureka! boosts Power Word: Shield and cuts costs, and +5% mana goes further.
Touch of the Grave procs often for casters, and Will of the Forsaken keeps you casting through fears.
| Race | Side | Racials |
|---|---|---|
| Human | Alliance | Ruthless: +1% crit. The Human Spirit: +10% Spirit. Will to Survive: break out of a stun. Perception: spot stealthed players. |
| Dwarf | Alliance | Artisan's Precision: +1% hit with attacks and spells. Stoneform: removes bleeds, poisons and diseases and cuts physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec. Big Game Hunter: +5% damage to Beasts. |
| Night Elf | Alliance | Elune's Light: +10% crit for 15 sec. Shadowmeld: hide when standing still. Quickness: +1% dodge and a little extra run speed. |
| Gnome | Alliance | Eureka!: 10% more damage and cheaper abilities for 8 sec (also boosts Power Word: Shield). Expansive Mind: +5% maximum mana (rage for Warriors, energy for Rogues). Escape Artist: break out of roots and slows. |
| Undead | Horde | Touch of the Grave: your hits can drain health from the target (30% chance for casters, 20% for Paladins, Rogues and Warriors; once every 15 sec). Will of the Forsaken: break fear, charm and sleep. Cannibalize: eat a corpse to heal. |
| Troll | Horde | Berserking: faster attacks and casts for 15 sec. Beast Slaying: +5% damage to Beasts. |
These are small edges, about 1 to 2 percent. Play the race you enjoy and the side your friends are on. Skyborne needs the paid Skyborne Heroic Pack.
Play it better
Shield the tank early
Shield right before the pull. It absorbs the opening hits for no extra healing.
Power Infusion on casters
It boosts spell damage and healing, so give it to a caster or a healer, not a warrior.
Wand when solo
Wands cost no mana. Shield, Shadow Word: Pain, then wand.
Inner Focus for emergencies
A free, likely-crit Greater Heal when the tank is about to die.
When something seems off
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Out of mana before the boss dies | Use lower ranks, stop overhealing, sit for the 5-second rule between casts, and use Dark Sacrifice when your health is full. |
| Cannot shield the same target again | Weakened Soul stops a second Power Word: Shield for a while. Divine Grace removes it. |
| My shields break instantly | Shield before the hits, not after. Take Improved Power Word: Shield. |
| Penance is missing | It is a Discipline talent from the fourth tier. |
Let Bonkr Compass+ call your buttons
Compass+ is built for damage rotations. Use its levelling list while you quest, then turn it off or switch to a healing layout in groups.