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Priest
From wow.incgamers.com
Contents |
Background
Priests lead the many faiths spread throughout the disparate lands of the world of Azeroth. In Kalimdor, Night Elf Priestesses revere the moon goddess Elune, while Dwarven priests in Khaz Modan deliver the message of the Light to their people. In the ruins of Lordaeron, the undead priests of the Forsaken, their faith twisted and tainted by their tortured existences, spread a dark interpretation of the Holy Light. Regardless of their faith, however, all Priests share in their ability to manipulate the minds of those who turn to them for spiritual guidance. - Blizzard Entertainment.
Introduction
The priest class is less like a conventional cleric class and more like a spell caster with influence over an opponent's mind. They have been described by many as the best healer and buffer in the game which is just as well as they can only wear cloth armour. However, they can apply buffs to themselves to focus their attacks when engaged in melee combat to stop their spell casting being interrupted when hit by a melee weapon. They can wield one-handed maces, daggers, staves and wands.
The Priest is adept at controlling the minds of his enemies, although only one mind at a time. Never-the-less he can dominate and mesmerise them to his will. He can also see through an enemy's eyes with a 'remote vision' skill. Interestingly, priests can walk the world of Holy Magic or Shadow Magic 'curse-type' spells that damage over time as well as direct damage.
Which Races Can Be a Priest?
Alliance
Dwarf
Stoneform - active
While active, grants immunity to Bleed, Poison, and Disease effects. In addition, Armor increases by 10%. Lasts 8 sec.
Gun Specialization - passive
Your chance to critically hit with Guns is increased by 1%.
Frost Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance you will be hit by Frost spells by 2%.
Find Treasure - passive
Allows the dwarf to sense nearby treasure, making it appear on the minimap. Lasts until cancelled.
Human
Perception - passive
Increases your Stealth detection.
The Human Spirit - passive
Spirit increased by 3%.
Diplomacy - passive
Reputation gains increased by 10%.
Sword Specialization - passive
Expertise with Swords and Two-Handed Swords increased by 3.
Mace Specialization - passive
Expertise with Maces and Two-Handed Maces increased by 3.
Every Man for Himself - instant - 2 min cooldown
Removes all movement impairing effects and all effects which cause loss of control of your character. This effect shares a cooldown with other similar effects.
Night Elf
Shadowmeld - instant - 2 min cooldown
Activate to slip into the shadows, reducing the chance for enemies to detect your presence. Lasts until cancelled or upon moving. Any threat is restored versus enemies still in combat upon cancellation of this effect.
Elusiveness - passive (Rogue/Druid only)
Reduces the chance enemies have to detect you while Shadowmelded or Stealthed.
Quickness - passive
Reduces the chance that melee and ranged attackers will hit you by 2%.
Wisp Spirit - passive
Transform into a wisp upon death, increasing speed by 75%.
Nature Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance you will be hit by Nature spells by 2%.
Draenei
Gemcutting - passive
Jewelcrafting skill increased by 5.
Gift of the Naaru - active
Heals the target 50 + 15/Level over 15 sec - 40 yd range - instant cast - 3 min cooldown. The amount healed is increased based on the caster's Spell Power or Attack Power. This ability does not lose casting time from taking damage.
Heroic Presence - passive
Increases chance to hit with all spells and attacks by 1% for you and all party members within 30 yards.
Shadow Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance you will be hit by Shadow spells by 2%.
Horde
Troll
Berserking - active
Activate to increase attack and casting speed for 10 seconds. Speed is raised by 10% at full health, increasing as health is lost to a maximum bonus of 30%. 3 minute cooldown.
Regeneration - passive
Increase health regeneration bonus by 10%. Also allows 10% of normal health regen during combat.
Beast Slaying - passive
5% damage bonus to Beasts.
Throwing weapon specialization - passive
Increase Throwing Weapon skill by 5.
Bow specialization - passive
Increase Bow skill by 5.
Undead
Will of the Forsaken - instant - 2 min cooldown
Removes any Charm, Fear and Sleep effect.
Cannibalize - instant - 2 min cooldown
When activated, regenerates 7% of total health every 2 sec for 10 sec. Only works on Humanoid or Undead corpses within 5 yds. Any movement, action, or damage taken while Cannibalizing will cancel the effect.
Underwater Breathing - passive
Underwater breath lasts 233% longer than normal
Shadow Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance you will be hit by Shadow spells by 2%.
Blood Elf
Arcane Affinity - passive
Enchanting skill increased by 10.
Arcane Torrent - instant - 2 min cooldown - (Hunters/Paladins/Mages/Priests/Warlocks only)
Silence all enemies within 8 yards for 2 sec and restores 5 + 1/Level% of your Mana.
Arcane Torrent - active - (Rogue only)
Silences all enemies within 8 yards for 2 sec and restores 15 of your Energy.
Arcane Torrent - active - (Deathknight only)
Silences all enemies within 8 yards for 2 sec and restores 15 Runic Power.
Magic Resistance - passive
Reduces the chance you will be hit by spells by 2%.
Resources
List of all the resources that Priests can use (some training at Weapon Master might be required) and their primary statistics.
| Category | Usability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resources | ||
| Health | Yes | Not important for Priests because they can protect and heal themselves quickly if needed. |
| Energy | No | N/A |
| Mana | Yes | Very important, Generally speaking, the more Mana a priest has, the longer he can last while healing a group. |
| Rage | No | N/A |
| Primary statistics | ||
| Strength | Not Important | Increases Attack Power |
| Agility | Not Important | Increases Critical Hit chance and Armor |
| Stamina | Not Important | Increases Health Points |
| Intellect | Important | Increases Mana and Spell Critical Hit chance |
| Spirit | Important | Increases Health and Mana Regeneration |
| Other Bonuses | For Healing | Intellect, Spirit |
| Other Bonuses | ||
| Armor Types | ||
| Cloth | Yes | The only armor type Priests can wear |
| Leather | No | N/A |
| No | N/A | |
| Plate | No | N/A |
| 1-Handed Melee Weapons | ||
| 1-Handed Axes | No | N/A |
| Daggers | Yes | |
| Fist Weapons | No | N/A |
| 1-Handed Maces | Yes | |
| 1-Handed Swords | No | N/A |
| 2-Handed Melee Weapons | ||
| 2-Handed Axes | No | N/A |
| 2-Handed Maces | No | N/A |
| Polearms | No | N/A |
| Staves | Yes | |
| 2-Handed Swords | No | N/A |
| Ranged Weapons | ||
| Bows | No | N/A |
| Crossbows | No | N/A |
| Guns | No | N/A |
| Thrown | No | N/A |
| Wands | Yes | The Priest's only available ranged weapon |
| Class Specific | ||
| Idol | No | N/A |
| Libram | No | N/A |
| Totem | No | N/A |
| Offhand Equipment | ||
| Shields | No | N/A |
| Weapons | No | N/A |
Abilities
The Priest's main ability is to heal, and healers are an essential part of any group. Priests can also cast powerful buffs, shield players and they have the valuable ability to resurrect others. To be efficient at healing, Priests should choose talents from the Holy tree. The two other trees are Discipline, and Shadow.
Obviously, mana is an important factor for Priests. Nearly all of their abilities use mana, apart from melee attack and the use of a Wand, so choosing weapons and armor that has Intellect and Spirit on them is important.
While levelling, many priests favour the Shadow talents, as it enables them to be much more self-sufficient by increasing the amount of damage they can cause, reducing damage taken and enabling them to use abilities such as Silence and Vampiric Embrace
Buffs
The Priest has some very useful buffs that benefit other players. One of the main ones is Power Word: Fortitude. It increases the target's stamina and is upgraded as the priest levels. By level 70, the Priest can have Prayer of Fortitude - Rank 3which increases Stamina by 79, and this can be increased a further 30% by investing talent points in Improved Power Word: Fortitude. Another useful buff is Prayer of Shadow Protection, which increases the party of the target's Shadow resistance by 70 for 20 min.
Unconfirmed Spells and Talents in Wrath of the Lich King
Here is a list of spells and talents that are completely unconfirmed, but quoted from various sources on the net:
- Dispersion - You disperse into pure shadow energy, reducing all damage taken by $s1%. You are unable to attack or cast spells, but you regenerate % health and mana every 1 sec for %.
- Persecution - Gives your Holy damage spells a % chance to Incapacitate the target for %
- Mind Rot - Drains % mana from the target over $d.Mana drain, % points every 5 seconds.
- Mind Twisting - "Deals % damage and knocks the targets up in the air."
- Nightmare - "Assault the target's mind, causing a powerful nightmare that deals $s2 Shadow damage to all enemies within 10 yards of the target. Lasts %."
- Rapture - Causes your party members to gain mana equal to ${$m1/2}.1% of the healing done by your Greater Heal, Flash Heal and Penance spells.
- Divine Providence - "Increases the amount healed by Circle of Healing, Binding Heal, Prayer of Healing and Prayer of Mending by %."
- Guardian Spirit - "Calls upon a guardian spirit to heal and watch over the friendly target. The spirit heals the target for 624 every 2 sec, and also prevents the target from dying by sacrificing itself. Lasts %."
- Growing Pains - "Converts % of your bonus healing into bonus spell damage. In addition, your Mind Flay has a % chance to refresh the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain on the target."
- Psychic Horror - " Causes your Psychic Scream spell to have a chance to Fear the target in horror for % sec."
- Improved Shadowform - "Your Fade ability now has a $s1% chance to remove all movement impairing effects when used while in Shadowform, and gives you a % chance to avoid interruption caused by damage when casting any Shadow spell while in Shadow form."
- Serendipity - "If your Greater Heal or Flash Heal spells heal the target for less than 50% of its intended effect, you have a % chance to be refunded the mana cost of the spell. This effect has a 10 second cooldown."
- Kindling Soul - "Your spell damage is increased by % of your Spirit, and your spell criticals increase your Spirit by % for 10 sec."
- Aspiration - "Reduces the cooldown of your Inner Focus, Power Infusion and Pain Suppression spells by %."
- Divine Aegis - "Critical heals create a protective shield on the target, absorbing % of the amount healed. Lasts %."
- Grace - "Your Flash Heal, Greater Heal, and Penance spells bless the target with Grace, reducing damage done to the target by %, and increasing healing done to the target by %. This effect will stack up to 3 times."
- Dark Spirit - "Increases your Shadow damage by up to % of your total Spirit."
- Test of Faith - "Increases healing by $s1% and spell critical effect chance by $s2% on friendly targets at or below 50% health."
- Mark of Divinity - "Marks the target with Divinity, causing 30% of all of your healing to also heal the target."
- Divine Hymn - "You recite a holy hymn, granting your party protection from attackers. Any attacks done to you or your party will cause the attacker to be afflicted by sleep for %. Divine Hymn will last %."
- Mind Sear - "Causes an explosion of shadow magic around the enemy target, causing % Shadow damage every % sec for % to all targets within % yards."
Specialisation
A Priest is primarily a healer, and most of his skills and talents are designed to replenish the health and mana of the player/group/raid. Even when in Shadow form, a lot of the priest's spells benefit group members.
Healer - Holy
Strengths and weaknesses of a Holy Priest:
Strengths
- Can heal great amounts
- Can Heal many targets at once
- Can cast Healing Over Time spells (HOTs)
- Can shield themselves from damage to continue casting
- Can cast Fade to discourage Non-Player Characters from attacking the priest
- Has Area of Effect healing spells to heal multipe targets instantly in a close radius
Weaknesses
- Cannot take much damage, as Priests can only wear Cloth
- Can be silenced, and is therefore useless until the effect is lifted
Essential Quests
These are some Priest-only quests that have decent rewards:
Blood of Morphaz
End of chain Quest - Kill Morphaz in the sunken temple of Atal'Hakkar, and return his blood to Greta Mosshoof in Felwood. The entrance to the sunken temple can be found in the Swamp of Sorrows.
You can choose from Blessed Prayer Beads, Woestave or Circle of Hope
The Balance of Light and Shadow
Save 50 Peasants before 15 are slain. Speak with Eris Havenfire should you accomplish this task. Reward: Splinter of Nordrassil. This item eventually leads to Benediction with the required items, The Eye of Divinity(drops in Molten Core) and The Eye of Shadow(world drop).
Endgame Roles
Once you have achieved level 70, you can continue on and take an important role in raids. Again, there are two main roles a priest can play Endgame.
Holy Spec
A priest is at home when healing, with the plethora of spells available to perform the task with ease.
Shadow Spec
Many of the shadow spells cast by a shadow Priest benefit the raid by replenishing health and mana. However, this causes a lot of threat, so shadow Priests have to be careful not to do too much damage, as they don't last long if they get hit, in their cloth outfits!
Starting Statistics
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