Turgid

Fixed, just to prevent any confusion for priests new to this thread and/or priesting in general.

 

Sinndir

Ooops, it was late at night hehe.

I'll be editing that!

Thanks for spotting it.

 

Sinndir

Also to add with what spec's they should be here are what I have the priests in our guild do:

(Note: Some flavour talents depending on what you prefer)

Imp. DS spec:
Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

20/41 CoH Spec:
Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

14/47 CoH Spec:
Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

I find the only difference between the 20/41 spec and the 14/47 spec is Mental Agility (10% instant cast redux. vs. 10% spell warding) and in the terms of raid healing I find that Mental Agility wins out all the time.

Again, personal preference.

 

Bendyr

Why don't you have improved Renew in your CoH spec Sinndir? Even when I'm cross-healing I usually manage to keep renew up on whoever's tanking.

Also, I don't really understand why so many CoH priests pick up Inspiration. Given that our primary utility is cross-healing, the armor doesn't seem like it will actually benefit the casters and melee that I am generally healing, although I guess if you make sure to hit up your tank group every now and then to keep the buff up, it could be worth it. Am I missing something?

I also usually skip Holy Concentration in a CoH build.

 

Hegen

I guess that's due to many CoH priests fulfilling more than one role in more than one raid. Running ZA for bears for example can be enough reason to take Inspiration.

As for Holy Concentration, I too have noticed that I can't really use the free cast all that often when crosshealing. Since currently I am only running ZA, I looked through a few combat logs and found I waste almost half the free casts in ZA during a bear run, which made me invest the points elsewhere.

 

ionlylooklazy

There's plenty of encounters where we will find ourselves MT healing, where inspiration is of tremendous benefit. Specifically, I'm thinking of Brutallus.

 

Bendyr

Ok, cool. Well my guild isn't quite there yet (we're still working on Kazrogal), so I suppose I may need to tweak my spec when I get there. So far, I've been able to get cross-healing assignments generally.

I still don't understand the lack of renew yet.

 

Sinndir

Well I'll try to answer as best I can.

Over four years of raiding, I have found that renew is much more of a 5-man heroic (I'm the only healer) type spell. In raids, sure I always have it on the tank, even on some warlocks for tapping, etc. However, in the scheme of things if someone is missing 2k health and I renew them, chances are a chain heal bounce (which I cannot control) will top them up effectively making my renew cast useless.

As for inspiration, as a CoH priest I am consistently on raid healing and FFA healing, when the tank needs a heal I'll flash, or say on Mother Sharaz I CoH the three tanks (MT/2 Lash soakers) and inspiration procs there. The 25% armor is great for mitigation.

Lastly I keep clearcasting because if I do get a clear casting proc, I always follow it by an inner focus and usually can get 1 if not two full ticks of full regen (meaning about 1500 mana if not more). Also as soon as a clear cast procs I pop my bangle for the extra spirit for even more regen.

I also find I use binding heal quit a lot, may as well heal two people for the speed of one! And now that it procs off of binding heal that is just win.

 

Dezian

I would say this is an understatement. Skipping MA with a CoH build is pretty much a guarantee you will go OOM trying to keep up. Unless, of course, your guild is nice enough to give you a full time mana battery. More and more fights we do, our guild seems to favor giving the shadow priests to the DPS.

 

Kass

Sinndir - Thank you for the well written post. I really appreciate the layout you presented and numbers/equations were easy to follow and understand. I think your explanation as to how much haste you would need to obtain a certain GCD makes the most sense for me and was the best way for me to put this into perspective. I do question a few of your gem choices, which I will point out below. Other than wanting to discuss a bit further the gem slot bonuses and choices in red slots, I think this was a very helpful post. Thank you.

Seeing as you hit 423 with your setup, I would think that you would look to balance out a few more items to bring you down around 392. Particularly, certain items you chose not to take advantage of the bonus. If you have time, please tell me why you chose [Quick Lionseye] over a gem that would give you the bonus.

In the previously Holy Priest Theorycrafting thread, someone once broke out a great explanation of socket bonus per gem and how to value a socket bonus. For example the bracers below require one gem to get 2 spirit, but the weapon below requires 3 gems to get 4 spirit. Therefore, you'd probably want to maintain a socket bonus (if you value it...which I value spirit pretty highly), that requires less gems to meet it.

Cloak: [Shroud of the Highborne]
I'd pick up the [Shroud of the Highborne] but I'm not sure I value it over [Shroud of Forgiveness].

Bracer: [Cuffs of Absolution]
The socket bonus is 2 spirit, so 22 healing and 2 spirit at the cost of 10 haste.

Weapon: Golden Staff of the Sin'dorei - http://www.worldofraids.com/2008/ptr...oldenstaff.jpg
You add 1 haste gem in the red socket. Since you've already broken the socket bonus, why not make these all haste at that point? This will give you room to make socket bonuses in other slots.

Wand: [Wand of Cleansing Light]
The socket bonus is 2 spirit, so 22 healing and 2 spirit at the cost of 10 haste.

Trinket: [Battlemaster's Alacrity]
I don't really like this trinket at all, and would probably opt to put 3 [Quick Lionseye] in the staff in order to allow myself to wear the [Memento of Tyrande] or the [Redeemer's Alchemist Stone].

Boots: [Boots of Absolution]
I need to regem. I wasn't even thinking when I did this.

Hands: [Handguards of the Dawn] - 37 Haste w/ gem [423 total]
Like with the staff, why break the gem bonus and not go all the way? I'd put two [Quick Lionseye] here.

So my totals run as follows:
Helm: [Cowl of Light's Purity] = 40 Haste w/ haste gem
Neck: [Brooch of Nature's Mercy] = 33 Haste [73 total]
Cloak: [Shroud of Forgiveness] = 0 Haste [73 total]
Chest: [Robes of Faltered Light] = 42 Haste w/ haste gem [115 total]
Bracer: [Cuffs of Absolution] = 16 Haste w/ healing gem [131 total]
Weapon: Golden Staff of the Sin'dorei - http://www.worldofraids.com/2008/ptr...oldenstaff.jpg - 62 Haste w/ haste gems [193]
Wand: [Wand of Cleansing Light] - 8 Haste w/ healing gem [201 total]
Rings: 2x [Blessed Band of Karabor] - 60 Haste [261 total]
Boots: [Boots of Absolution] - 29 Haste w/ gem [290 total]
Legs: [Pantaloons of Calming Strife] - 10 Haste w/ gem [300 total]
Waist: [Belt of Absolution] - 14 Haste [314 total]
Hands: [Handguards of the Dawn] - 47 Haste w/ gem [361 total]

Now that I get to the end, I realize that I'm exactly 32 short of that goal for 1.2GCD. I guess [Shroud of the Highborne] needs to be on my next BT loot acquisition.

Either way, with this gem setup I think that you take advantage of a few more socket bonuses and you can use a much better trinket, but still reach your goal. Please let me know if I missed something. I just hate to break a bonus by only one gem. Anyway, I'd be happy to hear thoughts/critiques on my gem choices (here). Ignore my Armory...I'm stupid. As soon as our gem vendor is out I'll be replacing that gem.

 

Veldefice

You called me out for posting and now look at you!!!

:p <3

Anyway, I think the benefits of MA outweigh the benefits of Spell Warding. 10% off CoH, PoM, PW:S and renew is huge. It might not seem like a lot of mana saved, but it does over the long run.

In fights where there is a constant amount of spell dmg (like Felmyst or Kalecgos for example), a 10% reduction in dmg isn't a whole lot. It helps, but instead of taking the 1000 tick of aura, you take 900. Or instead of taking 3500 arcane dmg from Encapsulate, you take 3150. I would rather have a mana reduction with my spells rather than taking less dmg especially if the fight is long. Also, spell warding is useless for fights where all dmg is physical.

 

Havoc12

That is odd, I heal tanks about as often as I heal the raid, not to mention that I often CoH the tank group. A large number of my healing still comes from gheal and to a smaller extent binding heal, so holy concentration is worth a lot of mana to me. Wasting half the holy concentration procs is pretty much a given for this talent, it still makes it a very strong talent for mana regen. Removing inspiration and holy concentration from your CoH priest pretty much turns him into a one trick horse and not a very good one. A major reason for having priests in your raid is their ability to take up other functions. I consider imp renew, inspiration and holy concentration key talents for a holy priest even if you spend 70% of your time healing with CoH.

 

Liths

Not that it really makes any differance, but considering the ilvls on this stuff, I'd be very suprised if robes didn't drop of M'uru and the head pieces as well as cloth healing gloves are from Kil'Jaeden.

 

Jayde

Personally, my favorite spec is 19/42
Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

I'm not really convinced that Spell Warding is worth losing healing-applicable talents, as I've never found incoming magical damage to be that troublesome. Also, I much rather prefer to get Healing Prayers to Mental Agility simply due to using PoM (and even PoH) as often as I do.

Each point in Healing Prayers is worth 19.5 Mp5 from casting PoM every CD by itself, and with the T6 2-set bonus and 2/2 Healing Prayers, PoH is roughly the same HPM and higher HPS and range than CoH for self-group healing on many fights. (Bloodboil, for instance--especially since it gains a bit more from Inner Focus.)

Even if you're spamming CoH and using PoM every CD 4/5 + 2/2 vs. 5/5 + 1/2 comes out about the same in terms of practical mana usage, but as very few fights actually spam CoH every GCD (thus making the PoM portion a bit more weighted) and considering the added utility to PoH from Healing Prayers, I feel that it's a better option.

 

Sinndir

Jayde what about removing one of your Silent Resolve points and put into Absolution?

To make up for the loss of -2% threat redux, just enchant your cloak with it!

I think a large Priest population is overlooking the benefit of Absolution, I'd go 3/3 if I could but I can't

 

Jayde

I used to have that spec and mostly just didn't find that I dispelled enough for it to make much of a difference to respec over. I have been meaning to enchant my cloak anyhow, although it is 4% per point of Silent Resolve, not 2%.

I don't disagree with the suggestion though, as I've had 1 point in Absolution on a number of occasions. If Absolution was on Tier 1 or 2 instead of, say, Imp. PWS I would probably take 3/3 as well.

 

Sinndir

Well I'll try to answer some of the things you said as best I can. Also I don't know how I would gem those items as I've only thought about it but unfortunatly haven't had the ability to obtain any of those items due to summer attrition hitting us hard

392 Spell Hast is specifically what I will be gunning for, and if possible without [Battlemaster's Alacrity] as the [Memento of Tyrande] and [Redeemer's Alchemist Stone] are just too good of a combo to pass up. (Also am loving [Bangle of Endless Blessings] considering it scales with the higher amount of spirit regen we get it is truely a fantastic trinket.)

I have never read the number of required gems vs. socket bonus discussion before but just thinking about it for a bit makes a lot of sense, and makes me re-think ways of hitting bonus'.

As for our cloak situation, I plan on keeping my [Shroud of Forgiveness] and then only using a [Shroud of the Highborne] on fights that would call for it, however I would also take a bigger look into the sacrificing as I equate most of my items in terms of gem value hence:

22 healing = 10 spirit = 10 spell haste = 10 intel

Essentially, for myself, the difference between the two cloaks really boils down to is losing 20 spirit worth the gain of 32 spell haste, and in most situations I believe so (for me personally). Also there is a loss of 3 stamina, which I could care less about as raid buffed I'm high enough. There is a gain of 4 intellect which augments our current spirit regen (not much but meh) and then the loss of 11 healing. So broken down:

11 healing, 20 spirit vs. 32 haste and 4 intell
or 1/2 a red gem and 2 blue gems vs. 3 yellow gems and another half a yellow gem
(I know this sounds silly but I've found the gem stat values a great rubric to use for comparing items.)

Next on the bracers, come to think of it I would definitely socket for the 2 spirit bonus, however I think I would do a 11 healing 5 intellect. ***Note: I am never a fan of pure 22 healing as it doesn't get any bonus from raid buffs where other stats get a bit for kings. The intel brings a minimal amount of spell crit, not important but useful, and a bit more top end mana but most imporantly scales up the value of our current spirit. You are right though, that slot should not be a [Quick Lionseye]

Again with the staff, great observation. If breaking the set may as well just throw in 3x [Quick Lionseye] and then do away with the trinket!

For the wand again I would do a 11 healing 5 int.

Boots heh for sure I would do a [Quick Lionseye]!

And you are right again with the gloves, double [Quick Lionseye] and ignore the bonus.

So here we go again!

Ideal gear setup:


Helm: [Cowl of Light's Purity] = 40 Haste w/ haste gem
Neck: [Brooch of Nature's Mercy] = 33 Haste [73 total]
Cloak: [Shroud of the Highborne] = 32 Haste [105 total]
Chest: [Robes of Faltered Light] = 42 Haste w/ haste gem [147 total]
Bracer: [Cuffs of Absolution] = 16 Haste [163 total]
Weapon: Golden Staff of the Sin'dorei - http://www.worldofraids.com/2008/ptr...oldenstaff.jpg - 62 Haste w/ gem [225 total]
Wand: [Wand of Cleansing Light] - 8 Haste [233 total]
Trinket: [Battlemaster's Alacrity] - 40 Haste ***DROPPING THIS***
Rings: 2x [Blessed Band of Karabor] - 60 Haste [293 total]
Boots: [Boots of Absolution] - 29 Haste w/ gem [322 total]
Legs: [Pantaloons of Calming Strife] - 10 Haste w/ gem [332 total]
Waist: [Belt of Absolution] - 14 Haste [346 total]
Hands: [Handguards of the Dawn] - 47 Haste w/ gem [393 total]

Again not including the shoulder slot but here are the choices:

Shoulder: [Shawl of Wonderment] = 53 Haste w/ gems for a [446 total] only to be used on fights like Gurtogg/RoS where CoH is the obvious best choice more than 75% of the time.

Aside from that I plan to keep my current shoudlers for the four piece absolution bonus with 2x 10 Spirit Gems for boosted regen!

Also Kass, on set bonus' of 1 mp5 or 2 mp5 I don't even look at them as to me they are useless now with the spirit change, hence the non-matching of the helm or the gloves.