Finally willing to look beyond the 'PvP Spec' stereotype?
Let me begin by how I chose Disc for PvE. I got bored of raiding on my Assassination Rogue alone, felt like healing, rolled a priest and rolled Holy.
Why Holy? Because they said so. I hated it.... No matter what I did, I was as bad as the 'Bads'. Besides, it was boring as hell. It totally wasn't my style.
You will NOT like Disc if you like seeing big, green number floating around your screen, or if you PuG a lot (wtf PvP spec noob, right?).
So, if you're reading this guide (and hopefully thinking of rerolling Disc at the end of it
), its probably because -1. You're tired of Holy.
2. You're a Mod just doing your job.
3. You're a troll who wants to post 'disco Pve noooob!!!11'
DISCIPLINE IN PvE -
Why Disc? Simple, you bring a buttload of raid support. Theres a LOT to it, but the main attractions are -
1. 3% reduced raid-wide damage with Renewed Hope (Yes, Minister).
2. Prevention is better than the cure.
3. Cool stuff like Pain Suppression and Power Infusion.
TALENT SPECIALIZATION & GLYPHS-
We can safely say that a Priest's Discipline talent tree would vary very little from one player to another, as our tree is bottom-heavy. Also, dipping in Holy makes us do better in our role, and that is raid survival through absorption and damage reduction (Read: Inspiration).
This is what your talent specialization should look like.
NOTE: Those last 5 talent points can go ANYWHERE you fancy, sweetie. I'm serious, you're being spoilt for choice here. Pick Improved Flash Heal if you want to throw around a few of those, or how about Improved Renew? Maybe Reflective Shield cos its uber cool? Hell, max out Spell Warding. Do whatever you feel like.
The 3rd major glyph is also completely optional. OFC, leaving it blank would be stupid, so put it a Glyph of Flash Heal if you use FH in your free spots, or maybe Glyph of Prayer of Healing if you use that. Again, its dependant on your playstyle.
STAT PRIORITY -
Endgame 10-man Shielding/Healing: SP > Haste > Crit > Intellect > MP5/Spirit
Endgame 25-man Shielding/Healing: SP > Haste (until soft cap) > Crit > Haste > Intellect > MP5/Spirit
From my point of view, SP=SP=SP.
Pure SP is better than crit or haste as it increases the damage absorption of your PW:S, along with the rest of your heals. Most heals already have pretty high crit chances due to talents, buffs etc., IMO making crit not as useful as SP, while you get an ample amount of haste from Borrowed Time. If you're not aware, Divine Aegis uses a percentage of healing done to the target and forms a protective shield around said target, once again, making SP the more viable option.
There is always a heated debate regarding spirit and Mp5 as regeneration stats. As the mechanics are now, 1 point of spirit gives 0.45 Mp5, scaling with various buffs, and intellect also, i.e., mana regen from Spirit increases with buffs like Divine Spirit or Dalarin Intellect. Usually, in most items, there is 1 point of Mp5 while the opposing spirit item of the same ilvl will have 2 points of spirit to counter that. Due to spirit-intellect scaling, at around 2000 intellect, spirit becomes the better regen stat than Mp5. But this is nothing to lose sleep over.
Now if you're still interested in this, let me put it this way -
Below 2000 Intellect, Spirit = Mp5
Above 2000 Intellect, Spirit would just edge out Mp5.
GEMS -
Assuming you're going to be looking to maximize the damage absorption of PW:S,
Red: Runed Cardinal Ruby
Blue: Runed Cardinal Ruby
Yellow: [Runed Cardinal Ruby
Yes, stack Runed Cardinal Ruby. If you're just neurotic and are hopelessly intent on going for the socket bonuses -
Red: Runed Cardinal Ruby
Blue: Purified Dreadstone or Royal Dreadstone
Yellow: Reckless Ametrine
All Jewelcrafters must useRuned Dragon's Eye as their profession-specific gem.
ENCHANTS -
Head: Arcanum of Blissful Mending (Wyrmrest Accord)
Shoulder: Greater Inscription of the Crag (Sons of Hodir) or Master's Inscription of the Crag (for Scribes)
Back: Greater Haste (Enchanting) or Lightweave Embroidery/Darkglow Embroidery (for Tailors)
Chest: Either Exceptional Mana/Powerful Stats (Enchanting)
Wrist: Superior Spellpower (Enchanting) or Fur Lining - Spell Power (for Leatherworkers)
Gloves: Exceptional Spellpower or Hyperspeed Accelerators (for Engineers who prefer the Haste-on-demand).
Legs: Brilliant Spellthread (Tailoring) or Sanctified Spellthread (for Tailors).
Boots: Tuskarr's Vitality or Nitro Boosts (for those who prefer the MS-on-demand).
Ring: Spellpower (for Enchanters ONLY).
Weapon: Greater Spellpower (Enchanting) if you use a Staff, or Mighty Spellpower (Enchanting) if you use a MH+OH combo.
CONSUMABLES -
Tender Shoveltusk Steak
Scroll of Intellect VIII
Flask of the Frost Wyrm
PS: Flask of the North does NOT benefit from Mixology. Therefore, i recommend Spellpower Elixir and Elixir of Mighty Thoughts or Flask of the Frost Wyrm for Alchemists (if you can afford it).
GEAR -
Head: Sanctified Crimson Acolyte Hood (T10 Healer Set)
Neck: Bone Sentinel's Amulet (Lord Marrowgar 25) or Blood Queen's Crimson Choker (Blood Queen Lana'thel 25)
Shoulders: Sanctified Crimson Acolyte Shoulderpads (T10 Healer Set)
Back:Greatcloak of the Turned Champion(Deathbringer Saurfang 25) or Frostbinder's Shredded Cape (Valithria Dreamwalker 25)
Chest: Sanctified Crimson Acolyte Robe (T10 Healer Set)
Wrists: Death Surgeon's Sleeves (Rotface 25)
Hands:San'layn Ritualist Gloves (Blood Prince Council 25) or Gloves of Ambivalence (Emblem of Frost Quartermaster)
Waist: Lingering Illness (Festergut 25) or Crushing Coldwraith Belt (Lord Marrowgar 25)
Legs: Sanctified Crimson Acolyte Leggings (T10 Healer Set)
Feet: Plague Scientist's Boots (Festergut 25) or Sandals of Consecration (Item Level 264 Crafted)
Ring 1: Ashen Band of Endless Wisdom (The Ashen Verdict - Exalted)
Ring 2: Memory of Malygos (Sindragosa 25) or Ring of Maddening Whispers (Lady Deathwhisper 25) or Marrowgar's Frigid Eye (Lord Marrowgar 25) or Incarnadine Band of Mending (Blood Prince Council 25)
Trinket 1: Purified Lunar Dust (Emblem of Frost Quartermaster)
Trinket 2: Solace of the Defeated/Solace of the Fallen (Lord Jaraxxus 25) or Sliver of Pure Ice (Lord Marrowgar 10)
Main Hand: Royal Scepter of Terenas II (Lich King 25) or Frozen Bonespike (Lord Marrowgar 25)
Off Hand: Shadow Silk Spindle (Blood Prince Council 25) or Sundial of Eternal Dusk (Sindragosa 25)
Staff: Archus, Greatstaff of Antonidas (Lich King 25)
Wand: Corpse-Impaling Spike (Rotface 25) or Nightmare Ender (Valithria Dreamwalker 25)
NOTE: Like I said before, there is barely any difference between mana regen from Spirit and Mp5. The way you could go about this is by taking the spirit items if you possess a Holy offspec, and intellect items if you possess a Shadow offspec.
THIS IS HOW WE DO IT -
Power Word: Shield is your bread-and-butter spell. It is so important to learn when and how to use it, and that is something that comes with experience. Also, Penance has a 8-second cooldown, so timing it is also essential.
Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Renew, Greater Heal, Prayer of Mending, and Prayer of Healing each have their own places as well, depending on the situation.
If somehow, you're being designated as a healer in those dungeons... then cast Flash Heals on the tank as well as the mandatory pre-Shielding+PoM (casting Shield before pulling; pulling when Weakened Soul wears off). Save your Shield/Penance when the tank takes spike damage. Shielding your party goes a long way, and PoH will see more use here.
If you're tank healing in raids, boss damage can be severe for Flash Heal alone to handle, so you should cast Penance and Power Word: Shield on CD (while filling up with Prayer of Mending, Renew, Flash Heal, and Greater Heal). Try getting more Haste and Crit (without gimping Spell Power), because you'll be relying on Divine Aegis for extra absorbs. A Discipline Priest's HPS output is generally too small for heroic raid bosses, even while taking into account your absorbs.
AFTERWORD -
Well, that just about concludes my guide. If you have any queries, find any errors or have any suggestions, please let me know.
I really hope that you found this guide useful, and helped you look beyond the stereotype of the Discipline tree.
PS: I don't claim full credit for this guide, it's all taken from various EJ/MMO-C posts and its just been shortened (because a lot of people don't like trawling through large posts).
