holy paladins, tell me your tricks

[Deleted]

Divine Plea - early and often, but plan out when you want it. It decreases your healing capability, so using it during a heavy damage phase actually makes you spend more mana and hurts you in the long run. Time it so its either during down-time or lighter damage phases. If you can't do that, consider covering it with Avenging Wrath to balance the effect.

Most of this is correct except the bold part, don't use a healing increase cooldown when you got DP up, its just a waste of cooldown.

Overall almost all the info in this thread is good but in the end it will vary a lot depending on fights and raid comp and how well your raid is capable of staying out of fire so practice is crucial to get better as a heal, as well as the required information.

[Deleted]

well we have downed Ultraxion on HC yesterday with me as one of the two healers so I suppose I'm getting there. I still have very mixed gear, but got rid of the greens and blues luckely. When it comes to cooldowns, I am still a bit unsure when to use what. Could someone give me an insight in when you use which abilities?

[doovez]

Do not listen to ppl who cry mouse over macros.

How you choose to heal is developed by you and what you feel comfortable with.

When I used mouseover macros they annoyed me because the same hand you use to move your room you are also forced to push a key like 1 or 2 and the fingers used to push these are the same you would sometimes use for strafing and movement.

The only way to learn to heal is to just do it. Read your guides etc and change things around but don't just change to mouse over macros because someone told you they are superior.

Research fights, take note of heavy tank or raid damage or no damage. At the end of the day its just all scripted fights, remember that. What separates good from the bad is adapting fast be it healing/dps/tanking or just being ready for what comes next.

Edit: in regards to ultraxion and when to use your CDs is dependant on the length of the fight. What you know for certain is you want your CDs up for mass healing at the end. What you have to work out is at what stage will your raid benefit the most from your CDs and make sure they will be up for when the going gets tough.

You could use your guardian twice if you popped it right at the start. HR spamming and WoGing off a warrior tank or a feral druid will give you a lot of throughput.

You could use AW 3 times if popped at the start as well if it was a 5-6 minute kill.

DF could only be used 3 times if the fight lasted above 6 minutes which just doesn't happen, so you could use DF say as soon as you get red, then just wait for sub 20 percent.

This is just an example it doesn't mean its what you should do its just things that you COULD do.

[hyggja]

For 10m Heroic fights:

Morchok:
- Beacon the tank on your side
- Holy shock (HS) on CD
- if you're soaking stomps unglyph Divine Protection (DP)
- if you're soaking crystals, glyph DP
- You probably won't be solo healing a side if your gear is bad, so just spam direct heals (not Light of Dawn (LoD) or Holy Radiance (HR)) on low people, and make sure everyone is topped before stomps.
- Flash of Light is OK on this fight
- If the tank is not topped up before a stomp, use your Hand of Sacrifice (Sac) on them before it hits
- If a non-tank is low before a stomp, Hand of Protection (BoP) them before it hits
- Divine Plea(Plea) in black phases

Yorsahj
- Beacon Main Tank (MT)
- During any purple combo:
-- You should only ever use Divine Light(DL) on the tank
-- HS on CD on LOW STACK / HIGH SURVIVAL PLAYERS
-- When you have 3 Holy Power (HP) you can Word of Glory (WoG) the tank and not add stacks
- During any other:
-- Use this rotation: HS, HR, HR, LoD, repeat
- On Red/Black/Yellow
-- When AW and DF are up / if lust isn't being used
--- Pop Avenging Wrath (AW) on the start and use the above rotation.
--- When First set of adds come out, use Divine Favor (DF)
-- When AW and DE are down / with lust
--- Use Aura Mastery (AM) when adds come
--- Ask for other healer's CDs
--- use the HS, HR, HR, LoD rotation
-- Red/Blue/Black
--- If you have mana, HS, HR, HR, LoD
--- If you don't use HS on CD and spot heal with DL / Holy Light (HL), when you have 3hp use LoD, melee the boss for more mana

Zon'ozz
- Watch videos and just heal accordingly.
- AM/DF/AW/Pot at intelligent times in black phases
- Everything else depends on your team's strats

Hagara
- AM DOES NOTHING FOR LIGHTNING PHASE
- Everything else is strat dependant.
- If you stack in lightning, use your AW/DF for the stack
- If you stack for Frost, use AM in Frost.

Ultraxion
- I made a picture here: http://i.imgur.com/PcvF8.png

Warmaster
- Pop AM when you're told.
- Using DP can allow you to solo soak a barrage
- Use AW/DF at different times, stagger them so you have one or the other after each onslaught
- Phase 2 is lol's post nerf, just watch some vids

Spine
- Have Fun

Madness
- HS, HR, HR, LoD
- Single target heal people hit with smacks
- Sac parasite targets, or impale tanks, depends on strat
- AM for Bolt on 4th
- Plea can be used on the start of every platform. Melee the arm + Plea gives me full mana on every platform start.

General Tips:
- Don't use Plea and AW or DF together, ever.
- Conc pots are your friends
- When you use Guardian of Ancient Kings (GoAK) ONLY use WoG/DL
- Judge once a minute, or more often, never let the buff fall
- Melee the boss whenever you can
- Crusader Strike whenever you can
- You use WoG a lot in 10m
- Flash of Light is bad, but no where near as bad as a wipe, use your best judgement
- Divine Protection any time you know magic damage is incoming
- Any fight with beacon swapping, glyph beacon (spine)
- Never forget, HL transfers 100% to beacon, this can really help with mana management and topping people
- If Holy Shock is ever off CD for more than 1 GCD, you've done something horribly wrong

[Deleted]

- If Holy Shock is ever off CD for more than 1 GCD, you've done something horribly wrong

Most things were ok, not all was correct but this is the main thing that I noticed that was so extremely wrong. Holy shock it self is doing quite low amount of healing so there will be moments where you wont use it because you need to spam DL/FL or w/e, or if you have GoAK up so if you're going to write a list of things to do or not to do then make sure you don't have anything that contradict within the list.

[hyggja]

Most things were ok, not all was correct but this is the main thing that I noticed that was so extremely wrong. Holy shock it self is doing quite low amount of healing so there will be moments where you wont use it because you need to spam DL/FL or w/e, or if you have GoAK up so if you're going to write a list of things to do or not to do then make sure you don't have anything that contradict within the list.

I shouldn't have used the word ever. GoAK/Being Globaled is the only acceptable time to have HS off CD and not use it.

That being said, I play 25m, am 8/8hc doing 1 night clears, and I cannot remember the last time this tier that I was globalled, so I can't think of a circumstance where I would forgo HS for a DL or FL. Especially not DL, because if time is SO critical that I cannot use my most mana effective instant cast spell with the amount of haste and low GCD we have now, I certainly won't be casting DL either.

If there was anything else in what I posted that you find incorrect, please say so. I'd prefer we give the lad accurate tips.

[Archibalde]

Do not listen to ppl who cry mouse over macros.

How you choose to heal is developed by you and what you feel comfortable with.

While ultimately it's always going to be down to personal preferences, sometimes it can be worth it in the long run to try something else. When I started healing, I used Healbot and clicked on people's names to heal them and that worked fine for me. Then I read about mouseover macros and decided to give it a shot. It took some time getting used to it, but in the end I do feel like I can respond faster and heal more efficiently. That adaptation period where I wasn't doing so good was worth it, I find. The obvious remains: it's not to say everyone should do it. Still, I don't think it's fair to say "ignore everyone and do whatever you like". Sometimes listening to those suggestions can positively change the way you play if you are willing to give it some time. Now that we're at the very end of an expansion, it's a great time to get adventurous and try something different.

[Twiddly]

Uhh @ the ultraxion chart someone linked up there, you realize aura master does nothing for this fight, and at this point you do not ever even need to use HS to get hp, as if you time it right you can always be holy radiancing.

Yeah, it gives you a fast cast proc (meh you are casting anyway) and it gives you one hp...but you will be gaining mass hp anyway so who really cares at this point (20% debuff)

HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR-pretty much the rotation on ultraxion.

---------- Post added 2012-05-09 at 04:10 PM ----------

On ultraxion that is. Obviously you still use it on other fights.

[Deleted]

That being said, I play 25m, am 8/8hc doing 1 night clears.

Not really sure how being in a 8/8 hc 25m player makes a difference.

HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR-pretty much the rotation on ultraxion.

Not if you're solo healing.

[Deleted]

if you have some mana issue which i guess you might have being new and everything, try to get your hands on same of the sleeping potions that restore mana (can´t recall the name right now, have been on a break for a while ) and combine them with divine plea on easy healing fights to be able to regain alot of your mana

[doovez]

While ultimately it's always going to be down to personal preferences, sometimes it can be worth it in the long run to try something else. When I started healing, I used Healbot and clicked on people's names to heal them and that worked fine for me. Then I read about mouseover macros and decided to give it a shot. It took some time getting used to it, but in the end I do feel like I can respond faster and heal more efficiently. That adaptation period where I wasn't doing so good was worth it, I find. The obvious remains: it's not to say everyone should do it. Still, I don't think it's fair to say "ignore everyone and do whatever you like". Sometimes listening to those suggestions can positively change the way you play if you are willing to give it some time. Now that we're at the very end of an expansion, it's a great time to get adventurous and try something different.

If you read my whole post it says I have used mouseovers in the past and I did not ever say don't use or try them. The point I was making was ppl are like "use mouseover macros they will make you heaps better" and they may well do this for you, but don't suggest it is superior. That is all.

[Tastyfish]

On Yor + purple, beacon a tank, heal a hunter pet, no stacks will come form you (WOG often too), and get a shaman with a mastery build to direct heal, least thats what we do for H25

[Gringgotts]

I haven't had flash of light on my action bar since the start of cataclysm. I don't understand why you think it's good and I honestly can't think of any situation where it would be good.

My advice is to pretend flash of light doesn't exist.

WoG is on cooldown and you need a fast heal is generally where you use flash heal. Another time is where you need to generate holy power quickly and you didn't get an infusion of light or daybreak proc. Another key use of flash of light is mobile single target healing. If you have to heal while moving it is useful to have the instant cast flash of light in addition to your WoG/LoD. Sure sometimes you could stop and cast a Divine Light, but some fights you can't stop to cast. Though admittedly there aren't many times you need the instant FoL in Dragon Soul.

Flash of Light has its uses and it should be on your bars. Granted it's usually a back up heal due to it's semi low healing and high mana cost. Infusion of Light procs usually allow Divine Light to perform the role better, but you don't always have the procs when you need them.

[Deleted]

This is a nice thread and I thank you OP and rest of the guys for the tips it will help me next week when my GM want to test my holy paladin (want to reroll in MoP from shadow priest) in 25man heroic im a little scared but hey im sure i will be fine after reading this tips i have one question about DP now i ask a friend of mine a holy paladin what is he doing with DP i trust him 100% i find him one of the best holy paladins i know in 6 years of playing this game but its good to have a different opinion now he told me this he use DP when his at 75% mana then every CD, he announce every time that his using DP and during DP he only use HS i want to know what do u guys think about this?

[saintlyn]

Is it true holy paladins can solo heal HM ultra?

[Deleted]

I'd pick DP when i (and the Raid) can afford it; using it at fixed Mana% or "on cooldown" will bring you (and your Tank) in Trouble.

Watch out for low-Damage phases, e.g.:
Morchok: Black Blood - no healing required, plenty of Time for DP to tick
Zon'ozz: after black Phase
Yorsaj: never - other mana-cds like manatide or priest-hymn should be used at the first manavoid and you should never be in mana-trouble
Hagara: After frost/lightning-phase; 10 seconds of "no damage at all"
Ultraxion: (if you get in manatrouble - but you shouldn't) after you picked up red
Warmaster: If your dps is fast enough with the melee-adds and 8+ seconds to the next big void(no personal xp in hc)
Spine: while damaging the tendon (no personal xp in hc)
Madness: after platform-jumping; no damage after all until the big tendon spawns (no hc-xp)

[Deleted]

This is a nice thread and I thank you OP and rest of the guys for the tips it will help me next week when my GM want to test my holy paladin (want to reroll in MoP from shadow priest) in 25man heroic im a little scared but hey im sure i will be fine after reading this tips i have one question about DP now i ask a friend of mine a holy paladin what is he doing with DP i trust him 100% i find him one of the best holy paladins i know in 6 years of playing this game but its good to have a different opinion now he told me this he use DP when his at 75% mana then every CD, he announce every time that his using DP and during DP he only use HS i want to know what do u guys think about this?

Not 100% sure how it goes in 25m but in 10m at least you use it when ever you need (IE you're low enough on mana to not cap mana during the duration of DP) but you have to time to so that noone will die during the duration of it, so don't use it when you need to spam heal the shit out of people.

Is it true holy paladins can solo heal HM ultra?

Yep.

[salkz]

Tricks and tips? Just think rationally, have the ability to analyse the fight you just had and everything comes with practise.

[Jordaen]

Yorsaj: never - other mana-cds like manatide or priest-hymn should be used at the first manavoid and you should never be in mana-trouble

Wat? Last time I checked, blue doesn't spawn every time. One week we had a blue come out the for first set and we never had a blue again, while we had red/yellow/black several times. I don't know about you, but I was in trouble with mana and I'm damn glad I used divine plea. Granted I was doing a 10 man, and we had a resto druid and disc priest, so the mana cooldowns were meh, but regardless of comp, I still would have used divine plea. There is a perfect time to use it too - when the oozes come out. Especially if purple is still out since you more than likely can't heal for a bit till the debuff drops anyway.

Imo, I don't think anyone should say "Never do x" or "always do y." I'm sure many people can find ways to contradict it and it's just a tad ignorant.

OT: My pally is my 3rd healing alt (Druid being main, disc priest 2nd) and I can tell you that my holy pally is definitely the easiest one to do well on, but one of the hardest to do great. In my experience, just get used to how much your spell heal for, what the damage patterns are for certain fights, and go from there. Sometimes in 10 man you may need to spam holy radiance (Ultraxion, non solo heal), while other times you need heavy direct heals (Heroic spine). It'd be hard for anyone to tell you exactly which spells and cooldowns to use exactly when because we don't raid with your tanks, your other healers, or even your dps. These, plus the factors of the fights (ooze combinations on Yor'sahj), can drastically alter the way you heal a fight from week to week. It's all a matter of experience. After your gear and all the technical stuff is in order, just dink around. Try casting two divine lights instead of a holy radiance on blackhorn. Was your mana better? Worse? Did they did? did they almost die?

As has been stated, holy paladins have a crapload of cooldowns that can let you negate almost any fight's damage. I tend to pop wings and Divine Favor together, with 2 piece, to be able to spam my expensive heals more often (black phase Zon'ozz, madness, etc), and I save GoAK for the 2nd round of hard-to-heal stuff. Hand of Sacrifice is a great spell and be sure to use it often (But use it well!). Using it on purple ooze for Yor'sahj can save your tank. You can bubble through it if you need to so that you don't die. It's also great on impales for Madness. Hand of Protection is great for the overzealous dps who pulls some threat, is about to die, or is soaking something (impales).

All in all, just practice, practice, practice!

[Edc]

Get married with your hands, put them on a easy to reach keybind and learn when to use them, alot of inexperienced paladins have issues with their cooldown management, they know when to pop DF, wings and goak but they often neglect hands, our hands are amongst the most powerful cooldowns around and they really save the day if used properly.

In dutch they have a saying "regeren is vooruit zien", it basicly says to work (rule) properly you have to predict the future, predicting the future is normally quite difficult but in the case of PvE, everything is scripted, every move a boss makes is known and you can plan accordingly up front. You know that impale is coming on Madness, you know there is bound to be a red/yellow/black on Yorsahj, you know the tank takes damage spikes on Zon'ozz, the list is almost endless, but almost everything is bound to happen somewhere in that fight, making sure you plan on that and are prepared to deal with it is what makes the difference between a decent healer and a excellent healer.