Should I gear for disc or holy when using both specs?

[vanityking]

i stack spirit/haste on my disc priest... Mastery only comes in effect for spirit shell and if you're PoH spamming. I prefer using haste for Atonement and because the way I see it, if I can get an extra PoH or two out there before Spirit Shell runs out, it ends up being more healing than stacking mastery could have done.

[Rectitude]

To Ayita, this is much more like it "To OP, triage healing is something I got from many other players and has worked well for me. If you are so inclined to try it feel free. I find the haste breakpoints work well for me as holy and personally find them to be important. Best of luck in whatever path you choose"

I view the forum as a place to share ideas and try to help our fellow players. What works for one, may not for another. However when someone comes in and states the following:

"Getting added ticks of Sanctuary, renew, & lightspring/lightwell should suit EVERY comp and player. You shouldnt be giving poor advice. It helps no one"

"Sorry, but the priests in here saying dont go for the haste breakpoints (4721 non goblin) as holy are...lacking"

you encourage arguments despite saying "it's beneath me", particularly when what you state is factually incorrect. You have made your choice, that's fine. Others prefer something different, that's fine too. Just don't set yourself up as the bastion of all knowledge, share your opinions and let the OP decide, or be given sufficient information to enable a choice based on trial and error.

[Irialx]

Its not factually incorrect. But again, that is neither here nor there. At this point my previous statement stands.

[myhv]

Get at least the renew haste (12.5% raidbuffed) and go mastery. Renew is just such an important spell for holy that you can't ignore it if you're planning to play it more than once a clear. Other then that, consider building 2 sets of gear, if you can. I know it's a huge annoyance, but generally can help you out. Try to pick up couple of spirit haste items for offset to move haste from disc gear and you're golden.

[dennisdkramer]

It's not like Ayita is suggesting turning down a piece of gear because it's mastery/spirit. Just reforge it for holy, don't for disc. That's all.

well that's the crux of the argument right there.

My 2c of the discussion is that you should decide whether or not to reforge (or grab additional gear) based on your playstyle. If you are in a raid in which your healing team complements you well and you get the full benefit of your mastery as holy, then mastery is a phenominal stat. Haste may provide better throughput but it will never make you do more healing for the same amount of mana.

I'm a strong advocate of alternate secondary stat useage for most classes and specs and priest is no exception. You can perform quite well as discipline using any of the three secondary stats. Holy's crit isn't very worthwhile, but you can do decently with either mastery or (some) haste. It really depends more on which niche you're trying to fill and how well your other healers work with you.

[Ihu]

i stack spirit/haste on my disc priest... Mastery only comes in effect for spirit shell and if you're PoH spamming. I prefer using haste for Atonement and because the way I see it, if I can get an extra PoH or two out there before Spirit Shell runs out, it ends up being more healing than stacking mastery could have done.

I agree with this, and for the record I even prefer crit as my stat of choice after hitting a comfortable amount of spirit. But then haste/crit does the same. But what I love about crit is that when I smite crit someone for 70k and the atonement part of the heal also crits, it will then crit for 105k.

I have been trying all types of different gemming/reforging and enchanting, but to summarize it.

Holy: I go for 4271 haste to get extra ticks on most of the spells, (thanks talesofapriest . com)

Disc: I disregard mastery since I am raiding 10m and for stacking mastery to be beneficial you want PWS and SS to be 60% + of your total healing, and that does not work for 10m.
For "fun" I tried to go all out crit, because mrrobot gave me the recommendation and ever since I have not looked back! I am guessing haste would work as well but my personal preference is, for now atleast, CRIT - I guess people can call me the exception of how to play my priest, but try it. Especially if you are 10m healing, atonement is strong and also helps to pull of 25k extra dps on bosses.

[Rectitude]

As it was last expansion, this is a debate with people passionate about one way or another; often the one they use is "the best" and everyone else is "lacking"

Some questions, if you were asked now to make a list on either/both specs of your spells and order them in terms of HPS and HPM would you be able to do so accurately?

How many casts of PoH during SS canyou do, with the haste levels you have?

I suspect many won't know the answer to these, without actually doing the calculations. You might find it boring, you may think it not necessary though if this is the case, why get so animated about the subject.

There are many more questions that could be asked, such as to those stacking haste, do you know how much EH you actually get from that choice? Not saying what you do is bad or incorrect, but without knowing the answer, how are you able to determine the route you have chosen is actually effective?

Anyone serious about their healing, and in a guild where is actually matters (no offense, but if you are on normal modes, it really doesn't) would be well advised to check some of the following resources, and perhaps do some analysis of their own healing logs.

Well written article about Disc and SS by Derevka http://talesofapriest.com/2012/11/28...-spirit-shell/

Superb and slightly mathy one about haste and it's interaction with PoH/SS http://plusheal.com/forum/post/last/...r-spirit-shell

The above has an excellent piece of work that allows you check all those HPM/HPM figures by simply plugging in your own characters stats. Play around and learn. http://www.healadinne.com/HealCalc/index.html

Perhaps it's worth restating that what you cast and when you do so, is more important in your success than any secondary stat you choose.

[vanityking]

his article revolves around the fact the disc priest are designed for the sole purpose of casting Spirit Shell. I did say that if you're one of those people who use spirit shell on cooldown mastery will obviously be more beneficial to you. Because 5.1 added a 40 yard range to Atonement it becomes our only raid-wide smart heal. It has become increasingly obvious that Atonement cannot be ignored. I personally use Spirit Shell for damage spikes and in fights with constant aoe damamge I use it on cooldown. For these fights mastery would be better, but since I do not switch my reforges for every boss I prefer haste to keep up my DPS, mastery does nothing for Atonement. To OP as you can clearly see, both specs can stack mastery and both specs can stack spirit and perform well, so I think it's safe to assume that you can pick which ever feels right to you. Go for the holy breakpoints and then mastery to balance out both.

[Rectitude]

My post wasn't directed at anyone in particular Vanityking, simply there for further information that some people may not be aware of.

Personally, I disagree about the haste thing for Holy, and would not take anything with haste on it for disc if given a choice in gearing; but I understand why some prefer a different route. Crit, is an interesting choice, though not predictable it offers benefits no other secondary can compete with.

Your point on atonement is very valid and you will be well aware of just how amazing it can be if you have done protectors on heroic (particularly 10 man) If you've not got there yet, I simply say: enjoy it when you do as you'll probably spend at least half the fight "DPSing" and doing amazing amounts of healing in the process.

[HolyLathusDisc]

For someone who has never even attempted Garalon heroic to be indicating what would be best for that fight is laughable. Renew is amazing on that fight, and if you look at the mechanics and think really, really hard, you could even figure out why. The haste breakpoint is completely worth going for as holy consistently because haste is almost equal with mastery for holy when spam casting PoH and is better for Renew and Lightwell up to the breakpoints. Just regem and reforge when you swap for progression bosses and don't bother for farm because, well, it's farm. Simple. Gems don't even cost that much now. It's not like Ayita is suggesting turning down a piece of gear because it's mastery/spirit. Just reforge it for holy, don't for disc. That's all.

Get over yourself kay?

Renew is good, mastery is good. I will repeat myself, both are good in either situation, you can reforge haste or mastery and do fine as either period.


This constant "AMG I DO HEROIKZ NAO I BETTER DAN U" does not mean crap half the time if you are being carried by the rest of your raid.

[Arlee]

Just a friendly reminder to please keep the discussions civil and refrain from calling each other names.

[Irialx]

Get over yourself kay?

Renew is good, mastery is good. I will repeat myself, both are good in either situation, you can reforge haste or mastery and do fine as either period.


This constant "AMG I DO HEROIKZ NAO I BETTER DAN U" does not mean crap half the time if you are being carried by the rest of your raid.

To be honest...I dont think he was trying to offend you. Basically, in heroics there is no room to be carried. So generally, people with more experience tend to be more skilled and thus people are more likely to want to listen to their advice a bit more intently. I doubt he was trying to personally attack you.

On subject, there are many ways to play holy, disc, etc. Some do have an advantage over others, and while you may be able to ignore that advantage to play with your preferred play-style in normals, its just more unforgiving on heroic. I believe that is what he was trying to get at.

[-Virgo-]

Holy doesn't need haste, it's a terrible myth. Go full Mastery.

This. I go full mastery and I have both healing specs.

[Spazzeh]

Some top tier Priests gem almost full spirit, yet reforge everything to (mostly) crit and haste...

Just sayin'.

[Noradin]

Sorry if I'm hesitant to lend an ear to someone who has not completed normals. If that makes me elitist then so be it.

No ad personeam agruments, please.

[Mctriple]

Disc is stronger for many fights in general, so gear for that. Certain comps may changes this, but the one specified in the OP doesn't. It's the comp I heal with a lot. I'm disc for most fights and rarely go holy. There's essentially no fight in HMs that is better for holy than for disc. You should gear for Disc, and if you decide to go holy for fun or whatever, then just reforge for it that night. It's not worth building a whole other set for.

[notdryad]

There's essentially no fight in HMs that is better for holy than for disc.

Pretty sure Holy wins on Tsulong.

[Saphiramoon]

The only slight difference I can see would be regarding haste breakpoints - as otherwise both specs favor spirit/mastery.

I'm not sure haste breakpoints are that important even for holy - I didn't find myself using renew enough to make that extra tick important. Still, haste is useful not only for breakpoints but general faster casting - so going for the hastepoint for both speccs wont cripple any of them significantly - but neither will not going.