PvP spec for healer priest 5.4

[Deleted]

So for arena what is the generel oppenion on the strongest healer spec for priest? holy or disc?

[Venaliter]

Disc may be the strongest healer in PvP with 5.4, but the spec I suspect will struggle the most with mana.

[djdfields]

Disc may be the strongest healer in PvP with 5.4, but the spec I suspect will struggle the most with mana.

Ehhh I would have to disagree. Disc is very strong with mana at the moment, and with the only worry being a rapture nerf it shouldn't be hurt too badly. In addition, mindbinder (which is currently extremely popular in pvp) mana regeneration is being buffed by 20%, and it's damage is being buffed by 10%. I personally see Holy having a much more difficult time with mana management in lengthy arenas than disc.

I personally use FDCL for the uninterruptable, mana-free flash heals which is also getting an attractive buff. This coupled with clever drinking and shadowfiend use and I rarely go OOM before my opponents.

I would say disc is still going to be the "strongest" (for lack of a more accurate term) and most represented, but holy will still be very viable just as is currently.

*Edited for typos*

[Venaliter]

Ehhh I would have to disagree.

And you would be wrong. Worse, clueless.

[djdfields]

And you would be wrong. Worse, clueless.

I wasn't trying to call you out. How am I clueless?

I provided pretty good reasons as to why disc mana regeneration isn't going to be rough next patch minus the rapture "nerf" which isn't going to be that devastating in PvP since spirit isn't stacked nearly as much. If you could, please at least provide a constructive argument rather than just insulting.

If a disc is going OOM, it's quite possibly a playstyle issue.

[Venaliter]

I wasn't trying to call you out. How am I clueless?

I provided pretty good reasons as to why disc mana regeneration isn't going to be rough next patch minus the rapture "nerf" which isn't going to be that devastating in PvP since spirit isn't stacked nearly as much. If you could, please at least provide a constructive argument rather than just insulting.

If a disc is going OOM, it's quite possibly a playstyle issue.

Fair enough. Holy still lacks effective tools in PvP, such as Pain Suppression and Inner Focus's silence immunity. Disc is also getting a large buff in the form of PW:S Glyph. Rapture's nerf has huge mana implications in pvp where Disc's mana was already borderline.

In essence, we agree Disc will be strong. But otherwise, all your other conclusions I think were wrong.

Holy should be fine in RBGS though. If it's good in Arena, I'll meet you back here to apologize.

[djdfields]

Fair enough. Holy still lacks effective tools in PvP, such as Pain Suppression and Inner Focus's silence immunity. Disc is also getting a large buff in the form of PW:S Glyph. Rapture's nerf has huge mana implications in pvp where Disc's mana was already borderline.

In essence, we agree Disc will be strong. But otherwise, all your other conclusions I think were wrong.

Holy should be fine in RBGS though. If it's good in Arena, I'll meet you back here to apologize.

I've never had any significant mana issues in arena as disc unless it's twos against an Unholy/healer comp. Maybe that's just my experience. Also, upon thinking about the math behind rapture Live vs. PTR, it seems at though at my current spirit level (roughly 7.5k), the rapture alteration may end up being a slight buff for me in the mana department.

Hear me out here and correct me if I'm wrong!

PW:S cost: 6.09% of base mana (18,270)
With rapture reduction (25%): 18,270*0.75 = 13,702.5

Currently:
Rapture = 150% of spirit refunded upon dispel or absorb.

7,500*1.5 = 11,250 refunded

PTR:

Rapture = 100% of PW:S cost refunded upon dispel or absorb (after factoring in raptures passive mana reduction to PW:S)

18,270*0.75 = 13,702.5 refunded

It seems as though until I hit roughly 9k spirit (which with the new season is probably going to happen eventually), this may work out to my advantage next patch. With my tailoring proc coupled with the mindbinder buff, I may see quite the regen. Who knows though, only time will tell. Regardless, I believe believe disc mana is doing just fine at the moment, but to each his/her own!

Also, what PW:S glyph buff is going through? I haven't had a chance to check much just yet, but I didn't see it in the patch notes. Cheers!

Edited again for typos... just can't seem to spell very well today. :P

[Spectral]

I have more mana difficulty on my Priest than my RDruid, but it's still not that serious. Disc is in amazing shape in 5.4.

[Venaliter]

!

Also, what PW:S glyph buff is going through? I haven't had a chance to check much just yet, but I didn't see it in the patch notes. Cheers!

Reflective Shield

[Deleted]

Reflective shield glyph apparently only works on shields on yourself so it would be hardly worth it. It was barely worth it to begin with.

As far as manaregen, it all depends on playstyle and depending on the comp you face. But in general you would be going oom faster as holy than disc. Both specs however do perfectly fine with manaregen tbh.
And with fdcl being buffed youll save more mana since itll be procing alot more due not having to flashheal to proc it. (more of a buff to holy than disc)

As far as spec goes, both specs will be perfectly viable. However i think disc will pull out ahead cause of divine insight buff. But its hard to tell this early.

[Venaliter]

Reflective shield glyph apparently only works on shields on yourself so it would be hardly worth it. It was barely worth it to begin with.

However i think disc will pull out ahead cause of divine insight buff. But its hard to tell this early.

Good lord. I give him a major hint about why Disc is very strong on the PTR, he proceeds to dismiss it with "But it only works on yourself." then casually blows off the fact It'll have an outrageous uptime with Divine Insight. I give up.

Djdfields, you may be right that the Rapture change is a PvP mana buff. I thought I had a lot more spirit then I do in PvP gear.

[Deleted]

Good lord. I give him a major hint about why Disc is very strong on the PTR, he proceeds to dismiss it with "But it only works on yourself." then casually blows off the fact It'll have an outrageous uptime with Divine Insight. I give up.

The reason disc is very strong on ptr is because of divine insight and fdcl buff, not just cause of 1 glyph that gets buffed a bit. Other glyphs are better than reflective shield.
(reflective shield is what, maybe 30k dmge every 9secs? can break cc and people have to be hitting you for it to be effective and as far as i know discs are barely ever a kill target in the comps they run)
As disc glyphs are already limited, the only glyph you would use as disc besides Penance, MD, pom and death is weakened soul.

[Hand Banana]

The reason disc is very strong on ptr is because of divine insight and fdcl buff, not just cause of 1 glyph that gets buffed a bit. Other glyphs are better than reflective shield.
(reflective shield is what, maybe 30k dmge every 9secs? can break cc and people have to be hitting you for it to be effective and as far as i know discs are barely ever a kill target in the comps they run)
As disc glyphs are already limited, the only glyph you would use as disc besides Penance, MD, pom and death is weakened soul.

Reflective shield is alot better than you think it is. I have pushed well over a million damage in arenas on live just from reflective shield alone, especially against dotcleaves/locks. Pretty awesome when the ret who's bursting you hits himself for 40k two times (with DI procs, guaranteed now) on LIVE, with the buff and a big enough hit people can really nuke themselves.

Explain why these glyphs are so limited; MD is situationally useful, no mage or pally no go. Death is similar, no mage or hunter or hpally no go pretty much. Penance is average; I never run it. POM and weakened soul are two I usually always run but POM is really the only required one since POM is still bugged. So for a third I am generally running reflective, stuff like renew is worthless.

[Deleted]

Explain why these glyphs are so limited; MD is situationally useful, no mage or pally no go. Death is similar, no mage or hunter or hpally no go pretty much. Penance is average; I never run it. POM and weakened soul are two I usually always run but POM is really the only required one since POM is still bugged. So for a third I am generally running reflective, stuff like renew is worthless.

Yes reflective shield could be decent vs some comps but most of the time there are better glyphs than reflective shield.

MD works vs locks dark bargain aswell btw. But yes MD is situational. Death can be used vs half the classes in this game. Penance is the best glyph for disc since you can start casting it in los and get out of los to avoid cc or interupts. there is a reason almost every disc runs with it. Renew glyph is pretty bad for disc, it is good for holy tho.

[Hand Banana]

Yes reflective shield could be decent vs some comps but most of the time there are better glyphs than reflective shield.

MD works vs locks dark bargain aswell btw. But yes MD is situational. Death can be used vs half the classes in this game. Penance is the best glyph for disc since you can start casting it in los and get out of los to avoid cc or interupts. there is a reason almost every disc runs with it. Renew glyph is pretty bad for disc, it is good for holy tho.

Honestly I wont find myself penancing beyond 1 tick in 5.4 with the FDCL and DI changes. No need to LoS with it when 1 tick can get you a free flash and a guaranteed pw:S, and increased mana cost is just not worth it. I dont see a whole lot of discs running it tbh. Pom, weakened soul, and either MD/death depending on the opposing comp is pretty normal imo. Reflective is better than people think, especially against dotcleaves like LSD where death and MD don't really help.

[PhillieB]

Holy is pretty strong for 2s utilizing chastise for setting up long CC chains for everything else i'd say Disc.