[ Priest ] { Disc } the way of the shield !

[Apoleta]

Well,I started healing raids some time ago,I used to tankheal before but we then got 2 holydins so I was transferred to healing the raid.
At first,I was shield spaming EVERYONE but I wasnt doing very good on the meters,I know they arent VERY usefull but there was always some... shame when the healmeter was linked in the /raid.
So I started spamshielding a bit less,only when AOE damage was incoming... and flashhealing a lot..
Before,I shielded a low health player and BEFORE I could flash heal him,my fellow healers had already got him to full.. so I was just buying them time for the healing to be done by THEM...
Therefore,I began flash healing more and more,still shielding a lot too and NEVER renewing EVER...
I was using penance as a reactive heal and flash heal as my filler,shielding when no one was dameged.
What I am wonndering is... WHAT TO DO !?

[Frmercury]

Primarily: Shielding.

If your guild doesn't upload logs to places like WoL or something similiar, get Recount Guessed Absorbs and add that to Healing Done. You'll find your numbers in a much better place.

Shield first: ask questions later. Shield primarily low people, even if you're not the one healing them up you probably just saved their life which is your primary job as a healer. Topping people gets you high up on the shiny meters, but saving people completes the encounter. Toss out Penance and FH as needed on anyone who has Weakened Soul.

Bubble spamming is currently the most effective and useful way for a Disc Priest to heal ICC.

[Tezmata]

Best advice is to either not care about the meters or find one that will add damage absorbed by your shields into healing done. A good guild/raid will know you're being useful by casting your shields and not just spamming heals. A discipline priest who doesn't effectively use their shields isn't living up to their full potential.

That doesn't mean you should spam-shield either though.

[Nuronv]

Mainly just use Flash heal, penance when its available and shield anyone that is likely to take get damage. On fights where you know there is a lot of AOE flying around preshield everyone. Also don't forget to use prayer of mending.

Oh and if anyone links you a healmeter .....from holy paladins they completely don't understand the disc spec. Or get meter that estimates absorbs and link that back at them

[Apoleta]

Yes... ok =)
So,would skada be usefull for me ? Would it be better than recount ?
And I feel that most of my shields are useless because not EVERYONE I shield gets damaged...
Should I stop feeling bad and spamshield myself to the death of my enemy ?

[Bananator]

Yes... ok =)
So,would skada be usefull for me ? Would it be better than recount ?
And I feel that most of my shields are useless because not EVERYONE I shield gets damaged...
Should I stop feeling bad and spamshield myself to the death of my enemy ?

Now obviously you need to be smart about this kind of thing. You should shield people likely to take damage or who are currently taking damage OR who may die if something sneezes nearby. Spamming shields on the raid is obviously only most effective in fights like BQL.

e.g. Marrowgar: Shield all tanks whenever you can. PoM on tanks. Shield all bonespiked people/people who have the fire debuff and then heal them up afterwards if no one else has. During Bone Storm shield spam (+1/2 PoM). Rinse and repeat.

[Frmercury]

Should I stop feeling bad and spamshield myself to the death of my enemy ?

I don't really have an opinion on the whole Skada vs Recount thing. They're probably both great.

No, use your brain! On Marrowgar for instance - Shield tanks, Impaled, and shield as much of the raid as you can right before and during Bonestorm. Basically those constantly taking damage or those who are about to take damage are the only ones to shield. Think about the mechanics, debuffs, and damage model of each encounter and you'll figure out your shield strategy for that encounter.

Edit: I was specifically addressing how to Shield, but as the above poster pointed out PoM should be used liberally as well as Penance and FH if Weakened Soul is active on a target needing priority healing.

[thermoponch]

Remember that you have a short cast spell after you shield someone. So if your raid is going to die, shield up someone and PoH a party and repeat it for every party in heavly danger. use your PS on tanks!!! It costs nothing to you and it has a 3 min CD that allows a lot of seconds with tanks is getting no damage. Your holydins will appreciate it!

[Deleted]

shield, but dont spam it, as said before. Know the fight, know when dmg is gonna come on a certain member, shield those and penance / flash heal them. The way I like about disc is that you actually need to know the fight. Like the LK. All i'm doing is watch timers, preshield at 6sec be4 infest (so 1 shield can take 2 infests and gets absorbed - Rapture x8) and on phase 3, same thing but preshield for vile spirits. I love disc