Priest levelling tips

[Brienne]

Hi everyone.

I recently returned to the game. I have not played since BC and obviously WoW feels like a completely different game. I am currently levelling up a priest that ultimately I would love to be shadow or disc with.

Does anyone have any tips on levelling? (specs, glyphs) anything of note. Would you quest or do dungeons once you get to levels?

I was just curious what some fellow priests would suggest

Thanks!

[jamesflames77]

Go holy or dis and heal threw dungeon finder.

[Peppercat]

Shadow leveling is easy, have lots of water on you and be amazed at the damage output.

I would suggest glyphing MF>SW:P>________ as you level, and of course the only stat you should worry about till 85 is Int. You can level with the standard PvE spec, which will allow you to not waste DPS talents for things like dungeons; or you can pick up some surv/utility talents along the way and BG/quest.

All depends on personal preference. Leveling is beyond easy now, so it's hard to do it wrong.

[Arlee]

Beginning Priest Guide this is a beginning priest guide I wrote, might help highlight some of the things that have changed since you last played. Also, it has been awhile since I level'ed a priest so if you have any feedback you notice while you are leveling it would definitely be appreciated

[Linzo]

I'll post this here since it seems related.

I've been leveling as shadow through the LFD tool and i seem to be having some serious mana issues. level 48 at the moment.

I got the spirit tap(?) glyph and i do land the killing blows often but it just doesn't seem enough.

now what i want to know is, Will it get better as i reach higher levels?

[Bluepoet]

I'll post this here since it seems related.

I've been leveling as shadow through the LFD tool and i seem to be having some serious mana issues. level 48 at the moment.

I got the spirit tap(?) glyph and i do land the killing blows often but it just doesn't seem enough.

now what i want to know is, Will it get better as i reach higher levels?

Yes, it will get better--much better--check the talents in your tree...by the time you reach 85, you'll have Shadowfiend, Shadow word:death, Dispersion, and a channel cast spell, for mana (can't remember name, at the moment). Mana will be a non-issue, unless you're spamming your instant spells, which would be so wrong...

At 48, and in dungeons, you are going to have mana problems, so just be sure to have lots of mana water...I really hated depending on water, so much, especially when it was many levels before the next higher mana return on them. I'm leveling another Priest, who's at 44, I believe, and can't wait to hit 45, to get more mana in my pots...dungeon pugs will not wait, while slowly drinking...don't forget to use Shadow Wordeath, to get killing blow...it should help you. Meanwhile, just use Mind Flay on the mobs, and don't worry about dotting much of anything, unless it's a Boss. You have to find a balance, between dps and mana, right now...

Good luck!

[Deleted]

It will get better once you gain access to spells like Dispersion, Archangel and Hymn of Hope. Especially Archangel is very potent, as it also increases your Mind Blast damage. Also the talent Masochism works well, as it restores 10% of your total mana each time you damage yourself with Shadow Word: Death. On longer boss fights it's very advisable to throw it out on cooldown.

The downside is that you gain Dispersion at 69, Archangel at 83ish and Hymn of Hope at 80. At the earliest. Until then water and the Glyph of Spirit Tap are your best friends.

[baller1308]

I'll post this here since it seems related.

I've been leveling as shadow through the LFD tool and i seem to be having some serious mana issues. level 48 at the moment.

I got the spirit tap(?) glyph and i do land the killing blows often but it just doesn't seem enough.

now what i want to know is, Will it get better as i reach higher levels?

When you get dispersion and shadowfiend mana doesn't become much of an issue anymore. While I didn't level my priest at lower levels in Cataclysm, what rotation are you using? I find that on other toons that the mobs die rather quickly, so I would probably just use mind blast>mind flay (x2 if needed)>Shadow Word: Death. I think the targets will die to fast so putting dots on the target would drain your mana rather quickly.

[Arlee]

Also, when you get the talent that allows replenishment from MB when you have VT up that will also help.

[Linzo]

Thanks for the info

and:

When you get dispersion and shadowfiend mana doesn't become much of an issue anymore. While I didn't level my priest at lower levels in Cataclysm, what rotation are you using? I find that on other toons that the mobs die rather quickly, so I would probably just use mind blast>mind flay (x2 if needed)>Shadow Word: Death. I think the targets will die to fast so putting dots on the target would drain your mana rather quickly.

i see, i tend to dot everything i see with SW:P and my main target with DP
then Mind Flay and Mind blast on CD

obviously i noticed i simply don't have the mana to multi dot

however, i'm quite pleased to know that it will get better, as shadow seems like a really fun spec.

[muto]

Here's what I would recommend, Shadow, and here's the spec, since I'm assuming your level 70, since you haven't played since BC.

http://wowtal.com/#k=f-AWlTH_.b0w.priest.OXrRG

I forgot to add glyph of levitate, that might help if you need to run across water.


I would also suggest getting addons like Need to Know (to track DoTs), and Combo Points Redux to track Mind Melt, Shadow Orbs, and eventually Dark Evangelism when you get there.

[Eliot123]

Among other things, get a good wand.

[Felade]

Sub level 30, leveling as Disc is pretty nice. You don't waste much mana casting DOTS on mobs that may or may not last long enough, or trying to kill said mobs with one arm (the one that casts DOTs) tied behind your back. You have the added advantage of being able to queue for randoms and have the healing tools to deal with just about anything. Shadow can heal, but all you've got is a gimpy heal, a gimpy PW:S, no penance, and no mana regeneration. Stick to disc unless you never want to heal at all.

Talents don't matter all that much once you've chosen disc - by the time Evangelism/AA makes a difference either A) you can already kill mobs quickly and effiicently with HF-MB-Penance-Smite or B) you are already pretty close to level 30 when you can pick up a Shadow spec for questing anyway.

Wanding is pretty much obsolete these days. Just don't go running around dotting up mobs that are going to die before the DOT gets to do its work. Stick to nukes and MF unless you have 3 or 4 targets on you at once.

[Mitchell Rane]

I just checked wowhead and at level 43 you will have the option to put 2 points into the talent: masochism.

What's nice about that is, if your mana is starting to run low, you can open with it during the next pull. Your SW: D won't do much damage to you, so the healer won't have to worry, and you will gain 10% of your maximum mana. You should still try to time your SW: D for the end of a fight to get the Spirit Tap glyph to activate, but if you fail, what I mentioned above is a good option.

What I like about Shadow is that ability to have some control over mana. If mana starts dipping more than I like, I'll SW: D EARLY in the fight rather then at the end to get the 10% mana, but if the fight starts nearing the end, you can try to land the final attack for the Spirit Tap glyph. Also at level 53 (I'm assuming you get Vampiric Touch first when it becomes available) you will be able to put 2 points into the Pain and Suffering talent so SW: D does 40% less damage to you.

That's a strategy that helps me out a lot with my mana. Hope it helps.