Enough, This is how you fix Discipline spec. (MIND BLOWN!)

[Loudspank]

Our healing needs to be front-loaded and more reactive, for many reasons which I will not get into. (we have shields to proactively heal.
But feel free to dispute this statement, if you want.)

You might ask: "But won't that homogenize us and make us like all the other healers?"

No it won't.

My solution will still give discipline a unique playstyle; which, in effect, will not change how it plays much at all. But it will be much more fluid, and give you some freedom to choose different things to do with your global cooldowns without detriment to your burst heal build-up cast sequences. AND I will respect the "lore" and the theme of the spec.

This is hilariously easy to do, because the answer lies in mechanics found in several spells that already exist in discipline's tool kit.

I think this will be more easily explained if I propose a "new" spell. Let's call it "Shadow Radiance" or "shadow covenant 2.0". (The name doesn't matter or does it?)

Shadow Radiance
5% of base mana 40 yd range
2.0 second cast
Requires Priest (Discipline)
Requires level 100
Draws on the power of shadow to heal up to 5 injured allies within 30 yds of the target for (450% of Spell power), but the shadow is treacherous and demands repayment in the form of pain and death. All targets healed by Shadow Radiance will receive a debuff called "Shadow Withdrawal" or "Lingering Umbrage". Lingering Umbrage deals [(450% of spellpower)/20, not including overhealing) damage every 1 sec, until the affected target has taken (450% of spellpower, not including overhealing) total damage from all sources or leaves combat.

AND I will re-introduce a known spell effect, with a twist.

Atonement PASSIVE!!!!!!!!!
Requires Priest (Discipline)
Requires level 20
When you deal spell damage, you instantly reduce the total damage dealt by each Lingering Umbrage on all targets affected by 40.0% of the damage done.

Mastery wording will be adjusted accordingly, but in essence, it will remain unchanged.

Yes, Sins of the Many, will need some tweaking. (But doesn't it make more sense that the "sins" may be the shadow debuff on your healing targets instead of some happy-happy-light-based-heal-buff? Just a thought...)

So, in practice, the priests heal will be front-loaded, but will function as a shield (that cannot exceed the maximum health of the target) that will decay over time, unless you do damage (or the affected target takes damage, or leaves combat) to reduce how much it decays.

The amount you heal and the amount of targets you heal is limited by your mana, your global cooldowns, and how much you can heal while your debuff is active. (So, that sounds almost identical to how disc functions now.)

If you choose to heal more targets, you use more mana; but, also, your window to reduce the damage from the debuff shrinks with every global you spend on more heals, dispels, or other spells.

If you focus on healing fewer targets, you retain more of the heal, because you reduce more of the damage from the debuff.

If lots of burst damage arrives, you can chain cast heals, much like you would Shadow Mend. And, as Shadow Mend functions on live, your Lingering Umbrage debuff total damage will be reduced by damage taken. (So yes, Shadow Mend will be adjusted to add the same debuff that "Shadow Radiance" will.)

You can choose to stop healing targets and do damage at any time you like. If you see that your fellow raid healer's heal will consume your debuff and top off your healing target, you can relax and dish out some shields/dispels/cleanses! (Damage spells should be cheap to cast, the healing spells should tax your mana more instead. Please feel free to attack this statement as well.)

This sounds cool and all, but how do I top people off in my group/raid?

the answer:

Plea
1.5% of base mana 40 yd range
Instant
Requires Priest (Discipline)
Requires level 24
You petition the power of light to forgive your use of the power of shadow and heal your target for (225% of Spell power). To attain absolution for your transgressions against the light, you must smite your enemies! Plea now buffs affected targets with "Absolution" for 15 seconds.

(Radiance can be an AOE form of Plea, maybe.)

Smite
1% of base mana 40 yd range
1.5 sec cast
Requires Priest
Requires level 1
Smites an enemy for (225% of Spell power) Holy damage

Discipline (Level 36)
, absorbs the next [(Spell power * 2.25) * (1 + Versatility)] damage dealt by the enemy, and heals targets affected by Absolution for [(Spell power * 2.25) * (1 + Versatility)].

Now, we use Smite AND Plea more often, which I like, and Blizzard will like this too. (They hate it when we ignore the spells that they spent so much time developing...I'm looking at you Shadow Covenant!)

I've already said way more than most will (or can) read; and I have to sleep soon. So I will rapidly conclude this post. (I might add more later.)

Essentially, within these proposed changes lies the fix to Disc.

This solution, I think, would allow for some clever talent reworks as well. (The spec won't be at war with itself anymore!)

I think this will be noob-friendly too.

Now, please unleash hell in your replies! You must attack me verbally for proposing a solution instead of just complaining! (I need something to laugh at tomorrow while I'm at work.)

Thanks for reading!

AND YES, this may not happen until 8.0 drops, sorry. =(

[Kraide]

AND YES, this may not happen until 8.0 drops, sorry. =(

Wait, you are personally in charge of the next expansions class design changes?

In all honesty, I kinda dig it (calling upon the shadow to heal because it is "powerful" but at a cost, calling upon holy school to "atone"), and while I could probably get used to it, maybe, after awhile, that seems a little drastic and different and doesn't have much to do with the title of "This is how you fix Discipline spec" or "MIND BLOWN" so much as "hey guys, check out my idea!"

[Gob]

I love this idea.

[Loudspank]

I love this idea.

Gob gets it.