Disc or Holy for allaround content?

[Lasombria]

Discipline shines when you know the fights and get things set up in advance - it's like a game of Mousetrap, when it all works.

Holy shines when one or both of those doesn't apply.

[gaymer77]

Assuming you're going the "recommended" route of Necrolord for covenants as shadow, holy uses the same one but a different soulbind than shadow while disc's recommended one is Venthyr for raiding or Kyrian for M+. NF and Venthyr are pretty weak covenants for shadow. I would recommend going holy if you plan on healing in your off time when you're not doing things as shadow. Its an easier and ore forgiving healing spec. It has plenty of strong cooldowns even for a 5 man or LFR/normal setting.

Disc priest is the most fun spec of the two. But please go ahead and try holy anyway, it will bore you out after a while because there is little planning ahead or challenging, just reacting to the situation at hand and really bad mobility (which is true for all specs but at least you can shield and heal with atonement while running).

Holy has PWS, circle of healing, HW Serenity, renew, prayer of mending, and HW sanctify all that can be cast while moving. Disc has shield, penance, and ticks of atonement from SW Pain if there are mobs along the way. Disc is not what I would call an on-the-go healer spec....far from it in fact.

[Malania]

Disc healing is brutal when leveling. So low, I couldn't believe it. Switched to Holy to my unending shame.

[Zenfoldor]

I want to address the assumption that Shadow and Disc are contrary when it comes to covenants. Someone posted this yesterday:

https://www.wowhead.com/news=319716/...-i#wowranks-io

Top pick for disc = Venthyr followed by Kyrian. 55 & 36 percentage rounded.
Top pick for holy = Necrolord followed by Kyrian. 44 & 33 percentage rounded.
Top pick for shadow = Venthyr followed by Necrolord. 40 & 37 percentage rounded.

This isn't the meta necessarily, this is simply/apparently the current distribution. It looks like Venthyr is very popular for disc and shadow. Necrolord might be great for holy/shadow as well. Either way, looks to be some cross over.

Over on Icy-Veins, if we checked the guides:

Disc: https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/discip...s-and-conduits
Holy: https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/holy-p...s-and-conduits
Shadow: https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/shadow...s-and-conduits

According to those guides:

Disc = Venthyr = Raiding, Kyrian = Mythic +
Holy = Variable/content dependant
Shadow = Necrolord raiding/mythic+ - with caveat that they are very close, specifically listing a 2% dps swing from best to worst

I'm just wondering if a Venthyr Disc/Shadow Priest might not be a well performing combo here for a main/off healer with relatively close playstyles.

As for holy vs disc, it is my understanding that disc is very strong atm, and holy is weak. Disc is also unlike other healing classes, where holy is not(if that is a factor). I am just starting as a priest, so I can't give solid advice, but I'm going Disc/Shadow and seriously considering Venthyr or Kyrian for both(probably Venthyr). Any thoughts?

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Discipline shines when you know the fights and get things set up in advance - it's like a game of Mousetrap, when it all works.

Holy shines when one or both of those doesn't apply.

Farm specs are the best specs, imo. They allow interesting logging and improvements in throughput long after most other fun things about the raid have faded. If you think about it, who wouldn't want to play a game of mousetrap vs the bird on the Simpsons that just clicks the same button thoughtlessly over and over again.

[Mazzeric]

Disc healing is brutal when leveling. So low, I couldn't believe it. Switched to Holy to my unending shame.

The way disc works currently, in Shadowlands, you cannot heal non-trivial damage in dungeons with Atonement. The spec's signature ability is basically a meme right now in low player content.

It's Shadow Mend simulator. Even the healing from PW:R casts is better group healing now, especially with the PW:R conduit.

[Mamut]

I healed few dungeons as holy for faster queues and I must say I really enjoyed it. I feel like I have alot of "oh shit" buttons when something going wrong like apotheosis, angel, hymn (I feel hymn heals should be abit stronger tho). In not that challenging content (and Im not going to push high keys with it) it feels very smooth and relaxing.

[Neuroticaine]

Another benefit that Discipline has as a Shadow Priest is very similar itemization (both specs like haste and crit), while Holy's stat priority is a bit different, so if you're a well itemized shadow priest, you're already pretty well off as Discipline, along with DPS trinkets being able to contribute to your healing output.

However, Discipline is a very non-standard healer. You'll be more familiar with what to do coming from DPS than another healer, but Discipline arguably has more things to watch and juggle than most healers, and can often feel frustrating for beginners for not having similar raw throughput as other healers.

If you're brand new to healing, I would actually recommend Holy. It isn't super strong, but it does have a tool for every scenario, and most are available on demand. Once you are familiar with healing in general as well as damage patterns in raids/instances, it would be a good idea then to try giving Discipline a shot.

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I want to address the assumption that Shadow and Disc are contrary when it comes to covenants.

The common wisdom among Shadow Priests seems to be Necrolord is probably your best bet if all you plan to do is Shadow and never touch a healing spec, but if you plan to do any off healing, especially as Disc, Venthyr is the obvious choice. The DPS difference between covenants for Shadow will not make or break anything. I chose Venthyr for aesthetics, and I have not been disappointed with its performance, especially as a Disc off healer.

[Zenfoldor]

Yeah, I have a feeling I will end up maining Disc, but right now I'm HOPING to main Shadow, so I think Venthyr would be a good choice.

[gaymer77]

Over on Icy-Veins, if we checked the guides:

Disc: https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/discip...s-and-conduits
Holy: https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/holy-p...s-and-conduits
Shadow: https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/shadow...s-and-conduits

According to those guides:

Disc = Venthyr = Raiding, Kyrian = Mythic +
Holy = Variable/content dependant
Shadow = Necrolord raiding/mythic+ - with caveat that they are very close, specifically listing a 2% dps swing from best to worst

See I understand how it says for shadow and holy (with Necro/Emeni being the best all around of the combos for holy). I don't agree with the usefulness of Mindgames for any of the priest specs in a PvE enviroment as the amount of damage/healing provided/reversed is capped based on your spellpower (300% for the damage of the initial cast and then 450% of your spellpower reversing healing or damage the target does) and only hits one target. Unholy Nova can hit all targets in that area iven if it splits the damage it does between them. Unholy Nova is an easy to use spell too because all you have to do is target the boss every 60 to activate a direct damage + AOE dot + instant AOE heal + AOE heal at the end of the 15 seconds or target a player for every thing I just listed there too. Unholy Nova has the same results if you target a player or a hostile. As for holy and the Kyrian, unless you are grouped up Boon sucks ass. The heal from Ascended Eruption radiates from the priest not the target. The heal from Ascended Nova radiates from the target. The spell itself is a very clunky spell to manage. That's why I don't see how either disc or holy could go with anything other than necro if you're looking to maximize your healing done through covenant choices.

As for holy vs disc, it is my understanding that disc is very strong atm, and holy is weak. Disc is also unlike other healing classes, where holy is not(if that is a factor). I am just starting as a priest, so I can't give solid advice, but I'm going Disc/Shadow and seriously considering Venthyr or Kyrian for both(probably Venthyr). Any thoughts?

Holy does have differences from other healing specs in the game the same way that disc has some similarities with other healing specs. Holy does very well in a raid group setting but does just fine as a tank healer or 5 man setting. The playstyle when you're in a raid can be different than when you're in a 5 man. In a raid I never really shield people unless they are about to die from a dot and that's only to protect them until I can heal them up with direct heals. Disc's weakness is reactive healing to recover from AOE damage. Disc is about mitigating damage and healing through damage they deal. While going through healer group cooldowns to use after massive AOE hits the raid, disc is basically never brought into the discussion (along with holy paladin too for that matter) because PWBarrier requires your group to be close together and only reduces the damage done by 25% while other classes have raid wide healing to recover like healing tide totem, tranquility, divine hymn, and revival.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Play Disc. It's unknown to mankind why some players play holy over disc. One of the great mysteries of the universe.

I play both... I enjoy both. Once in a while I switch specs in the middle of raid tries. Try both at the same boss, things like that.

[Neuroticaine]

See I understand how it says for shadow and holy (with Necro/Emeni being the best all around of the combos for holy). I don't agree with the usefulness of Mindgames for any of the priest specs in a PvE enviroment as the amount of damage/healing provided/reversed is capped based on your spellpower (300% for the damage of the initial cast and then 450% of your spellpower reversing healing or damage the target does) and only hits one target.

Mind Games also contributes to atonement and as a strong single target nuke, you can set up some great burst healing with it. The damage reversed is also not insubstantial. Venthyr is generally considered best choice for Disc in a raiding environment, and is a strong option for Shadow as well, and considering most Shadow Priests sub into Disc for healing and Disc priests reasonably will go Shadow for solo world content, it's a strong choice all around. The only spec that Venthyr doesn't really do much for is Holy, but even then, one of our soulbinds gives a massive amount of mastery as a proc which can be very strong for Holy.

[Asrialol]

I play both... I enjoy both. Once in a while I switch specs in the middle of raid tries. Try both at the same boss, things like that.

That's fine. My post was kinda sarcastic, mostly because disc has been top tier meta for raiding for oh so long - compared to holy.

Playing both on progress can be beneficial, as you learn more by healing both reactively and proactively. You'll probably know the fights better than someone who only does reactive healing or proactive.

Kinda like how having a alt tank as a healer for m+ is useful as you'll easier learn damage patterns and stuff.

[Al Gorefiend]

Ive played disc through every iteration since Cataclysm when I last played Holy.

I regularly top healing meters and my dps sits around half of what a equally geared tank is.

I'm very good at the spec, in the hands of a skilled player I think disc is one of those specs that really shines.