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Disc Priest overview

Choose your main job before spending points: a healer needs reliable recovery between shields, while a Holy DPS Priest wants damage talents and offensive hit. Penance serves either role, but each cast targets one enemy or one ally. Dealing damage with it does not heal your party.

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The biggest changes from Classic

Track the debuff after the shield breaks

Renewed Hope checks Weakened Soul, not whether an absorb remains. Its named direct heals can still gain crit chance and shorten the lockout after incoming damage consumes the shield.

Penance starts quickly, then channels

Penance hits immediately, then again every second for two seconds. The first pulse helps with urgent recovery, but the cast still needs a safe channel window to finish.

Deep Holy and Power Infusion compete

Power Infusion takes at least 31 Discipline points. That leaves 20 for other trees: enough to reach Binding Heal, but not Litany of Light or Spiritual Guidance.

Discipline Priest

Healer / Holy spell DPS

Classic Disc supplied mana talents, shields and Power Infusion, and leaned on the Priest spellbook for its heals. Forever ties shields and direct heals together, and adds a Holy-damage path with its own hit talent. You can cast both healing and damage spells, but points spent improving one role are not automatically upgrades for the other.

Build your talents

Shield before damage, heal missing health

Use Power Word: Shield before a predictable hit or to buy time for a direct heal. An absorb prevents the next damage; it does not restore health the target has already lost. If a tank is low and has Weakened Soul, go straight to healing instead of repeatedly trying to shield them.

Soul Warding reduces Shield's cooldown by four seconds and its mana cost by 15%. That lets you move between shield targets more freely, but the same ally still has a separate Weakened Soul lockout, so a ready Shield does not mean that target can take another one.

Track the absorb and debuff separately on your party frames. If the tank's shield breaks and a second player is about to take damage, you can shield the second player while using direct heals on the tank. If only the tank is under pressure, casts spent shielding safe players delay the recovery you need. Coordinate with another Priest so you are not both planning shields for the same ally.

Use Renewed Hope with the heal the target needs

Renewed Hope applies to Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal and healing Penance. On a target with Weakened Soul, those heals gain crit chance and cut the debuff's remaining duration. At rank 5, that is 10% increased crit chance and a five-second reduction. The target keeps qualifying after their shield is consumed, as long as Weakened Soul remains.

Choose Heal or Greater Heal when you have time for the cast and need their recovery. Use Flash Heal when a slower cast would land too late. If you have Binding Heal and both you and the target are injured, its self-heal covers that second health bar in the same cast. Repeating an eligible heal is fine when the damage calls for it; Renewed Hope does not require alternating spells.

Renew, Prayer of Healing and Holy Nova are not on Renewed Hope's list. Use them for their own healing jobs, not to shorten Weakened Soul. And do not cast tiny heals into a full health bar just to clear the debuff: that spends mana and casting time on an absorb that may not be needed yet.

Choose Penance's target before starting the channel

Penance has a 12-second cooldown and delivers a pulse immediately, then every second for two seconds. Aim it at an injured ally for healing or an enemy for Holy damage. The immediate pulse does not make the whole spell instant; moving or stopping the channel gives up its remaining pulses.

Keep a friendly-target or mouseover binding ready while attacking. If you channel into an enemy and the tank suddenly drops, stop the damage channel and cast an available heal on the tank. Switching your selected target does not turn the remaining offensive pulses into healing, and Penance's cooldown still matters.

Before spending Penance on damage, check what you will use if an ally takes a hit during its cooldown. A healthy tank with a stable pull gives you room to attack. A tank about to take a heavy strike is a reason to hold the channel for healing, even when Holy Fire is already up on the enemy.

Place critical healing where Aegis can absorb the next hit

Divine Aegis makes critical heals create a protective shield lasting 12 seconds. At rank 1, it absorbs 5% of the amount healed. A direct heal on an injured tank can therefore restore health and leave protection for a following attack.

That short duration matters when choosing a target. An injured player who will take more damage soon can use both parts; an ally leaving combat may only need the heal. Do not spam heals on a safe, full-health player to fish for Aegis, and do not wait for a crit before answering a dangerous hit: the direct heal has to be big enough to do its job without one.

Renewed Hope supports this plan by increasing eligible healing crit chance on Weakened Soul targets. Holy Specialization can add Holy critical-effect chance from the Holy tree. They only improve the odds of extra protection; neither makes every heal a crit.

Build Holy damage around your own Holy Fire

Power in Light increases Smite and Penance damage against enemies afflicted with your Holy Fire. At rank 1, the increase is 2%. Open with Holy Fire on a durable target, then use Smite and offensive Penance while it lasts. Another Priest's Holy Fire does not meet the condition.

A target switch can mean another setup cast. Put Holy Fire on a fresh boss add that will stay alive for repeated casts; skip that setup on a nearly dead enemy you can finish sooner. If your damage target becomes unavailable, do not keep casting at it simply to preserve the Holy Fire interaction.

Holy Precision improves Holy spell hit: its rank-1 bonus is 6%. It supports Smite, Holy Fire and offensive Penance, not Shadow spells or healing accuracy. Mental Agility reduces the mana cost of Smite, Holy Fire and instant spells. Penance is a channel, so its immediate first pulse does not make it an instant spell.

In Holy, Divine Fury shortens Smite and Holy Fire casts, Holy Specialization adds Holy crit chance, and Searing Light increases Holy damage. Searing Light also gives Holy Fire periodic damage a chance to make your next Holy Nova free. Use the free Nova when nearby enemies or injured party members justify it; its proc does not require a critical tick, and chasing it into a dangerous pack wastes the advantage.

Priest talent trees

Hover, focus or tap a talent to read its effects. Each badge shows the talent's maximum rank; this is the full tree, not a suggested build.

Discipline

18 talents
5 Power in Light 2 Wand Specialization 5 Twin Disciplines 3 Silent Resolve 3 Holy Precision 3 Improved Power Word: Shield 2 Martyrdom 3 Mental Agility 1 Inner Focus 3 Meditation 3 Improved Inner Fire 5 Mental Strength 1 Soul Warding 2 Improved Mana Burn 1 Penance 5 Renewed Hope 3 Divine Aegis 1 Power Infusion

Holy

17 talents
3 Twilight Focus 3 Improved Renew 5 Holy Specialization 5 Spell Warding 5 Divine Fury 1 Holy Nova 3 Blessed Recovery 3 Inspiration 2 Holy Reach 3 Improved Healing 2 Searing Light 1 Binding Heal 2 Litany of Light 1 Spirit of Redemption 5 Spiritual Guidance 3 Spiritual Healing 1 Prayer of Mending

Shadow

18 talents
5 Shadow Focus 5 Blackout 5 Spirit Tap 3 Shadow Affinity 2 Improved Shadow Word: Pain 2 Shadow Reach 5 Improved Mind Blast 2 Improved Psychic Scream 1 Mind Flay 2 Improved Mind Flay 2 Improved Fade 1 Vampiric Embrace 3 Shadow Weaving 1 Silence 2 Devouring Contagion 2 Early Demise 5 Darkness 1 Shadowform
Read all talent descriptions

Discipline

Power in Light Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Your Smite and Penance spells deal 2% increased damage to targets afflicted with your Holy Fire.

Rank 2
Your Smite and Penance spells deal 4% increased damage to targets afflicted with your Holy Fire.

Rank 3
Your Smite and Penance spells deal 6% increased damage to targets afflicted with your Holy Fire.

Rank 4
Your Smite and Penance spells deal 8% increased damage to targets afflicted with your Holy Fire.

Rank 5
Your Smite and Penance spells deal 10% increased damage to targets afflicted with your Holy Fire.

Passive

Wand Specialization Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases your damage with Wands by 13%.

Rank 2
Increases your damage with Wands by 25%.

Passive

Twin Disciplines Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the damage and healing of your instant cast spells by 1%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage and healing of your instant cast spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage and healing of your instant cast spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases the damage and healing of your instant cast spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Increases the damage and healing of your instant cast spells by 5%.

Passive

Silent Resolve Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the threat generated by your Holy spells by 10% and reduces the duration of Stun, Fear, and Silence effects inflicted on you by 5%.

Rank 2
Reduces the threat generated by your Holy spells by 20% and reduces the duration of Stun, Fear, and Silence effects inflicted on you by 10%.

Rank 3
Reduces the threat generated by your Holy spells by 30% and reduces the duration of Stun, Fear, and Silence effects inflicted on you by 15%.

Passive

Holy Precision Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Improves your chance to hit with Holy spells by 6%.

Rank 2
Improves your chance to hit with Holy spells by 12%.

Rank 3
Improves your chance to hit with Holy spells by 18%.

Passive

Improved Power Word: Shield Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the damage absorbed by your Power Word: Shield by 7%.

Rank 2
Increases the damage absorbed by your Power Word: Shield by 14%.

Rank 3
Increases the damage absorbed by your Power Word: Shield by 20%.

Passive

Martyrdom Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Gives you a 50% chance to gain Focused Casting for 6 sec after being the victim of a melee or ranged critical strike. The Focused Casting effect prevents you from losing casting time when taking damage and increases your resistance to Interrupt effects by 20%.

Rank 2
Gives you a 100% chance to gain Focused Casting for 6 sec after being the victim of a melee or ranged critical strike. The Focused Casting effect prevents you from losing casting time when taking damage and increases your resistance to Interrupt effects by 20%.

Passive

Mental Agility Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the mana cost of your Smite, Holy Fire, and instant cast spells by 3%.

Rank 2
Reduces the mana cost of your Smite, Holy Fire, and instant cast spells by 7%.

Rank 3
Reduces the mana cost of your Smite, Holy Fire, and instant cast spells by 10%.

Passive

Inner Focus Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
When activated, reduces the Mana cost of your next spell by 100% and increases its critical effect chance by 25% if it is capable of a critical effect.

Instant | 3 min cooldown

Meditation Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Allows 17% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Rank 2
Allows 33% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Rank 3
Allows 50% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.

Passive

Improved Inner Fire Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the Armor bonus of your Inner Fire spell by 15% and increases its total charges by 4.

Rank 2
Increases the Armor bonus of your Inner Fire spell by 30% and increases its total charges by 8.

Rank 3
Increases the Armor bonus of your Inner Fire spell by 45% and increases its total charges by 12.

Passive

Mental Strength Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your total Intellect by 3%.

Rank 2
Increases your total Intellect by 6%.

Rank 3
Increases your total Intellect by 9%.

Rank 4
Increases your total Intellect by 12%.

Rank 5
Increases your total Intellect by 15%.

Passive

Soul Warding Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown on your Power Word: Shield spell by 4 sec and reduces its mana cost by 15%.

Passive

Improved Mana Burn Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the casting time of your Mana Burn spell by 0.5 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the casting time of your Mana Burn spell by 1 sec.

Passive

Penance Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Launches a volley of holy light at the target, causing 81 Holy damage to an enemy, or 184 healing to an ally, instantly and every 1 sec for 2 sec.

100 Mana | 40 yd range | Channeled | 12 sec cooldown

Renewed Hope Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Your heals from Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal, and Penance gain 2% increased critical strike chance when cast on targets with Weakened Soul, and reduce the remaining duration of Weakened Soul on their target by 1 sec.

Rank 2
Your heals from Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal, and Penance gain 4% increased critical strike chance when cast on targets with Weakened Soul, and reduce the remaining duration of Weakened Soul on their target by 2 sec.

Rank 3
Your heals from Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal, and Penance gain 6% increased critical strike chance when cast on targets with Weakened Soul, and reduce the remaining duration of Weakened Soul on their target by 3 sec.

Rank 4
Your heals from Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal, and Penance gain 8% increased critical strike chance when cast on targets with Weakened Soul, and reduce the remaining duration of Weakened Soul on their target by 4 sec.

Rank 5
Your heals from Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal, and Penance gain 10% increased critical strike chance when cast on targets with Weakened Soul, and reduce the remaining duration of Weakened Soul on their target by 5 sec.

Passive

Divine Aegis Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Your critical heals create a protective shield on the target, absorbing 5% of the amount healed. Lasts 12 sec.

Rank 2
Your critical heals create a protective shield on the target, absorbing 10% of the amount healed. Lasts 12 sec.

Rank 3
Your critical heals create a protective shield on the target, absorbing 15% of the amount healed. Lasts 12 sec.

Passive

Power Infusion Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Infuses the target with power, increasing their spell damage and healing done by 20% for 15 sec.

20% of base mana | 30 yd range | Instant | 3 min cooldown

Holy

Twilight Focus Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Gives you a 23% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any spell.

Rank 2
Gives you a 47% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any spell.

Rank 3
Gives you a 70% chance to avoid interruption caused by damage while casting any spell.

Passive

Improved Renew Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the amount healed by your Renew spell by 5%.

Rank 2
Increases the amount healed by your Renew spell by 10%.

Rank 3
Increases the amount healed by your Renew spell by 15%.

Passive

Holy Specialization Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases the critical effect chance of your Holy spells by 1%.

Rank 2
Increases the critical effect chance of your Holy spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Increases the critical effect chance of your Holy spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Increases the critical effect chance of your Holy spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Increases the critical effect chance of your Holy spells by 5%.

Passive

Spell Warding Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces all spell damage taken by 2%.

Rank 2
Reduces all spell damage taken by 4%.

Rank 3
Reduces all spell damage taken by 6%.

Rank 4
Reduces all spell damage taken by 8%.

Rank 5
Reduces all spell damage taken by 10%.

Passive

Divine Fury Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the casting time of your Smite, Holy Fire, Heal, and Greater Heal spells by 0.1 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the casting time of your Smite, Holy Fire, Heal, and Greater Heal spells by 0.2 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces the casting time of your Smite, Holy Fire, Heal, and Greater Heal spells by 0.3 sec.

Rank 4
Reduces the casting time of your Smite, Holy Fire, Heal, and Greater Heal spells by 0.4 sec.

Rank 5
Reduces the casting time of your Smite, Holy Fire, Heal, and Greater Heal spells by 0.5 sec.

Passive

Holy Nova Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Causes an explosion of holy light around the caster, causing 26 to 30 Holy damage to all enemy targets within 10 yards and healing all party members within 10 yards for 49 to 57. These effects cause no threat.

185 Mana | Instant

Blessed Recovery Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
After being struck by a melee or ranged critical hit, or suffering more than 30% of your maximum Health from a single attack, heal 8% of the damage taken over 6 sec. Refreshing this effect carries over any remaining healing.

Rank 2
After being struck by a melee or ranged critical hit, or suffering more than 30% of your maximum Health from a single attack, heal 17% of the damage taken over 6 sec. Refreshing this effect carries over any remaining healing.

Rank 3
After being struck by a melee or ranged critical hit, or suffering more than 30% of your maximum Health from a single attack, heal 25% of the damage taken over 6 sec. Refreshing this effect carries over any remaining healing.

Passive

Inspiration Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Your non-periodic critical heals increase your target's Armor by 8% for 15 sec.

Rank 2
Your non-periodic critical heals increase your target's Armor by 17% for 15 sec.

Rank 3
Your non-periodic critical heals increase your target's Armor by 25% for 15 sec.

Passive

Holy Reach Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the range of your Smite and Holy Fire spells and the radius of your Prayer of Healing and Holy Nova spells by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the range of your Smite and Holy Fire spells and the radius of your Prayer of Healing and Holy Nova spells by 20%.

Passive

Improved Healing Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the Mana cost of your Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal, Penance, and Prayer of Mending spells by 5%.

Rank 2
Reduces the Mana cost of your Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal, Penance, and Prayer of Mending spells by 10%.

Rank 3
Reduces the Mana cost of your Lesser Heal, Heal, Greater Heal, Penance, and Prayer of Mending spells by 15%.

Passive

Searing Light Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases your Holy damage done by 2%, and gives a 5% chance each time your Holy Fire spell deals periodic damage for your next Holy Nova to cost no Mana.

Rank 2
Increases your Holy damage done by 5%, and gives a 10% chance each time your Holy Fire spell deals periodic damage for your next Holy Nova to cost no Mana.

Passive

Binding Heal Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Heals a friendly target and the caster for 236 to 284. Low threat.

155 Mana | 40 yd range | 1.5 sec cast

Litany of Light Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
When you cast a healing spell, gain Mana equal to 5% of the base cost of the spell if your previous heal was a different spell.

Rank 2
When you cast a healing spell, gain Mana equal to 10% of the base cost of the spell if your previous heal was a different spell.

Passive

Spirit of Redemption Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Upon death, the priest becomes the Spirit of Redemption for 15 sec. The Spirit of Redemption cannot move, attack, be attacked or targeted by any spells or effects. While in this form the priest can cast any healing spell free of cost. When the effect ends, the priest dies.

Passive

Spiritual Guidance Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your spell healing by up to 5% of your total Spirit and your spell damage by up to 1% of your total Spirit.

Rank 2
Increases your spell healing by up to 10% of your total Spirit and your spell damage by up to 3% of your total Spirit.

Rank 3
Increases your spell healing by up to 15% of your total Spirit and your spell damage by up to 5% of your total Spirit.

Rank 4
Increases your spell healing by up to 20% of your total Spirit and your spell damage by up to 6% of your total Spirit.

Rank 5
Increases your spell healing by up to 25% of your total Spirit and your spell damage by up to 8% of your total Spirit.

Passive

Spiritual Healing Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Increases the amount healed by your spells by 3%.

Rank 2
Increases the amount healed by your spells by 7%.

Rank 3
Increases the amount healed by your spells by 10%.

Passive

Prayer of Mending Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Places a spell on the target that heals them for 172 the next time they take damage or receive non-periodic healing. When the heal occurs, Prayer of Mending jumps to a party or raid member within 20 yards. Jumps up to 5 times and lasts 30 sec after each jump. This spell can only be placed on one target at a time per caster.

210 Mana | 40 yd range | Instant | 10 sec cooldown

Shadow

Shadow Focus Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 1%.

Rank 2
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 2%.

Rank 3
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 3%.

Rank 4
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 4%.

Rank 5
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 5%.

Passive

Blackout Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 2% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.

Rank 2
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 4% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.

Rank 3
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 6% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.

Rank 4
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 8% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.

Rank 5
Gives your Shadow damage spells a 10% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.

Passive

Spirit Tap Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Gives you a 20% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.

Rank 2
Gives you a 40% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.

Rank 3
Gives you a 60% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.

Rank 4
Gives you a 80% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.

Rank 5
Gives you a 100% chance to gain a 100% bonus to your Spirit for 15 sec after killing a non-trivial target. For the duration, your Mana will regenerate at a 50% of normal rate while casting.

Passive

Shadow Affinity Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 10%.

Rank 2
Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 20%.

Rank 3
Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 30%.

Passive

Improved Shadow Word: Pain Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 3 sec.

Rank 2
Increases the duration of your Shadow Word: Pain spell by 6 sec.

Passive

Shadow Reach Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 10%.

Rank 2
Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 20%.

Passive

Improved Mind Blast Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 0.5 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 1 sec.

Rank 3
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 1.5 sec.

Rank 4
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 2 sec.

Rank 5
Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 2.5 sec.

Passive

Improved Psychic Scream Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 2 sec.

Rank 2
Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 4 sec.

Passive

Mind Flay Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Assault the target's mind with Shadow energy, causing 63 Shadow damage over 3 sec and slowing their movement speed by 50%.

45 Mana | 20 yd range | Channeled

Improved Mind Flay Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Your Mind Flay now deals 10% more damage, gains 5 yards increased range, but slows the target's movement speed by 35%.

Rank 2
Your Mind Flay now deals 20% more damage, gains 10 yards increased range, but slows the target's movement speed by 20%.

Passive

Improved Fade Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 3 sec.

Rank 2
Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 6 sec.

Passive

Vampiric Embrace Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Afflicts your target with Shadow energy that causes all party members to be healed for 20% of any Shadow spell damage you deal for 30 sec. Vampiric Embrace also grants a chance for your Spirit Tap talent to trigger when enemies afflicted by it die.

40 Mana | 30 yd range | Instant | 1 min cooldown

Shadow Weaving Maximum rank 3

Rank 1
Your Shadow damage spells have a 33% chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times.

Rank 2
Your Shadow damage spells have a 67% chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times.

Rank 3
Your Shadow damage spells have a 100% chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2% for 15 sec, stacking up to 5 times.

Passive

Silence Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Silences the target, preventing them from casting spells for 5 sec and interrupting their spellcasts for 3 sec.

225 Mana | 20 yd range | Instant | 45 sec cooldown

Devouring Contagion Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Reduces the mana cost of your Devouring Plague by 25%. Targets that die while Devouring Plague it is active spreads it, jumping to a nearby enemy within 5 yards for the remaining duration.

Rank 2
Reduces the mana cost of your Devouring Plague by 50%. Targets that die while Devouring Plague it is active spreads it, jumping to a nearby enemy within 10 yards for the remaining duration.

Passive

Early Demise Maximum rank 2

Rank 1
Increases Shadow Word: Death's critical strike chance on targets at or below 20% health by 15%.

Rank 2
Increases Shadow Word: Death's critical strike chance on targets at or below 20% health by 30%.

Passive

Darkness Maximum rank 5

Rank 1
Increases your Shadow damage done by 2%.

Rank 2
Increases your Shadow damage done by 4%.

Rank 3
Increases your Shadow damage done by 6%.

Rank 4
Increases your Shadow damage done by 8%.

Rank 5
Increases your Shadow damage done by 10%.

Passive

Shadowform Maximum rank 1

Rank 1
Assume Shadowform, increasing your Shadow damage by 10%, reducing the Mana cost of all Shadow spells by 50%, increasing the critical strike damage bonus of your Shadow spells by 100%, and reducing Physical damage taken by you by 15%. However, you may not cast healing spells while in this form.

40% of base mana | Instant | 1.5 sec cooldown

Choose shield support, Holy damage or deeper Holy

For shield-focused healing, Improved Power Word: Shield leads to Soul Warding, which is required for Renewed Hope. Add Penance for its targeted channel and Divine Aegis for protection from healing crits. That path spends its points on recovery and absorbs instead of filling every Holy-damage talent.

For Holy DPS, start with Power in Light, Holy Precision and the mana support for Smite and Holy Fire. Spending points on Holy Specialization, Divine Fury and Searing Light strengthens those casts. Classic already had Smite and Holy Fire support; Forever adds the Holy Fire condition, dedicated Holy hit and another damage channel.

Penance is a 21-point Discipline talent; Power Infusion requires it and at least 31 points in the tree. A PI build can reach row-four Holy choices such as Binding Heal, Improved Healing or Searing Light, though Searing Light needs full Divine Fury. It cannot reach row-five Litany of Light or Spiritual Guidance with the 20 points left.

Dropping PI allows more Holy investment, but even Penance plus Prayer of Mending would require at least 52 points. Choose between those channels and healing talents rather than planning a build with both. The Holy guide covers the Mending route; the parent's removed talents explain what happened to the old Discipline tree.

Spend Inner Focus and Power Infusion on needed casts

Inner Focus makes your next spell free and adds 25% critical-effect chance if that spell can crit, on a three-minute cooldown. For healing, save it for a needed Greater Heal or a Prayer of Healing that will recover several injured party members. Consuming it on a cheap top-up saves less mana, while saving it until everyone is already healthy wastes its immediate healing value. The added chance is not a guaranteed crit.

Power Infusion increases the target's spell damage and healing by 20% for 15 seconds, with a three-minute cooldown. It does not grant haste. Give it to a caster who can spend that window attacking, or use the healing increase during sustained incoming damage. If the recipient has to move, stop casting or wait for enemies, much of the buff is lost. Agree on the recipient before the pull rather than negotiating during the damage window.

Meditation keeps part of your mana regeneration running during casting; rank 1 allows 17%. Mental Strength increases Intellect rather than directly refunding casts. Both talents support longer fights, but neither pays for shields on players who will take no damage. If you run dry, work out how much mana went to required recovery rather than damage casts and unused absorbs before replacing your gear.

Keep healer stats separate from Holy hit

For healing, weigh bonus healing, Intellect, regeneration and crit against the problem in front of you. Larger direct heals help when the tank falls behind between casts. Mana stats help when you can cover the damage but cannot sustain it. Crit can add Aegis protection, but a crit-heavy swap that leaves your ordinary heals too small makes recovery less dependable.

Healing does not require offensive hit. Buy hit for a Holy-damage role, counting only the school-specific contribution from Holy Precision; Shadow Focus does not make Smite more reliable. Forever's shared item hit and crit do not change those talent restrictions.

Healing bonuses also grant one-third as much bonus damage, so your healing set already helps with questing and damage between heals. That does not make its entire healing bonus count as spell damage. Compare dedicated damage pieces when attacking is your assigned job, rather than sacrificing healing mana just to improve occasional Smites. The Priest gearing section covers the shared item changes.

Protect casts and coordinate shield targets

Silent Resolve reduces Holy threat and shortens incoming stun, fear and silence effects. Martyrdom can grant Focused Casting after a melee or ranged crit, protecting against casting-time loss from damage and adding interrupt resistance. Martyrdom needs that incoming crit to trigger; it is not an on-demand immunity you can rely on for the next heal.

Improved Inner Fire increases Inner Fire's Armor and charges against physical pressure. Twilight Focus helps casting through damage, while Spell Warding reduces incoming spell damage. Choose armor when melee hits are the problem, spell protection when casters are wearing you down, and room to channel before starting Penance under pressure.

Fear Ward and Divine Spirit are baseline, so you do not need an old racial choice or a Divine Spirit talent point to bring them. Priest racial spells are separate from general racials: Human Divine Grace heals a friendly target below 50% Health and removes Weakened Soul from them, bringing that ally's next shield forward as part of a heal they already need. It cannot be cast on yourself, so it does not reset your own shield lockout. Use the parent race breakdown for those choices and group guidance for shared Priest duties.

Disc Priest questions

Can I heal as Disc without spending every spare cast on damage?

Yes. Shield talents, Renewed Hope, healing Penance and Divine Aegis support a direct-healing role. Holy Fire and Smite are offensive choices; they are not required to activate those healing effects.

Does Holy Precision help my Penance heals land?

No. Holy Precision improves offensive Holy hit, which matters for enemy-targeted Penance. Ally-targeted healing does not need that hit chance. Its value changes when you switch from a healing build to Holy DPS.

Does Binding Heal gain a faster cast from Divine Fury?

No. Divine Fury names Smite, Holy Fire, Heal and Greater Heal. Binding Heal has its own 1.5-second cast and heals both you and a friendly target with low threat. Choose it when both health bars need recovery, not for a cast-time bonus it does not receive.

Can I use Power Infusion on a healer?

Yes. Power Infusion increases spell healing as well as damage by 20% for 15 seconds. Use it when that healer has sustained recovery to do; it will not make their casts faster.