Cataclysm Classic Holy Priest Guide (2024)

Last updated Today at 00:00by Abide

Welcome to our Holy Priest guide for Cataclysm Classic, tailoredfor PvE content. Here, you will learn how all you need to know to playHoly Priest proficiently. Click the links below to navigate the guideor read this page for a short introduction.

This page contains all relevant information needed for HolyPriest during the Cataclysm Classic Pre Patch.Be sure to check back as we get closer to the release date, as this page will beupdated with the latest information for Cataclysm itself when it releases.

Holy Priest is one of thestrongest AoE raid-wide healers in the game. While they do not bring as muchutility as other healing specs, they offer an unmatched amount of AoE heals andcan often single-handedly heal up entire raids after taking high amounts ofdamage. While Holy might not be the most desired pick, theamount of raw AoE healing the spec can put out make it a strong choice in manyraid comps.

Alliance DisciplinePriest's best options are Gnomes as theygive a 5% maximum mana increase with Expansive Mind and Humans for their The Human Spirit, increasing your total Spirit by 3%. Both ofthese racials give you a nice boost to your mana regeneration.

Horde DisciplinePriest has a few contenders for the best race. Goblins are astrong choice, offering Time is Money and Rocket Jump. Trolls remain apowerful choice, still having Berserking for high healing situations.

Holy Priest has an entirearsenal revolved around raid-wide AoE healing. This comes at the cost of havingless utility spells when compared to the other Priest healing spec,Discipline. Regardless, Holy still brings quitea few buffs and cooldowns to the raid.

• Power Word: Fortitude;
• Shadow Protection;
• Inspiration;
• Fear Ward;
• Cure Disease;
• Dispel Magic;
• Mass Dispel;
• Hymn of Hope;
• Divine Hymn;
• Guardian Spirit

At Level 80 you can pick all of your main talents for Holy,only missing out on some passive stats from Twin Disciplines and Darkness.

You can get all of your glyphs at level 80, allowing you to unlock your fullpotential from the start. Be sure to learn all of these glyphs as soon aspossible.

• Prime Glyphs
• Glyph of Prayer of Healing
• Glyph of Renew
• Glyph of Lightwell
• Major Glyphs
• Glyph of Circle of Healing
• Glyph of Prayer of Mending
• Glyph of Dispel Magic
• Minor Glyphs
• Glyph of Shadowfiend
• Glyph of Fortitude
• Glyph of Levitate

The Holy Priest rotation isthe same at level 80 as it will be during Cataclysm at level 85, and plays almostexactly the same as it did during Wrath of the Lich King with 1 key difference.Cataclysm adds the Chakra spell, which allows you to choose 1 of 3"specs", which alter your abilities in different ways. You will mainly focus onusing Chakra: Sanctuary to further boost your AoE healing abilities.While Chakra: Sanctuary is active your Holy Word: Chastise spellwill upgrade to Holy Word: Sanctuary, giving you yet another powerful AoEhealing spell.

Below is the ideal single target tank healing rotation as HolyPriest. While you typically should not be focusingon tank healing, sometimes it will be required for you to cover another healeror assist with tank healing during high damage boss fights.

• Chakra
• Activate Chakra: Sanctuary by casting Prayer of Mending.
• Renew
• Keep this up on the tank.
• Prayer of Mending
• Use on cooldown.
• Guardian Spirit
• If the tank will die before you can finish a cast.
• Binding Heal
• If the tank and you are both low health.
• Flash Heal
• If only the tank is low health.
• Greater Heal
• When the tank is taking very high damage.

We recommend staying in Chakra: Sanctuary as you will still likelyneed to heal the raid in-between healing the tank and this Chakra helps withboth.

As Holy you will likely spend the majority of your time inraids focusing on healing the raid. This is where you will greatly excel andout heal nearly every other healer.

• Chakra
• Activate Chakra: Sanctuary by casting Prayer of Mending.
• Holy Word: Sanctuary
• Place this where most of the raid will be; use on cooldown.
• Circle of Healing
• Use on cooldown.
• Prayer of Mending
• Use on cooldown.
• Prayer of Healing
• Top up any low groups.
• Renew
• Put these on people who will take damage.

With the Cataclysm stat rework, main stats are much stronger than theypreviously were, making Intellect your best stat by far. Cataclysm alsointroduces the new stat Mastery, giving HolyPriests Echo of Light. Below you will findyour ideal stat priority:

1. Intellect

• Prioritize this greatly above everything else.

• Main way to regenerate mana.

• Haste is your best stat to increase your AoE healing output.

• While Mastery is not as good as Haste, it is still powerful and will bethe second ideal stat for your gear after Haste.

• This is mostly only useful for tank healing.

You will mostly be using the same gear as was recommended for Wrath ClassicPhase 5 with a few exceptions. Cataclysm changes how main stats work, makingIntellect your most ideal stat to stack. Mana per 5 has also been removed,making Spirit the only way you can gain mana regeneration. Aim for gear with asmuch Intellect as possible and add in a healthy amount of Spirit if you arehaving mana issues.

The gear below also shows our recommendations for the new system, Reforging,which allows you to convert 40% of one stat intoanother that is not already on the gear. While we recommend mostly reforginginto Haste, you can also reforge into Spirit if you are running into manaproblems. Simply follow the Stat Prioritylist above for the best results.

Slot	Item	Reforge	Source
Helm	Sanctified Crimson Acolyte Hood	Crit → Haste	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Neck	Bone Sentinel's Amulet	–	(25H) Lord Marrowgar — Icecrown Citadel
Shoulder	Sanctified Crimson Acolyte Shoulderpads	Crit → Haste	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Cloak	Greatcloak of the Turned Champion	–	(25H) Deathbringer Saurfang — Icecrown Citadel
Chest	Sanguine Silk Robes	–	(25H) Blood Prince Council — Icecrown Citadel
Bracer	Bracers of Fiery Night	Crit → Spirit	(25H) The Ruby Sanctum
Gloves	Sanctified Crimson Acolyte Gloves	–	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Belt	Crushing Coldwraith Belt	Crit → Spirit	(25H) Lord Marrowgar — Icecrown Citadel
Legs	Sanctified Crimson Acolyte Leggings	–	(25H) Icecrown Citadel
Boots	Plague Scientist's Boots	Crit → Spirit	(25H) Festergut — Icecrown Citadel
Ring 1	Ashen Band of Endless Wisdom	–	Exalted — The Ashen Verdict
Ring 2	Ring of Phased Regeneration	–	(25H) The Ruby Sanctum
Trinket 1	Althor's Abacus	–	(25H) Gunship Battle — Icecrown Citadel
Trinket 2	Glowing Twilight Scale	–	(25H) The Ruby Sanctum
Main Hand	Royal Scepter of Terenas II	Crit → Mastery	(25H) The Lich King — Icecrown Citadel
Off Hand	Sundial of Eternal Dusk	–	(25H) Sindragosa — Icecrown Citadel
Wand	Corpse-Impaling Spike	Crit → Mastery	(25H) Rotface — Icecrown Citadel

Your enchants have not changed from Wrath of the Lich King. Simply followyour Stat Priority to get the best stats you can.

Slot	Enchantment
Head	Arcanum of Blissful Mending
Shoulders	Master's Inscription of the Crag (Requires Inscription) Greater Inscription of the Crag
Back	Springy Arachnoweave (Requires Engineering) Lightweave Embroidery (Requires Tailoring) Enchant Cloak - Greater Speed
Chest	Enchant Chest - Powerful Stats
Wrist	Fur Lining - Spell Power (Requires Leatherworking) Enchant Bracer - Superior Spellpower
Hands	Hyperspeed Accelerators (Requires Engineering) Enchant Gloves - Exceptional Spellpower
Waist	Eternal Belt Buckle
Legs	Brilliant Spellthread (Requires Leatherworking) Sapphire Spellthread
Feet	Nitro Boosts (Requires Engineering) Enchant Boots - Tuskarr's Vitality
Weapon	Enchant Weapon - Mighty Spellpower Enchant Staff - Greater Spellpower (If wearing Staff)
Ring	Enchant Ring - Greater Spellpower (Requires Enchanting)

Your gemming will largely follow yourStat Priority. You mostly want to gem as muchIntellect as possible, avoiding most socket bonuses that offer lower prioritystats.

Sockets	Gems
	Insightful Earthsiege Diamond Make sure you meet the requirements to activate it.
	Brilliant Cardinal Ruby
	Reckless Ametrine
	Purified Dreadstone
	Brilliant Dragon's Eye Requires Jewelcrafting