Holy Priest

Talents

At level 30 you have 21 points. That is exactly enough to reach the tier 5 talents, Spirit of Redemption and Litany of Light, if every point goes into Holy.

Wowhead notes a trade-off. Two points in Wand Specialization help questing, but leave you one point short of Spirit of Redemption, so respec once you heal full time. With Legacy points it finishes Litany of Light, then adds Wand Specialization or Spiritual Guidance.

Icy Veins' 26-point "Group Healer" build drops Wand Specialization for more Holy points, including one in Spiritual Guidance. It suggests swapping Spirit Tap for more Spiritual Guidance and a point of Spiritual Healing if you never quest alone.

Healing priorities

ForeverDB's level 30 card:

1. Keep Renew on the tank; Improved Renew adds 15%.
2. Heal as the main heal. Improved Healing makes it 15% cheaper.
3. Binding Heal when you are hurt too. Switching to it from Heal triggers Litany of Light.
4. Flash Heal for spikes.
5. Power Word: Shield on the tank for sudden danger.

Wowhead's dungeon list matches it and adds Prayer of Healing only when most of the party is low, since it is a 3 sec cast that drains mana. Icy Veins adds a free Holy Nova when Searing Light procs and nobody is in danger. Holy Nova causes no threat. Icy also stresses avoiding overhealing: wand between heals, use lower ranks, and respect the five-second rule.

Litany of Light refunds part of a heal's base cost if it differs from your previous heal, so changing between suitable heals can help; do not alternate into unnecessary healing just for the refund. The client gives 5% and then 10% over two ranks. ForeverDB notes that one creator's video quoted 20%, which the client doesn't support. Blizzard says Binding Heal is tuned to be as good as Flash Heal even when the Priest needs no healing (deep dive).

WoWSims' healer Priest has no rotation list, only settings for Prayer of Mending jumps and Holy Nova targets, so there is no simulator order to compare.

Damage and levelling

Solo, Wowhead opens with Holy Fire from level 20, then Mind Blast, Shadow Word: Pain and the wand. Icy Veins uses Smite as the enemy approaches, then Mind Blast, Shadow Word: Pain and the wand, with Holy Nova for packs if mana allows. ForeverDB builds its levelling path around Smite: Divine Fury shortens Smite and Holy Fire, and Searing Light's free Holy Nova handles enemies that reach you. ForeverDB adds that Forever raised Smite's spell power scaling, so it grows with gear.

Wowhead says to take the healing slot in dungeons. You can wand trash if the group already has a healer, but by the high 20s that should be rare.

Gear and consumables

• Stat order: Icy Veins gives healing power, mana per 5, Spirit, Intellect, then critical strike, because crits often overheal. ForeverDB's order is healing power, Intellect, mana per 5, Spirit, Stamina.
• WoWSims weights (level 60): single-target healing values healing power 1, mana per 5 0.6, haste 0.5, Intellect 0.35, crit and Spirit 0.3. Raid healing is similar, with crit lowest at 0.23.
• Why healing power matters: Heal rank 1 gains 0.857 of your healing power, up from 0.729 in Classic (ForeverDB).
• Gear to 30: Wowhead and Icy Veins point to Tailoring (the Pristine pieces and the bind-on-pickup Novice Arcanist's Sash) and Enchanting wands. Icy Veins lists Death Speaker gear from Razorfen Kraul.
• Consumables: Icy Veins suggests water, Briny Seafood Stew, Lesser Cleric's Elixir, Minor Mana Oil and mana potions. WoWSims' level 60 default adds Major Mana Potion, Brilliant Mana Oil, Demonic Rune and healing elixirs such as Greater Cleric's Elixir.

Where guides disagree or are unsure

• Level 30 shape: Wowhead goes all Holy for Spirit of Redemption. Icy Veins spreads points into Wand Specialization and Spirit Tap. ForeverDB levels with a Smite build.
• Critical strike: Icy Veins rates it last. WoWSims values it about the same as Spirit.
• Shielding rage tanks: Wowhead says to skip it on Warriors and Druids. The 2 October official fix confirms that absorbs no longer reduce Warrior or Druid Rage. The old prohibition is superseded.
• Above 30: Spiritual Healing (35) and Prayer of Mending (40) are untested. Lightwell is no longer a talent; the client teaches it from the trainer at 40 (ForeverDB).