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Guide Contents
Patch 7.3.5
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Votes)
Legion Priest Class Changes
By Wowhead
Updated:
2016/08/12
This post covers all of the changes to Priests in Legion: talents, spec-specific abilities, artifacts, class changes, spell animations, glyphs, and tier sets.
Class Guides
Discipline Guide
|
Holy Guide
|
Shadow Guide
|
Leveling 1-20 Guide
|
User Guides
Wowhead has guides to each spec written by popular
Warcraft
community members, linked above. The Discipline and Holy guides are by
AutomaticJak
and the Shadow guide is by
djriff
.
New to Legion, you can also create and submit your own build guide! We designed a new user-friendly UI for writing class guides, which allows you to do the following new things:
Embed Talent, Honor Talents, and Artifact Calculator builds into the guide, with notes on each ability choice.
Leave tags specifying the skill level required for your build, and if it's suitable for different categories of PvE and PvP. Perhaps you're looking for a simple build for an alt, or something specifically for dungeons on your main.
Select stat weights and rank useful enchants, gems, and food.
Leave notes on any important items that impact your build, such as
Legion Legendaries
.
To set up a Legion Class Guide, just go to "
Create New Guide
" on any guide page and select "Classes" from the guide category, then pick a spec. You can also set up a guide for a spec via the "Create New Guide" option on the
Legion Talent Calculator
.
Class Changes
Legion class fantasy explores the source of each spec's power--as they are quite different.
Holy Priests
The Chakra system is removed in favor of expanded Holy Words. They're meant to feel like miracles--huge results, on a cooldown.
Holy Words have been significantly buffed offering impressive tools to our arsenal. While the Holy Word spells have large cooldowns, they can be reduced by casting spells that trigger
Serendipity
, which has been changed from its form in past expansions.
Your bread and butter heals like
Flash Heal
, Heal, and
Prayer of Healing
, now work as support spells which help you pump out Holy Words faster.
Shadow Priests:
Now draw their power from Old Gods, with a new resource, Insanity. Reaching maximum Insanity will transform Shadowform into Voidform.
Shadow Priests do not have access to many heals, instead using Power Word Shield and the new Shadow Mend.
Several abilities generate Insanity, such as
Mind Blast
and
Shadow Word: Pain
.
Some abilities can only be used in
Voidform
such as
Void Bolt
.
Shadow Priests do not have access to many heals, instead using Power Word Shield and the new Shadow Mend.
Shadow Orbs have been removed.
Shadowform is now permanent
New abilities:
Voidform
,
Shadow Mend
,
Void Bolt
Discipline Priests:
Discipline in Legion has changed drastically from Warlords of Draenor, but it bears a familiarity with Mists of Pandaria's iteration.
Discipline's absorbs have been heavily dampened with
Power Word: Shield
receiving a cooldown of 7.5 seconds, along with Divine Aegis and Spirit Shell being removed.
Atonement
has now been pushed to the forefront of the Discipline playstyle, with a slight twist in how it has worked in previous expansions. In Mists of Pandaria, damaging an enemy resulted in healing to the most damaged ally; in Warlords of Draenor,
Atonement
healing went to a damaged ally though not necessarily the MOST damaged; and now in Legion we're in control of who is healed by
Atonement
.
Visual Updates
Most specialization received visual updates for Legion, especially melee. We have videos of the new Holy and Shadow animations. Additional videos on our
Legion Spell Animations Playlist
.
Talents
There are more spec-specific talents in Legion, with each talent tree row offering more playstyle variety--active, passive, and proc talents. In addition, there are less "themed" rows--eg mobility talents are split among rows, instead of being in the same row.
Create your own talent build with our
Legion Talent Calculator
and if you find a build particularly interesting, click on "Create a Guide" after selecting your talents and leave a little explanation to share with other beta testers!
Legion
Legion
Legion
Spectral Guise
Angelic Bulwark
Angelic Feather
Body and Soul
Cascade
Power Word: Solace
Mind Bender
Twist of Fate
Desperate Prayer
Power Infusion
Phantasm
Insanity
Void Tendrils
Saving Grace
Spirit Shell
Words of Mending
Saving Grace
Divine Insight
Clarity of Purpose
Clarity of Power
Surge of Light
Surge of Darkness
Words of Mending
Dominate Mind
Void Entropy
PvP Talents
The new max-level PvP Honor system allows you to select certain talents based on your Honor Level. These abilities selected will be active in addition to your regular Legion talents.
Rows 1 and 2 cover general talents, Rows 3 and 4 are Priest talents, and Rows 5 and 6 have spec-specific talents. Please check out the
PvP Honor Calculator
to create your own build and save it with commentary as a guide.
Abilities
In Legion, more abilities are becoming spec-specific to enhance the fantasy for each spec. To see how an ability has changed each Legion build, click on the spell, and then view the "Changelog" tab on the spell page.
New
Shadow Mend
:
Wraps an ally in shadows which heal for (750% of Spell power), but at a price. The ally will take damage every 1 sec, until they have taken total damage from all sources, or leave combat.
:
Increases the healing transferred through Atonement by 11.1%.
Power Word: Radiance
:
A burst of light heals a friendly target and their 2 nearest allies for (250% of Spell power), and applies Atonement.
Plea
:
A quick, efficient plea to heal an ally for (225% of Spell power). Mana cost increased by 100% for each Atonement you have active
Changed
Atonement
Penance
Power Word: Barrier
Rapture
Psychic Scream
Mind Vision
Pain Suppression
Power Word: Shield
Shadowfiend
Shadow Word: Pain
Resurrection
Leap of Faith
Removed
Heal
- Now Holy
Holy Fire
- Now Holy
Holy Nova
- Now Holy
Prayer of Healing
- Now Holy
Silence
- Now Shadow
Spirit Shell - Removed
Archangel - Removed
Borrowed Time - Removed
Divine Aegis - Removed
Enlightenment - Removed
Evangelism - Removed
Grace - Removed
Meditation - Removed
Spiritual Healing - Removed
New
Holy Word: Sanctify
:
Release miraculous light into a target location, healing up to 6 allies within 10 yds for (600% of Spell power).
Holy Nova
:
Causes an explosion of holy light around you, dealing (180% of Spell power) Holy damage to all enemies within 12 yds. Has a 20% chance to reset the cooldown of Holy Fire if any targets are hit.
Holy Word: Serenity
:
Perform a miracle, healing an ally for (2000% of Spell power).
Changed
Divine Hymn
Guardian Spirit
Heal
Holy Fire
Holy Word: Chastise
Mastery: Echo of Light
Prayer of Healing
Renew
Serendipity
Spirit of Redemption
Shadowfiend
Resurrection
Prayer of Mending
Flash Heal
Leap of Faith
Removed
Binding Heal
- now Talent
Circle of Healing
- now Talent
Chakras - Removed
Divine Providence - Removed
Lightwell - Removed
Meditation - Removed
Rapid Renewal - Removed
Spiritual Healing - Removed
New
:
When you reach 100 Insanity, you enter Voidform, reducing the cooldown on Mind Blast by 3 sec, and increasing your Shadow damage by 30%. While in Voidform, you gain 1% Haste, every 1 sec. This Haste will also persist for 20 sec after Voidform ends. Voidform causes your Insanity to constantly drain, faster and faster, until completely drained, and Voidform ends.
Shadow Mend
:
Wraps an ally in shadows which heal for (750% of Spell power), but at a price. The ally will take damage every 1 sec, until they have taken total damage from all sources, or leave combat.
Void Bolt
: Sends a bolt of pure void energy at the enemy, causing (220% of Spell power) Shadow damage and refreshing Shadow Word: Pain and Vampiric Touch to their original duration. Requires Voidform.
Voidform
:
Releases an explosive blast of pure void energy, activating Voidform and causing (150% of Spell power) Shadow damage to all enemies afflicted by your Shadow Word: Pain or Vampiric Touch. During Voidform, this ability is replaced by Void Bolt. Requires 100 Insanity to activate.
Purify Disease
:
Instant. 8 sec recharge. 1 Charges. Requires Priest (Shadow). Requires level 22. Removes all Disease effects from a friendly target.
Changes
Dispersion
Mastery: Madness
Mind Blast
Mind Flay
Psychic Horror
Shadow Word: Death
Silence
Vampiric Embrace
Vampiric Touch
Psychic Scream
Mind Vision
Power Word: Shield
/li]
Shadow Word: Pain
Removed
Corrupted Apparitions
- Now Talent
Devouring Plague - Removed
Mastermind - Removed
Mind Quickening - Removed
Shadow Orbs - Removed
Changed
Fade
:
Fade out, temporarily removing all your threat and reducing all damage taken by 10% for 10 sec.
Mass Dispel
: Now also costs 40 Insanity.
Dispel Magic
: Now also costs 20 Insanity.
Smite
: 40 yd range, up from 30. Smite an enemy for (92.448%250% of Spell power) Holy damage and absorbs the next damage dealt by the enemy.
Mind Control
: Now ability, not a talent.
Removed
Fear Ward - now gone
Flash Heal
- now Holy
Leap of Faith
-
Holy and Discipline only.
-
Shadow only.
Mind Vision
-
Shadow and Discipline only.
Power Word: Shield
-
Shadow and Discipline only.
Power Word: Fortitude - now gone
Prayer of Mending
- now Holy
Resurrection
- now Discipline and Holy
Shadow Word: Pain
- now Discipline and Shadow
Shadowfiend
- now Discipline and Shadow
Artifact Weapons and Traits
Discipline Light's Wrath Calculator
|
Holy T'uure Beacon of the Naaru Calculator
|
Shadow Xal'atath Calculator
Our Artifact Calculators, linked above, let you browse traits, relics, and appearances in the modelviewer.
Our class guides have recommendations on how to spend Artifact Power and choose Relics.
The
comprehensive Artifact Weapon guide
covers the following:
All artifacts by spec
: any hidden abilities like
Gaze of the Val'kyr
, and flavor effects like
Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire
whispering you.
Traits
: their perks, costs, how to acquire traits, and max level bonus traits.
Relics
: how they increase ilvl, how they modify traits, and how to acquire them.
Acquiring artifacts
: your first one and later ones for offspecs.
Artifact Knowledge
: how this increases the rate at which you acquire Artifact Power, how to increase your AK level, how much extra AK you get at each rank.
Artifact Appearances
: Every appearance organized by spec, how to get them, and modelviewer and video links.
Artifact Lore, Wowhead's Art Interview on Artifacts, and FAQ.
Tier Sets
Priests have class-specific sets from Raiding and PvP, as well as from the Order Hall. Dressing Room links and more armor sets are found in the
Legion Armor Guide
.
Cosmetic Abilities
Major glyphs have been removed in Legion and cosmetic effects have either been converted to minor glyphs, toys, or class books sold on vendors.
Thaumaturgist's Orb
: Summons holy orbs or ravens.
Scarlet Confessional Book
: effect of old Glyph of Confession
All of these items are sold by
Quartermaster Miranda Breechlock
for .
Fantasy and Gameplay Blog
The following information has been taken from Blizzard's
Legion Class Preview Series: Priest
blog.
Some priests pride themselves on pragmatism. They understand that light casts a shadow, that darkness is defined by light, and that true discipline stems from one’s ability to balance these opposing powers in services of a greater cause. While these priests possess many holy virtues to aid their allies, they also dabble in the dark arts to debilitate their enemies—always exercising immense discipline to keep themselves away from the brink of insanity. Many would say the ends justify the means; scriptures both virtuous and vile should be studied and understood to protect the congregation.
Gameplay
The power of absorption mechanics has created a gameplay issue for healers that we’re looking to address in Legion. Discipline Priests have been so effective in their role of preventing damage that it has sometimes left other healers yearning for an opportune time to throw out a clutch heal. To alleviate that issue, we’re tempering Discipline’s emphasis on shields in lieu of a reimaged Atonement mechanic.
Discipline Priests are now more clearly defined by their use of both Holy and Shadow magic, and that extends to how they function in combat. Sacrificing a portion of healing ability and having a reduced focus on absorption spells, they gain a significant contribution in damage. Still filling a healer role in group content, they aim to strike a balance between healing allies and damaging enemies in a unique gameplay style. Discipline Priests have strong cooldowns with Power Word: Barrier and Pain Suppression, along with Rapture, a new cooldown that temporarily removes the cooldown of Power Word: Shield.
After spending much of their lives in temples studying ancient doctrine, preaching the tenets of their faith, and pledging their full devotion to the divine powers they follow, the most adept priests leave their houses of worship to serve on the battlefield, as shepherd to flock. There, they use their holy powers to bless allies and mend wounds. And while most stay behind the frontlines to aid their comrades, these holy champions are also capable of smiting foes and carrying out sacred justice. They’re also morally opposed to the use of Shadow and Void magic—rather, they are exemplars of the incredible grace and power of the divine and the Light, and even death cannot fully stop their healing capabilities.
Gameplay
Given the innate purity of the spec, we want to ensure that Holy Priests continue to have a large repertoire of compelling healing spells. The Chakra system was cumbersome, requiring additional setup to optimally use most spells and restricting how much you could fluidly shift between healing methods. We have removed it in favor of a more dynamic play style focused around Holy Words. New Holy Word spells are designed to feel absolutely miraculous, having huge effects balanced with long base cooldowns. The new passive effect of Serendipity allows those long base cooldowns to be reduced, letting you use them more frequently. Finally, in keeping with the resolute beliefs of the Holy Priest, they can make no use of Shadow spells. Smite, Holy Fire, and Holy Word: Chastise are the instruments used by Holy Priests to inflict damage upon their enemies.
The Light in which many priests bathe is brilliant and effervescent, granting them immense divine power. But the brightest light casts the darkest shadow—and from within this blackness, a rival power dwells. Shadow priests fully embrace this opposing polarity, their faith equally resolute as their holy counterparts—but focused on shadowy magics and mental manipulation. Like all priests, they dedicate much of their lives to worship—but they derive their power from the Void, straying dangerously close to the domain of the Old Gods. To truly understand such ancient, corruptive influence is to be driven mad. This is the state in which these dark priests thrive, embracing insanity and feeding off of the minds of their opponents to reach terrifying new limits.
Gameplay
We’ve long alluded to the Old God influences of Shadow Priests in their spells and abilities, and we’re making that more distinct in Legion.
A new resource, Insanity, provides a better fit for Shadow, having more granularity and gameplay that emphasizes the immense but fleeting power that the Void offers. Mind Blast, Shadow Word: Pain, and Vampiric Touch will build Insanity. Reaching maximum Insanity will transform Shadowform into Voidform, giving the Shadow Priest access to stronger Void magic, but it is unable to be maintained indefinitely. This should make for interesting gameplay as Shadow Priests try to maintain the height of their Insanity as long as possible to prey on the minds of their enemies.
While not under the effects of Insanity, Shadow Priests continue to rely heavily on abilities that inflict sustained damage over time. Finally, having turned away from the Light, Shadow Priests eschew such spells as Heal, Flash Heal, and Prayer of Mending. Power Word: Shield and Shadow Mend are their primary healing tools.
Priests have a strong identity as spiritual practitioners who harness divine power to inspire and protect allies, heal the injured, and cure the ailed. But while this clearly holds true for Holy Priests, these ideas are less fundamental to Discipline Priests—and the ideals and beliefs of Shadow Priests are antithetical to those of Holy Priests.
Despite these differences, Priests of any spec share one key thing in common: unwavering faith in something from which they draw great power. What delineates specializations is the source of that power. In Legion, we’re going to explore that dichotomy in greater depth than ever through the gameplay for each specialization.
Blue Tweets
Blizzard has lately been very
active on Twitter
, posting clarifications on Legion developments in response to user questions. We track all of the significant tweets with our
Blue Tweet Tracker
, which lets you filter conversations by class and role.
These class tweets are grouped by month and topic--some of the earlier tweets are included for archival purposes, but may reflect outdated design choices.
All November 2015 Tweets (Click to view)
Discipline
Holy
Shadow
General
Datamining Updates
Links to major datamining updates:
22201 on July 12
22133 on July 5
22053 on June 28
22018 on June 23
21996 on June 21
21952 on June 14
21874 on June 8
21846 on June 2
21796 on May 26
21737 on May 19
21691 on May 9
21655 on May 5
21570 on April 27
21531 on April 21
21491 on April 13
21414 on April 6
21375 on March 30
21287 on March 17
21249 on Mar 9
21215 on Mar 3
21134 on Feb 23
21108 on Feb 18
21063 on Feb 10
20979 on Jan 27
20914 on Jan 13
20810 on Dec 15
20773 on Dec 2
20740 on Nov 20
Share your comments about this guide in our Priest forum!
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