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Legion Class Preview Series: Priest, Ability Tooltips, Blue Tweets

posted 2015/11/09 at 6:57 AM by perculia

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Welcome to our World of Warcraft: Legion class preview series. In this entry, we’re exploring the Priest—to find out what’s in store for a different class, check out the overview. We continue our early look at class and specialization design with the Priest. In these blogs, we’ll be exploring class identity, discussing Legion’s new designs, and presenting core combat abilities for each specialization—laying out the foundation upon which talents and Artifacts will build further. With that in mind, let’s delve into what it means to be a Priest in World of Warcraft.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. Holy 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. "The most adept priests leave their houses of worship to serve on the battlefield, as shepherd to flock" GameplayGiven 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.Here’s a basic look at the core combat healing abilities for Holy Priests:

2.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 2.5 sec cast
A slow but efficient spell that heals an ally for a moderate amount.

3.5% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
A fast but expensive spell that heals an ally for a moderate amount.

4.0% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant, 1 min cooldown
Perform a miracle, healing an ally for an absolutely massive amount.

8.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 2.5 sec cast
A powerful prayer that heals up to 5 injured allies within 15 yards of the target for a strong amount.

2.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast, 10 sec cooldown
Places a spell on a party or raid member that heals them for a moderate amount the next time they take damage. When the heal occurs, Prayer of Mending jumps to another party or raid member within 20 yds. Jumps up to 5 times and lasts 30 sec. after each jump.

5% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant, 1 min. cooldown
Release miraculous light into a target location, healing up to 6 allies within 10 yards for a huge amount.

2.5% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant
Fill the target with faith in the Light, healing them instantly for a minor amount and then a large amount over 15 sec.

Passive
When you cast Flash Heal or Heal, the cooldown of Holy Word: Serenity is reduced by 6 sec.
When you cast Prayer of Healing or Prayer of Mending, the cooldown of Holy Word: Sanctify is reduced by 6 sec.
When you cast Smite or Holy Fire, the cooldown of Holy Word: Chastise is reduced by 6 sec.

Your direct healing spells heal for an additional 25% (with Mastery from typical gear) over 6 sec.

Additionally, to give you an idea of how some talents may build upon this, here’s an example of one of their Holy-specific talents:

Instant, 3 min cooldown
Enter a pure Holy form for 30 sec, increasing the effects of Serendipity by 200%.

Shadow 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. "These dark priests thrive, embracing insanity and feeding off of the minds of their opponents to reach terrifying new limits" GameplayWe’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.

Passive
When you reach 100 Insanity, you enter Voidform, transforming your Mind spells into Void spells, and increasing your Shadow damage by 30%.
While in Voidform, you gain 2% 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.

40 yd range, Channeled
Assault the target’s mind with Shadow energy, causing minor Shadow damage over 3 sec and slowing their movement speed by 50%.
While in Voidform, transforms into Void Flay, which also extends Shadow Word: Pain by 3 sec.

40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast, 9 sec cooldown
Blasts the target’s mind for strong Shadow damage.
Generates 15 Insanity.
While in Voidform, transforms into Void Blast, which has a 4.5 sec cooldown, and also extends Vampiric Touch by 3 sec.

40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
A touch of darkness that causes huge Shadow damage over 24 sec, and heals the Priest for each point of damage dealt.
If Vampiric Touch is dispelled, the dispeller flees in Horror for 3 sec.
Each time Vampiric Touch deals damage, it generates 3 Insanity.

40 yd range, Instant
A word of darkness that causes minor Shadow damage instantly, and an additional huge amount of damage over 18 sec.
Each time Shadow Word: Pain deals damage, it generates 3 Insanity, and has a 10% chance to reset the cooldown of Mind Blast.

Increases the damage and Insanity generation of your Mind Blast, Shadow Word: Pain, Vampiric Touch, and Shadow Word: Death by 20% (with Mastery from typical gear).

Additionally, to give you an idea of how some talents may build upon this, here’s an example of one of their Shadow-specific talents:

Instant, 2 min cooldown
Let the power of the void flow through you, instantly generating 100 Insanity.

Discipline 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. "True discipline stems from one’s ability to balance opposing powers in services of a greater cause" GameplayThe 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.Here’s a basic look at the core defensive and offensive combat abilities for Discipline Priests:

Passive
Plea, Power Word: Shield, and Shadow Mend also apply Atonement to your target for 15 sec.
When you deal spell damage, you instantly heal all targets affected by Atonement for 50% of the damage done.
Developer comment: Healing is not split between Atonements—the more allies you have Atonement on, the more total healing that a damage spell will cause.

Increases the healing transferred through Atonement by 28% (with Mastery from typical gear).

Defensive

1.2% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant
A quick, efficient plea to heal an ally for a minor amount.

3.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
Wrap an ally in shadows which heal them for a large amount, but at a price.
The ally will take minor damage every 1 sec, until they have taken half that amount of total damage from all sources, or leave combat.

3.5% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant, 6 sec cooldown
Shield an ally, absorbing a large amount of damage. Lasts 15 sec.
While the shield holds, spellcasting will not be delayed by damage.

7.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 2.5 sec cast
A burst of light heals a friendly target and their 5 nearest allies for a moderate amount, and applies Atonement for 50% of its normal duration.

Offensive

0.75% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
Smite an enemy for moderate Holy damage.

3.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
Blast the target’s mind for strong Shadow damage.

2.5% Mana, 40 yd range, Channeled, 9 sec cooldown
Launches a volley of holy light at the target, causing huge Holy damage over 2 sec.
Channelable while moving.

Passive
Your Smite and Mind Blast casts have a 30% chance to reset the cooldown on Penance.

2.0% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant
A word of darkness that causes minor Shadow damage instantly, and an additional huge amount of Shadow damage over 18 sec.

Additionally, to give you an idea of how some talents may build upon this, here’s an example of one of their Discipline-specific talents:

Passive
Increases your non-Atonement healing and absorption by 30% on targets with Atonement.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this early preview of our approach to Priest class and specialization design in World of Warcraft: Legion. We’ll continue our review later today with a look at Mages.

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Comments

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Comment by Emhale Shadow priest looks balanced...kappa. Comment by Faahris even faster than blizzard ;) Comment by Vilenjak interesting take on shadow. What will happen to ? Comment by Protecthand Cool, but at the end there is emblem of hunters not f priests Comment by Divinetrust ok I swear it said at blizzcon disc was losing PW shield? right? Comment by Caprian So Discipline no longer has Holy Fire? :( Comment by Laegerie Well, as a Lovecraft fan, this seems the perfect time to play again with my shadow priest. Can't wait to see the voidform Comment by SweetieBot ok I swear it said at blizzcon disc was losing PW shield? right?Comment by Arraya Ha. Lucky I've always played Holy. The Disc changes seem awkward to me, I'm so happy for Shadow Priests though, it has always felt bland and a bit boring I've desired for them to one day be in the spotlight, but Old Gods? Yes please! Comment by Kpis Im excited to play on my 90 shadow priest again and i might level up my disc priest , she is ar 46 atm :)) Comment by Lightsmasher SP looks amazing, like one of the best range classes :D Comment by LoLAkali Omfg! I swore I was gonna reroll a demon hunter, even before they announced it I told everyone of my friends that if they made a demon hunter class I would reroll. And then Blizzard does this so now I'm considering staying on my shadow priest :/ Damn you Blizzard, damn you all to Helheim! Comment by Mournebay might as well get a cthulu talent or something...more teeeentacles Comment by GarbageJuice Chakras gone... praise the Light! Such a Cataclysm mechanic, honestly have no clue why they stuck around so long. Reminded me a lot of how Tree Form functioned in TBC; finicky and awkward until you were accustomed enough not to be bothered by it, eventually becoming an afterthought that added nothing to the class.

I may very well return to my Priest as a main if they don't kill Shadow with this fixing-what-isn't-broken Demon form nonsense. Not including a mention of Devouring Plague had better be an oversight.

Edit: Blizzard, for the love of all that is Holy... and Shadow, and Discipline... don't turn Shadow into a convoluted mess of ability priorities and pooling every ability you have to try and keep up some nameless form or buff. That's not what anyone who enjoys Shadow signed up for. Comment by Folla Shadow priest looks balanced...kappa.Comment by myschevious Void form? Apotheosis? This is going to be interesting. And with Madness, I'm REALLY hoping my shadow priest becomes viable again.

I'm looking forward to this, after three years of "lolnerf!" Comment by Dvaashie Really looking forward to how see the new disc priest, really like the idea of half damage and half healing. Comment by Lucidic I don't think I like the new atonement. I'd feel too rushed to get atonement on people then only have enough time for like one nuke before it fades. Comment by lankybrit I main a Shadow Priest. I'm going to go Insane! Comment by CaoimheX Okaaaaaay, I'll bite, for now.
Shadow will have something called a 'cooldown', something we've never had before. A cooldown that will be fed by multi-dotting. inb4nerf

Time to grind for the title, I guess. :)

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Legion Class Preview Series: Priest, Ability Tooltips, Blue Tweets

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