(no subject)

[plonq]

This morning they have two chairs with yellow police tape strung between them blocking the area under yesterday's professional repairs.  It seems that I was not the only one here who considered the area to be moderately unsafe.


Since the time of change is upon us, I gave closer attention to the new talent tree, and have encapsulated some thoughts below.

The biggest victim (IMO) is Flash Heal.  There is no way to bring down its casting cost, or reduce its threat level from what I can see.  On the other hand, with the reduced casting times and costs of the Tall/Grande/Venti heal spells, I can see a compelling case to start using those and save the Flash for desperate situations.  I'll have to build an x-reference chart of mana costs and casting times to see if that bears this out.

They have removed the cooldown time from Holy Nova and moved it way up to tier 3 on the talent tree.  It is now a spammable damage/healing instant spell that generates ZERO(...!) threat and is fairly cheap to buy.  It's like the priests went to Blizzard and said, "Give us the really cool stuff that the Paladins didn't get." and Blizzard said, "Okay."  I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something obvious, because this one almost looks too good.

<.<
>.>

Well, I don't see a hidden camera, so maybe it's for real.  Oh, and right below it is Holy Reach, which extends its effects out by 20%.

Anyway, I was playing around with a few builds this morning and I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

Master of Discipline build: (31/20)

Unbreakable Will (5/5)        [15% resist fear/stun/silence]
Martyrdom (2/2)  [100% chance of Focused Casting]
Improved Power Word: Shield (3/3)  [Increase damage absorption by 15%]
Improved Power Word: Fortitude (2/2)  [Increase buff by 30%]
Inner Focus (1/1)  [Next instant spell at zero mana]
Meditation (3/3)  [15% mana regen while casting]
Improved Inner Fire (1/3)  [Increase benefit by 10%]
Mental Agility (5/5)  [Reduce instant cast cost by 10%]
improved Mana Burn (2/2)  [Casting time reduced by .5 sec]
Divine Spirit (1/1)  [+17 spirit buff for 30 minutes]
Mental Strength (5/5)  [Increase mana by 10%]
Power Infusion (1/1)  [Increase target's spell damage by 20% for 15 sec]

Healing Focus (2/2)  [70% resistance to interruption during healing casts]
Improved renew (3/3)  [Increase effects of Renew by 15%]
Holy Specialization (1/5)  [Add 1% chance of healing crit]
Divine Fury (5/5) [Reduce casting time on Smite/Holy Fire, Heal, Grtr Heal by .5 sec]
Holy Nova (1/1)  [Spammable damage/healing instant cast]
Blessed Recovery (3/3)  [Recoup 25% damage after taking a crit]
Holy Reach (2/2)  [20% range increase for Holy Fire, P of H, and Holy Nova]
Improved Healing (3/3)  [15% mana reduction for Less Heal, Heal, Grtr Heal]

This is a really tempting build.  I think it would be most effective when we are up against bosses, where mana reserves become a real concern.  I think one would also get lots of mage/warlock love from that Power Infusion buff.

Master of Healing build: (20/31)

Unbreakable Will (5/5)        [15% resist fear/stun/silence]
Martyrdom (2/2)  [100% chance of Focused Casting]
Improved Power Word: Shield (3/3)  [Increase damage absorption by 15%]
Improved Power Word: Fortitude (2/2)  [Increase buff by 30%]
Inner Focus (1/1)  [Next instant spell at zero mana]
Meditation (2/3)  [15% mana regen while casting]
Mental Agility (5/5)  [Reduce instant cast cost by 10%]

Healing Focus (2/2)  [70% resistance to interruption during healing casts]
Improved renew (3/3)  [Increase effects of Renew by 15%]*
Holy Specialization (3/5)  [Add 3% chance of healing crit]
Divine Fury (5/5) [Reduce casting time on Smite/Holy Fire, Heal, Grtr Heal by .5 sec]
Holy Nova (1/1)  [Spammable damage/healing instant cast]
Blessed Recovery (3/3)  [Recoup 25% damage after taking a crit]
Holy Reach (2/2)  [20% range increase for Holy Fire, P of H, and Holy Nova]
Improved Healing (3/3)  [15% mana reduction for Less Heal, Heal, Grtr Heal]
Improved P of H (2/2)  [Decrease costing cast of P of H by 20%]
Spirit of Redemption (1/1)  [10 sec of free healing casts upon death]
Spiritual Healing (5/5)  [Increase effects of healing spells by 10%]*
Lightwell (1/1)  [Create a self-serve healing smorgasbord]

This is very similar to my current build (and a few other priests too, I suspect).  It lets you spam around lots of cheap, but effective HOTs, while reserving mana for the crises.

Heal-Bot Build: (13/38)

Unbreakable Will (5/5)        [15% resist fear/stun/silence]
Martyrdom (2/2)  [100% chance of Focused Casting]
Improved Power Word: Shield (3/3)  [Increase damage absorption by 15%]
Improved Power Word: Fortitude (2/2)  [Increase buff by 30%]
Inner Focus (1/1)  [Next instant spell at zero mana]

Healing Focus (2/2)  [70% resistance to interruption during healing casts]
Improved renew (3/3)  [Increase effects of Renew by 15%]*
Holy Specialization (5/5)  [Add 5% chance of healing crit]
Divine Fury (5/5) [Reduce casting time on Smite/Holy Fire, Heal, Grtr Heal by .5 sec]
Holy Nova (1/1)  [Spammable damage/healing instant cast]
Blessed Recovery (3/3)  [Recoup 25% damage after taking a crit]
Holy Reach (2/2)  [20% range increase for Holy Fire, P of H, and Holy Nova]
Improved Healing (3/3)  [15% mana reduction for Less Heal, Heal, Grtr Heal]
Improved P of H (2/2)  [Decrease costing cast of P of H by 20%]
Spirit of Redemption (1/1)  [10 sec of free healing casts upon death]
Spiritual Guidance (5/5)  [increase effects of healing spells by 25% of your spirit]*
Spiritual Healing (5/5)  [Increase effects of healing spells by 10%]*
Lightwell (1/1)  [Create a self-serve healing smorgasbord]

This probably goes a little overboard on the Holy side of things, but I have to admit that this build gives me inappropriate tinglies in my priestly netherbits.  It incorporates all the elements of overkill that appeal to my inner twink.

* Does anybody know if these effects are all stackable?  I assume that they are, since they don't say otherwise.

Comments

[dronon.livejournal.com]

My work stories always pale in comparison. Yesterday we received an e-mail that we're having a long, important meeting this coming Monday morning... starting at 8 a.m. I know it's the start of our new contract year, but ouch. Then I pick up the newspaper and see the reminder that it's daylight savings time on Sunday - we lose an hour. 8 a.m. is going to feel like 7 a.m. Double ouch.

[plonq.livejournal.com]

8 a.m. is going to feel like 7 a.m. Double ouch.

That's pushing it pretty close to your usual bedtime, isn't it? =)

Seriously though, as somebody who routinely goes in to work at an ungodly hour, you have my honest sympathy.