Need advice on improving as Disc

AcesNEights

Legend
I am a F2P (non active) Vet so I have a couple of looms (which are no longer BiS anyway). This means my toons are firmly middle of pack at best. This has led me to the decision to roll the class with the most added utility in random BGs- the Disc Priest. After a rough rough start in adapting to the tempo of BGs, my performance has increased quite a bit. I don't really understand how folk top the charts in healing and damage though.

However, back in the TBC and WotLK days I was a Holy Paly raid healer and that whack a mole muscle memory has kicked back in. Disc is quite powerful, so it can be quite effective, but I am stationary (staring at raid bars) and susceptible to being disrupted. This is not always a weakness but against skilled players it is for sure.

I can see the step up to using Healbot and fixing mouse buttons to Flash Heal, Shield, and Penance. But I think the next level is a righthand lefthand split (but not certain how to do it). And the top level could be not healing at all and focusing on damage and healing via shields and atonement.

Anyone have any next level advice?

https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/aerie-peak/Discostu

Cheers
 
AcesNEights said:
I am a F2P (non active) Vet so I have a couple of looms (which are no longer BiS anyway). This means my toons are firmly middle of pack at best. This has led me to the decision to roll the class with the most added utility in random BGs- the Disc Priest. After a rough rough start in adapting to the tempo of BGs, my performance has increased quite a bit. I don't really understand how folk top the charts in healing and damage though.

However, back in the TBC and WotLK days I was a Holy Paly raid healer and that whack a mole muscle memory has kicked back in. Disc is quite powerful, so it can be quite effective, but I am stationary (staring at raid bars) and susceptible to being disrupted. This is not always a weakness but against skilled players it is for sure.

I can see the step up to using Healbot and fixing mouse buttons to Flash Heal, Shield, and Penance. But I think the next level is a righthand lefthand split (but not certain how to do it). And the top level could be not healing at all and focusing on damage and healing via shields and atonement.

Anyone have any next level advice?

https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/aerie-peak/Discostu

Cheers
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While I have not played a disc priest before and cannot give disc priest specific advice I do have a massive amount of healing experience in pvp that I believe could be helpful for you.

#1) Positioning is CRUCIAL to a healer and effective healing. Always be far behind your dps while still in range to heal. Doing this allows you to free cast easier while also making ranged/melee dps have to push into your dps to be able to hit you. Furthermore, when escorting fc's get as far in front of them as you can while still being able to heal them. This way if you get sapped the fc won't range you. Additionally when healing fc's on D stand away from them, especially with rogues. This way they have to run away from dpsing the fc in order to try to interrupt/stun you. 90% of the times I die in bgs is just a positioning error on my part (usually pushing too far up to heal someone that is pushing too far into the enemy team and dying).

#2) Learn to fake cast and get really good at learning/reading how players interrupt. Fake casting is probably the most difficult thing to get your head around if you aren't familiar with it (it's basically casting them stopping the cast before it finishes to bait out interrupts, timing it so that when they use the kick/windshear/cs you aren't casting, making them waste the interrupt). Players tend to always kick the same way every time. Some do it instantly, others wait until 2/3rds of the cast bar. Get omnicc and nameplate cooldowns to be able to track interrupts easily.

#3) Don't tunnel on raid bars. Always be aware of your surroundings and who is where. Make use of LOS, bushes, or anything to give you an edge. I jump in bushes all the time and just cast away because people tunnel on someone so much these days. Make sure you know what is LOS and what is not in a bg. Also run behind boomkins when they are casting. They are so fat they are their own LOS.

#4) Plan ahead. Getting low on mana? Get out of combat if possible and drink a bit then rejoin the fight. Only push forward if you have an escape plan so you don't die. priest running towards you ready to fear bomb? Run away then go back. A smart healer is going to be VERY hard to kill in most fights. Preheal someone that's gonna get bursted down.

These are the basics in my eyes of an effective healer. If you have anymore questions let me know.
 
I strongly recommend using @mouseover macros and default Blizz raid frames.

iu


Targets that are within range of your heals are bright green. These people you should be healing.
If you are a Disc Priest, you want to spam PW:S on dying targets until they no longer taking heavy damage, and then Flash Heal them to full.

Code: 
/cast [@mouseover, help][@player] Flash Heal

This macro will heal the target under the mouse, so you don't have to target the target before healing. If you have no target, this macro will heal yourself.

You can also create a macro for damage/healing penance.

Code: 
/cast [mod:shift,harm][@mouseover, help][@player] Penance
Holding shift will cause you to penance an enemy target.


Overall, this should help alot, addons like Healbot and Vuhdo are kinda pointless now, since the default UI and macros have improved alot imo.
 
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/dentarg/healdaddy

My offhand dropped today for me in blackfathom. Stats on some items are sometimes better than higher ilvl items, I would spam run BFD and Stockades.

I would change your talent to Schism. Shadow Word in to Schism in to Penance is disgusting burst. This disgusting burst damage will also heal everyone you have atonement on.
 
Dragpz said:
I strongly recommend using @mouseover macros and default Blizz raid frames.
Click to expand...

#showtooltip
/cast [target=mouseover,help] Spell Name; [help] Spell Name; Spell Name

This is a far better version of mouse over macro. If you have a mouse over, it will heal your mouse over. If you do not have a mouse over, it will heal your currently targeted player(if friendly). If you are targeting an enemy, it will heal you. This is the one I've used for years and prefer it 100% over just a normal mouse over macro that does nothing if you do not have a mouse over target in conjunction with self healing modifiers or macros.
 
Zatox said:
#showtooltip
/cast [target=mouseover,help] Spell Name; [help] Spell Name; Spell Name

This is a far better version of mouse over macro. If you have a mouse over, it will heal your mouse over. If you do not have a mouse over, it will heal your currently targeted player(if friendly). If you are targeting an enemy, it will heal you. This is the one I've used for years and prefer it 100% over just a normal mouse over macro that does nothing if you do not have a mouse over target in conjunction with self healing modifiers or macros.
Click to expand...
It is highly playstyle dependent, I have gotten out of the habit of targeting friendly players because of mouseover macros. When there is no mouseover, it falls thru to heal yourself. Majority of the time, I target enemy players to do damage, I seldom click on friendly players
 
Thanks for the advice everyone!
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Opek2 said:
Go the wsg vendor in ashenvale and buy the trink (and ring if you dont have)
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Working on the DMF 'loom turn in trinket and the tricket drop. Have to check out the ring. Thanks!
 
AcesNEights said:
Thanks for the advice everyone!
[doublepost=1536043973,1536043285][/doublepost]

Working on the DMF 'loom turn in trinket and the tricket drop. Have to check out the ring. Thanks!
Click to expand...
The ring is super good. Same primary stats as BG crate, but has 1 more versatility than an adaptable ring. Well worth it and it only costs 1 mark of honor.
 
Healdaddy said:
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/dentarg/healdaddy

My offhand dropped today for me in blackfathom. Stats on some items are sometimes better than higher ilvl items, I would spam run BFD and Stockades.

I would change your talent to Schism. Shadow Word in to Schism in to Penance is disgusting burst. This disgusting burst damage will also heal everyone you have atonement on.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the headsup on Schism. An extra offensive spell is very useful, and the synergy with Atonement does seem pretty nasty indeed.
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Dragpz said:
It is highly playstyle dependent, I have gotten out of the habit of targeting friendly players because of mouseover macros. When there is no mouseover, it falls thru to heal yourself. Majority of the time, I target enemy players to do damage, I seldom click on friendly players
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Perfect analysis for next leveling!
 
first of all disc prist requires bis equip to become truly overpowered, so i highly recommend holy priest if you are going for f2p

a little advance on positioning tips: do not stay far away from the frontline otherwise enemy flankers will get ur ass.
your team usually as tunneled as the enemies so nobody will notice u being murdered in the nearest bush.
this may seem a litle tricky but u have to constsntly move in between ur range dps and melees.
 
Here is a professional advise for you - stop playing the most ez mode class and spec if you wish to improve as healer.
Resto shaman or resto druid (who actually heal and not a dhl delivery drone) will get you far ahead in terms of skill and overall knowledge. Holy pally is out there aswell with delayed heal.
 
SPQR said:
Here is a professional advise for you - stop playing the most ez mode class and spec if you wish to improve as healer.
Resto shaman or resto druid (who actually heal and not a dhl delivery drone) will get you far ahead in terms of skill and overall knowledge. Holy pally is out there aswell with delayed heal.
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^Can’t say this too much.

Anyone can play FotM classes. Those are the players that we see come and go all the time. It takes a well practiced player( insert “skilled” if you like) to play the others.

/cheers
 
as a resto shaman main my advice after you get positioning down start to get more aggresive. as much as possible. understand your damage output and consider the utility and damage each member in the bg offers.

ask yourself can i go full aggro right now because i have my other healers with me, is a top dps member taking damage right now, is the person im healing going to do more than me spamming dps instead, etc. i found out that a lot of the randoms you heal wont be worth healing because then youre not dpsing, and healer dps, in particular disc and resto shaman are absolutely insane.

but this is something you need a feel for. because there are situations you want to heal someone even if they dont have much damage or contribution
 
I don't know much about f2p but I have played 29 disc Priest for 9 years.

Disc priests need to be doing damage to be healing effectively. You must dot all opposing players while constantly shielding your own team. keep refreshing shield and you can still heal them when casting damage spells on the opposing team.

Never stand still for longer than a few spells. Find cover like bushes and other players.

Stack stamina - intellect - versatility.

Range is everything. Keep your distance from opposing players. High vantage points are the best.

I find the pvp talent 'adaptation' is the best for disc. 99% of players will attempt to stun you immediately if it's not on cd.

The other talent should be 'castigation' for the extra bolt on penance.

Hope this helps a little.

Faitherted - EU - Darkmoon-faire
 
SPQR said:
Here is a professional advise for you - stop playing the most ez mode class and spec if you wish to improve as healer.
Resto shaman or resto druid (who actually heal and not a dhl delivery drone) will get you far ahead in terms of skill and overall knowledge. Holy pally is out there aswell with delayed heal.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, the beauty of the f2P 20s is that the barriers to entry are quite low. I am also considering rolling up a Resto Shaman to see how it differs in playstyle (is it more group heal based?). Druids also seems quite strong. My main in Vanilla/TBS/Wrath was Holy Pally, and it was pure whack a mole back then, and that playstyle doesn't appeal to me now (the class mechanics may be different now though, I don't know).
 
Bethdachef said:
I don't know much about f2p but I have played 29 disc Priest for 9 years.

Disc priests need to be doing damage to be healing effectively. You must dot all opposing players while constantly shielding your own team. keep refreshing shield and you can still heal them when casting damage spells on the opposing team.

Never stand still for longer than a few spells. Find cover like bushes and other players.

Stack stamina - intellect - versatility.

Range is everything. Keep your distance from opposing players. High vantage points are the best.

I find the pvp talent 'adaptation' is the best for disc. 99% of players will attempt to stun you immediately if it's not on cd.

The other talent should be 'castigation' for the extra bolt on penance.

Hope this helps a little.

Faitherted - EU - Darkmoon-faire
Click to expand...

Gonna have to disagree on adaptation being good, id much rather have a longer cd trinket where i can choose what to use it on. Adaptation procs off sap and other negligible cc's......also being in control of usage allows you to sit in a cc if the gamestate allows, saving the cd for a more urgent situation.


edit - also with stats, disc at 20-29 is so broken that you dont rly need to stack stam...i use int trinkets , int engy helm and its fine 99% of the time
 
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