Priest spec guide

Holy Priest

Everything for Holy Priest on one page: role, talent order by level, Holy abilities and recommended gear for each level range. Talent and gear picks are calculated from the tooltip values in official game data plus the assumptions Forever Tool states below.

All Priest abilities Open the level 60 build in the calculator

Gear focus: Healer
Talent calculation: Holy (offensive Holy spells)
Level 60 build: 17/31/3
Estimated DPS: +53.4%

Holy Priest at a glance

Summarized from Blizzard's class deep-dive articles. They were published during the beta, so live numbers and talents may differ.

Priest as the developers describe it

Priests keep their role as versatile spellcasters while Discipline, Holy and Shadow become more flexible. Key tools are available to every Priest, and refreshed racial abilities and talents add new options for support, healing and damage.[1]

Priests are the most versatile healers: they use both heal-over-time and direct heals and can also cast damage-absorbing shields. But cloth armor and few ways to escape mean they rely on their allies for protection.

Holy talents in Forever

Binding Heal (16-point gold medal): a new spell that heals you and your current target. 1.5-second cast, no cooldown.
Prayer of Mending (31-point gold medal): heals the target the next time they take damage or receive a direct heal, then jumps to a nearby party or raid member, healing 5 times in total.
Litany of Light: casting a heal with a different name from your previous heal refunds part of its mana cost.
Improved Prayer of Healing and Lightwell have been removed.

This is a healing spec. The talent picks don't weigh healing; they are calculated from estimated DPS while leveling with attack spells, so talents you need for healing may be missing. If you heal in groups or raids, add healing talents yourself in the calculator. The gear picks use healing weights.

Holy talent build

One point per level from level 10, 51 points at level 60. The Holy tree is filled to 31 points first, and the remaining points go where they raise estimated DPS the most in the other trees.

The level 60 build uses the same method as the calculator's "Recommended build" (estimated DPS from tooltip values + judgment weights for talents the math can't capture, such as rage, energy and mana talents), with the extra rule "Holy tree to 31 points first". The order picks, one point at a time, the talent that raises the score the most on the way to that build. Estimated DPS is a rough "compared with no talents" figure and leaves out the damage of newly learned abilities. Talent point rules (starting at level 10) follow classic, since nothing has been announced officially.

Builds by level

Level	Points	Tree split	Est. DPS	Calculator
Level 20	11 points	0/11/0	+16.9%	Open
Level 30	21 points	0/21/0	+21.9%	Open
Level 40	31 points	0/31/0	+24.0%	Open
Level 50	41 points	8/31/2	+52.6%	Open
Level 60	51 points	17/31/3	+53.4%	Open

Talent order by level

Consecutive levels spent on the same talent are grouped on one line.

Levels 10–14Holy Specialization1→5/5
Levels 15–19Divine Fury1→5/5
Levels 20–21Twilight Focus1→2/3
Levels 22–23Spell Warding1→2/5
Level 24Inspiration1/3
Levels 25–26Searing Light1→2/2
Levels 27–28Holy Reach1→2/2
Level 29Improved Healing1/3
Levels 30–34Spiritual Guidance1→5/5
Levels 35–36Improved Healing2→3/3
Level 37Litany of Light1/2
Levels 38–40Spiritual Healing1→3/3
Levels 41–45Power in LightDiscipline1→5/5
Levels 46–48Holy PrecisionDiscipline1→3/3
Levels 49–51Shadow FocusShadow Magic1→3/5
Levels 52–53Mental StrengthDiscipline1→2/5
Levels 54–56MeditationDiscipline1→3/3
Levels 57–59Mental AgilityDiscipline1→3/3
Level 60Inner FocusDiscipline1/1

Key talents of the level 60 build

Talents with a large share of estimated DPS, plus talents that grant abilities or handle resources. Descriptions are the tooltip at the rank taken.

Power in Light5/5 · Discipline
Est. DPS +5.1%
Your Smite and Penance spells deal 10% increased damage to targets afflicted with your Holy Fire or Shadow Word: Pain.
Holy Precision3/3 · Discipline
Est. DPS +16.7%
Improves your chance to hit with Holy spells by 18%.
Inner Focus1/1 · Discipline
Ability
When activated, reduces the Mana cost of your next spell by 100% and increases its critical effect chance by 25% if it is a non-periodic spell and capable of a critical effect.
Meditation3/3 · Discipline
Resource / utility
Allows 50% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.
Holy Specialization5/5 · Holy
Est. DPS +1.7%
Increases the critical effect chance of your Holy spells by 5%.
Divine Fury5/5 · Holy
Est. DPS +16.2%
Reduces the casting time of your Smite, Holy Fire, Heal, and Greater Heal spells by 0.5 sec.
Searing Light2/2 · Holy
Est. DPS +4.2%
Increases your Holy damage done by 5%, and gives a 10% chance each time your Holy Fire spell deals periodic damage for your next Holy Nova to cost no Mana.
Spiritual Guidance5/5 · Holy
Est. DPS +2.0%
Increases your spell healing by up to 25% of your total Spirit and your spell damage by up to 8% of your total Spirit.
Shadow Focus3/5 · Shadow Magic
Est. DPS +0.6%
Improves your chance to hit with Shadow spells by 3%.

Holy abilities

Holy abilities in the order you first learn them. The numbers are the levels at which each rank is learned; the description is rank 1 without gear or stats.

Holy Priest gear by level

The 3 highest-scoring items for each slot in every level range. Only items whose required level falls inside the range are compared.

How were these picked?

The score is the sum of the item's tooltip lines from official game data (Strength, Stamina, Spell Power, damage per second and so on) multiplied by the weights below. There is no official formula, so the weights are Forever Tool's rough estimates (assumptions). Compare scores only within the same slot.
Equip, use and chance-on-hit effects, set bonuses and resistances are not scored. Items without fixed stats (only armor in the tooltip) are left out.
Only Uncommon and Rare items, plus craftable Epic items, of item level 65 or lower are included (no raid loot). Items that require a profession to use and crafts that need raid materials are left out.
Items without a required level count as item level minus 5. Only armor types a Priest wears are included, with mail and plate counted from level 40 (classic rules, since nothing has been announced).
Sources list only crafting (professions) and quest rewards. Dungeon drops are being collected from player reports; check the item page.

Holy weights (assumed)

Stat	Score per point
Spell Healing	1
Spell Power	1
Mana Regeneration per 5 sec	1
Wand damage per second	1
Intellect	0.6
Spirit	0.4
Critical Strike	0.4
Haste	0.4
Stamina	0.2

Levels 1–20

Hall of Thanes 13–18 Ruins of Lordaeron 15–20 Level 1–10 quest zones Level 11–20 quest zones

Head

Pristine CircletScore 20.0
Req. 20 · Spell Healing +18 · Stamina +10
Crafted: Tailoring
Silky CircletScore 2.0
Req. 20 · Stamina +10
Crafted: Tailoring
Flame CircletScore 2.0
Req. 20 · Stamina +10
Crafted: Tailoring

Neck

Scholarly PendantScore 1.4
Item level 23 · Spirit +2 · Stamina +3
Roadwatcher's ConfidenceScore 1.2
Item level 20 · Spirit +3
Quest: Watching the Roads (Silverpine Forest)
Erudite's AmuletScore 0.6
Item level 23 · Stamina +3

Shoulder

Reinforced Woolen ShouldersScore 7.4
Req. 19 · Spell Power +5 · Intellect +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Double-Stitched Woolen ShouldersScore 4.8
Req. 17 · Spell Power +4 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring

Back

Battle Healer's CloakScore 10.6
Req. 18 · Spell Healing +9 · Stamina +4 · Spirit +2
Same stats: Caretaker's Cape
Heavy Woolen CloakScore 5.6
Req. 16 · Spell Power +4 · Spirit +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Pearl-clasped CloakScore 3.8
Req. 14 · Spell Power +2 · Intellect +3
Crafted: Tailoring

Chest

Filigreed Pristine GownScore 18.0
Req. 15 · Spell Healing +13 · Intellect +5 · Spirit +3 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring
High Robe of the AdjudicatorScore 9.2
Item level 24 · Spell Power +8 · Intellect +2
Quest: Assault on Fenris Isle (Silverpine Forest)
Gray Woolen RobeScore 7.0
Req. 16 · Spell Power +4 · Intellect +5
Crafted: Tailoring

Wrist

Tabitha's CuffsScore 3.8
Item level 24 · Spell Power +3 · Stamina +4
Quest: A Frightened Request (Ruins of Lordaeron)
Owlbeard BracersScore 2.4
Item level 20 · Intellect +2 · Spell Power +1 · Stamina +1
Quest: Earthen Arise (Stonetalon Mountains)
Repurposed Hair BandScore 2.0
Item level 20 · Intellect +2 · Spirit +2

Hands

Pristine GlovesScore 13.6
Req. 15 · Spell Healing +11 · Intellect +3 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Heavy Woolen GlovesScore 3.2
Req. 12 · Spell Power +2 · Intellect +2
Crafted: Tailoring
Evergreen GlovesScore 2.6
Item level 18 · Intellect +3 · Spirit +2
Quest: Tharnariun's Hope (Darkshore)

Waist

Pristine SashScore 14.4
Req. 17 · Spell Healing +11 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +5
Crafted: Tailoring
Novice Ardent's SashScore 9.0
Req. 10 · Spell Healing +6 · Intellect +3 · Spirit +3
Crafted: Tailoring
Novice Arcanist's SashScore 6.4
Req. 10 · Spell Power +4 · Intellect +3 · Stamina +3
Crafted: Tailoring

Legs

Filigreed Pristine LeggingsScore 24.2
Req. 20 · Spell Healing +18 · Intellect +6 · Spirit +4 · Stamina +5
Crafted: Tailoring
Colorful KiltScore 7.0
Req. 14 · Spell Power +5 · Spirit +5
Crafted: Tailoring
Rumpled KiltScore 6.4
Req. 20 · Spell Power +5 · Stamina +7
Reputation required

Feet

Pristine BootsScore 11.6
Req. 12 · Spell Healing +9 · Intellect +3 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Spidersilk BootsScore 10.2
Req. 20 · Spell Power +7 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +4
Crafted: Tailoring
Red Woolen BootsScore 6.0
Req. 15 · Spell Power +4 · Spirit +5
Crafted: Tailoring

Finger

Advisor's RingScore 7.4
Req. 18 · Spell Power +5 · Mana Regeneration per 5 sec +2 · Stamina +2
Same stats: Lorekeeper's Ring
Minor Channeling RingScore 6.2
Item level 24 · Spell Power +5 · Intellect +2
Quest: WANTED: Chok'sul (Loch Modan)
Sacred BandScore 3.6
Item level 25 · Spell Power +2 · Spirit +4
Quest: The Den (Stonetalon Mountains)

Trinket

Rune of PerfectionScore 0.8
Req. 20 · Stamina +4
Same stats: Rune of Duty

Two-hand

Advisor's Gnarled StaffScore 7.0
Req. 18 · Damage per second 19.7 · Mana Regeneration per 5 sec +3 · Intellect +4 · Stamina +8
Same stats: Lorekeeper's Staff
Polished Walking StaffScore 4.8
Item level 24 · Damage per second 11.7 · Intellect +7 · Stamina +3
Quest: Torek's Assault (Ashenvale)
Clear Crystal RodScore 3.8
Item level 21 · Damage per second 10.2 · Intellect +5 · Stamina +4
Quest: Arachnophobia (Stonetalon Mountains)

Main hand

Royal DaggerScore 2.4
Item level 25 · Damage per second 8.5 · Intellect +4
Quest: A Friend of the Family (Stormwind City)
Quilboar ToothpickScore 2.0
Item level 24 · Damage per second 8.1 · Intellect +2 · Spirit +2
Quest: Chol'aruk the Ravener (The Barrens), Quest: Chol'aruk the Ravener (The Barrens)
Keen Skinning KnifeScore 1.2
Item level 18 · Damage per second 6 · Intellect +2
Quest: Unwelcome Guests (The Barrens)

Held in off-hand

Defective SamophlangeScore 5.0
Req. 20 · Intellect +5 · Spirit +5
Reputation required
Mathystra Channeling OrbScore 3.6
Item level 21 · Intellect +5 · Stamina +3
Quest: Baron Marinous (Darkshore)
Expended Apothecary VialScore 3.0
Item level 25 · Intellect +3 · Spirit +3
Quest: Valuable Vantages (Hillsbrad Foothills)

Wand

Restored WandScore 44.7
Item level 1 · Damage per second 44.7
Greater Magic WandScore 19.5
Req. 13 · Damage per second 17.5 · Spell Power +2
Crafted: Enchanting
Torchlight WandScore 17.8
Item level 21 · Damage per second 15.8 · Spell Power +2
Quest: The Coastal Menace (Westfall)

Levels 21–40

Excavation Site 24–29 City of Dalaran 28–33 The Drowned City 35–40 Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45 Level 21–30 quest zones Level 31–40 quest zones

Head

Earthen Silk HoodScore 26.0
Req. 32 · Spell Healing +22 · Spirit +10
Crafted: Tailoring
Filigreed Pristine CircletScore 24.4
Req. 25 · Spell Healing +22 · Stamina +12
Crafted: Tailoring
Blackwater CapScore 16.2
Item level 45 · Intellect +17 · Spell Power +6
Quest: The Bloodsail Buccaneers (Stranglethorn Vale)

Neck

Amulet of ForgivenessScore 15.8
Item level 43 · Spell Healing +13 · Spirit +7
Quest: Forlorn Necklace (Shen'dralas)
Scorn's Icy ChokerScore 11.6
Req. 30 · Spell Power +7 · Intellect +6 · Stamina +5
Seal of the ExpeditionScore 6.4
Req. 38 · Intellect +7 · Stamina +11
Reputation required
Same stats: Darkspear Warding Pendant