Priest talent analysis A Priest ' s Talent trees focus on the Priest ' s two main roles in a party : Mitigation / Healing ( Discipline / Holy respectively ) , and DPS ( Shadow ) . Talent Trees in General . A Priest ' s talent choices depend largely on what role they wish to have , but a Priest can perform a healing or damage role regardless of their spec ( ex : a Shadow Priest can heal instead of DPS ) . The Holy tree is the popular choice for players who prefer a healing role . While some of the talents add to a Holy Priest ' s damage ( probably to make it easier for soloing ) , the majority of Holy talents improve the Priest ' s healing spells . Holy Priests are among the best healers in the game with their key spells Circle of Healing and Guardian Spirit , possibly only rivaled by a Restoration Druid in Tree of Life form . The Discipline tree has become a legitimate healing spec with recent changes to the tree . While Holy priests focus on raid healing and pushing health bars up , Discipline priests excel at keeping one or two targets alive . Discipline priests don ' t top heal charts because they spend a lot of time preventing damage from occurring in the first place with key talents like and Grace , and their 51 - point spell Penance . In addition , Discipline is able to put out damage that Holy priests generally can not . The Shadow tree is largely a DPS tree . Shadow Priests can deal a good amount of single - target DPS , and also have several other abilities that benefit the party . One of a Shadow Priest ' s greatest abilities is supplemental healing through Vampiric Embrace , as well as party - wide mana regeneration through Vampiric Touch . Shadow Priests should also keep in mind that they still have substantial reserve direct healing abilities , useful in emergencies . More than one 5 man dungeon group or Warsong flag carrier has been saved by a Shadow Priest ' s well - timed barrage of Flash Heal s and Prayer of Mending . Discipline . Unbreakable Will . " 5 points : Reduces the duration of Stun , Fear , and Silence effects done to you by an additional 30 % . " Twin Disciplines . " 5 points : Increases the damage and healing done by your instant spells by 5 % . " Silent Resolve . " 5 points : Reduces the threat generated by your Holy and Discipline spells by 20 % and reduces the chance your spells will be dispelled by 30 % . " Improved Inner Fire . " 3 points : Increases the effect of your Inner Fire spell by 45 % , and increases the total number of charges by 12 . " " 2 points : Increases the effect of your Power Word : Fortitude and Prayer of Fortitude spells by 30 % , and increases your total Stamina by 4 % . " Martyrdom . " 2 points : Gives you a 100 % chance to gain the Focused Casting effect that lasts for 6 seconds after being the victim of a melee or ranged critical strike . The Focused Casting effect reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting Priest spells and decreases the duration of Interrupt effects by 20 % . " 3 points : Increases the damage absorbed by your by 15 % . " Inner Focus . " Requires 10 points in Discipline Talents " " 1 point : Instant cast , 3 min cooldown . When activated , reduces the mana cost of your next spell by 100 % and increases its critical effect chance by 25 % if it is capable of a critical effect . " Meditation . " Requires 10 points in Discipline Talents " " 3 points : Allows 50 % of your mana regeneration to continue while casting . " Absolution . " Requires 10 points in Discipline Talents " " 3 points : Reduces the mana cost of your Dispel Magic , Cure Disease , Abolish Disease and Mass Dispel spells by 15 % . " Mental Agility . " Requires 15 points in Discipline Talents " " 5 points : Reduces the mana cost of your instant cast spells by 10 % . " Improved Mana Burn . " Requires 15 points in Discipline Talents " " 2 points : Reduces the casting time of your Mana Burn spell by 1 sec . Reflective Shield . " Requires 20 points in Discipline Talents " " 2 points : Causes 45 % of the damage absorbed by your Power Word : Shield to reflect back at the attacker . This damage causes no threat . " Mental Strength . " Requires 20 points in Discipline Talents " " 5 points : Increases your total intellect by 15 % . " Soul Warding . " Requires 20 points in Discipline Talents " " Requires 3 points in " " 1 point : Reduces the cooldown of your Power Word : Shield ability by 4 seconds , and reduces the mana cost of your Power Word : Shield by 30 % . " Focused Power . " Requires 25 points in Discipline Talents " " 2 points : Increases damage and healing done by your spells by 4 % . In addition , your Mass Dispel cast time is reduced by 1 sec . " Enlightenment . " Requires 25 points in Discipline Talents " " 3 points : Increases your total Spirit by 6 % and increases your spell haste by 6 % . " Focused Will . " Requires 30 points in Discipline Talents " " 3 points : Increases your spell critical effect chance by 3 % , and after taking a critical hit you gain the Focused Will effect , reducing all damage taken by 4 % and increasing healing effects on you by 5 % . Stacks up to 3 times . Lasts 8 sec . " Power Infusion . " Requires 30 points in Discipline Talents " " Requires 5 points in Mental Strength " " 1 point : 16 % of base mana , 30 yd range , Instant cast , 3 min cooldown . Infuses the target with power , increasing spell casting speed by 20 % and reducing the mana cost of all spells by 20 % . Lasts 15 sec . " Improved Flash Heal . " Requires 35 points in Discipline Talents " " 3 points : Reduces the mana cost of your Flash Heal by 15 % , and increases the critical effect chance of your Flash Heal by 10 % on friendly targets at or below 50 % health . " Renewed Hope . " Requires 35 points in Discipline Talents " " 2 points : Increases the critical effect chance of your Flash Heal , Greater Heal and Penance ( Heal ) spells by 4 % on targets afflicted by the Weakened Soul effect , and you have a 100 % chance to reduce all damage taken by 3 % for 20 sec to all friendly party and raid targets when you cast Power Word : Shield . " Rapture . " Requires 35 points in Discipline Talents " " 3 points : When your Power Word : Shield is completely absorbed or dispelled you are instantly energized with 2 . 5 % of your total mana , and you have a 100 % chance to energize your shielded target with 2 % total mana , 8 rage , 16 energy or 32 runic power . This effect can only occur once every 12 sec . " Aspiration . " Requires 35 points in Discipline Talents " " 2 points : Reduces the cooldown of your Inner Focus , Power Infusion , Pain Suppression and Penance spells by 20 % . " Divine Aegis . " Requires 40 points in Discipline Talents " " 3 points : Critical heals create a protective shield on the target , absorbing 30 % of the amount healed . Lasts 12 sec . " Pain Suppression . " Requires 40 points in Discipline Talents " " 1 point : 8 % of base mana , 40 yd range , Instant cast , 3 min cooldown . Instantly and permanently reduces a friendly target ' s threat by 5 % , reduces all damage taken by 40 % and increases resistance to Dispel mechanics by 65 % for 8 sec . " Grace . " Requires 40 points in Discipline Talents " " 2 points : Your Flash Heal , Greater Heal , and Penance spells have a 100 % chance to bless the target with Grace , increasing all healing received from the Priest by 3 % . This effect will stack up to 3 times . Effect lasts 15 sec . Grace can only be active on one target at a time . " Borrowed Time . " Requires 45 points in Discipline Talents " " X points : Grants 25 % spell haste for your next spell after casting Power Word : Shield , and increases the amount absorbed by your Power Word : Shield equal to 40 % of your spell power . ( 6 seconds ) " Penance . " Requires 50 points in Discipline Talents " " 1 point : Launches a volley of holy light at the target , causing 184 Holy damage to an enemy , or 670 to 756 healing to an ally every 1 sec for 2 sec . " Holy . Healing Focus . " 2 points : Reduces any pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting any healing spell by 70 % . " Improved Renew . " 3 points : Increases the amount healed by your Renew spell by 15 % . " Holy Specialization . " 5 point : Increases the critical effect chance of your Holy spells by 5 % . " Spell Warding . " Requires 5 points in Holy Talents " " 5 points : Reduces all spell damage taken by 10 % " Divine Fury . " Requires 5 points in Holy Talents " " 5 points : Reduces the casting time of your Smite , Holy Fire , Heal and Greater Heal spells by . 5 sec . " Desperate Prayer . " Requires 10 points in Holy Talents " " 1 point : Instantly heals the caster for 263 to 325 . " Blessed Recovery . " Requires 10 points in Holy Talents " " 3 points : After being struck by a melee or ranged critical hit , heal 15 % of the damage taken over 6 sec . Additional crits taken during the effect increase healing received . " Inspiration . " Requires 10 points in Holy Talents " " 3 points : Reduces your target ' s physical damage taken by 3 % / 7 % / 10 % for 15 sec after getting a critical effect from your Flash Heal , Heal , Greater Heal , Binding Heal , Penance , Prayer of Healing , or Circle of Healing spell . " Holy Reach . " Requires 15 points in Holy Talents " " 2 points : Increases the range of your Smite and Holy Fire spells and the radius of your Prayer of Healing , Holy Nova , Divine Hymn and Circle of Healing spells by 20 % . " Improved Healing . " Requires 15 points in Holy Talents " " 3 points : Reduces the mana cost of your Lesser Heal , Heal , Greater Heal , Divine Hymn and Penance spells by 15 % . " Searing Light . " Requires 5 Points in Divine Fury and 15 points in Holy Talents " " 2 points : Increases the damage of your Smite , Holy Fire , Holy Nova and Penance spells by 10 % . " Healing Prayers . " Requires 20 points in Holy Talents " " 2 points : Reduces the mana cost of your Prayer of Healing and Prayer of Mending spell by 20 % . " Spirit of Redemption . " Requires 20 points in Holy Talents " " 1 points : Increases total Spirit by 5 % and upon death , the priest becomes the Spirit of Redemption for 15 sec . The Spirit of Redemption cannot move , attack , be attacked or targeted by any spells or effects . While in this form the priest can cast any healing spell free of cost . When the effect ends , the priest dies . " Spiritual Guidance . " Requires 20 points in Holy Talents " " 5 points : Increases spell power by 25 % of your total Spirit . " Surge of Light . " Requires 25 points in Holy Talents " " 2 points : Your spell criticals have a 50 % chance to cause your next Smite or Flash Heal spell to be instant cast , cost no mana but be incapable of a critical hit . This effect lasts 10 sec . " Spiritual Healing . " Requires 25 points in Holy Talents " " 5 points : Increases the amount healed by your healing spells by 10 % " Holy Concentration . " Requires 30 points in holy Talents " " 3 points : Your mana regeneration is increased by 50 % for 8 seconds after you critically heal with Flash Heal , Greater Heal , Binding Heal or Empowered Renew " Lightwell . " Requires 30 points in Holy Talents " " 1 point : Creates a Holy Lightwell . Members of your raid or party can click the Lightwell to restore 801 health over 6 sec . Attacks done to you equal to 30 % of your total health will cancel the effect . Lightwell lasts for 3 min or 10 charges . " Blessed Resilience . " Requires 30 points in holy Talents " " 3 points : Increases the effectiveness of your healing spells by 3 % , and critical hits made against you have a 60 % chance to prevent you from being critically hit for 6 seconds . " Empowered Healing . " Requires 35 points in Holy Talents " " 5 points : Your Greater Heal spell gains an additional 40 % and your Flash Heal and Binding Heal gain an additional 20 % of your bonus healing effects . " Serendipity . " Requires 35 points in holy Talents " " 3 points : When you heal with Flash Heal or Binding Heal , the cast time of your next Greater Heal or Prayer Of healing is reduced by 12 % . Stacks up 3 times . " Circle of Healing . " Requires 40 points in Holy Talents " " 1 point : Heals up to 5 party or raid members within 15 yard of the target by 958 to 1058 . " Test of Faith . " Requires 40 points in Holy Talents " " 3 points : Increases you healing by 12 % on friendly targets at or below 50 % health " Divine Providence . " Requires 45 points in Holy Talents " " 5 points : Increases the amount healed by Circle of Healing , Binding Heal , Holy Nova , Prayer of Healing , Divine Hymn and Prayer of Mending by 10 % and reduces the Cooldown of Prayer of Mending by 30 % " Guardian Spirit . " Requires 50 points in Holy Talents " " 1 point : Calls upon a guardian spirit to watch over a friendly target . The spirit increases the amount of healing recieved by the target by 40 % and also prevents the target from dying by sacrificing itself . This sacrifice terminates the effect but heals the target by 50 % of their maximum health . " Shadow . Spirit Tap . " 3 points : Gives you a 100 % chance to gain a 100 % bonus to your Spirit after killing a target that yields experience or honor . For the duration , your mana will regenerate at a 83 % rate while casting . Lasts 15 sec . " Improved Spirit Tap . " Requires 3 points in Spirit Tap " " 2 points : Your Mind Blast and Shadow Word : Death Critical Strikes have a 100 % chance and your Mind Flay Critical Strikes have a 50 % chance to increase your total spirit by 5 / 10 % . For the duration your mana will regenerate at a 17 / 33 % . Lasts 8 sec . " Darkness ( priest ) . " Requires 0 points " " 5 points : Increases your Shadow spell damage by 10 % . " Shadow Affinity . " Requires 5 points in shadow talents " " 3 points : Reduces the threat generated by your Shadow spells by 25 % , and you receive 15 % of your base mana when your Shadow Word : Pain or Vampiric Touch spells are dispelled . " " Requires 5 points in Shadow Talents " " 3 points : Increases the damage of your Shadow Word : Pain spell by 6 % . " Shadow Focus . " Requires 5 points in shadow talents " " 3 points : Increases your chance to hit with your Shadow spells by 3 % , and reduces the mana cost of your Shadow spells by 6 % . " Improved Psychic Scream . " Requires 10 points in Shadow Talents " " 2 points : Reduces the cooldown of your Psychic Scream spell by 4 sec . " Improved Mind Blast . " Requires 10 points in Shadow Talents " " 5 points : Reduces the cooldown of your Mind Blast spell by 2 . 5 sec . , and while in Shadowform your Mind Blast also has a 100 % chance to reduce all healing done to the target by 20 % for 10 sec . " Mind Flay . " Requires 10 points in Shadow talents " " 1 point : Assault the target ' s mind with Shadow energy , causing X Shadow damage over 3 sec and slowing their movement speed by 50 % . " Veiled Shadows . " Requires 15 points in Shadow Talents " " 2 points : Decreases the cooldown of your Fade ability by 3 / 6 sec , and reduces the cooldown of your Shadowfiend ability by 1 / 2 minute ( s ) . " Shadow Reach . " Requires 15 points in Shadow Talents " " 2 points : Increases the range of your offensive Shadow spells by 20 % . " Shadow Weaving . " Requires 15 points in Shadow Talents " " 3 points : Your Shadow damage spells have a 33 / 66 / 100 % chance to increase the Shadow damage you deal by 2 % for 15 sec . Stacks up to 5 times . " Silence . " Requires 2 points in Improved Psychic Scream and 20 points in Shadow Talents " 1 point : Silences the target , preventing them from casting spells for 5 sec . " Vampiric Embrace . " Requires 20 points in Shadow Talents " " 1 point : A buff that causes the priest to be healed for 15 % of any single - target Shadow spell damage dealt by the priest , while the priest ' s party is healed for 3 % . " Improved Vampiric Embrace . " Requires 1 point in Vampiric Embrace and 20 points in Shadow Talents " " 2 points : Increases the healing received from Vampiric Embrace by 33 / 67 % . " Focused Mind . " Requires 20 points in Shadow Talents " " 3 points : Reduces the mana cost of your Mind Blast , Mind Control , Mind Flay and Mind Sear spells by 15 % " Mind Melt . " Requires 25 points in Shadow Talents " " 2 points : Increases the critical strike chance of your Mind Blast , Mind Flay and Mind Sear spells by 4 % , and increases the periodic critical strike chance of your Vampiric Touch , Devouring Plague and Shadow Word : Pain spells by 6 % . " Improved Devouring Plague . " Requires 25 points in Shadow talents " " 3 points : Increases the periodic damage done by your Devouring Plague by 15 % and when you cast Devouring Plague you instantly deal damage equal to 30 % of its total periodic effect . " Shadowform . " Requires 30 points in Shadow Talents " " Requires 1 point in Vampiric Embrace " " 1 point : Assume a Shadowform , increasing your Shadow damage by 15 % , reducing all damage done to you by 15 % and threat generated by 30 % . However , you may not cast Holy spells while in this form except Cure Disease and Abolish Disease . Grants the periodic damage from your Shadow Word : Pain , Devouring Plague , and Vampiric Touch spells the ability to critically hit for 100 % increased damage . " Shadow Power . " Requires 30 points in Shadow Talents " " 5 points : Increases the critical strike damage of your Mind Blast , Mind Flay and Shadow Word : Death spells by 20 / 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 % . " Improved Shadowform . " Requires 1 point in Shadowform and 35 points in Shadow Talents " " 2 points : Your Fade ability has now a 100 % chance to remove all movement impairing effects when used while in Shadowform , and reduces casting or channeling time lost when damaged by 70 % when casting any Shadow spell while in Shadowform . " Misery . " Requires 35 points in Shadow Talents " " 3 points : Your Shadow Word : Pain , Mind Flay and Vampiric Touch spells also increase the chance for harmful spells to hit by 1 / 2 / 3 % lasting 24 sec , and increases the damage of your Mind Blast , Mind Flay and Mind Sear spells by an amount equal to 5 / 10 / 15 % of your spell power . " Psychic Horror . " Requires 40 points in Shadow Talents " " 1 point : You terrify the target causing them to tremble in horror for 3 seconds . Disarms target ' s main and ranged weapons for 10 secconds . " Vampiric Touch . " Requires 1 point in Shadowform and 40 points in Shadow Talents " " 1 point : Causes X Shadow damage over 15 sec to your target and causes up to 10 party or raid members to gain 1 % of their maximum mana per 5 seconds when you deal damage from Mind Blast . " Pain and Suffering . " Requires 40 points in Shadow Talents " " 3 points : Your Mind Flay has a 33 / 66 / 100 % chance to refresh the duration of your Shadow Word : Pain on the target , and reduces the damage you take from your own Shadow Word : Death by 10 / 20 / 30 % . " Twisted Faith . " Requires 45 points in Shadow Talents " " 5 points : Increases your spell power by 4 / 8 / 12 / 16 / 20 of your total Spirit , and your damage done by your Mind Flay and Mind Blast is increased by 2 / 4 / 6 / 8 / 10 % if your target is afflicted by your Shadow Word : Pain . " Dispersion . " Requires 50 points in Shadow Talents " " Requires 1 points in Vampiric Touch " " 1 point : You disperse into pure Shadow energy , reducing all damage taken by 90 % . You are unable to attack or cast spells , but you regenerate 6 % mana every 1 sec for 6 sec . Dispersion can be cast while stunned , feared or silenced . "