Priest

The priest is the master of healing and preservation, restoring his wounded allies, shielding them in battle and even resurrecting his fallen comrades from death. Priests use powerful healing magic to fortify themselves and their allies. They also wield powerful offensive spells from a distance, but can be overwhelmed by enemies due to their physical frailty and minimal armor. Experienced priests carefully balance the use of their offensive powers when tasked with keeping their party alive.https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/game/classes/priest Faith is the greatest strength of a priest and their toughest shield.Exploring Azeroth: Northrend, pg. 51
While they have a variety of protective and enhancement spells to bolster his allies, the priests can also wreak terrible vengeance on their enemies, using the grand powers of the Holy Light to smite and purge them or the devastating powers of the Void to decimate their minds. They can utilize their holy powers to restore their health and that of their comrades. By calling on mystic shielding and holy empowerment, priests can prevent incoming damage and improve their defenses and those of their allies. Priestly Shadow magic can deliver great amounts of immediate damage, or wracking pains that punish foes over longer periods of time. Their connection with the minds and spirits of living beings allows them to control and manipulate others. The priest is a diverse and powerful class, highly desirable in any group and capable of fulfilling multiple roles.
Priest talents can strengthen their ability to heal the wounded, endanger their foes with the power of Shadow, or empower themselves and others with protective prayers.
*Discipline priests use magic to shield allies from taking damage as well as heal their wounds.
*Holy priests are versatile healers who can reverse damage on individuals or groups and even heal from beyond the grave.
*Shadow priests use sinister Shadow magic and terrifying Void magic to eradicate enemies.
==Class overview==
Priests are devoted to the spiritual, and express their unwavering faith by serving the people. For millennia they have left behind the confines of their temples and the comfort of their shrines so they can support their allies in war-torn lands. In the midst of terrible conflict, no hero questions the value of the priestly orders. These masters of the healing arts keep their companions fighting far beyond their normal capacities with an array of restorative powers and blessings. The divine forces at the priest's command can also be turned against foes, smiting them with holy fury.
As light cannot exist without darkness, and darkness without light, some priests tap into shadow to better understand their own abilities, as well as the abilities of those who threaten them.http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/class/priest
===Creation screen description===
;Alpha
After the lands of Lordaeron were corrupted by the undead Scourge, the surviving clerics escaped to Stormwind and attempted to salvage their holy order: combining their forces with those of the clerics of Northshire, the weathered healers founded a new priesthood to guide their people in trouble times. Obsessed with the notion that evil lurked within every mortal creature they set forth to purge men's' souls of corruption and darkness. Using strong mind powers and potent fear effects, these new priests were able to reestablish a strong hold over humanity's spiritual destiny. Though they are still able to heal wounds and cure the sick, priests are much more interested in dominating the weak and wretched in order to save them from themselves.Alpha World of Warcraft class description, The Cutting Room Floor
;Classic
Priests guide the spiritual destiny of their people. Through their unique insight into the mind, they are able to shape an individual's beliefs, whether to inspire or terrify, soothe or dominate, heal or harm. Just as the heart can hold both darkness and light, priests wield powers of creation and devastation by channeling the potent forces underlying faith.World of Warcraft: Classic class description
:Priests are well-rounded healers with a variety of tools. However, they can also sacrifice their healing to deal damage with Shadow magic.
===Classic guide===
Walking the line between Shadow and Light, Priests heal allies with powerful holy magic and sling sinister spells in tandem.Taking Your First Steps in World of Warcraft Classic
==Background==
While the draenei were the first known physical race to be associated with the forces of the Light, humans were the first to discover the Holy Light on Azeroth, and were responsible for passing on the religion to other races, most notably the high elves and dwarves. Humans built mighty churches and cathedrals as places of worship and teaching of the Light. The Church of the Holy Light teaches its followers to be virtuous in life, and while the religion is more philosophical than theistic, its practitioners do believe their devotion connects them to a greater and mysterious force in the universe. Humans have produced great priests who have healed their allies or have used the powers of the Light to purge their enemies.
The Clerics of Northshire were human priests who served the kingdom of Stormwind during the First War. The clerics served as healers on the battlefield, but were ill-prepared for the hazards of combat, and thus suffered heavy casualties. This order was largely destroyed, and the Second War saw fragile priests replaced on the battlefield by armored paladins, the Knights of the Silver Hand — established by the Church's leader Archbishop Alonsus Faol and his apprentice Uther the Lightbringer.
===Third War===
Despite the high elves' official departure from the Alliance, some elves still remained true to their former human and dwarven allies. The altruistic priests of Quel'Thalas refused to abandon their roles as healers and agreed to remain in Lordaeron despite the edicts from their reclusive masters in Silvermoon City. The high elven priests used their Light-given powers to heal the wounded and bolster the spirits of Lordaeron's fighting elite.Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Game Manual, pg. 10
Fallen Priests are wretched priests who were once counted as the most devout amongst the clergy of Lordaeron. But, after years of constant war and suffering, they have lost their sense of the Holy Light. Now, they exist only to spread their frustration and negativity to their fellow men and women.Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Game Manual, pg. 82
===World of Warcraft===
After the Third War, many Forsaken priests turned away from the LightHallowed Scroll (quest) and formed the Cult of the Forgotten Shadow based on the teachings of bishop Natalie Seline. Though they turn to dark energies to accomplish their goals, they believe there must be a balance between Light and darknessWorld of Warcraft: The Magazine Issue 4 and members of the cult must know the Light as well.Garments of Darkness
===Cataclysm===
Following the Cataclysm, the tauren society saw the appearance of priests led by Tahu Sagewind and known as the Seers, using the power of An'she, the sun god, in their spells like the tauren paladins named the Sunwalkers. This is similar to how night elven priests use the power of the moon through their goddess, Elune, instead of through the Holy Light. There have been tauren seers before, but their path has now either been enhanced with new magic or revitalized by new blood.
The gnomes had an interest in the Light since they joined the Alliance, but they were so focused on technology and later the retaking of Gnomeregan that studying the Light didn't feel necessary to them. The dwarven priests and paladins of Ironforge served as the only connection to the Light they had. Now that the gnomes have reclaimed a foothold in Gnomeregan and begun rebuilding their culture outside of Ironforge however, they've recognized the importance of having followers of the Light in their own ranks. In addition, researching new methods of purifying irradiated gnomes has led to radical advances in Light-based technology.Ask CDev - Round 1 Gnome priests usually refer to themselves as doctors, medics, and surgeons."Doc" CogspinChief Surgeon Gashweld
===Legion===
During the third invasion of the Burning Legion, the priests of Azeroth united against the Legion as the Conclave, led by Archbishop Alonsus Faol and the High Priest. In order to fight the demons, they obtained the legendary artifacts known as T'uure, Beacon of the Naaru, Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire, and Light's Wrath. They also used the Netherlight Temple as their headquarters.
==Notable==
Name	Role 	Affiliation 	Status	Location
 	Archbishop of the Conclave, formerly leader of the Church of the Holy Light. 	Conclave 	 	Various
 	King of Stormwind and High King of the Alliance. 	Kingdom of Stormwind, Alliance 	 	Various
 	Leader and prophet of the Twilight's Hammer, formerly leader of the Church of the Holy Light. 	Twilight's Hammer, Old Gods' forces 	 	Various
 	Councilor of the Forsaken and member of the Desolate Council. Former princess of Lordaeron. 	Desolate Council, Forsaken, Horde, Conclave 	 	Various
 	Priestess who sacrificed herself to slew the Twilight dragon Dargonax. 	Alliance 	 	Buried in Outland
 	High Priestess of the Aldor and champion of the Conclave. 	Aldor, Sha'tar, Alliance, Conclave 	 	Various
 	Queen-Regent of the Dark Iron clan, Dark Iron representative on the Council of Three Hammers. Formerly the Princess of Ironforge.	Dark Iron clan, Alliance, Conclave 	 	Various
 	Founder of the Lok'osh. 	Lok'osh, Mag'har, Horde 	 	Valley of Honor, Orgrimmar
 	Former High Inquisitor of the Scarlet Crusade. Raised as a death knight. 	Four Horsemen, Knights of the Ebon Blade 	 	Various
 	Former chieftain of the Darkspear tribe, father of Vol'jin. 	Darkspear tribe 	 	Spirit with Bwonsamdi
 	Founder and leader of the Seers. 	Seers, Thunder Bluff, Horde, Conclave 	 	Various
 	Queen of the Zandalari Empire, Representative of the Zandalari Empire on the Horde Council. 	Zandalari Empire, Horde 	 	Various
 	High Priestess of Elune, co-ruler of the night elves. 	Darnassus, Sentinels, Sisterhood of Elune, Army of the Black Moon, Alliance	 	Various
 	Prophet of the Naaru, leader of the draenei and the Light's Chosen. 	Light's Chosen, Exodar, Alliance, Conclave 	 	Various
 	Shadow priest and champion of the Conclave. 	Conclave 	 	Various
==Organizations==
Name 	Leader 	Status
Aldor 	 	
Sisterhood of Elune 	 	
Church of the Holy Light 	Unknown 	
Brotherhood of Northshire	Unknown 	
Cult of Forgotten Shadows	 	
Seers 	 	
Crane Wing order 	Unknown 	
Conclave 	 	
Lok'osh 	Lok'osh Nakha	
==Abilities==
Priests bring a wide range of abilities to any party. Depending on their spec, priests may specialize in healing and protecting their allies, or dealing powerful shadow damage to their enemies. However, a priest's capabilities extend far beyond these roles. Priests can buff their allies' stamina, ward against fear, restore mana to their party, and even dispel magical debuffs and diseases from their allies. They can terrify, silence and horrify enemies, and remove some of their most powerful buffs and immunities. They can defer aggro, grant substantial speed buffs to their allies and even pull heedless teammates out of the fire. Priests' innate power in manipulating others can allow them to see through the eyes of a distant target, or even dominate an opponent's mind, turning a foe into a friend, or sending them to their death at the bottom of a precipice.
===Healing===
Priests have a range of healing abilities. Discipline and Holy priests are natural masters of healing and protection, and have additional capabilities in these areas, with spells ranging from direct heals and heal over time effects to AoE abilities and on-damage procs. Atonement also allows Discipline priests to heal by dealing damage. While Shadow priests excel at wreaking havoc, they can still can contribute passive healing to their group through Vampiric Embrace.
====Damage mitigation====
As well as an array of healing options, priests can choose to shield their allies from damage. This pre-emptive approach to damage prevention allows for rapid and lifesaving intervention, but can require skill to correctly anticipate incoming damage. Power Word: Shield is the priest's signature shield, absorbing attacks directed at the target and preventing pushback. While all priests are capable of shielding themselves and their allies, Discipline priests are the masters of damage absorption, being able to shield multiple allies at the same time with Rapture. Discipline priests can also protect their allies with Power Word: Barrier. Each spec also has a powerful damage-reduction cooldown, from the direct avoidance of Pain Suppression and Dispersion to the self-sacrifing grace of Guardian Spirit.
===Damage dealing===
Priests have access to two schools of magic - Holy and Shadow - and can deal substantial amounts of damage from either. Priests have a number of direct damage options, as well as a few DoTs and specialties. Shadow priests are without doubt the most damage-oriented of priests, but Discipline priests with Atonement come a respectable second. Even healing priests can contribute some damage by summoning their temporary pet - the Shadowfiend or Mindbender - to attack enemies.
===Utility===
As well as their obvious capabilities in healing and dealing damage, priests also have access to a range of utility spells, many of which are unique to the priest class. Abilities such as Levitate, Mind Vision, and Mind Control can make the priest class fun to play, but are also capable of providing game-changing advantages if used correctly. Priests can also evade aggro with Fade. Priests can also cast Leap of Faith to pull other players to the priest and possibly save them from death.
====Dispels====
Priests are significantly capable dispellers. They can strip magical buffs and even immunities from their enemies with Dispel Magic and Mass Dispel, while Discipline and Holy priests can also Purify their allies of magic and disease effects. Discipline and Holy priests can generally consider dispelling to be their most important duty after healing, while Shadow priests are also capable of contributing if necessary.
====Crowd control and mobility====
Priests have a range of abilities to aid in escaping and incapacitating their attackers. Body and Soul and Angelic Feather provide speed boosts for the priest or their allies, while Psychic Scream provides excellent fear effects. Meanwhile, Shadow priests' Dispersion can be used to slip out of roots and snares.
Shadow priests have the most crowd control abilities, with Silence and Mind Flay providing a 50% snare. Priests can also offer sustainable crowd control on undead targets with Shackle Undead, while Holy priests can disorientate and interrupt opponents with Holy Word: Chastise. Priests can also take control of other players or creatures temporarily by using Mind Control.
===Stats, weapons, and armor===
*The most important stats for a priest are (depending on specialization): intellect, haste, mastery, and stamina.
*The priest can wield staffs, one-handed maces, wands, and daggers.
*The priest can only wear cloth armor. For details on set items that are useful for priests, see priest sets.
==Races==
Priests start with the following attributes:
==Specializations==
:For a full list of specialization abilities, see Priest abilities
There are three priest specializations: Discipline, Holy and Shadow. Discipline and Holy priests are powerful healers, with the former specializing in healing through damage-dealing (with a side-line in damage mitigation), and the latter excelling in sheer healing power, as well as a versatile range of healing options. Shadow priests are ranged DPS that assault their opponents' minds with shadowy magic, specializing in sinister damage over time effects and crowd control. While all priests can use Dispel Magic and the potent Mass Dispel, Discipline and Holy priests are especially capable dispellers, with Purify allowing them to instantly cleanse an ally of all diseases and magical afflictions.
===Discipline===
 Uses magic to shield allies from taking damage as well as heal their wounds.
Discipline priests are a powerful force on the battlefield, balancing the powers of Light and Shadow to assail enemies and assist allies in equal measure. While capable of reactive healing, Discipline priests truly come into their own when able to proactively bless their allies with Atonement via Power Word: Radiance, Shadow Mend, or Power Word: Shield in anticipation of incoming damage. With their allies touched by the Light, a well-prepared Discipline priest is free to visit the Light's Wrath (priest ability) on their unfortunate enemies, using spells such as Smite and Penance to simultaneously damage foes and unleash powerful burst healing.
The combination of strong cooldowns and a focus on preemptive healing makes Discipline priests the preferred healing option for PvP. Their Power Word: Shield can be improved in multiple ways, becoming an efficient and powerful protection option, and Discipline's ability to damage and heal on the move is a powerful asset. Discipline priests anticipating incoming damage can stack protection with Pain Suppression, allowing them to protect their allies even when incapacitated, and their ability to utilize two different schools of healing magic sets them apart from other healers by allowing them to retain some casting ability even when interrupted.
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.Legion Class Preview Series: Priest
===Holy===
 A versatile healer who can reverse damage on individuals or groups and even heal from beyond the grave.
Holy priests are versatile healers who possess a variety of tools to support their group. In contrast to Discipline, the Holy specialization focuses primarily on reactive healing. Holy priests supplement their powerful direct healing with heal over time effects such as Renew and their mastery, Mastery: Echo of Light, which attaches a powerful heal over time effect to the priest's initial heal. They also have access to impressive group effect healing such as Prayer of Mending, a preemptive healing spell that bounces between allies.
Holy priests also have access to several powerful abilities with long cooldowns, including the Holy Word abilities: Holy Word: Sanctify, a powerful ground-targeted heal; Holy Word: Serenity, a truly massive single-target heal; and Holy Word: Chastise, a single-target nuke and crowd-control spell. Even death itself proves to be no match for the healing prowess of the Light, allowing Holy priests to save an ally from certain demise by invoking a Guardian Spirit to protect them, or even heal from beyond the grave as a Spirit of Redemption - for a time.
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.
===Shadow===
 Uses sinister Shadow magic and terrifying Void magic to eradicate enemies.
Shadow priests are born damage-dealers, instantly recognizable by their signature Shadowform - a distinctive aura that increases shadow damage. They tend to focus on afflicting multiple targets with potent damage over time effects, such as Shadow Word: Pain and Vampiric Touch, as well as unleashing psychic agony on a single target with their Mind Blast, Mind Flay, and Mind Sear spells. Drawing on their dark powers causes Shadow priests to accumulate Insanity and this, in turn, fuels potent spells such as Devouring Plague, a grim mockery of the priestly ability to Purify Disease. The height of a shadow priest's power is heralded by a massive Void Eruption that twists their Shadowform into Voidform, which further increases their spell damage, grants Mind Blast additional charges, and enables the use of the powerful Void Bolt spell. Shadow priests can even call down beings from the Void itself, conjuring a Shadowfiend or Mindbender to assail their enemies.
Shadow priests also excel at crowd control, capable of using a Psychic Scream to fear enemies, weaponizing the minds of their enemies with a Mind Bomb to stun them, or silencing and interrupting casters with the aptly named Silence. In the hands of a skilled Shadow priest, these abilities can be utilized to provide windows of opportunity that can prove fatal to even the most battle-hardened healer. Shadow priests also have a powerful survival ability in Dispersion, and can convert their damage into healing for their allies through Vampiric Embrace.
A large percentage of a Shadow priest's damage comes from damage over time effects, allowing them to deal damage simultaneously to multiple targets and to continue dealing damage even while the priest is incapacitated or hidden out of line of sight. This tactic, known as multi-dotting, allows them to excel at add fights. While dedicated damage dealers, when need be, Shadow priests are also decent emergency healers; an attentive Shadow priest can potentially turn a disastrous wipe into an unexpected victory with a well-placed Shadow Mend or Power Word: Shield.
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.
==In the RPG==
The priest prestige class was eliminated from the World of Warcraft RPG and replaced with the priest core class.World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Conversion Document, pg. 1-2
Priests practice a complex, organized form of spirituality built around moral philosophy, the worship of a particular deity (such as Elune) in some cases, and/or idol worship, rather than around the reverence of the elements that shamans practice, or the close divine connection with animals and the wilderness that druids maintain. Priests serve not only as influential religious figures in their respective societies, but also as powerful practitioners of divine magic, which they use to heal and protect, or harm and weaken.
Devotion to the faiths of Azeroth leads many priests to the paths of courage and heroism. In dark times, priests carry the Light of faith with them as a reminder of the powerful forces at work beyond the comprehension of the peoples who walk the land. Powerful healers with an intimate connection to the divine, priests are empowered with abilities that aid them in times of dire need.World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 70
Priests comprise quite a varied group in Azeroth. A female priest is called a "priestess". Many are followers, in some manner, of the Holy Light. Some priests choose to be pyremasters or High Priest. There are also racial restrictions to some titles, such as witch doctor for trolls and Priestess of the Moon for night elf females.
There are also shadow priests among the trolls, they find Forsaken to be kindred spirits, supporting them because they are evil.Horde Player's Guide, pg. 181 There are also shadow priests that follow Kil'jaeden.Manual of Monsters, pg. 112
===Epic priest===
The epic priest is a paragon of his ideals, a vessel which his faith pools and spreads like wine overflowing from a chalice. He bolsters his allies to amazing heights and brings non-believers low with divine wrath. Where he walks, all feel his presence. He focuses on increasing his spellcasting potential. He knows that metamagic feats can make even low-level spells potent. Wisdom is, of course, his paramount ability. If he must improve himself, he improves his constitution. Constitution improves his staying power and charisma increases his turning capability.Shadows & Light, pg. 23
==Notes and trivia==
*Priests of the Light must abnegate themselves through meditation, in order to become conduits for the Light and use its powers.World of Warcraft: The Comic, Issue 22: Whispers
==Gallery==
File:AllianceVSHordeWC3.jpg|Art with a high elf priest supporting Alliance troops.
File:WoW Town Hall Priest-character.gif|A night elf priest model as originally seen on the official World of Warcraft website.
File:Undeadpriest.jpg|A Forsaken priest in :Shadowform.
File:Epicpriest.jpg|Epic priest artwork in Shadows & Light.
;Trading Card Game
File:Aeshia Moonstreak TCG.jpg|Aeshia Moonstreak, a night elf priestess.
File:Alana the Hopebringer TCG.jpg|Alana the Hopebringer, a human priestess.
File:Alecia Hall TCG.jpg|Alecia Hall, a forsaken priestess.
File:Anchorite Ceyla TCG.jpg|Anchorite Ceyla, a draenei priestess.
File:Baelgond Soulgrace TCG.jpg|Baelgond Soulgrace, a dwarf priest.
File:Bloodtusk TCG.jpg|Bloodtusk, a jungle troll priest.
File:Boris brightbeard full.jpg|Boris Brightbeard, a dwarf priest.
File:Charkov TCG.jpg|Charkov, a forsaken priest.
File:Deacon Markus Hallow TCG.jpg|Deacon Markus Hallow, a human priest.
File:Emerson Zantides TCG.jpg|Emerson Zantides, a forsaken priest.
File:Kintara Wintermoon TCG.jpg|Kintara Wintermoon, a night elf priest.
File:Haro Setting-Sun.jpg|Haro Setting-Sun, a tauren shadow priest.
File:Harnum Firebelly TCG.jpg|Harnum Firebelly, a dwarf priest.
File:Joren the Martyr.jpg|Joren the Martyr, a forsaken priest.
File:Krenig Soulguard TCG.jpg|Krenig Soulguard, a dwarf priest.
File:Marnie Moonlight TCG.jpg|Marnie Moonlight, a human priestess.
File:Mojo Master Zandum TCG.png|Mojo Master Zandum, a jungle troll priest.
File:SisterRemba.jpg|Sister Remba, a dwarf priestess.
File:Tilly Fiddlelight TCG.jpg|Tilly Fiddlelight, a gnome priestess.
File:Witch Doctor Koo'zar TCG.jpg|Witch Doctor Koo'zar, a jungle troll priest.
File:Yuna Sunridge TCG.jpg|Yuna Sunridge, a tauren priestess.
File:Zaduru TCG.jpg|Zaduru, a troll priest.
;Hearthstone
File:Anduin HoW.jpg|Anduin Wrynn
File:Darkbishop Benedictus HS.jpg|
File:Heartbreaker Hedanis HS.jpg|
File:High Abbess Alura HS.jpg|
File:High Priest Amet HS.jpg|
File:Sally Whitemane HS.png|
File:Cleric of An'she HS.jpg|
File:Cleric of Scales HS.jpg|
File:Crimson Clergy.jpg|
File:Kul Tiran Chaplain.jpg|
File:Priest of An'she HS.jpg|
;Fan art
File:Priestess on guard of light by Conquartist2 (Fan art).jpg|Priestess on guard of light by Conquartist.
==Patch changes==
* 
* 
* 
==See also==
*Useful macros for priests
*Epic priest
*Chaplain
*Cleric
*Confessor
==References==
==External links==
 
Category:WoW classes
Category:Core classes
Category:Epic classes
Category:Religions
Category:World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game
Category:Shadows & Light
pl:Priest
fr:Prêtre