So, here we are, half a week into my twiddling around with the Disc spec.

I like it.

A lot.

A LOT.

To the tune of my temporary respec being permanent and our guild farming me Disc gear to replace my holy gear.

To anyone looking for more information on Disc, the comments on my previous post about Respeccing Discipline are incredibly insightful - I recommend going through and taking a look at them.

So what’s the difference?

Disc is about mitigation, Holy is about repair.

Disc is about burst HPS (Heals Per Second), Holy is about Sustained HPS.

Disc has two extra buffs, Holy has extra heals.

Disc is king of single-target healing, Holy is king of AOE healing (from a priest perspective).

Those are generalities. You’ll hear them a lot, because they’re true.

Gear

For disc, I am replacing almost every single piece of gear that I had. And I had one heck of a shiny, delicious, epic-laden holy set, let me tell ya.

But for my holy set, I concentrated on my sustained HPS . I LOVED spirit-heavy gear, and would plan out how I would dance with the FSR (Five Second Rule) to make my mana bar last even longer.

For Disc, I’m concentrating on BURST HPS - how fast and how hard can I hit the tank with a heal. That means that I am gobbling up Spellpower, Haste, and Crit like they were candy, and spirit and MP5 are taking a backseat.

This is counter to everything I’ve taught myself in BC about stats and gear, but it’s not even close to being the biggest mindset change that comes along with the spec.

I’ll post my gear list…later. When I have it in front of me. It’s not the prettiest gear list, since I hate adding links and doing javascript formatting popups and whatnot in my blog posts, but it might help a few people get an idea of where to start looking if you make the swap. My priorities were on gear that I could get immediately - badge upgrades, tailored items, and rep rewards.

Gems and Purchased Enchants

The few items that I did manage to keep from my old set are getting regemmed - my old favorite gem was a green spirit/int gem. My new favorite gem is the red pure spellpower gem.

My old meta gem is history - my new meta gem won’t be accessible to me for three more days of JC dailies - it will be the Revitalizing Skyflare Diamond, with the 3% healing crit and the MP5.

My old helm enchant is also history - my new helm enchant comes from Violet Hold and has spellcrit on it.

My old shoulder enchant is also gone, replaced with Greater Inscription of the Storm - spellpower and crit.

I used a tool called RAWR to help me work out gear values and plan out my upgrades. (I also used my long-suffering and very RAWR-knowledgeable husband, but he’s been sufficiently bribed for his efforts, I assure you)

Stats

This was partially covered in the Gear section, but I’ll reiterate for clarity.

In holy, I went for spirit first, int second, and spellpower third.

In disc, I go for spellpower first, crit (and int, since it translates into crit and scales the return from Replenishment), haste…then farther down MP5, and only THEN do I care about spirit.

It’s not that spirit’s useless, it’s just that it’s so much LESS useful for disc than it was for holy.

Which makes the fact that a holy priest can only access the Improved Divine Spirit buff by giving up keystone Holy talents for it even MORE irritating but that’s a rant for a whole nother post.

Assignments

A holy priest is MUCH more versatile in healing than a Disc priest is. This is attributed a great deal to Circle of Healing, which has an incoming 6 sec cooldown nerf, but it’s not the only reason. Because Disc priests focus on burst healing and prevention rather than sustainability, we are ideal to heal the tank - a person that you know is taking a LOT of EXPECTED damage.

Note those capitalized words? Reverse them and you’ll find what a disc priest is not so good at. When you are trying to heal someone who is taking UNEXPECTED or NOT A LOT of damage. That, my friends, is what we call raid healing - splash and aoe damage, often on random targets.

If we don’t know where the damage is going to happen, we can’t preemptively bubble, which immediately cuts our effectiveness in half. If we have to heal multiple targets, our only options are :

1) Bubble everyone. Instant cast (except the GCD)…but doesn’t HEAL them, it simply prevents a set amount of incoming damage. If they’re not still taking damage, the bubble is a waste (well, arguably, given the buffs we get and they get from the bubble, perhaps calling it a waste is a bit harsh - but it is not a HEAL capable of fixing the damage that’s been done to them).

2) HoT everyone. Instant cast (except the GCD) and has a delay before the heal part takes effect.

3) Flash Heal everyone. Takes a lot of time, even hasted.

4) Prayer of Healing. Takes a lot of time, even hasted, and only hits people near us and people in our group.

None of those is even CLOSE to as effective or intelligent as having a shaman chain heal or a holy priest CoH or a druid do…that…thing…with the leaves and the aoe healing whidgewhatsis.

Now, don’t get discouraged. I have very successfully healed five mans and some raid damage. But AOE healing is no longer as strong as it was. You’ve got to be vigilant and know your new ohcrap buttons very well, and what situations in which to use them.

Don’t think that Disc priest can’t heal anyone but a tank - that’s just not true. But any raid leader assigning a disc priest to raid healing better have a very very very VERY good reason for doing so, and if it happens often enough, that priest should almost certainly go respec holy, if only for their own sanity.

Summary

My initial thoughts on this spec are that it is more than ‘viable’ - it’s strong. It’s very strong.

It does take a mental shift of gears to get used to. The panic buttons are in all new places. The spells you use in situations have changed.

To do it right, you have to change as a healer. You have to change your gear, your enchants, your outlook, and your reaction.

It’s more than just changing a spec.

But it is TOTALLY worth it.

The fiery-red hair of the aristocratic blood elf was coifed perfectly to accentuate the frame of her delicate elfin features.  Those features, right now, were puckered uncomfortably.  That is not to say that the expression was uncomfortable, but rather that it portrayed the perfect amount of discomfort.  Avaryse had what is known as an exquisite pokerface.  Some would claim that such a thing is required of every warlock.  If any expression showed, it was by choice, or perhaps the occasional earth-shattering event.  This one was by choice.  Avaryse was long past being uncomfortable with the topic at hand, but felt it may be necessary to emote some sort of sympathetic feelings for her younger, more impressionable friend.  It was, after all, her troll they were discussing.

“What do you mean, asking me if I’d spoken with him recently?” Hannelore fought, visibly, the urge to put her hands on her hips.  To anyone else, it wouldn’t have been a question.  However, Avaryse was still the Mistress of the House to which Hanners served, even if the woman herself had all but disavowed the relation.  “I don’t even know what ‘recently’ would be for a sneak-thief like that.”  She allowed herself a wave of a hand, mostly just have something to do with her hands.  Wringing them at her navel, like some over protective school marm was right out.  “Last I heard, they were sending him on some under cover operations into the plague lands.  You know how it is.  They probably didn’t even tell him the whole story.  But this is a very strange thing to talk about.  You’ve never had any interest in my relations, before…”  The priestess paused, then her green eyes narrowed, becoming dangerously close to looking suspicious.  “What is this about, Mistress?”

Avaryse sighed deeply, then turned her head to the side to give Hannelore a proper view of the profile.  Maybe it would remind the girl of her place, in or out of the House.  It also meant she didn’t have to meet those searching eyes.  They taught them such strange things in Silvermoon, still, and she had to watch what she said so that the Magisters did not catch wind of something and come asking too many questions.  “I spoke with him, recently, Hannelore.”  She paused a beat, letting that sink in, then glanced out of the corner of her eye at the black-haired elf.  She still had that same look on her face.  Frustrated with the delicacies, Avaryse frowned and took a step closer.  Hannelore instinctively stiffened, but managed not to backpedal from the approach of a powerful warlock.  Avaryse couldn’t tell if that was a sign that the girl was becoming more accustomed to her, or that she was becoming more powerful and thus prepared to defend herself.  Either one made Avaryse smile a little.  “Hannelore, you should find your troll-friend.  He…isn’t himself, these days.”  The euphamism failed, and the warlock became frustrated with the niceties.  “That mission to the plaguelands did not go as predicted.  His sortie was ambushed as a necropolis descended over the chapel and-”

Abruptly, the conversation came to a close.  A servant elf, dressed in such plain cotton robes as to make even Hannelore’s white gown appear regal, came to the doorway and curtseyed.  Both women simply turned and regarded her with that impossible patience that no one believed for a moment.  After becoming certain that they were paying attention to her, the girl curtseyed again, nervously, and cleared her throat.  “Ma’am, priestess, there is a - there is someone here to see you.”  Her emerald eyes shot to Avaryse, then to Hannelore.  She was painfully aware of how inappropriate it was to announce guests for a guest, but there was no way around it.  And from the sounds of heavy boots on the marble floor behind her, she didn’t have a choice anyway.

“Well who-” Lady Avaryse began, and then her pale face blanched nearly to green as a shadow fell over the servant girl.  The girl herself squeaked her fear, spun, and whirled around the looming figure in black plate armor.  Her sandalled feet carried her swiftly down the hall and nearly out of earshot before she started reciting the superstitious incantations taht were meant to ward off the undead.

The hunched figure was already quite a bit taller than either elf girl, but suddenly stretched to its full height and pulled the horned helmet from its head.  As it sank back down and tucked the plate helm under one lanky arm, it became clear that some of the horns were not decorations on the armor.  Two long tusks jutted forward from around a narrow chin, and silver, windswept hair spiked up between two extended ears.  Its skin had the pallor of death, but the icey blue eyes held a vicious life within them.  Suddenly the troll knelt down on one boney knee and rested its wrist on the other.  At this height, it was just under Hannelore’s eye level.  And it was staring at her.

“T-Thomas?” She whispered.  It wasn’t supposed to be a whisper, but her vocal chords weren’t cooperating all of a sudden.  Emerald green eyes went from icey blues, to the plate helmet and associated armor he wore, back to that chilling gaze.

“Had a bit o’ an accident, Lady.  But I got betta, as trolls do.  Can’t be helpin ya no more wid da sneaky and lock pickin.  Dey took all dat away.”  He shrugged one shoulder, and it was oddly calming to see such a familiar, nonchalant gesture from her old friend. “But I figger a merc’s a merc.  …Ya still need a merc?”

The warlock’s presence was the only thing that kept Hannelore from lunging forward and hugging the death knight around the neck.  It was a very strange feeling.

That’s right.

Disc.

This is going to be interesting. The strats for ten man sarth+3 say that a disc priest can make the difference between toast and success (mitigation beats reactive healing when you’ve got a 75k breath weapon from the boss).

I will share what I learn with you guys. Expect a gear/stat change, a talent post, and a rotation post. If I don’t pony up, yell at me.

Research begins now.

Matticus

• 10 Tips for the new Discipline Priest
• Making the Switch : Holy to Disc
• Holy Priest vs Disciline Priest

Snarkcraft

• The Disciplined Healer
• Recommended Healing Specs

Ego (hey, yeah, me too)

• Mailbag Question About Disc Spec and Healing Meters

Dwarf Priest

• Priest Guide

And, always, Elitist Jerks

• Sarth + 3

Wish me luck! <3

Has anyone else already made the switch? Anyone thinking about it? Any advice?

Of course after declaring how much I hate Occulus, our run tonight was a one shot and the timer for Make it Count, 0 deaths and everything it was a good run beat the time by a good 2 minutes or so.

Violet Hold was also kind to me, and spawned the Dog tonight.

All that remains is Experianced Drake Rider(Our Druid needs Ruby as do I, while Miss Ego needs an Amber), and Gotta Go! Miss Ego has agreed to spec Shadow to up our chances, so expect a Succeed post tomorrow with a group shot of the drakes…

At least one can dream…

MAKE IT COME TRUE BLIZZARD!

As you may have noticed, last week I was asking for the patch to hit so we could do the Gotta Go! achievement. And while I know of the strat Fiest/Faust has mentioned, it leaves a certain priest out of the group for that and… I shudder to think of what would happen if we were to ninja do it behind her back. [Ego edit : Don't you EVEN think about it! I see you on a red proto-drake before me and I will shove its saddle so far up your backside you'll be burping leather for a month!]

Plus she went back and did a couple of the Achievements she hates to get my Paladin caught up to the group, since we started out with my Rogue. And I am grateful for it as I want a Proto-Drake very much so. [Ego edit : Harrumph. *partially appeased*]

Now, if only Violet Hold would spawn the DOG to give me LOCKDOWN!

/cast hate at VH

Not that I’ve been running it every day, but none the less spawn the dog so I can stop saving the place, please. I will be very upset if the patch hits and all I have left to do is kill that stupid dog in VH to get my Red Proto Drake while all my friends are flying around on theirs… Especially because said friends will mock me. (Kwane edit: Oh yes we will.)

And did I mention that I hate the Occulus?

Well, to be more specific, Heroic Occulus… And it’s not that it’s hard per say it just seems luck can factor in, which I absolutely hate.

In our attempts to get Make It Count we decided we’d run the 1 Ruby, 1 Emerald, 3 Amber Drake setup and we get to the Ley-Guardian Eregos with a good 8 minutes or so and just have weird things go wrong. Our Ruby Drake would have the misdirect damage skill up, and it wouldn’t misdirect damage to him even though we could see the awesome bubble up on everyone. Then we all quickly drop like flies only having one healer. Or one of the Amber’s Time Stop simply won’t work.

Maybe we’re messing something up, or not seeing an easier way to do it, but our kills when things go according to plan take about 3 minutes or so. We did the 5 Amber strat (used it to get the Ruby and Emerald Voids) but we hated  it. We know how to bounce charges around so we bring the mind-boggling dps.

We’ve been doing a warm up run in Normal Occulus for practice, but the difference in the boss’s health is astronomical. We drop him in about 45 seconds on normal.

Last night’s attempts were plagued by Server Lag causing more problems and, of course, when there’s server lag there seems to be mental lag as well.

For example, our resident Gnome mounting on his Mammoth instead of his Amber Drake to ride off the nearest edge and plummet to his death. At least we got a good laugh out of it.

I wanna know if you guys hate the Occulus as much as we do? I know all of us would rather be running around hitting him with the abilities that we’ve honed for the last 80 levels rather then flying around on silly Drakes.

P.S - If you bring the Replenishment, then miss the Naxx clear due to the Holidays, people are excited to see you back and mad at you for missing raids, it’s like a love hate relationship!

I am very fortunate in that I have been playing with the same group of people for a very long time. We all have similar or complimentary goals in the game and we’ve formed a bond. In many ways, this is an incredible boon, but like all long-term relationships, there are some rules that have to be remembered.

Lives are Like Retractable Pencils

Don’t push people. When you’ve known someone for a very long time, it can be all too easy to start to expect too much from them. To ask for too much. But if you push them too hard, they’re going to break.

Ease off. If someone needs a break from the game, let them. If someone has a spotty internet connection but is otherwise an incredibly valuable member of your team - don’t get frustrated with them. Don’t expect someone who spent a week farming up flasks to continue to do so. Thank them for it and be genuinely grateful. Remember they’re not slaves. They’re friends, and they went out of their way to make your life easier.

People are Like Paper Dolls

And not just because they have a similar shape. We can wear a multitude of “outfits” - especially in Wrath, each character has the possibility of filling multiple roles. There are no more “pure” classes, although there are some classes that are more “hybrid” than others.

Just because I CAN wear the dress of a shadowpriest and dps, or a discipline priest and practice pre-emptive healing, that doesn’t mean I want to or will enjoy it.

Some people like to practice multiple roles, others don’t. Just because Wrath makes it easier than ever before for people to hybridize, don’t assume that they will want to. Find out what your players want to do, and if you have an expectation that all of your healers be proficient at dpsing, for example, make sure that you state that expectation out the gate, so everyone is aware of it.

Love is Like a Roll of Tape

It is our love that sticks us together and makes us one. In our group, it’s our love for this game, our love for each other, and our love for that rush of exultation in bringing down things as a cohesive team.

For some people, it’s the love of ganking, the love of pitting your wits against another player, or the love of getting upgrades.

Two people can come together to accomplish a goal, but without a shared love, it won’t stick.

But just like that roll of tape…

Tough times can cause strain. How many here have left a guild, unhappy? How many have left in a dramastorm, how many have seen others leave?

Just like a “real” relationship, the alliances in this game are constantly in flux. They have to be, because we are people, not machines. And, like “real” relationships, sometimes they end. And most of the time they end badly.

I have made friendships in this game in the past that broke off before they were done, that snapped back and slapped me in the face. At least half of those are my own fault, and I have regrets regarding most of them.

Another way that love is similar to tape

Sometimes, though, just like a roll of tape, it’s hard to see the end coming. And sometimes it seems like it will never come. For every relationship that I’ve severed unhappily, I have another that has lasted, that has stood the test of time.

How strong is the tape that binds us? Only time will tell, but it is our actions that will determine how hard we pull against the tape holding our little paper dolls together.

Brown Paper, White Paper

We arent all the same. In game or out, and keeping that simple fact in mind binds us all the more strongly. I KNOW that people have RL issues, hopes and dreams and that these will sometimes “interfere” with the time they spend with me in game. As awesome as I am all by myself, I also KNOW I am all the stronger with my friends.

Stick it Together With the Tape

Building a group of friends online isn’t any easier than building one in real life. In many ways, it’s more difficult. You can’t all get together on Friday night and go bowling, but the concept is the same.

Find the shared love. Find the shared passion, the tape that will connect you all together.

(Please don’t sue us “Flight of the Conchords” guys, we love you!)

Alright, so I had this huge diatribe for how bad warriors stink and why, but I’ve been trying to put a more positive spin on things.  Tis the season and all that.  Time to be merry, yadda yadda yadda.

So instead of attempting to educate you helpless masses of plate-wearing meat shields, I’m going to sit back and see how much you already know.

I want YOU to tell ME why I should allow a warrior to lead the charge, as opposed to a death knight, druid, or paladin, with all the goodies they each bring to the playing field.

BEGIN!

In leiu of a post on Thursday, it being the holidays and all, I’m going to point you guys to a new blog I found that I’ve basically been laughing my arse off at, then reading aloud to my guildmembers so they can laugh with me.

Angry Raid Leader, I don’t know who you are, but I think I love you.

Maurice,

Truly, I am flattered by the fervor and unrelenting constancy of your affection.

Thank you for the love note that you sent me. It was very…sweet.

The signed and scented photo of yourself was unnecessary, but a very nice gesture.

The necklace of troll ears, however…was slightly less so. They were messy. The postman was not amused. And they also appear to have been…gnawed upon. I do wish you would keep your ghoul under a bit more control.

I must, as firmly and politely as possible, request that you desist in your courtship. I am aware that you are the Death Knight of Love. I would, in fact, be sorely pressed to be unaware of this fact, as you have been quite ardent in your repetitions of the title.

Despite this, it is my desire and firm hope that you find some other subject for your…considerable affections.

Please do not take this the wrong way. I would not have you think that the decision was a difficult one.

I am a draenei. Moreover, I am a priestess of the Light, representative of the Naaru, diplomat and ambassador to distant lands. My every action reflects upon others, and I have a great deal of responsibility.

You are dead.

Any relationship between us is not to be.

Firmly,
~Vonyari

Being Christmas Eve and having a semi-real post on Sunday I leave you with this:

*Note this is not intended for the eyes of the Dreamcrusher Kwane*

Dear Santa, or whomever gives me what I want,

I’d like the patch to hit so our 5 man group can get the Red Proto Drake, all we have left is Gotta Go! (which is having its time extended) and Make It Count! (Been putting that one off cause we hate the Occulus. At least some of us do, I know I’m one of em.)

Also, if the loot tables could bug out and I could somehow secure Armageddon for Nyisa that would be swell.

And maybe if your feeling really nice, my little mage will magically be 30 so I don’t have to put up with running around anymore. I want a pony. That would be sweet.

That’s pretty much it. Most importantly, I just want our Red Proto Drakes soon, cause they would be sweet.

In all seriousness, I hope whatever holiday you celebrate is an enjoyable one and a semi-safe one. Cause if it’s too safe, how much fun could it really be?

Happy Holidays to all.

And I’ll see you Next Wednesday on New Year’s Eve… Maybe…