It’s the final countdown…..to 5.0.4!

Today it’s the MoP prepatch! Yay! cheer! /dance! etc….

It is time for a lot of changes – loss of wand slot for caster, loss of throwing and ranged weapons for melee, hunters can no longer melee (lol). Hunters lose their dead zone in exchange for now having to get expertise. The Theramore event – no don’t hurt Jaina!

But more importantly, new talent system. Sure Blizzard says there is the freedom of choice…but imo it’s really an illusion. In some of the tiers there might be some play there, but if you are primarily a PVE player, then there are not as many choices as one would think.

Now I am primarily a Disc priest, so let’s take a look at the priest talent choices.

Tier 1 – aka CC tree

Void Tendrils – Tenacles that hold things in place etc etc.

Psy Fiend – places a Psyfiend at the designated location, the fiend then will cast psychic scream.

Psychic Scream – same old spell like we have currently.

At least to me it seems like the tendrils will have the most use, as in PVE you don’t want mobs running around poss pulling other mobs.

Tier 2 – movement enhancement

Body and Soul – PW:S increase movement for a short period of time.

Angelic Feather – places a feather on the ground. When runover – players gains more movement speed.

Phantasm – removes movement restrictions.

And the winner here is Body and Soul, Angelic Feahter seems like a hassle to use, and Phantasm is definitely for PVP.

Tier 3 – Mana Helping stuffs!

From Darkness, Comes light – Cast smite, heal, GH, etc, you have a 15% chance to get a free FH.

Mindbender – replaces Shadowfiend – 1 min CD – 1.3% per attack, lasts 15 seconds.

Power Word: Solace – 1.5s cast Strike an enemy with the power of the heavens, dealing 2226 to 2496 (+ 85.6% of SpellPower) Holy damage and restoring 0.7% maximum mana.

So appears from darkness, comes light is out. Now between MIndbender and PW:Sol, that can be tougher.

Mindbender – fire and forget spell (+) Has a cooldown (-)

PW:Solace – no cooldown, cast when you need it! (+), Mana gain vs raid dmg (-)

Both have their plus and minuses. Also keep in mind to get more mana then the mindbender with PW:Sol you will have to cast quite a few casts of PW:Solace to gane more mana then the mindbender. I think I have seen the # of casts to be around 5 a min.

Tier 4 – Priest Survival – opps I stood in bad!

Desperate Prayer – the good ol’ standard, never a bad choice – free instant heal on a 2 min CD.

Spectral Guise – Your shadow blurs into the darkness, leaving your true form behind. As a shadow you are stealthed, but remain in combat. Lasts 6 sec or until your true form is hit by 3 direct attacks. (sounds meh)

Angelic Bulwark – Anytime a damaging attack brings you below 30% health, you gain an absorption shield equal to 20% of your total health lasting for 20 sec. This effect cannot occur more than once every 90 sec.

I would have to say….for PVE – clear choice is Desperate Prayer once again. The guise has a more PVP feel, and the Angelic Bulwark may work in a few fights here and there but really if you know dmg is incoming, you should be preparing oneself, you are a disc priest!

Tier 5 – Healing Helpers!

Twist of Fate -After damaging or healing a target below 20% health, you deal 15% increased damage and healing for 10 sec.

Power Infusion – 20% casting speed increase, and a 20% cost in mana reduction. 2 min CD, lasts 20 seconds.

Divine Insight – (Discipline) When you cast Penance, there is a 40% chance your next Power Word: Shield will both ignore and not cause the Weakened Soul effect. (BTW the holy version of this talent looks a lot more interesting!)

 As Disc…there should be only one talent here to choose – Power Infusion! Twist of fate….eh, not sure might be good in certain situations. Divine Insight – seems better for holy and shadow.

Tier 6 – OMG Shiny new spells!

Here I am going to refer to Tales of a Priest – very good read and lots of good stuff for priests!

Also Spirit Shield (baseline for disc priests) –

For the next 15 sec, your Heal, Flash Heal, Greater Heal, and Prayer of Healing no longer heal but instead create absorption shields that last 15 sec

 Looks very powerful – you know some dmg is coming up. Pop and bubble away!

But other then that lets see how much of the patch breaks my UI! Hopefully, in SR, we will have the manpower to get a raid going on Tues and Wed to test out the new changes!

I for one have a lot of worries about the inital healing when MoP hits, all healers are going to have to get used to the “fixed” mana pool.