The Ultimate Guide to Best-in-Slot Gear for Holy Priests

Introduction

Holy priests are powerful healers in World of Warcraft, capable of keeping allies alive and buffing their damage. To maximize their effectiveness, it's crucial to equip them with the best gear possible. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a detailed breakdown of the best-in-slot (BiS) gear for Holy priests in both PvE and PvP environments.

Stats and Priority

The primary stats for Holy priests are:

• Intellect: Increases spellpower and mana pool
• Spirit: Increases mana regeneration
• Haste: Reduces the cast time of spells
• Critical Strike: Increases the chance of spells dealing a critical hit
• Mastery: Increases the healing received from spells

The stat priority for Holy priests is as follows:

1. Intellect
2. Spirit
3. Haste
4. Critical Strike
5. Mastery

Phase 1 BiS PvE Gear

Head: Crown of Wrath (Naxxramas)
Neck: Pendant of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Shoulders: Valorous Spaulders of Conquest (Ulduar)
Back: Cloak of the Necropolis (Naxxramas)
Chest: Vestments of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Wrists: Bracers of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Hands: Gloves of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Waist: Girdle of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Legs: Legguards of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Feet: Boots of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Trinkets: Shadowmourne (Illidan Stormrage), Talisman of Resurgence (Arthas the Lich King)

Phase 2 BiS PvE Gear

Head: Crown of the Northrend Conqueror (The Frozen Throne)
Neck: Amulet of the Falling Sun (Malygos)
Shoulders: Valorous Spaulders of Conquest (Ulduar)
Back: Cloak of the Abyss (Malygos)
Chest: Embrace of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Wrists: Bracers of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Hands: Gloves of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Waist: Girdle of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Legs: Legguards of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Feet: Boots of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Trinkets: Shadowmourne (Illidan Stormrage), Talisman of Resurgence (Arthas the Lich King)

Phase 3 BiS PvE Gear

Head: Crown of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Neck: Amulet of the Fallen Conqueror (Lich King)
Shoulders: Valorous Spaulders of Conquest (Ulduar)
Back: Cloak of the Lich King (Arthas the Lich King)
Chest: Embrace of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Wrists: Bracers of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Hands: Gloves of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Waist: Girdle of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Legs: Legguards of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Feet: Boots of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Trinkets: Shadowmourne (Illidan Stormrage), Talisman of Resurgence (Arthas the Lich King)

Phase 4 BiS PvE Gear

Head: Crown of the Lich King (Arthas the Lich King)
Neck: Amulet of the Fallen Conqueror (Lich King)
Shoulders: Valorous Spaulders of Conquest (Ulduar)
Back: Cloak of the Lich King (Arthas the Lich King)
Chest: Embrace of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Wrists: Bracers of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Hands: Gloves of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Waist: Girdle of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Legs: Legguards of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Feet: Boots of the Ashen Verdict (Arthas the Lich King)
Trinkets: Shadowmourne (Illidan Stormrage), Talisman of Resurgence (Arthas the Lich King)

Phase 1 BiS PvP Gear

Head: Helm of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Neck: Necklace of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Shoulders: Spaulders of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Back: Cloak of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Chest: Chestguard of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Wrists: Bracers of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Hands: Gloves of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Waist: Belt of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Legs: Legguards of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Feet: Boots of the Arena Grand Master (Arena)
Trinkets: Badge of the Arena Grand Master (Arena), Resilience Medallion (Battlegrounds)

Phase 2 BiS PvP Gear

Head: Helm of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Neck: Necklace of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Shoulders: Spaulders of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Back: Cloak of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Chest: Chestguard of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Wrists: Bracers of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Hands: Gloves of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Waist: Belt of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Legs: Legguards of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Feet: Boots of the Arena Challenger (Arena)
Trinkets: Badge of the Arena Challenger (Arena), Resilience Medallion (Battlegrounds)

Phase 3 BiS PvP Gear

Head: Helm of the Arena Master (Arena)
Neck: Necklace of the Arena Master (Arena)
Shoulders: Spaulders of the Arena Master (Arena)
Back: Cloak of the Arena Master (Arena)
Chest: Chestguard of the Arena Master (Arena)
Wrists: Bracers of the Arena Master (Arena)
Hands: Gloves of the Arena Master (Arena)
Waist: Belt of the Arena Master (Arena)
Legs: Legguards of the Arena Master (Arena)
Feet: Boots of the Arena Master (Arena)
Trinkets: Badge of the Arena Master (Arena), Resilience Medallion (Battlegrounds)

Phase 4 BiS PvP Gear

Head: Helm of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Neck: Necklace of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Shoulders: Spaulders of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Back: Cloak of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Chest: Chestguard of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Wrists: Bracers of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Hands: Gloves of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Waist: Belt of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Legs: Legguards of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Feet: Boots of the Arena Champion (Arena)
Trinkets: Badge of the Arena Champion (Arena), Resilience Medallion (Battlegrounds)

Other Useful Items

• Engineering Goggles: Provides useful engineering bonuses, such as increased mana regeneration and cooldown reduction
• Drums of Battle: Grants a powerful raid-wide buff that increases attack power and spell power
• Enchantments and Gems: Choose enchants and gems that complement your stat priority

Enchantments

• Head: Arcanum of Torment
• Shoulder: Greater Inscription of the Crag
• Back: Greater Inscription of the Axe
• Chest: Powerful Stats
• Wrist: Superior Spirit
• Hands: Greater Assault
• Waist: Eternal Belt Buckle
• Legs: Nethercobra Leg Armor
• Feet: Nitro Boosts
• Weapon: Berserking

Gems

• Red: Runed Cardinal Ruby
• Blue: Purified Twilight Opal
• Yellow: Reckless Ametrine

Stories

Story 1:

A Holy priest named Anya joined a raiding guild for the first time. She had always been a casual player, but she was eager to experience the end-game content. During their first raid, Anya noticed that her healing was significantly weaker than the other priests. Frustrated, she decided to research the best gear for Holy priests. After weeks of grinding and saving gold, Anya finally acquired the majority of the BiS gear for her class. To her surprise, her healing output skyrocketed, and her guildmates were astonished by her improvement.

What We Learn:

• Equipping the best gear can dramatically enhance your healing performance.
• Researching and understanding the specific gear that is optimal for your class is crucial.

Story 2:

A PvP enthusiast named Ethan had been struggling to climb the arena ladder. He often found himself losing to opponents who seemed to have much better gear.

The Ultimate Guide to Best-in-Slot Gear for Holy Priests: A Comprehensive Analysis for Shadowlands

Greetings, fellow priests of the Light! In this extensive guide, we will delve into the intricacies of acquiring and equipping the most powerful gear for your Holy Priest, empowering you to become an indispensable healer in Shadowlands. From selecting the optimal armor pieces to enchanting them with maximum efficiency, we will cover every aspect of gear optimization.

The Importance of Best-in-Slot Gear

Best-in-Slot (BiS) gear refers to the highest-level equipment available for a specific class and specialization. For Holy Priests, BiS gear not only enhances their healing capabilities but also grants them additional versatility and survivability, allowing them to excel in both raids and Mythic+ dungeons.

Statistics for Holy Priests

When selecting and optimizing BiS gear, it is crucial to prioritize the following statistics:

• Intellect: Increases spell power and mana pool.
• Haste: Reduces the cast time and global cooldown of spells.
• Critical Strike: Increases the chance of heals and spells to critically strike, dealing additional healing.
• Versatility: Enhances all other stats, including healing and damage.
• Mastery (Echo of Light): Increases the healing power of Echo of Light and Flash Heal.

Armor Pieces

Head

• Hood of the Unseen Path (Mythic Nathria)
• Hood of Sanctified Scrutiny (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Hood of Unrepentant Souls (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Shoulders

• Mantle of Past Deeds (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Mantle of the Archon (Mythic Castle Nathria)
• Mantle of the Unseen Path (Mythic Nathria)

Chest

• Robe of Sepulchral Knowledge (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Robe of the Sanctified Scrutiny (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Robe of the Unseen Path (Mythic Nathria)

Legs

• Legwraps of the Unseen Path (Mythic Nathria)
• Legwraps of the Sanctified Scrutiny (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Legwraps of Chronic Agony (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Waist

• Cord of Sanctification (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Cord of the Unseen Path (Mythic Nathria)
• Cord of Swift Shadows (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Feet

• Footwraps of the Unseen Path (Mythic Nathria)
• Footwraps of the Sanctified Scrutiny (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Footwraps of the Chronic Agony (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Bracers

• Bracers of the Unseen Path (Mythic Nathria)
• Bracers of the Sanctified Scrutiny (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Bracers of Crimson Consecration (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Gloves

• Gloves of the Unseen Path (Mythic Nathria)
• Gloves of the Sanctified Scrutiny (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Gloves of Chronic Pain (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Trinkets

Major Trinkets

• Energy Matrix Decoder (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Unity (Legendary)
• Resonant Reservoir (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Minor Trinkets

• Inscrutable Quantum Device (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Cache of Acquired Knowledge (Mythic Nathria)
• Scale of the Earth-Warder (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Weapons

• Ny'alotha's Whispers (Mythic Ny'alotha, the Waking City)
• Caduceus of Salvation (Mythic Sanctum of Domination)
• Archimtiros' Harmonic Resonator (Mythic Castle Nathria)

Enchantments and Gems

Enchantments

• Intellect Enchant: Enchants a cloak, chest, or legs with intellect.
• Haste Enchant: Enchants a cloak, chest, or legs with haste.
• Versatility Enchant: Enchants weapon with versatility.

Gems

• Potent Intellect Gem: Gems that provide intellect.
• Potent Haste Gem: Gems that provide haste.
• Potent Versatility Gem: Gems that provide versatility.

Crafting

The Shadowlands expansion introduces a new crafting system that allows players to create their own gear. By utilizing Soulbinds, players can enhance their crafted items with additional stats and effects. For Holy Priests, the following Soulbinds are particularly useful:

• Eluvium Soulbind: Increases haste and intellect.
• Versatility Soulbind: Increases versatility and critical strike.
• Mastery Soulbind: Increases mastery and critical strike.

Tips for Acquiring BiS Gear

• Join a Raiding Guild: Raids are a primary source of BiS gear.
• Run Mythic+ Dungeons: Mythic+ dungeons offer high-level loot with a chance to drop BiS items.
• Complete Weekly Quests: Weekly quests reward Valor, which can be used to upgrade gear.
• Purchase Gear from Vendors: Vendors who sell BiS gear are available in the Shadowlands zones.

Effective Strategies for Holy Priests

Raid Healing

• Triaging: Prioritizing healing targets based on their urgency.
• Positioning: Staying close to the raid group to maximize healing coverage.
• Coordinated Cooldowns: Utilizing cooldowns like Holy Word: Serenity and Hymn of Vigil to mitigate raid damage.

Mythic+ Healing

• Interrupts: Using Power Word: Shield and Mass Dispel to interrupt enemy casts.
• Crowd Control: Utilizing Holy Nova and Binding Heal to control enemy mobs.
• Utility: Using Purge the Wicked to remove harmful buffs from enemies.

Step-by-Step Approach to Obtaining BiS Gear

1. Set a Goal: Determine which BiS items you want to acquire first.
2. Establish a Plan: Identify the activities that will likely yield the desired items.
3. Acquire Valor: Complete weekly quests and run Mythic+ dungeons to earn Valor.
4. Upgrade Gear: Use Valor to upgrade items to their maximum item level.
5. Optimize Enchantments and Gems: Enchant and gem your gear with the appropriate stats.
6. Refine Your Strategy: Review your performance and adjust your healing strategies as needed.

Pros and Cons of Being a Holy Priest

Pros

• Excellent Raid Healers: Holy Priests are renowned for their strong and consistent healing output.
• Versatile Healing: They can switch between single-target and group healing effectively.
• Utility Spells: Their toolkit includes Mass Dispel, Leap of Faith, and Mana Tide Totem, providing additional support to the raid or group.

Cons

• Mana Management: Holy Priests rely heavily on mana, which can be a limiting factor in prolonged encounters.
• Limited Mobility: They have limited mobility compared to other healing classes.
• Susceptible to Interrupts: Their long cast times can make them vulnerable to interrupts.

Conclusion

Equipping your Holy Priest with the best-in-slot gear will significantly enhance their healing capabilities and make them a highly sought-after healer for both raiding and Mythic+ content. By following the guidelines and strategies outlined in this guide, you can optimize your gear and become an invaluable asset to your group or raid. Remember to prioritize the core stats, focus on effective healing strategies, and continuously improve your gameplay to achieve your full potential as a Holy Priest in Shadowlands.