Healing in Cataclysm: Shammy and Priests

I have read all of the changes currently released from Blizzard for upcoming Cataclysm. They have released certain information on different classes and all classes will eventually be released. You can find it at MMO champion. The most exciting changes IMO are to the two healing classes released so far. As of recently I have been healing a ton in ten man, some in twenty five, but generally I like playing all roles in game. But healing seems to be the most exciting toons to level to me, so I am super excited to read upcoming changes to shamans and priest. I have healed on my shaman for awhile now, and although my priest is only level 65, I feel like I know enough about healing to know which spells to use, and which ones are going to be awesome at 80. Plus I have gotten some great priesty info and advice from JBell and Paulo in game. So what changes are going to be sooo amazing?


SHAMANS; What did I find interesting?


Healing Rain (level 83): An area-effect heal-over-time (HoT) spell that calls down rain in a selected area, healing all players within it. There is no limit to the number of players who can potentially be affected; however, there are diminishing returns when healing a large number of targets, much like the diminishing returns associated with AoE damage spells. This should give Restoration shaman another healing tool that improves their group-healing and heal-over-time capabilities. 2-second cast time. 30-yard range. 10-second duration. 10-second cooldown. 


So what does this mean for shamans and their chain heal? Giving shamans another aoe spell is great. I can already see all sorts of issues in 5 mans or ten mans with this ability. How often do people stand in the same place all grouped up nicely to receive my pretty rain healing? Maybe I can train the dps to run to the rain if they want heals. This spell is very interesting and I am super psyched about it. I love pretty spells, and as you can imagine this one will be soooo pretty!

Spirit Link will likely be worked back into deep Restoration in some form. The idea is that you will be able to link targets together so they share damage. When we had previously tried to implement Spirit Link, it was hard to balance and a little confusing. However, we really liked the concept -- and so did players -- so we are trying to bring it back.

This sounds complicated but pretty exciting. I will link the rogue to anyone else. I mean they die too much. This ability will challenge the shaman in coming up with wise ways to use it.

PRIESTS; What did I find interesting

Leap of Faith (level 85): Pull a party or raid member to your location. Leap of Faith (or "Life Grip") is intended to give priests a tool to help rescue fellow players who have pulled aggro, are being focused on in PvP, or just can't seem to get out of the fire in time. Instant. 30-yard range. 45-second cooldown. 

I am super excited! Tamarind is not happy with this change. But I find it to be very interesting. Sometimes people are stupid. I agree they should probably not be in the raid if they are dumb and don't move out of crap. But sometimes they can't move. They may be stunned, or sapped, or w/e the case may be. I have a dk and I love my death grib ability. When I druid or shaman heal I have sooo many times wanted to yank someone out of crap, even if they are being dumb. I'm not saying I want to re-enforce their bad behavior, but this puts me in control as a healer. This makes me be a better healer and raider to be able to grab people to me and infuse them with the light. I think this change is awesome, and I am excited to see if my priest becomes one of my raiding toons in Cataclycm. (I can't raid on all of them.) But priests are seeing an exciting new spell in which I can see an infinite amount of uses. It will be interesting to see how the other members of the priest community feel about this.

In General, healers will be faced with new challenges. Managing mana pools will be more difficult according to Blizzard. Everyone is getting a heal to be used as a go to and a little one plus a big one for situational use, with maybe the exception of druids. But I am all for healing in the upcoming xpac. I can't wait to read what is in store for druids! (No pally toon yet, so I will for sure be ignorant of those changes).