Priest healing in WoW Forever: mastering the five second rule

How does the five-second rule work?

In Classic, the five-second rule pauses your Spirit-based mana regeneration after every spell that costs mana. It resumes five seconds after the last mana you spent. Spells that cost no mana, such as a free cast after a Clearcasting proc, don't trigger the pause, and mana per 5 seconds (MP5) from items is never affected. The priest talent Meditation lets up to 15 % of your regeneration continue while casting.

This is why a healer who spams small heals can run dry faster than one who waits and casts a big heal at the right moment: the first one never leaves the five seconds, the second one regenerates between casts.

Priests have a talent made for this. Meditation, in the Discipline tree, lets 5, 10 then 15 % of your mana regeneration continue while casting. On long fights, it adds up.

How do you spend less mana as a healing priest?

To spend less mana as a healing priest, avoid overhealing: it costs mana twice, the wasted heal and the lost regeneration. Cast Power Word: Shield before the damage, Renew on the tank before the pull, and cancel a slow heal if someone else already healed its target. A lower rank of Heal or Flash Heal costs less, if Forever keeps spell ranks like Classic.

• Shield before the damage, not after: Power Word: Shield prevents damage that would cost a bigger heal later.
• Renew on the tank before the pull: the heal over time works while you stay out of the five seconds.
• Cancel a slow heal when its target was already healed by someone else: move or press Escape before the cast ends, and no mana is spent.
• Lower ranks of a heal cost less mana: on a small injury, a lower rank of Heal or Flash Heal is enough, if Forever keeps spell ranks like Classic.
• Let the tank take a bit of damage: healing someone at 90 % is mostly overhealing.

When should you drink as a healer?

As a healing priest, drink between two pulls, even for a few seconds: drinking is the fastest way to get mana back, and it only works out of combat. If you're under half your mana, ask the group to wait. Drinking costs no mana, so it does not restart the five seconds.

Drinking is the fastest way to get mana back, and it only works out of combat. The right moment is between two pulls, even for a few seconds: ask the group to wait if you're under half your mana.

Should a healing priest stack Spirit or MP5?

As a healing priest, take Spirit while leveling, when you regenerate between monsters, and MP5 for long dungeon and raid fights. Spirit regeneration stops for five seconds after each spell that costs mana, except the Meditation share; MP5 (mana per 5 seconds) always works.

While leveling, Spirit is excellent: you fight, wait, and regenerate between monsters. In long dungeon or raid fights where you never stop casting, MP5 becomes more valuable.

Which mistakes should a healing priest avoid?

As a healing priest, avoid four classic mistakes: topping everyone up to full between pulls instead of drinking, spamming the fastest heal on everyone during a fight, forgetting Inner Fire and Power Word: Fortitude after a death, and healing in melee range of the boss, where area damage hits you too.

• Topping everyone up to full between pulls instead of drinking.
• Spamming the fastest heal on everyone during a fight.
• Forgetting Inner Fire and Power Word: Fortitude after a death.
• Healing in melee range of the boss, where area damage hits you too.