I don’t think I’ve been this excited about anything game-related in a really long time.
Blizzcon brought tons of news concerning the new expansion and I think Legion will absolutely amazing! I can hardly wait!
We can all agree that Discipline and shields in general have been the thorn in all healers side ever since Mist of Pandaria, and all the way through Warlords of Draenor. Developers said they wanted to fix it, but that didn’t really happen – Did it?
Well, not until Legion that is.
Today the Legion Class preview for priests was released, and the hype is real! 
Discipline
Some priests pride themselves on pragmatism. They understand that light casts a shadow, that darkness is defined by light, and that true discipline stems from one’s ability to balance these opposing powers in services of a greater cause. While these priests possess many holy virtues to aid their allies, they also dabble in the dark arts to debilitate their enemies—always exercising immense discipline to keep themselves away from the brink of insanity. Many would say the ends justify the means; scriptures both virtuous and vile should be studied and understood to protect the congregation.
Gameplay
The power of absorption mechanics has created a 
gameplay issue for healers that we’re looking to address in Legion. Discipline Priests have been so effective in their role of preventing damage that it has sometimes left other healers yearning for an opportune time to throw out a clutch heal. To alleviate that issue, we’re tempering Discipline’s emphasis on shields in lieu of a reimaged Atonement mechanic.
Discipline Priests are now more clearly defined by their use of both Holy and Shadow magic, and that extends to how they function in combat. Sacrificing a portion of healing ability and having a reduced focus on absorption spells, they gain a significant contribution in damage. Still filling a healer role in group content, they aim to strike a balance between healing allies and damaging enemies in a unique gameplay style. Discipline Priests have strong cooldowns with Power Word: Barrier and Pain Suppression, along with Rapture,
a new cooldown that temporarily removes the cooldown of Power Word: Shield.
Here’s a basic look at the core defensive and offensive combat abilities for Discipline Priests:
- Atonement
- Passive
- Plea, Power Word: Shield, and Shadow Mend also apply Atonement to your target for 15 sec.
- When you deal spell damage, you instantly heal all targets affected by Atonement for 50% of the damage done.
- Developer comment: Healing is not split between Atonements—the more allies you have Atonement on, the more total healing that a damage spell will cause.
- Mastery: Absolution
- Increases the healing transferred through Atonement by 28% (with Mastery from typical gear).
- Defensive
- Plea
- 1.2% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant
- A quick, efficient plea to heal an ally for a minor amount.
- Shadow Mend
- 3.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
- Wrap an ally in shadows which heal them for a large amount, but at a price.
- The ally will take minor damage every 1 sec, until they have taken half that amount of total damage from all sources, or leave combat.
- Power Word: Shield
- 3.5% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant, 6 sec cooldown
- Shield an ally, absorbing a large amount of damage. Lasts 15 sec.
- While the shield holds, spellcasting will not be delayed by damage.
- Power Word: Radiance
- 7.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 2.5 sec cast
- A burst of light heals a friendly target and their 5 nearest allies for a moderate amount, and applies Atonement for 50% of its normal duration.
- Plea
- Offensive
- Smite
- 0.75% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
- Smite an enemy for moderate Holy damage.
- Mind Blast
- 3.0% Mana, 40 yd range, 1.5 sec cast
- Blast the target’s mind for strong Shadow damage.
- Penance
- 2.5% Mana, 40 yd range, Channeled, 9 sec cooldown
- Launches a volley of holy light at the target, causing huge Holy damage over 2 sec.
- Channelable while moving.
- Revelation
- Passive
- Your Smite and Mind Blast casts have a 30% chance to reset the cooldown on Penance.
- Shadow Word: Pain
- 2.0% Mana, 40 yd range, Instant
- A word of darkness that causes minor Shadow damage instantly, and an additional huge amount of Shadow damage over 18 sec.
- Smite
Additionally, to give you an idea of how some talents may build upon this, here’s an example of one of their Discipline-specific talents:
- Grace
- Passive
Increases your non-Atonement healing and absorption by 30% on targets with Atonement
In addition to all these delicious changes to Discipline there was also news concerning
general healing in Legion.
- Healers should always have something to do. In Legion when you are doing group PvE content you will notice that you can do a lot more damage than you could before when you choose to spend globals and resources on it. When you are overgearing the content, the damage you do in your spare time will go from close to meaningless (now) to being a useful contribution to the raid (in Legion).
- You should be able to level as a healer, so when you are playing solo you should be able to do substantial damage. Druids having Thorns again will help, things attacking you will take substantial damage.
Absorbs are a little bit less powerful, have longer cooldowns, and there are less of them in Legion. Paladins won’t be causing absorb shields anymore, as their mastery has changed. Discipline mastery has also changed.
And Last but not least, we will have our own Artifact as a weapon. And I think it looks pretty darn neat. And I cant tell you how happy I am that it is a staff and not a dagger/mace. (sorry shadow-priests)
Quick Facts
-
Each spec gets a unique weapon–36 weapons total. These are intended to be ultimate weapons for you, the hero.
-
Unique quests for each spec to reflect their flavor. Examples: Ret Paladins return to Broken Shore and fallen heroes to retrieve Ashbringer, Protection Warriors discover legend of Vry’kul King, Death Knights retrieve shards of Frostmourne from base of Icecrown.
-
Classes are less homogenzied and use different weapon types. For example, Frost Death Knights are solely Dual-Wield, Unholy Death Knights are Two-Handed.
-
No other weapons drop in Legion. No legendary weapon.
-
Artifacts increase in power through Artifact Power unlocking traits and Relics which can be socketed into weapon.
- Artifacts have model variations and color tints.
Light’s Wrath
Discipline Priests stand between the light and shadow—wielding both, they straddle the precipice between. For them, this balance must be carefully cultivated so that they might wield and control the power of the staff Light’s Wrath in battle.
Obsessed with cleansing undead from the world of Azeroth, the fanatical Scarlet Crusade tried to create a second Ashbringer in the form of a staff. However, a dreadlord who had infiltrated the order intervened, interrupting their efforts and triggering a violent magical explosion. The damaged staff’s power proved nearly uncontrollable. After several wielders tried and failed to use the staff safely, the elite magi of the Kirin Tor hid it away lest it unleash further deadly calamities.
I personally think these changes seem interesting and much needed. I really hope the developers makes something great out of this. I believe these changes could either be amazing or flunk if not balanced well enough. It sounds like the playstyle will be much more active and exciting, maybe a bit complicated to get a grasp of when you just read it. I really want to get my grabby paws on a beta-invite for Legion and try out the new Discipline spec.
I’m also very positive when it comes to the Artifact. I think it’s quite gorgeous, and with the option to change the color-tint of the different versions.. Waaaw, I can’t wait.
GAH, almost forgot!
The new transmogrification system for Legion is AMAZING. It’s all I ever wanted and more.
I’m so incredibly excited about this expansion that I can’t even put it into words.
I want it now, but at the same time I don’t want Blizz to rush it. I want perfection!
I cross my fingers I get to try the beta :3
/ Sakresse
More Bubbles 