Overview
The Priest keeps its three trees, with deep changes. Every race gets two spells reserved for Priests, one at level 10 and the other at level 20, each unlocked by a quest. All Priests learn 
Fear Ward at level 20, and 
Devouring Plague becomes a baseline spell with a one-minute cooldown that heals you for the damage dealt. 
Shadow Word: Death arrives at level 32.
Divine Spirit is learned from the trainer at level 30, and its last ranks last one hour, like 
Power Word: Fortitude. 
Meditation lets 50% of your Spirit regeneration continue while casting. The five-second rule stays in place: your wand does not reset it.
Up to level 20, all three specs play the same way: 
Smite or 
Holy Fire, 
Mind Blast, 
Shadow Word: Pain and your wand. All of them can heal or deal damage in the first dungeons. Gnomes can now play Priests.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Racial spellsTwo Priest spells for every race, at levels 10 and 20.
- For every PriestFear Ward and Devouring Plague, whatever your race.
- Meditation50% of your mana regeneration while casting.
Weaknesses
- Five-second ruleIt still applies.
- FragileCloth and little health against physical damage.
Roles
Discipline and Holy heal: at level 20 in the beta, both sit in A tier among healers. Shadow plays DPS, in B tier.
The three specializations
Discipline. A tree rebuilt around absorbs, with 
Penance and 
Divine Aegis. Almost impossible to kill solo. Discipline guide
Holy. The classic raid healer, with 
Binding Heal and 
Prayer of Mending for damage spread over several players. Holy guide
Shadow. A real raid DPS: 
Shadow Weaving now only strengthens your own damage, and 
Shadowform was revised. Shadow guide
Key spells and talents
Recommended races
- AllianceGnome, Night Elf, Human, Dwarf. The Gnome starts as the favorite, with Eureka!,
Contingency Plan and 
Confounding Flash. The Human’s 
Divine Grace is a strong heal that removes Weakened Soul. - HordeUndead, then Troll. The Undead has Cannibalize, which restores health and mana, and
Dark Sacrifice for mana in combat.
Racial spells: Human, Divine Grace and 
Feedback; Dwarf, 
Desperate Prayer and 
Chastise, which roots a humanoid; Night Elf, 
Starshards and 
Elune's Grace; Gnome, Confounding Flash and Contingency Plan; Undead, 
Touch of Weakness and Dark Sacrifice; Troll, 
Hex of Weakness and 
Shadowguard.
Recommended professions
Enchanting makes wands at levels 1, 5 and 13, which carry your damage while leveling, on top of enchantments. Tailoring provides cloth pieces that are often better than quest rewards. The value of professions at max level is still to be confirmed.
What is new compared to Classic
- New spellsShadow Word: Death (level 32), the racial spells of Gnomes, Humans, Dwarves and Undead, and the talents Penance, Binding Heal and Prayer of Mending.
- Fear Ward for everyone at level 203 min duration and cooldown.
- Devouring Plague for everyone, one-minute cooldown.
- Divine Spirit from the trainer at level 30.
- 50% instead of 15%.
