WowCampyour camp in WoW Forever
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Priest

A shield, a wand, and endless requests to heal

Priests keep their party alive with shields and healing, while Shadow burns enemies down before they reach them. They are fragile and have few escapes, but every group wants one. In WoW Forever, this is still the Priest of 2004, with new talents and racial abilities. While leveling, a wand still provides almost half your damage.

HealerCaster

Priest PvP

Level 60 builds with every talent explained, combos and a plan for every matchup, duels, battlegrounds and world PvP.

PvP · Priest55 min read · builds and every matchupOpen guide

Start leveling

Step-by-step routes: where to go, which quests to pick up, when to enter dungeons, talents and addons.

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Level 1–30 routes · quests, gear and talents · guides in Russian

Between Light and Shadow

Every party has someone everyone turns to when the tank's health falls, and that someone is you. The Light gives Priests shields and healing; Shadow provides damage and power over other minds. In return, they wear cloth. Priests are fragile, have few escapes, and feel vulnerable without a tank or someone else's crowd control.

Every race has its own faith: Humans serve the Church of the Holy Light, Night Elves worship Elune, and Trolls speak to the loa. Many Forsaken Priests decided their old faith had failed them and followed Natalie Seline, who teaches balance between Light and Shadow. Apprentices of their Cult of Forgotten Shadow prove themselves through deeds. The game makes that literal: at level 5 in Brill, you heal a Deathguard and cast Power Word: Fortitude on him before receiving your robe. Forever also lets Gnomes become Priests for the first time in a Classic setting.

Healing: shields, five seconds, and a cool head

Blizzard calls Priest the most versatile healer, with fast heals, healing over time, and unique shields. Power Word: Shield buys time: while it absorbs hits, you can safely cast Heal. It also leaves Weakened Soul on the target for 15 seconds, preventing another shield, so your first dungeon teaches you to plan ahead. When everything goes wrong, Flash Heal heals quickly but burns through mana.

Priest mana follows the five-second rule: spending mana stops Spirit-based regeneration for 5 seconds. Experienced healers begin casts early and cancel if the tank no longer needs them, because a canceled cast does not trigger that rule. Classic's warning against shielding Warrior tanks and starving their rage is outdated in Forever: rage from damage taken is now calculated before absorption.

Meditation allows half your mana regeneration to continue while casting instead of the old 15%. Renew can now crit, and two Priests can maintain it on the same target.

Shadow: pain that ticks for you

Shadow makes a Priest truly dangerous. Shadow Word: Pain deals damage while you do something else, Mind Blast adds a burst, Mind Flay keeps fleeing enemies close, and Devouring Plague heals you as well. English-speaking players call it 'melting faces'. One Hunter on Blizzard's forums admitted avoiding Shadow Priests in 2004. The same thread acknowledged the downside: you are terrifying for a minute, then your mana runs out.

Forever has redesigned Shadow. Devouring Plague is available to every race and, since October 15, has a 24-second cooldown. Vampiric Embrace no longer lasts the entire fight: it runs for 30 seconds and has a 30-second cooldown. If an affected enemy dies, it grants Spirit Tap even when someone else lands the killing blow, its main attraction in groups. Shadow Weaving now benefits only you, not your raid's Warlocks. At level 40, Shadowform grants 10% Shadow damage instead of the old 15%.

Testers are unhappy: a post arguing that Shadow lacks a group role earned 416 likes, and Blizzard itself acknowledges that its utility falls behind Warlock.

Leveling 1–30: wand, Spirit Tap, and water

The first Priest levels are slow, honestly: all you have is Smite, a staff for melee, and water. One early beta forum thread was called 'Priest leveling is painful': six spells per mob, with mana nearly empty after one kill. The first reply was simply: get a wand.

An Enchanter friend can make your wand, especially now that Forever's enchanting suppliers sell the materials. Otherwise, check the auction house. Lesser Magic Wand is usable from level 5. From then on, guides estimate that Shoot provides 40–50% of your damage, costs no mana, and is not interrupted by hits. Wand Specialization costs 2 talent points in Forever instead of 5, and Spirit Tap doubles Spirit for 15 seconds after a kill. Together, they make leveling manageable.

The sequence is simple: Shadow Word: Pain, preceded by Mind Blast against a tough mob, then wand until it dies. Cast Power Word: Shield beforehand or when the mob reaches you. Avoid spell finishers, which restart the five-second rule. Keep Power Word: Fortitude and Inner Fire active. Use Psychic Scream, learned at 14, only far from camps: feared mobs can bring friends.

With a friend, things change: shield and Renew on your partner, wand their target, and downtime falls noticeably.

Dungeons and raids: 'Can you heal?'

The first thing a party asks a Shadow Priest is whether they can heal. Healers are scarce on beta, and every tree can heal through level 30, although Shadow spends more mana doing it. Cast Power Word: Fortitude on everyone before entering; it now lasts a full hour. Pause for mana between packs. If healing pulls a mob off the tank, use Fade, which removes twice as much threat in Forever.

Small details make you a favorite healer. Dispel Magic at 18 removes the magical sleep cast by Druids of the Fang in Wailing Caverns. At 20 comes Fear Ward, the reason Classic Alliance raids brought Dwarf Priests to Magmadar and reapplied it to the tank after every fear. Everyone has it now, but both duration and cooldown are 3 minutes, so apply it just before the fear.

At 60, Priests have memorable jobs: in Classic Naxxramas, they control Instructor Razuvious's understudies with Mind Control and shackle Kel'Thuzad's guardians with Shackle Undead. Shackle no more than three, or Kel'Thuzad dispels all of them. How these encounters will work in Forever is still unknown.

PvP: fear, shields, and the Lumber Mill cliff

Classic Shadow Priests are among the most difficult one-on-one opponents, with shields, DoTs, healing from Shadow damage, and fear. Before 30, the key tool is Psychic Scream, fearing two enemies from 14 and three from 28. Mind Control arrives at 30.

Undead Priests in Forever have Touch of Weakness, which reduces the attack power of the first enemy to hit them in melee for 2 minutes. Apply it before every fight. Will of the Forsaken removes fear but grants no protection afterward, so use it after fear lands and let Fear Ward absorb the first one. On battlegrounds, stay near your flag carrier: shield and Renew them, then use Psychic Scream on pursuers.

A favorite Priest trick is Mind Control: control an opponent and walk them off the Lumber Mill cliff in Arathi Basin. Before October 8, Penance could decide duels. The author of 'The Penance Problem' calculated that it healed 45–72% of a Priest's health for about 5% mana. On October 8, channel scaling was corrected from three seconds to two; rank 1's mana cost rose by 50%, while healing at ranks 2 and 4 was separately increased.

What's new in Forever and what testers say

Trainer spells and their levels have changed little since 2004, but much else is different. Divine Spirit is now a regular spell at level 30, rather than a Classic talent, and Shadow Word: Death arrives at 32. New talents include Penance as Discipline's 21st point, Soul Warding as its 16th, and Binding Heal as Holy's 16th.

Many spells had their base values reduced by 10–50%, including Smite, Shadow Word: Pain, and Renew, while Power Word: Shield was barely changed. Spell power now contributes more, and periodic damage and healing, or DoTs and HoTs, can crit.

Testers disagree. Many complain about scarce mana before 40 and gameplay reduced to 'DoT and wand'; others say it was always like that and should be judged at 60. Those Priest threads have no blue replies yet, and beta runs until October 21–22, so numbers may still move.

Is this your class?

Choose Priest if you like being the player nobody starts without: your shield can save a life in half a second, while Shadow lets you decide whose day goes badly. Priests also have memorable tricks, including Psychic Scream into an enemy crowd and Mind Vision on the opposing flag carrier.

Know the downsides beforehand: cloth, few escapes, and a life of wands and water before 40. Groups expect you to heal even when you came to deal damage. If the party wipes, you are the first person they ask.

If you are already reaching for a shield, open the Undead Priest 1–30 leveling guide. It covers every step from Deathknell's crypt to Thousand Needles, including wands and class quests. Even with another race, its talents, wands, and mana advice still apply.

Since October 15, Devouring Plague has a 24-second cooldown, Shadow Word: Death 18 seconds, and Vampiric Embrace 30 seconds; Vampiric Embrace can no longer be resisted. Dark Inspiration in Shadow's fourth row grants you and your party 3/6/9/12/15% Spirit for 10 seconds after Mind Blast or a fully channeled Mind Flay. Wand shots require standing still for 0.5 seconds.

Priest races

Horde

UndeadTouch of Weakness, Dark Sacrifice (new), Will of the Forsaken, Cannibalize, Touch of the Grave (new)Will of the Forsaken removes fear, sleep, and charm, but does not protect against repeated control or remove Scatter Shot. Cannibalize helps you recover between fights. Touch of the Grave has a 30% proc chance and a 25-second internal cooldown; Shadow spell power does not increase it.
TrollHex of Weakness, Shadowguard, BerserkingHex of Weakness reduces enemy attack power and healing received by 20%. Shadowguard deals Shadow damage to attackers, no more than once every few seconds. Berserking now grants 10% casting haste for 10 seconds, compared with up to 30% at low health in Classic. Troll is the most common PvE recommendation.

Alliance

HumanDivine Grace (new), Feedback, The Human SpiritRuthless grants 2% critical strike chance regardless of weapon. Will to Survive removes stuns once every 3 minutes, and Perception helps spot stealthed enemies. Since the October 15 patch, there is no reason to choose a sword for the racial bonus.
DwarfDesperate Prayer, Chastise (new), StoneformStoneform removes bleeds, poisons, and diseases and reduces physical damage taken by 10% for 8 seconds. Earth Fury adds 2% critical damage and healing regardless of weapon: stronger crits, not higher critical chance. Big Game Hunter helps against beasts, and Find Treasure can now provide extra items from most chests.
Night ElfStarshards, Elune's GraceStarshards deals Arcane damage over 6 seconds and has a 30-second cooldown. Redesigned Elune's Grace halves enemies' chance to hit you with melee and ranged attacks for 15 seconds or until three misses, with a 5-minute cooldown. That is rare protection for a cloth-wearing Priest.
GnomeConfounding Flash, Contingency Plan (both new), Eureka!, Expansive Mind, Escape ArtistEscape Artist instantly removes slows and roots and grants 3 seconds of immunity to them. Eureka! now lasts 8 seconds without a three-charge limit: affected abilities cost 10% less and are 10% stronger. For Priests, it also affects Power Word: Shield. Expansive Mind increases your resource pool by 5%.

Leveling builds

Talents for levels 10–30, matching the beta cap. We will update these builds when leveling to 60 opens.

Shadow: wand and Spirit TaprecommendedDiscipline 2 · Shadow 19

Minimal downtime solo or in a duo: the wand deals damage, Spirit Tap restores mana, and Pain lasts longer. Almost the same setup appears on Mobalytics, Icy Veins, and Wowhead.

  1. 10–14Spirit Tap5/5
  2. 15–16Wand Specialization2/2
  3. 17–18Improved Shadow Word: Pain2/2
  4. 19–21Shadow Focus3/5
  5. 22Mind Flay1/1
  6. 23–24Improved Mind Flay2/2
  7. 25–26Shadow Reach2/2
  8. 27–29Shadow Weaving3/3
  9. 30Vampiric Embrace1/1
Why these talents

Strengths: Wand Specialization adds 25% wand damage for 2 points instead of 5 in Forever. Spirit Tap doubles Spirit for 15 seconds after a kill and allows half your mana regeneration while casting, greatly reducing drinking. Improved Shadow Word: Pain extends Pain to 24 seconds, useful when pulling two enemies.

Mind Flay at 22 slows fleeing enemies by 50%. At 23–24, Improved Mind Flay makes each successive tick 20% stronger than the previous one at 2/2. Rank 1 is still weaker than a wand, and the channel keeps you in place for all 3 seconds. At 28, train Mind Flay, rank 2, for 102 damage instead of 63. At 30, Vampiric Embrace grants Spirit Tap when an affected target dies, even without your killing blow.

Weaknesses: no Shadowform until 40, so most damage comes from the wand. In groups, Spirit Tap rarely triggers until you take Vampiric Embrace.

About level 30: Wowhead's tooltip requires level 30 for Vampiric Embrace, so the order places it there. If the game allows it earlier, take it at 27 and Shadow Weaving afterward.

With two points in wand talents, Shadowform arrives at 42 without a reset. To get it at 40, reset and put 31 points into Shadow.

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Meditation: less drinkingfor less drinkingDiscipline 16 · Shadow 5

16 points in Discipline for Meditation and 5 in Spirit Tap. A variant recommended by Icy Veins and Mobalytics.

  1. 10–14Spirit Tap5/5
  2. 15–16Wand Specialization2/2
  3. 17–19Twin Disciplines3/5
  4. 20–24Mental Strength5/5
  5. 25–27Meditation3/3
  6. 28–30Improved Power Word: Shield3/3
Why these talents

Meditation 3/3 retains 50% of Spirit-based mana regeneration while casting. This hybrid build completes all three points at 25–27.

Mental Strength increases Intellect, and Improved Power Word: Shield strengthens shields. Since the shield talent moved to the third row, fill the second row with Intellect first.

There is no Mind Flay here: finish fleeing enemies with Mind Blast. Pain lasts less time than in the main Shadow builds.

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Penance at 30: the party healerfor your group's healerDiscipline 21

Every point goes into Discipline: stronger shields, Meditation from 20, and Penance exactly at 30. For a regular group where you always heal.

  1. 10–11Wand Specialization2/2
  2. 12–14Twin Disciplines3/5
  3. 15–19Mental Strength5/5
  4. 20–22Meditation3/3
  5. 23–25Improved Power Word: Shield3/3
  6. 26Soul Warding1/1
  7. 27Inner Focus1/1
  8. 28–29Improved Inner Fire2/3
  9. 30Penance1/1
Why these talents

Wand Specialization helps wand leveling. If you do not yet have a wand, take three points in Twin Disciplines first, then two in the wand talent.

Complete Meditation at 20–22; Improved Power Word: Shield at 23–25 unlocks Soul Warding at 26. At 30, Penance can heal an ally or damage an enemy.

Without Spirit Tap, you need water more often before Meditation. Upgrading healing ranks matters for healing, not just talents.

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Shadow for PvP rulesetsif you are frequently gankedDiscipline 2 · Shadow 19

The same Shadow foundation, with stuns and fear every 26 seconds. Based on classic Priest PvP guides, with the order adapted to Forever's 21 points.

  1. 10–14Spirit Tap5/5
  2. 15–16Wand Specialization2/2
  3. 17–21Blackout5/5
  4. 22–23Improved Shadow Word: Pain2/2
  5. 24Mind Flay1/1
  6. 25–26Improved Psychic Scream2/2
  7. 27–28Shadow Reach2/2
  8. 29Improved Mind Blast1/5
  9. 30Vampiric Embrace1/1
Why these talents

Strengths: Blackout gives Shadow spells a 10% chance to stun for 3 seconds. Improved Psychic Scream reduces Psychic Scream to 26 seconds instead of 30. Unimproved Mind Flay slows by 50%; skip Improved Mind Flay to invest in control. At 30, Vampiric Embrace returns one fifth of your Shadow damage as health for 30 seconds.

Weaknesses: slower against mobs than the main Shadow build. Mind Flay arrives only at 24 and hits less hard, while random stuns can leave a mob beside you.

Best for: PvP rulesets and the route's contested zones: Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, and Stonetalon Mountains.

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Useful information

Priest: spells, wands, mana, and talentsWhat to train, how to fight, and how to avoid an empty mana bar through level 30

Killing a mob. Open at range with Shadow Word: Pain, then wand with Shoot until it dies. Against tough mobs, start with Mind Blast from level 10, then Pain. Use Power Word: Shield if the enemy will reach you: a tough mob, two enemies, or a wand that cannot kill fast enough. Hits push back casts, so use Smite and Heal under a shield; wand shots are not pushed back. Avoid spell finishers: spending mana stops regeneration for 5 seconds. Before getting a wand, usually before 10, open from range with Smite and finish in melee.

LevelSpellsCostTrain?
1Power Word: Fortitude10cYes
4Shadow Word: Pain, Lesser Heal (rank 2)1s eachYes - this rank is required for Garments of Darkness
6Power Word: Shield, Smite (rank 2)1s eachYes
8Renew, Fade2s eachYes
10Mind Blast, Shadow Word: Pain (rank 2), Lesser Heal (rank 3), Resurrection3s eachYes; Resurrection if playing with friends
10Touch of WeaknessquestYes - Touch of Weakness in Undercity
12Inner Fire, Power Word: Shield (rank 2), Power Word: Fortitude (rank 2)8s eachYes
14Psychic Scream, Renew (rank 2), Smite (rank 3), Cure Disease12s eachFear and Renew: yes; Smite only if you use it for damage
16Heal, Mind Blast (rank 2)16s eachYes
18Shadow Word: Pain (rank 3), Power Word: Shield (rank 3), Dispel Magic20s eachYes - Pain rank 3 is essential
20Devouring Plague, Fear Ward, Touch of Weakness (rank 2)3s, 3s, and 1s 50cYes - Plague and Fear Ward are now available to every Priest
20Flash Heal, Renew (rank 3), Inner Fire (rank 2)30s eachYes
20Holy Fire, Fade (rank 2), Mind Soothe, Shackle Undead30s eachCan wait; Fade rank 2 is useful in dungeons
20Dark SacrificequestYes - Dark Sacrifice in Orgrimmar or Devouring Plague in Undercity
22Mind Blast (rank 3), Heal (rank 2), Smite (rank 4), Resurrection (rank 2), Mind Vision40s eachMind Blast and Heal: yes; the rest are optional
24Power Word: Shield (rank 4), Power Word: Fortitude (rank 3), Holy Fire (rank 2), Mana Burn50s eachShield and Fortitude: yes; Mana Burn for PvP
26Shadow Word: Pain (rank 4), Renew (rank 4), Flash Heal (rank 2)60s eachYes - Pain rank 4
28Mind Blast (rank 4), Heal (rank 3), Psychic Scream (rank 2)80s eachYes
28Devouring Plague (rank 2), Mind Flay (rank 2)4s eachYes - Mind Flay rank 2, if talented, hits 60% harder
30Divine Spirit, Power Word: Shield (rank 5), Inner Fire (rank 3)1g eachYes - Divine Spirit is now available to everyone
30Dark Sacrifice (rank 2), Touch of Weakness (rank 3)1s 50c and 5sYes - Dark Sacrifice rank 2 consumes 720 health and restores 720 plus Spirit as mana
30Prayer of Healing, Mind Control, Shadow Protection, Smite (rank 5), Holy Fire (rank 3), Fade (rank 3)1g eachPrayer of Healing if you heal; the rest can wait

Prices follow Wowhead Forever's beta trainer list. Everything through level 20 costs around 4 gold; 22–30 costs another 17, including 9 at 30. Skip spells that can wait to save several gold. Keep saving: riding training at 40 costs 100 gold, though the first mount itself is free.

WandsBefore 30, the wand provides almost half your damage
  • 5–13: Lesser Magic Wand, 11 damage per second, from Enchanting 10, the auction house, or a friend. Otherwise, Riptear's Spare Arm from the elite Rear Guard Patrol quest (step).
  • 13–26: Greater Magic Wand, 17.5 DPS, from Enchanting 70 or an Enchanter friend. Alternatives: Flaring Baton, 13.7, from Escape; Wand of Decay, 15.7, from Beren's Peril; Sizzle Stick, 17.7, from Wailing Caverns.
  • Vendors Zane Bradford in Undercity and Katis in Orgrimmar sell Smoldering Wand, level 15 and 13.4 DPS, as a fallback; Dusk Wand, level 20 and 17.7, is at least as good as Greater Magic Wand, so buy it if no Enchanter is available; Combustible Wand, level 29 and 25.9, substitutes for a missing Gravestone Scepter.
  • 26: Lesser Mystic Wand, 25.4 DPS, if you have an Enchanter. 28–30: Gravestone Scepter, 29 DPS, from Blackfathom Villainy in Blackfathom Deeps.
  • New in Forever: enchanting suppliers sell wand materials - Thaddeus Webb in Undercity, Kithas in Orgrimmar, Lilly in Silverpine Forest, and Nata Dawnstrider in Thunder Bluff. Stock is limited; beta prices are around 7s–8s each.
Staves and gear along the waySpell power, Spirit, Intellect
Mana: less downtimeThe Priest's main concern before 40
  • The five-second rule: after spending mana, Spirit regeneration waits 5 seconds. Cast spells at the start, then wand.
  • Cannibalize on a humanoid or undead corpse restores up to 35% health and mana over 10 seconds, once every 2 minutes. The route provides plenty of corpses: Scarlet Crusaders, gnolls, Dalaran and Hillsbrad humans, and Syndicate enemies.
  • Dark Sacrifice, available at 20 once every 10 minutes, consumes 440 health over 15 seconds and restores 440 plus Spirit as mana; rank 2 at 30 raises the base to 720. It does not stop mana regeneration and cannot be canceled. Use it immediately after combat or before drinking with health to spare, and apply Renew to yourself.
  • Any innkeeper sells level-appropriate water: Ice Cold Milk from 5, Melon Juice from 15, and Sweet Nectar from 25. Drink below a third of your mana, not after every mob.
  • With Spirit Tap: a kill doubles Spirit for 15 seconds, guaranteed at 5/5, so pull the next mob immediately. Keep Divine Spirit on yourself from 30.
Class questsFor Undead Priests
  • 1: Hallowed Scroll - Shadow Priest Sarvis → Dark Cleric Duesten, Deathknell.
  • 5: In Favor of Darkness → Garments of Darkness. Cast Lesser Heal, specifically rank 2, on Deathguard Kel, then Power Word: Fortitude. Reward: Acolyte's Sacrificial Robes.
  • 10: Touch of Weakness - Aelthalyste, Undercity: Touch of Weakness.
  • 20: Dark Sacrifice from Ur'kyo in Orgrimmar, or Dark Sacrifice from Miles Welsh in Thunder Bluff, or Devouring Plague from Aelthalyste herself → Dark Sacrifice.
  • Forever has no new Priest quests at 1–30.
Talents 10–304 builds with talent trees and level-by-level orders
Staying aliveCombinations that save you
  • Shield when a mob is already coming toward you, not for every enemy. It leaves Weakened Soul for 15 seconds, preventing another shield.
  • Against two enemies, Pain both, shield, and wand one down. Against three, use Psychic Scream from 14, but only if no other mobs are nearby: feared enemies bring friends.
  • After fearing, you can bandage without spending mana.
  • Will of the Forsaken removes fear but grants no protection afterward. Use it once fear lands.
  • Before a difficult mob, have Power Word: Fortitude, Inner Fire, a shield, and full mana. Refresh buffs while traveling.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Dungeons: what to collect beforehandQuests collected far from the entrance and how to heal your party
Priest in a party: how to heal
  • Any build can heal dungeons through 30. With Meditation, in the Meditation and Penance builds, mana lasts noticeably longer.
  • Bring a stack of level-appropriate water. Ask for mana breaks between packs; do not push on with only a third of your mana.
  • Shields on Warriors and Bear Druids do not reduce rage from incoming hits: this was fixed on October 8. Apply one before expected heavy damage or to buy time for a heal.
  • Apply Renew to the tank beforehand, then use Heal from 16. Save Flash Heal from 20 for emergencies because it is expensive. If nobody needs healing, wand.
  • If a mob attacks you, use Fade. Blizzard's article says it removes twice as much threat in Forever, although the tooltip is still old. Threat returns after 10 seconds, giving the tank time to pick the mob up. Use Psychic Scream in dungeons only to prevent a wipe: fleeing enemies pull nearby packs.
  • Dispel Magic from 18 removes magical sleep, roots, and slows from allies. Remove diseases with Cure Disease. Priests cannot remove curses or poisons.
  • Cast Fear Ward from 20 on the tank before a boss that fears. It lasts 3 minutes.
  • With Vampiric Embrace, taken at 30 in both Shadow builds, an affected mob's death grants Spirit Tap even without your killing blow, while Shadow damage heals your party.
Ragefire Chasm13–18 · Orgrimmar, Cleft of Shadow
  • The Power to Destroy... - Varimathras, UndercitySecond Undercity visit: step
  • Hidden Enemies → Hidden Enemies - Thrall, OrgrimmarThe insignia drops from Burning Blade enemies in Skull Rock: step
  • Slaying the Beast - Neeru Fireblade, OrgrimmarAlso in the Cleft of Shadow

For Priests: the end of Hidden Enemies rewards Staff of Orgrimmar with 18 spell power; The Power to Destroy... rewards Ghastly Trousers. Tauren can collect two more quests in Thunder Bluff, and a third starts inside. Ask a Tauren friend to share them.

Wailing Caverns17–24 · The Barrens, oasis west of the Crossroads
  • Deviate Hides and Deviate Eradication - at the entranceImmediately before the run: step. Deviate Eradication rewards the Sizzle Stick wand
  • Smart Drinks - Mebok Mizzyrix, RatchetAfter Raptor Horns: step
  • Trouble at the Docks - Crane Operator Bigglefuzz, RatchetAny Ratchet visit from level 14
  • Serpentbloom - Apothecary Zamah, Thunder BluffFungal Spores → Apothecary Zamah chain; the delivery is timed: step
  • Leaders of the Fang - Nara Wildmane, Thunder BluffThe chain begins with The Forgotten Pools at the Crossroads. Reward: Crescent Staff

For healers: Druids of the Fang and Fanglords cast sleep; dispel it with Dispel Magic. Druids also heal themselves, so ask the group to kill them first.

Ruins of LordaeronNew · above Undercity · level 24 on this route
  • Rathmaul's Wrath - Deathguard Kristoff, the post near UndercityImmediately after the zeppelin: step. Reward: Gnarled Necromancer's Staff, the route's best staff
  • Justice of the Light - Morbin Lightbane, UndercityRoyal Quarter
  • A New Plague - Theodore Griffs, UndercityApothecarium
  • A Troubling Request - Tabitha Captiveheart, the SepulcherSilverpine Forest, before the run

Unending Torment and The Crest of Lordaeron start inside. The entrance is in the capital's ruins, immediately left after entering Lordaeron. For healers: fights are long and mana is the main concern. Bosses drop healer boots and leggings, according to Icy Veins.

Shadowfang Keep22–30 · Silverpine Forest · level 25 on this route

The three quests are estimated to award around 20 thousand experience in Forever, over half a level. For healers: there are many curses, which Priests cannot remove.

Blackfathom Deeps22–32 · Ashenvale, the Zoram Strand · level 29 on this route
  • Trouble in the Deeps - Tsunaman, Sun Rock RetreatRequired: without it, Allegiance to the Old Gods will not unlock
  • The Essence of Aku'Mai and Amongst the Ruins - Je'neu Sancrea, Zoram'garOn the day of the run
  • Blackfathom Villainy - Argent Guard Thaelrid, insideReward: Gravestone Scepter, the best wand through 30. Turn in at Thunder Bluff: step
  • Allegiance to the Old Gods and Baron Aquanis - start insideStarted by a Damp Note and Strange Water Globe, dropped by Baron Aquanis. Reward: Witch's Finger

For healers: Twilight Lord Kelris casts sleep. Remove it from the tank immediately with Dispel Magic.

Razorfen Kraul25–35 · southern Barrens · level 29 on this route
  • Willix the Importer - starts insideStep. Reward: Snake Hoop, with 5 Intellect
  • Blueleaf Tubers - Mebok Mizzyrix, RatchetOptional: accept in Ratchet while turning in eggs at 22; the route does not return to Ratchet later
Excavation Site: WetlandsNew · 26–31 · southern Wetlands · after 30
  • Changing Tastes - Borstan, OrgrimmarAt 27, if you plan to go. Reward: Satchel of Potions trinket
  • Dragonmaw Rumors → Breaking the Maw - Hammerfall → a Deathstalker agent in the WetlandsAt 30+, on the way through Arathi Highlands

There is no Horde flight point in the Wetlands: walk from Tarren Mill or Hammerfall across Thandol Span.

Scarlet Monastery30–40 · Tirisfal · after this guide
  • Test of Faith - Dorn Plainstalker, Thousand NeedlesAt 30: the start of the trials leading to the Monastery Library

The main quest Into The Scarlet Monastery is available from level 33.

This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Professions and travelWhat to choose, where to train, and what to gather through level 30
Craft your own wand
Where to train
  • Enchanting: Lavinia Crowe in Undercity and Godan in Orgrimmar.
  • Tailoring: Bowen Brisboise in Brill, Joseph Gregorian in Undercity, and Snang and Magar in Orgrimmar.
  • Herbalism: Martha Alliestar in Undercity; junior trainer Florence Nightshade in Deathknell.
  • Apprentice caps at 75. Journeyman requires skill 50, costs 5s, and caps at 150. Expert requires skill 125, costs 50s, and caps at 225.
How to learn for free
  • Marla's Last Wish at level 5 rewards a gathering manual of your choice: the profession immediately, plus 2 skill. A Priest needs it only if choosing gathering.
  • Junior trainers in Deathknell: Margaret Weaver for Skinning, Walter Mason for Mining, and Florence Nightshade for Herbalism, at 10c each.
Camping, new in Forever
  • Unlocked by The Great Outdoors from Eleanor Shackleton near Brill. Camping Basics: Cooking leads to William Picman, who teaches Cooking and campfires.
  • At profession skill 20, a Camping Basics quest awards a camping buff item. Sit near it to receive the buff.
  • For Priests: Tailoring's faction banner grants Spirit, but does not stack with Divine Spirit; Herbalism's incense candle grants Intellect; First Aid's medical kit grants Stamina.
  • Tier-two camping items require skill 140; their patterns drop in dungeons.
Cooking and First Aid
  • In Forever, cooked food also grants 5% bonus kill experience. Keep the buff active.
  • Elixir of Pain in Tarren Mill rewards a lion-meat recipe requiring Cooking 125.
  • First Aid is not a Priest's main priority, but bandages cost no mana and are useful while a mob runs in fear. Pand Stonebinder in Thunder Bluff teaches wool bandages at 22.
What to collect
  • Humanoids drop Linen Cloth at 1–20 and Wool Cloth at 20–30. Auction surplus.
  • Keep meat for Cooking; sell gray items at every stop.
  • New in Forever: Durotar Supply and Logistics has a camp near the Crossroads. Fill crates found in the world with materials and turn them in for currency. Beta reports say their rewards include cloth patterns.
Money
  • Do not train everything. The Priest section lists what can wait. Training at 30 costs around 9 gold.
  • Do not buy a vendor wand if a better quest or crafted one is available in 1–2 levels.
  • Keep around 10 gold by level 30: 9 goes to the trainer. Keep saving afterward; riding at 40 costs 100.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
What's new in ForeverOnly changes relevant to this route
What remains unchanged
  • No old level 1–30 zone quests have been removed. Their experience and the experience needed to level remain unchanged.
  • Ragefire Chasm, Wailing Caverns, Shadowfang Keep, Blackfathom Deeps, and Razorfen Kraul retain their levels and bosses. Mob experience is lower and quest experience higher.
  • There are no new Horde flight points, zeppelins, or ships for levels 1–30. Hearthstone still has a one-hour cooldown.
  • Mounts still unlock at 40: the first mount is free, training costs 100 gold.
  • Priests retain the same training levels, the five-second rule, and wands as their main leveling damage.
Priest in Forever
  • Devouring Plague and Fear Ward are available to all Priests at 20; since October 15, Plague has a 24-second cooldown. Divine Spirit is a regular spell at 30.
  • New talents: Penance, requiring 21 Discipline points at exactly level 30, and Soul Warding. Vampiric Embrace moved to Shadow's 16th point, but its tooltip says 'Requires level 30'. Shadowform remains level 40.
  • Wand Specialization grants 25% for 2 points; Meditation allows 50% regeneration while casting.
  • Base spell damage is 10–50% lower, but spell-power coefficients are higher and gear provides more of it. DoTs and HoTs can crit.
  • Since September 24, wands no longer gain damage from spell power. Reset talents at a Priest trainer in a capital.
New quests at 1–20
  • Tirisfal: A Light in the Darkness, Seeking Adventure, Patience, Punishment, Sticks and Bones (a bag!), The Great Outdoors, Seeking Shelter, Coffinweed, Hides for the Forsaken, The Argent Dawn Emissary, The Cult of the Damned, Remnants of War, and the elite Rear Guard Patrol. In the northwest: Shadowglen Green Elixir, As Above, So Below, The Last Shard, and A Righteous Cause.
  • Silverpine Forest: Prove Your Worth now starts at level 12; Wild Hearts requires 3 hearts instead of 6; new quests include Wild Eyes, Back to Quinn (Again), and Arugal's Folly.
  • The Barrens: Spare Parts, Wrang's chain beginning with Wounded Pride and Lion Hides, Her Name Is Olgra, and the elite WANTED: Bruuz.
New quests at 20–30
  • The Barrens: elite Chol'aruk the Vulture with triple experience, False Accusation, Cleared Name, and Field Cleanup.
  • Silverpine Forest: Watching the Roads, Stop the Infestation, and the chain near Beren's Peril.
  • Hillsbrad: Helping the Scouts → Valuable Positions.
  • Ashenvale: Never Coming Back → A Void Path; Stonetalon Mountains: Bloodfury Trinkets.
  • Quests for the new Ruins of Lordaeron and Excavation Site: Wetlands dungeons.
New dungeons
  • Ruins of Lordaeron, above Undercity, has 6 bosses that can be tackled in any order. This route visits at 24.
  • Excavation Site: Wetlands, levels 26–31, is outdoors in southern Wetlands. The Horde lead-in begins in Hammerfall.
  • Dalaran City is not yet open in beta; all Horde access steps require level 30.
Undead racial abilities
  • Will of the Forsaken removes fear, sleep, and charm, without 5 seconds of protection afterward. Use it once fear lands.
  • Cannibalize also restores mana, up to 35% over 10 seconds. New: Touch of the Grave lets spells and attacks sometimes drain health.
  • Undead Priests get Touch of Weakness at 10 and the new Dark Sacrifice at 20. The latter replaces racial Plague, which is now available to all Priests.
  • Shadow Resistance appears to have been removed; this needs in-game verification.
PvP and rulesets
  • Choose a ruleset: Normal makes PvP optional through /pvp; PvP automatically flags you in contested and hostile zones and limits the account to one faction; Roleplay uses Normal rules. Hardcore comes after launch.
  • Horde territory on the route: Tirisfal, Silverpine Forest, and the Barrens. Contested: Stonetalon Mountains, Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, and Thousand Needles.
  • Battlegrounds: Warsong Gulch from 10, Arathi Basin from 20, the new 15v15 Darkspear Islands from 30, and Alterac Valley from 51, with ten-level brackets. Testers report that only the level-30 battleground is open in beta.
  • World PvP kills also award Honor. PvP sets begin at 55, so you need not plan around them before 30.
  • Healing or shielding a PvP-flagged player flags you too, as before, including on Normal rulesets.
Experience and convenience
  • Cooked food grants 5% bonus kill experience. Camping buffs, tents, and sleeping bags are available.
  • Dungeon quests award 2–3 times the experience of regular quests.
  • There is no automatic dungeon finder, only a noticeboard. Meeting stones do not summon.
  • Mobs respawn faster in Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, and Thousand Needles.
  • The Legacy System unlocks account-wide bonuses when your first character reaches 25.
  • Books found worldwide can be turned in to the librarian in Undercity's Magic Quarter for experience and rewards.
  • If your group plays in a particular language, choose it as your preferred language under Languages and Communication. You will be more likely to share a world with players speaking that language.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
Tips and common mistakesMoney, Hearthstone, and dangerous mobs
LevelWhat you needCost
4–8Pain, Lesser Heal 2, Shield, Smite 2, Renew, FadeAbout 8 silver
10–12Mind Blast, Pain 2, Inner Fire, Shield 2, Fortitude 2, plus a wandAbout 36 silver and a wand - your first money shortage
14–16Psychic Scream, Renew 2, Heal, Mind Blast 2, staff skillAbout 90 silver
18–20Pain 3, Shield 3, Dispel Magic, Plague, Fear Ward, Flash Heal, and moreAbout 2.8 gold
22–26Mind Blast 3, Heal 2, Shield 4, Fortitude 3, Pain 4, Renew 4About 5.8 gold
28–30Mind Blast 4, Heal 3, Divine Spirit, Shield 5, Inner Fire 3, and moreAbout 11.6 gold
40Riding100 gold - start saving early
Hearthstone
  • 6: Brill. 10: Undercity. 15: the Crossroads.
  • 22.5: Undercity. 25: Tarren Mill. 28: Splintertree Post. 30: Freewind Post.
  • For short distances, death can provide a shortcut. It is free before 10; afterward it incurs Resurrection Sickness and 25% durability loss.
Dangerous mobs
  • Tirisfal: Maggot Eye (11), Riptear (elite 13).
  • Silverpine Forest: Son of Arugal (elite 24–25), Krethis Shadowspinner (15), Dalaran Scribe (21).
  • The Barrens: Barak Kodobane, Hezrul Bloodmark with guards, Chol'aruk (elite 20), and Swinegart Spearhide with fear.
  • Stonetalon Mountains: Besseleth (elite 21), Windshear Crag's rare elites, and Bloodfury Slayers.
  • Hillsbrad: field footmen, Blacksmith Verringtan, and Southshore, an Alliance town.
  • Ashenvale: Keeper Ordanus with guards, Eck'alom with a 15-second stun, and Sharptalon (31).
Common mistakes
  • Playing without a wand or keeping an outdated one: the main Priest mistake in every guide.
  • Finishing a mob with a spell, or applying Pain to a mob that will die before it finishes ticking.
  • Shielding for every mob and drinking after every fight while never using Cannibalize.
  • Using Psychic Scream near other mobs: feared enemies bring friends.
  • Selling Discolored Worg Hearts before the quest, or accepting hide and bone quests after already killing those mobs.
  • Missing quests: Delivery to Silverpine Forest in Brill, A Sample for Helbrim and The Power to Destroy... in Undercity. Taking the Stranglethorn zeppelin instead of Orgrimmar's.
  • Skipping Blackfathom Villainy in Blackfathom Deeps means missing the best wand through 30.
  • Accepting The Legacy of Cenarius only after leaving Ashenvale, where the next quest's target is located.
  • Collecting dungeon quests for later until your quest log is full.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →
AddonsWhat to install from CurseForge: only addons with a Forever version
For Priests
  • If you heal groups, install click-to-heal frames: HealBot Continued casts a spell on an ally when you click their frame, while Grid2 offers a compact alternative. Both have Forever files.
  • The familiar healer frames VuhDo and Cell do not yet have Forever releases, so do not search for them.
  • Details! or ThreatClassic2 from the list above shows dungeon threat. If a mob comes for you, use Fade.
This section in the leveling guide (Russian) →

Frequently asked questions

Is Priest beginner-friendly?

Yes, although learning group healing takes longer than dealing damage. Leveling is simple: Shadow Word: Pain, wand, and a shield if the mob reaches you. Managing mana and threat in groups is a separate skill, but good healers rarely struggle to find a party.

Which tree should I use before 30?

Most Forever guides recommend Shadow: 2 points in Wand Specialization, 5 in Spirit Tap, then Improved Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Flay, and Vampiric Embrace by 30. Our route does not yet have a wand at 10, so it takes Spirit Tap first and Wand Specialization at 15–16. For less drinking, there is a 13–16-point Discipline option for Meditation. A regular group healer can invest fully in Discipline for Penance at 30. Guides do not recommend Holy for leveling.

Do Priests really level with a wand until 40?

Yes. Guides estimate that wands provide 40–50% of leveling damage, while Shadowform arrives only at 40. Since September 24, wands no longer scale with spell power, so upgrading the wand itself on time matters most.

Where do I get a wand?

Enchanters make wands, so ask a friend or check the auction house. You can also learn Enchanting yourself: Forever's enchanting suppliers sell essences and dust. Lesser Magic Wand is usable at 5, Greater Magic Wand at 13, and at 28–30, Gravestone Scepter comes from a Blackfathom Deeps quest turned in at Thunder Bluff, requiring a group. Vendor wands are almost always worse.

Can a Shadow Priest heal dungeons?

Through level 30, yes: every tree has Renew, Heal, and shields; Shadow simply spends more mana. Healers are scarce on beta, so Shadow Priests are often asked to heal. Dual specialization unlocks only at 40 in Forever. Before then, changing talents costs money at a capital's Priest trainer.

Which race is best for Priest?

Horde guides most often put Undead first because Cannibalize now restores mana and Dark Sacrifice trades health for mana, although some recommend Troll for PvE. On Alliance, Gnome ranks highly, and Fear Ward is no longer a reason to choose Dwarf. Racial values are still changing on beta, so the ranking may shift before launch.

Is Priest good in PvP?

Classic Shadow Priests are difficult one-on-one opponents thanks to shields, DoTs, fear, and healing from damage. Healers excel beside battleground flag carriers. Before October 8, Penance carried many healer duels; it contributes noticeably less after the nerf. The class's main problems are mana and limited escapes.

What is the five-second rule?

Spending mana stops Spirit-based regeneration for 5 seconds, while mana-per-five regeneration from gear continues. Canceled casts do not trigger the rule, so cast your spells together at the start and finish with a wand. Forever retains the rule, but Meditation always allows half your regeneration while casting, and Spirit Tap does so for 15 seconds after a kill.

When do Priests get Shadowform?

At level 40, as Shadow's 31st point, just like Classic. The beta's cap of 30 prevents testing it. Forever's Shadowform grants 10% Shadow damage instead of 15%, halves Shadow spell costs, doubles their critical damage bonus, and still reduces physical damage taken by 15%. It blocks only healing; Classic blocked all Holy spells in the form.