Free WoW Strategies: Playing priests right

Priest is honestly not a hard class to play if you know how to play it right.

This isnt a guide to go out and kill Onyxia solo, this is for the average fight you encounter wherever, knowing how to start a fight properly, and knowing how to react to a sudden attack.

This really only applies to Soloing.

I. Starting a fight: This is for the times when you see a mob and have time to set up an attack.

1.Preparation
a. First thing you do is make sure all of your buffs are in order, Power Word: Fortitude, Inner Fire, Etc.
b. Pop on Power Word: Shield. Alot of people make the mistake of putting on PW:S after youve already hit the mob with your pulling spell..this is WRONG...so dont do it. Instead, turn on PW:S and wait until you have about 15 seconds left on it before attacking. Most mobs take down your shield within 15 to 20 seconds, this way your mana will have time to recharge plus, by the time the mob takes down your shield, you'll be ready to pop on another one.

2. The Actual fight (first blow to last)
a. Many people start the fight with Mind Blast because it does the most damage and takes the longest to recharge, wrong. dont do it. Start the fight off with Smite...Yes you heard me, Smite. Nobody mentions smite in their guides because it takes FOREVER to cast. This is why you cast it in the beginning. The mob will then start rushing towards you. You want your second attack to be Mind Blast because you can cast it in the amount of time it takes the mob to get to you. From there you want to hit the mob with Shadow Word: Pain and start the DOT process. (If youre in a group, or taking damage at any point in the fight, cast Vampyric Embrace to get some health back)
b. So far your attacks should be (IN ORDER)
Smite
Mind Blast
Shadow Word: Pain
c. For the rest of the fight you want to cast in this order.
Mind Flay
Mind Flay
Mind Blast
Repeat.
And apply SW: Pain or PW:S again when necessary


II. Sudden attacks
1. Alot of the time youre going to get attacked by mobs that just spawned or ones that you didnt see. The outcome of this fight is dependant on reaction time...so the biggest tip is this. KNOW YOUR HOTKEYS. Quick reaction time can save you from certain death.
a. First things first, pop on Power Word: Shield. This thing should give you enough time to get the next couple of spells in.
b. Vampyric embrace, dont bother with Renew, Minor Heal, Flash Heal, or Heal, These take too long to cast and take up way too much mana. Rather regain health as youre attacking, your DOTs should bring you the amount of health that you need.
c. Shadow Word: Pain to start the DOT process.
d. From there just follow the steps in section 2 based on a normal fight.
Mind Blast
Mind Flay
Mind Flay
Mind Blast
Repeat.
And apply SW: Pain or PW:S again when necessary


This is really more of a guide to soloing than a group guide, its also entirely dependent on you being a shadow build.

PS: You cant cast Smite while in Shadow Form. Take that into account.