I dunno how you folks are talking about playing Disc Priest and rarely casting Smite.
Smite might not be Uber powerful as a single cast but it’s strength lies in its ability to be endlessly spammed like a maniac.
I’m literally Smiting with every single open global I have.
I’m not saying Smite is more important to cast than other spells, or more important than using utility, as needed; I’m just saying that in between every action I need to take, Smite is forever being spammed to heaven and hell and back.
Smite is like the Pistons in your Disc Motor and should constantly be firing off.
Edit: Not to mention Smite damage and healing via Atonment really add up.
Yeah disc is definitely the weakest mythic + healer. MW actually has strong on demand heals and way more tools to deal with mobs than people think, they just don’t play mw enough to know that. Disc’s mana issues are similar to MW but for mythic + honestly as long as you understand being in melee I actually think MW might be easier. Prideful is a joke with Chi-Ji or Yu-Lon. Disc’s on demand heals need help imo.
Atonement healing in BFA was actually useful and helped heal your group. Disc’s dmg is not very high this expac and atonement transfer is low. 9.1 has Hpally and Rshammy beating everyone else in DPS. Disc is weak in mythic + bc of SS – sadly. It is so weird to see a spec weakened in mythic + bc of raid tools.
I remember first seeing SS coming back. I literally face-palmed and almost gave up the idea of playing my Priest.
Overall, I’m glad I stuck with it. I’ve had a lot of fun and after finally buckling down a few weeks ago and focusing, I got KSM yesterday on Disc.
My problem this first season has been playing so many different characters!
Somebody save me.
But, really, I can’t give up Disc, it’s too much fun for me and I think that it’s only problem in Mythic plus is Smite being too weak.
I’d like to see Smite damage buffed rather than Atonment adjusted. And like a good bit too, I’d like to see Smite damage increased by 10%-15%.
I guess they could buff the dot instead but it would make Smite feel better if you seen a little damage and healing from it hah.
Edit: and yeah Mistweaver has killer healing throughout. They also have mana issues. They’re also in a similar spot of likely needing that damage buffed. And maybe give Revival the Tranq treatment and make it do more in 5 man.
Interesting. When looking at my logs, which is only occasionally, smite is one of my most frequently cast spells. Note that this may not be representative though, as I have not checked often.
I think it depends on your group damage though. I rely on Smite a lot when the mobs and bosses are not going down fast–as in higher keys on fortified weeks, but honestly it is really only a filler or a spell I cast more often instead of Mind Blast when needing to conserve mana. I don’t think casting things like shields as filler is a good idea, to be honest, but doubt anyone would do such a thing.
As for defensive things like dispels, doing those asap is the best way to go unless others can dispel themselves, and when a few are needed, such as at PF and TOP. When it comes to knockbacks and screams, if they move mobs out of range of melee attacks and you are melee heavy, hmmm…
And one more thing: I think it depends on your use of Mind Seer as well. That spell is fantastic and especially when there are multiple mobs and the healing is not especially heavy and/or the tank is a skilled and geared one.
Here is a random example taken from my main healer in March. The key was a 15 HOA and the affixes were Tyrannical, Inspiring, Necrotic, and Prideful. This is in terms of casts:
Smite 153
Purge the Wicked 83
Solace 44
Mind Blast 40
Schism 36
Mind Seer 20
Holy Nova 16
Power Word Shield 194
Shadow Mend 93
Radiance 41
Defensive Penance 22
And here is more data from a 15 NW healed in May. The affixes were Tyrannical, Raging, Explosive and Prideful.
Purge the Wicked 133
Smite 125
Penance (offensive) 78
Solace 60
Schism 46
Mind Blast 42
Mind Games 28
Mind Seer 20
Pretty much this. If your not applying direct atonements or shadow mends then smite baby smite.
Venthyr is easy. Kyrian adds some complexity to your rotation. In keys its pretty simple and a nice way to hit 5k dps on a trash pack, in a raid using with evang or SS is where it gets trickier depending on what rotation you listen to. If set up right 400k plus SS.
It’s not only if you don’t have atonement up. I mean, you can put a shield on the tank–which I do all the time. And then you can do your damage rotation–which will include Smite when everything else is on cd. And you can also just cast Mind Games, Solace and/or Smite and/or your pet wiith the same–a shield on the tank–and you will actually gain mana while healing.
There is no need to ever be economical with your Smite as a filler. It may not do a lot of damage or healing, but it uses very little mana, if any.
They should have a debuff you put on a mob that enables holy damage taken to release a shower of light, healing nearby allies for 10% of the damage done. Something like that maybe would be good for disc since you guys love to smite.
Only wish I have for Disc is that they would revert us back to before the introduction of SS, for the most part, but keep Mind Seer, I like Mind Seer, also revert the Schism nerf, that was uncalled for
One cast of smite? I don’t know how that is possible.
A lot depends on what you have off cd though. And your mana situation. I cast a lot of smite when I expect I will go oom. In better groups though, I cast a ton of Mind Sear–and am always looking to cast it whenever possible. Also, if the group is a high damage group, and the mobs go down fast, you will naturally cast a lot less smite.
I cast it mainly as filler, and when there is nothing of higher damage available, and to conserve mana. But I pug a ton, and a lot of pug groups are really challenged with interrupts, avoiding fire and other such avoidable damage. Also, a lot of tanks do horribly silly pulls that mean I have to spam shadow mend. That triage spamming means you will have to do everything you can to conserve mana–which means smite like there’s no tomorrow, even when you other spells are off cd.
