Priest Tank Livestream: https://www.twitch.tv/caperfin
Intro
Priest tanking is not officially recognized, this means a high amount of effort is needed to succeed. But succeeding means you rose above the challenges and any feat carries more weight and feeling of accomplishment. When experienced players priest tank and put in the effort, it shines tenfold. If you don’t feel up to the task, don’t bother. This guide primarily focuses at succeeding as a priest tank in a dungeon environment.
As the new kid on the block, sharing priest tank information with others is a great way for priests to flourish more into this role, I suggest joining the Priest Tank Discord: https://discord.gg/jq3mB7SDrj
This guide primarily focuses on improving a priest tank’s defensive potential, however, small remarks about improving threat can still be found. If some of the following actions in this guide can’t be done, don’t be sad. For some, only certain actions are feasible, proceed accordingly. I hope you like the guide, if you have any feedback or questions, feel free to let me know down below in the comment section.
Race
Undead is the go-to race because of Touch of Weakness, dealing consistent multi target threat, we’ll explore threat in detail, later on. Although, Undead is best for dungeons, keep in mind that an Alliance Dwarf is MASSIVELY ahead of any other race when RAID tanking but this guide will focus on dungeon tanking.
Professions
Engineering helps with single target/AoE threat: Big Bronze Bomb, it can redirect lost aggro: Target Dummy. While Tailoring provides the best feet slot: Extraplanar Spidersilk Boots, we’ll explore this item later on.
Talents/Runes
The Basic AoE dungeon talent setup (07/0/09): https://www.wowhead.com/classic/talent-calc/priest/500002--05013_156vh76vfa6rp If still gearing up, I suggest swapping to the rune “Shadow Word Death” and “Twisted Faith” on single target boss fights.
The Advanced Single Target setup (0/0/16): https://www.wowhead.com/classic/talent-calc/priest/--05005051_156vg76vfa6jn Advised for those with top tier gear. Be ready to momentarily swap to “Void Plague” and “Mind Sear” against large multi target mob packs.
Gear/Enchants
A good starter gear set is “of the Eagle” suffix items. The absolute best gear is mainly from the Blackfathom Deeps raid, notably Extraplanar Spidersilk Boots, which is used before pulling a mob(s). Lastly, I suggest slowly building a “Renew Snapshot” set to help with threat in high level dungeons, details about these sets is explained below and throughout the guide.
Newbie Starter Gear: https://sixtyupgrades.com/sod/set/c862P7EsQk8SJcj2WenaBd
BiS Dungeon Set: https://sixtyupgrades.com/sod/set/73L8faRvPmDYHzmm7mtkWv
BiS Renew Snapshot: https://sixtyupgrades.com/sod/set/jxjjDS7kWnJ7WuQkS8xg2e
Threat
Threat is increased in many ways, notably Mind Blast and Shadow Word Pain. Consumable items deal threat, ex: Minor Rejuvenation Potion based on half of the Health & Mana gained. Damaging buffs, ex: Thorns and items, ex: Big Bronze Bomb, deal threat equal to their damage. Your healing abilities, ex: Renew deals threat based on half of the healing dealt. Buff/debuff abilities, ex: Touch of Weakness deals threat equal to the level the ability is learned. Lastly, knowing the layout of a dungeon, moving faster/ahead of the group or properly marking mobs to establish a kill order all leads to an increase in threat.
Basic Rotation
PrePull: be sure Power Word Shield, Inner Fire, Touch of Weakness and Renew are active. Try to have YOUR own Renew active.
- If you always have an abundance of mana, also Renew a warlock and or melee class.
Single Target Pull: Cast MB, SWP and VP. (newbies can swap to the rune, Shadow Word Death and Twisted Faith)
Cycle: MB, SWD(if new), SWP, VP and Shoot.
Multi Target Pull: Mark the mob kill order, ToW, Renew on yourself, PWS, use Heavy Dynamite and quickly Mind Sear.
Cycle: SWP all mobs, while reapplying ToW.
- If Martyrdom triggers at any point, stop everything and Mind Sear otherwise keep pulling more mobs, while applying ToW and SWP. When survival becomes an issue cast Power Word Barrier and Mind Sear.
- If less than 3 mobs are pulled simply hard cast Mind Sear.
- DO NOT needlessly over threat, save mana, Shoot and tab target.
- Save Void Plague on a mob you lost aggro or a ranged mob(s).
NOTE: In lower level dungeons a PWS will nearly guarantee a full cast of Mind Sear, in higher level dungeons rarely.
Advanced Rotation
This is for well geared players using the Advanced Talent setup (0/0/16).
Single Target PrePull: Equip a set with large amounts of healing i.e. “Renew Snapshot” set, cast Renew + PWS after go back to normal gear.
Single Target Pull: MB, SWP, SWD and MF.
Cycle: MB, SWP, SWD, MF and Shoot. To guarantee a VERY needed Mind Blast, cast PWS first. If low mana but threat is sufficient, cast Shoot.
Multi Target PrePull: Equip a Renew Snapshot set, Renew + PWS and back to normal gear.
Multi Target Pull: Same as in Basic Rotation > Multi Target Pull.
- If aggro will be lost, cast PWB, then MS. Alternatively, can Target Dummy then MS.
Group Composition
Group composition can be out of your control but sometimes waiting an extra 4 seconds for a different class or choosing between a selection of classes will have an impact on your performance.
In order of priority/importance:
- Resto Shaman with the rune Earth Shield, otherwise a healing Priest w/Prayer of Mending rune. Lastly, a Resto Druid.
- Balance/Feral Druid for Thorns and Mark of the Wild.
- Warlock w/Imp is ideal, it’s worth mentioning at dung start.
- Elemental Shaman
- Enhancement Shaman
- DPS Warrior
- Mage for Arcane Intellect.
Macros
Stops all casting and begins Mind Sear, helps utilize every second of Mart or PWS:
/stopcasting /cast Mind Sear
Useful if many allies start taking damage:
/cast Power Word Barrier
/s Power Word Barrier used, stay in bubble please.
Useful if a warlock is present, said once at dungeon start:
/s Warlock Imp pet with Blood Pact/Fire Shield appreciated.
Addons
- Details: Shows the amount of threat done by you and allies.
- WeakAura addon and WA extension Classic AutoMarker:
https://wago.io/-4-XO5Mst - Item Rack: Helps to swap between Single Target, Multi Target and Renew/PWS set.
