WoW Classic Tips & Tricks - Dungeon Healing

Hey dudes - Silvite Soltis here. And today I'm proud to be starting a bit of a mini-series...

Recently, a viewer over on my YouTube channel commented on my Healy Priest Tips & Tricks video, asking why I didn't make a guide for people who don't want to raid, but rather focus on dungeons as their meta. And so, after thinking a bit about it, I decided that yeah, I probably should.

So, here you go - some general tips and tricks for healing Classic dungeons! I hope you enjoy! If you do, add yourself to my mailing list below so that you don't miss any other guides, tips, or other content in the future. There's lots still to come, and I'm sure you don't want to miss out. But yeah, with that out of the way, let's get right into the guide:

Before Dungeon

Pre-Dungeon Tip #1 - Get and Set Up Proper Addons 

Get the Twitch App!

No matter what level you are when you decide to start healing dungeons, it's usually a good idea to pick up some of the standard addons that healers use before jumping in. These include, but are not limited to:
Decursive - Notifies you about debuffs you can remove and let's you remove them with just a click.
DeadlyBossMods - Gives useful warnings, notifications, and timers for boss encounters.
ThreatClassic2 - Tells threat levels on the current target, which is useful for knowing who might pull aggro.
Healbot Classic - Allows combinations of clicks to cast certain healing spells on your party.

After installing them, play around with them to get a feel for how they work, and check the settings via the in-game menu. All of these are widely used by healers as far as I'm aware, but personally I dislike the last one. So, instead of HealBot, you can...

Pre-Dungeon Tip #2 - Set Up Mouseover Macros (and update them regularly)

As I mentioned in my previous healing guide, I much prefer the use of mouseover macros to healing addons, as they allow me to simply use the standard party and raidframes. What's more, they're really easy to tweak once you get macros for all of your main spells set up, so it really makes maintenance easy - you never have to worry about errors or updates!

If you're not familiar, a mouseover macro is basically a macro that allows you to cast a spell on whatever your mouse cursor is hovering over. This means that you can allow your cursor to simply hover around the party frames and easily cast a spell on whoever is taking damage without actually targeting them. It might seem minor, but the tiniest bit of time saved from not having to click on them to target them first can mean the difference between life and death.

Here's the standard macro again - copy and paste it, and adjust for whatever spells you want to make macros for:

/cast [@mouseover,exists]Spell(Rank x)

Pre-Dungeon Tip #3 - Prioritize +Healing Gear 

Though primarily focused on endgame dungeoneering, healers should generally try to get as much +healing on their gear as possible before heading into dungeons. In the modern era of Classic WoW, fights don't last as long as they used to - especially when you have Tier 2 geared players smashing through Strat Live for Righteous Orbs and whatnot. As such, having lots of intellect or spirit doesn't really do a whole lot unless you're running with super low-level or badly geared players. So, while it's good to have a balance of stats and +healing in raiding, for dungeons you can pretty much go all-in with the 'of Healing' greens.

Pre-Dungeon Tip #4 - Take Enough Water and Mana Potions

Major Mana Potion

As a healer, you should always be prepared before heading to a dungeon. That means bringing 3-4 stacks of water and 5-10 mana potions to every dungeon run you do. Ideally, you won't need to use all of these, but it's good to be ready for anything.

Also, as a bonus tip, remember to open the non-trap crates if running Stratholme, as they often have mana potions and Morning Glory Dew for you to stock up on!

Pre-Dungeon Tip #5 - Set Up or Join the Ideal Group

This is arguably the most important tip for you to consider before heading into a dungeon. Keeping your role in mind, try to join or set up the ideal group. If you're a shaman healer, consider groups with an extra melee dps to make good use of Windfury and Chain Heal. If you're a druid, remember to have a priest, shaman, or paladin in party so that you have a rezzer. And no matter what healer you're playing, try to get a mage so that you have that sweet, sweet conjured water!

Look, if you're a holy paladin and you join a group with 3 paladins and a hunter, you can probably still clear any dungeon in classic - hell there was just a 40-shaman MC clear! However, it might take longer than you'd like, and you may end up wishing you'd joined the warrior, 3 mage spellcleave group instead.

In the Dungeon

Dungeon Tip #1 - Drink After Every Pack or Two 

Drinky Drinky!

Alright, so you're in the dungeon! One of the most important things that you should do, especially if you're a fresh healer, is to drink after every trash pack or two. Unless you're sitting close to full mana, you should always be prepared for a bad situation to arise in the next pack - a wandering patrol, a bad multishot, or fear into the next group.

This is the reason you'll want to make sure to have plenty of water in your bags before you start - whether from a mage, or a friendly vendor NPC.

Dungeon Tip #2 - Use Power Word: Shield or HoT Spells (If Possible)

Rejuvenation and Regrowth are great!

Next up is a pretty obvious one for most veteran healers, but if you're fresh to healing dungeons you might not be aware of the great utility of these types of spells. Power Word: Shield is a priest spell that absorbs incoming damage, and it can really be useful for preventing a big spike of damage on your tank. I cast this on the tank right before a boss fight if he has a decent amount of rage to build threat, but it can also be used to save your casters spamming AoE spells, or yourself.

HoT (Heal Over Time) spells such as Renew, Rejuvenation, and Regrowth are also great spells for smoothing out the damage your tank or dps is taking. These spells are great for pulsing damage on the whole party - like Baron Rivendare and Lord Alexi Barov in Stratholme Undead and Scholomance, respectively - but in general it's a good idea to keep them up on the tank at all times regardless.

However, NEVER put HoTs up on the tank right before a boss fight though! If he or she has an unlucky streak of misses or taunt resists, you'll definitely pull aggro, which all too often will result in a horrible horrible wipe.

And that leads me to my next tip...

Dungeon Tip #3 - Dump Aggro Often (If Possible)

I mentioned this in a previous guide, but it's worth repeating - keep fade (or bubble, if you're a paladin) handy! Since pulling aggro as a healer can be so devastating for your group, you should really avoid it at all costs if you can. If you have an aggro dump ability, use it! However, if you don't have one and still manage to pull aggro on an enemy target, do everyone a favor and run TO the tank! Trust me, he'll appreciate the gesture!

Dungeon Tip #4 - Fast Heals for Emergencies

Flash Heal, Rank 7

Sometimes, the tank goes down a lot faster than you expect. In these situations, it's vital that you heal them up as fast as you can. Flash Heal or Lesser Healing Wave, while expensive, can be the difference between life and death of your party members. And if you've brought some mana pots like I told you to in that earlier tip, you should have a bit of a backup in case you do end up going OOM.

Just for a quick rundown, here are the fast heals that each class has:
Priests - Flash Heal
Paladins - Flash of Light
Druids - Swiftmend (a deep resto talent)
Shamans - Lesser Healing Wave

Finally, for emergencies, use the highest rank you have initially, then swap back to other heals or lower ranks as things calm down.

Dungeon Tip #5 - Decurse/Dispel!

Decursive

This is where that addon Decursive comes in handy. Keep an eye, and an ear, out for the notifications when the pop up. By default, a red box means left click and a blue box means right click. There's also a pink box that might show up (alt+left click, if I recall correctly), but this can be altered in the addon menu.

While dispelling or decursing, try to be mindful of which debuffs get applied repeatedly, as there's often little point in removing them early into a trash pull only to have it reapplied 4 more times and run you OOM. However, anytime a debuff that reduces healing taken appears on the tank, you should remove it if you can.

Effective dispelling takes practice, so start as soon as possible and get a feel for the debuffs of each dungeon you're in.

Dungeon Tip #6 - Clarify the Bosses Before Engaging

Finally, the most overlooked bit of advice that I can offer to not only healers, but everyone doing a dungeon (for the first time, especially) - don't be afraid to ask questions! If you aren't quite sure what a boss does, ask. The good thing about Classic, as opposed to BFA nowadays, is that people are much more willing to help and explain things in order to ensure the group's success. So, if you are foggy, or just straight up don't know a boss, make sure to find out what is going to happen so you can prepare!

This really can make all the difference on a boss fight, and will help you clear the dungeon with ease!

After the Dungeon

Post-Dungeon Tip #1 - Note the Good Players

So, now that the dungeon is done, there are two things that you, the healer, should make sure to do. First and foremost, note down and add the good players (if any) to your friend's list - especially the tanks! Though you might not group with them anytime soon, or even talk with them often depending on how social you are, it can give you a good list of players you'll enjoy playing with in the future. What's more, you'll have people you CAN ask back to groups later too. So yeah, it's just like that loading screen tip says: 

"If you enjoyed playing with someone, put them on your friends list!"

Post-Dungeon Tip #2 - Reflect on Your Performance

What was good? What could be improved?

Finally, as a healer, it's important to always think about how you did in your dungeon runs. Were there any wipes? If so, was it your fault, or did you do everything you could? Could you have saved mana during that one fight by casting a lower rank heal? These questions and more can help you to grow as a healer, so try to think about what you did well, and what you could improve next time. Also, ask the other party members for honest feedback if you're not sure! Though most of the time they'll probably just say "you did great" or "awesome heals" (at least, that's what they say to me), occasionally you can get some great commentary and tips from the people you run with. So, consider their input as well!

And then, start looking for the next dungeon!

Final Thoughts

So, there you go - just a few tips for how to make your dungeon healing experience a bit more manageable in WoW Classic. Overall, it's not all that hard to figure out, but if you're a newbie to healing in general, I think my advice will help. And though I'm confident in my abilities and advice as a healer, I'd love to know what you think - is there anything I missed or that you think I got wrong? What are YOUR tips for healing dungeons in Classic? Let me know by leaving a comment down below!

Anyway, that's it for today. If you liked this guide, or found it useful, then add yourself to my mailing list below so you get updated about more content like this in the future. Follow me over on Twitter for updates as well, and consider checking out my videos over on YouTube too! Finally, if there's any particular Classic or TBC content or guides that you'd like to see in the future, let me know by leaving a comment down below as well, as I love getting ideas like this one from readers like you! In any case, thanks for reading, have an awesome day, and as always...

Take it easy!

Gear Your Priest FASTER - Updated Phase 1 Healing Priest Gearing Guide (Now with ALL potential items!)

Hey dudes. Silvite Soltis here with another gearing guide for you all.

A few months back, I created my first "Get Geared Quick" guide - focusing mainly on healing priests in phase 1 of WoW Classic. And while that guide was very well-received, there were many errors that have become apparent since, as well as several other ways in which I would like to improve it.

So, here we are. I'm proud to present my new and very much improved Phase 1 Healing Priest Gearing Guide - now with ONLY phase 1 items, additional quest rewards, and more! I hope you find it useful!

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Tip #1 - Runecloth

While still leveling, try to snag bits of the Runecloth set, as they have decent intellect and spirit and will help significantly in the dungeons when you get to them. The items can start being collected as early as level 46, so it's definitely a worthwhile investment. 

If you're a tailor, this should be fairly easy assuming you actually worked on tailoring. You should also begin crafting Mooncloth (which has a four day cooldown) as soon as possible on the side to eventually craft Mooncloth gear upgrades or, even better, Truefaith Vestments if you really want to be a try-hard...

Tip #2 - Do These Quests (before 60, if possible)

Sometimes it seems people forget how awesome quests can be as a source of gear in Classic. As a priest, there are several awesome quest rewards that you can make great use of - a neck, ring, offhand, trinket, and wand to name a few. Needless to say, these quest chains aren't easy, but many of them can be knocked out on your way to 60...or at least started.

First off, make sure to do the Linken quest chain in Un'Goro Crater, which ends in the quest It's Dangerous to Go Alone. This chain awards Spirit of Aquementus, a very powerful offhand that won't be easy to replace in phase 1.

Next up, head to the Blasted Lands and complete the quest chain from the Fallen Hero of the Horde, which ends in Heroes of Old in order to obtain a great MP5 trinket, Shard of Afrasa. Ideally, this trinket will be replaced soon enough, but in case you're unlucky with drops in the eventual dungeon runs, you'll want to have it.

Head over to the Plaguelands to do Tirion Fording's quest chain which ends with In Dreams. This quest awards your pre-raid best in slot ring, Fordring's Seal. This is a must-have for raiding, so just get it done. You'll be glad you did.

Also in the Plaguelands, you can complete The Battle of Darrowshire quest chain, which offers a good neck, the Archlight Talisman, but may be too difficult to complete - requiring a raid, if I'm not mistaken. Still, it's a good idea to do, since there aren't many options for neckpieces in Phase 1.

Finally, you should consider completing the quest chains ending in Order Must Be Restored (Alliance) or The Scarlet Oracle, Demetria (Horde) as well, in order to obtain the powerful wand, Stormrager. While getting this ranged weapon might be difficult around the beginning of WoW Classic, it's probably worth it considering the general lack of good wands pre-raid. All in all, it's a worthy goal to pursue in my opinion.

And, of course, no useful quest list would be complete without these two - the Molten Core and Onyxia attunement quest chains! Though the gear rewards for priests may be lackluster compared to other classes, the simple fact of the matter is that these quests need to be done and they will send you to dungeons anyway, so you might as well work on them as soon as possible.

Tip #3 - Run Blackrock Depths and Undead Stratholme

These two dungeons will be your new home between capping and raiding. BRD and Strat UD have so many useful items for priests that it's next to impossible to avoid doing them - especially if you want to gear up as efficiently as possible.

Starting with the former, run BRD as soon as groups will take you. You should be pretty much fine to full clear it by level 55 - especially if you have another group member that can off-heal or if you run dungeons with an organized group. There are many AMAZING items in BRD that you'll need to obtain if you want to pull your weight in raids, but many of them come from bosses later in the dungeon. In particular, Hands of the Exalted Herald (dropped by Princess Moira Bronzebeard) and The Hammer of Grace (in the chest after the Trial of Seven event) are must-haves for any priest (and most healers, to be honest). The earlier you can grab these items, the better off you'll be.

Also, if you're Horde, remember to work on the quest chain The Rise of the Machines in the Badlands before running it too, as you'll be able to get an awesome cloak, the Raincaster Drape, which won't be replaced for a long time.

To sum it up and keep it all in one place, here's a quick list of the drops you can aim for in BRD:

20 drops total, 14 feasible.

Head
Chief Architect's Monocle from Fineous Darkvire.

Neck
x

Shoulders
Kentic Amice from High Interrogator Gerstahn. (+14H). Likely the best shoulders you'll get pre-raid.

Back
Spritecaster Cape from Houndmaster Grebmar. (+14H)

Chest
Robes of the Royal Crown from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. (+18H)

Wrists
Flameweave Cuffs from Lord Incendius. [Random Enchant]

Hands
Silkweb Gloves from Hedrum the Creeper (Arena). (+3M)
Hands of the Exalted Herald from Princess Moira Bronzebeard. (+33H)

Waist
Ban'thok Sash from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena). (+12H) Definitely better for caster DPS though!

Legs
Senior Designer's Pantaloons from Fineous Darkvire. (+40H)
Haunting Specter Leggings from the Trial of Seven.

Feet
Omnicast Boots from Golem Lord Arglemach. (+22H)
High Priestess Boots from Princess Moira Bronzebeard. Pretty bad though...

Finger
Cyclopean Band from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena). (+9H)

Trinket
Second Wind from Golem Lord Arglemach. (+22H)
Burst of Knowledge from Ambassador Flamelash. (+12H)

Weapon
Kindling Stave from Pyromancer Loregrain.
The Hammer of Grace from the Trial of Seven (+31H)
Guiding Stave of Wisdom from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. (+53H)

Offhand
Enthralled Sphere from High Interrogator Gerstahn.
Thaurissan's Royal Scepter from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. (+22H)

Ranged
x


Moving on, the other dungeon you'll definitely want to run is Undead Stratholme. The reason for this is not necessarily the quantity of drops (though there are plenty), but rather the quality of one item in particular - Robes of the Exalted - and the relative speed in which this dungeon can be completed.

Before heading over there, make sure to pick up the quest Houses of the Holy from Light's Hope Chapel in order to get the Crown of the Penitent - a decent green helm with 6MP5.

Including the helm described above, there are 11 items you can potentially get here at launch, making it by far one of the most lucrative dungeons you can run as a priest:

10 total drops, 9 feasible.


Head:
Crown of the Penitent from the quest Houses of the Holy.

Shoulders
Soulstealer Mantle from Ramstein the Gorger.

Back
Royal Tribunal Cloak from Magistrate Barthilas.

Chest
Robes of the Exalted from Baron Rivendare. (+68H)

Wrists
x

Hands
x

Waist
Dreadmist Belt from trash.

Legs
Devout Skirt, Dreadmist Leggings, Magister's Leggings from Baron Rivendare.

Feet
Dreadmist Sandals from Baroness Anastari.
Devout Sandals from Maleki the Pallid.

Finger
Seal of Rivendare from Baron Rivendare.

Trinket
x

Weapon
x

Offhand
x

Ranged
x


As you can see, it's a REALLY good idea to get in to Strat UD as soon as possible. I should also mention that there are also several good items in Live Strat, though doing a full run of both sections can be VERY time-consuming. If you have the time and desire though, you could consider doing that as well, especially if you want to craft the Truefaith Vestments.

Do BRD and Strat UD as much as possible until you've gotten Hands of the Exalted Herald, The Hammer of Grace, and Robes of the Exalted. Really, these items are the ones with the most raw +healing and will thus be the greatest assets as a level 60 priest. Combined with Fordring's Seal from the quest "In Dreams," these items will give you a good amount of +healing.

Once you've gotten those items (and any other lucky drops along the way), you can start filling gaps... I highly advise holding off on filling gaps before getting those items, however, as there are so many good items you could obtain in those two dungeons alone!

Tip #4 - When All Else Fails...

Fill in the blanks. If you've gotten the best items from quests, Strat UD and BRD, head to the Auction House, run some other dungeons (see full applicable loot list below), or just say "screw it" and go raid. If you're a tailor and want to use that Mooncloth, do it! You should be pretty much good to go by this point, so long as your tanks are geared well enough too...

Final Thoughts

Congratulations on getting your priest to 60 and good luck with the gearing process. Obviously, there are tons of other items you could get in phase 1, but for any of you out there that wish to get the most bang for your buck in dungeon spamming early on in classic, these tips should fit the bill just fine. Keep calm and run more Strat and BRD!

If I missed anything or if you thought this guide was useful, let me know by leaving a comment! It's because of feedback I've received that I was able to make this guide better than ever - just in time for Classic's launch! If you liked this content, or found it useful add yourself to my mailing list and follow me on Facebook and Twitter so you don't miss out on new content. Also, check out my videos over on YouTube too, since I turn all of these blogs into videos eventually!

But that's it for now. Good luck, again! And as always, take it easy!



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BRD Loot Summary

20 drops total, 14 feasible.

Head
Chief Architect's Monocle from Fineous Darkvire.

Neck
x

Shoulders
Kentic Amice from High Interrogator Gerstahn. (+14H)

Back
Spritecaster Cape from Houndmaster Grebmar. (+14H)

Chest
Robes of the Royal Crown from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. (+18H)

Wrists
Flameweave Cuffs from Lord Incenius. [Random Enchant]

Hands
Silkweb Gloves from Hedrum the Creeper (Arena). (+3M)
Hands of the Exalted Herald from Princess Moira Bronzebeard. (+33H)

Waist
Ban'thok Sash from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena). (+12H) Definitely better for caster DPS though!

Legs
Senior Designer's Pantaloons from Fineous Darkvire. (+40H)
Haunting Specter Leggings from the Trial of Seven.

Feet
Omnicast Boots from Golem Lord Arglemach. (+22H)
High Priestess Boots from Princess Moira Bronzebeard. Pretty bad though...

Finger
Cyclopean Band from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena). (+9H)

Trinket
Second Wind from Golem Lord Arglemach. (+22H)
Burst of Knowledge from Ambassador Flamelash. (+12H)

Weapon
Kindling Stave from Pyromancer Loregrain.
The Hammer of Grace from the Trial of Seven (+31H)
Guiding Stave of Wisdom from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. (+53H)

Offhand
Enthralled Sphere from High Interrogator Gerstahn.
Thaurissan's Royal Scepter from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. (+22H)

Ranged
x

Stratholme Undead Loot Summary

10 total drops, 9 feasible.

Head
x

Neck
x

Shoulders
Soulstealer Mantle from Ramstein the Gorger.

Back
Royal Tribunal Cloak from Magistrate Barthilas.

Chest
Robes of the Exalted from Baron Rivendare. (+68H)

Wrists
x

Hands
x

Waist
Dreadmist Belt from trash.

Legs
Devout Skirt, Dreadmist Leggings, Magister's Leggings from Baron Rivendare.

Feet
Dreadmist Sandals from Baroness Anastari.
Devout Sandals from Maleki the Pallid.

Finger
Seal of Rivendare from Baron Rivendare.

Trinket
x

Weapon
x

Offhand
x

Ranged
x

Stratholme Live Loot Summary

9 total item drops plus 1 pattern, 4 feasible.

Head
x

Neck
Star of Mystaria from Balnazzar. Better for caster dps!

Shoulders
x

Back
Archivist Cape from Archivist Galford. (Random Enchantment, +4M)

Chest
x

Wrists
Tearfall Bracers from The Unforgiven. (Random Enchantment)
Devout Bracers from trash.

Hands
Devout Gloves from Archivist Galford.

Waist
Grimegore Noose from Timmy the Cruel.

Legs
x

Feet
Magister's Boots from Hearthsinger Forresten [RARE, but common]

Finger
x

Trinket
x

Weapon
Gift of the Elven Magi from Balnazzar. (Pretty terrible though)

Offhand
Tome of Knowledge from Archivist Galford. (Pretty terrible though)

Ranged
x

Other
Pattern: Truefaith Vestments from Balnazzar.

Scholomance Loot Summary

19 drops total, 10 feasible.

Head
Devout Crown, Dreadmist Mask, Magister's Crown from Darkmaster Gandling.

Neck
Heart of the Fiend from Kirtonos the Herald.

Shoulders
Dreadmist Mantle from Jandice Barov.
Magister's Mantle from Ras Frostwhisper.

Back
x

Chest
Alanna's Embrace from Ras Frostwhisper. (Very low drop chance!) (+20H)

Wrists
x

Hands
Darkshade Gloves from Jandice Barov. (These are terrible though...)
Magister's Gloves from Doctor Theolen Krastinov and trash.
Dreadmist Wraps from Lorekeeper Polkelt and trash.

Waist
x

Legs
Skullsmoke Pants from Vectus. (Very low drop chance!)

Feet
x

Finger
x

Trinket
x

Weapon
Headmaster's Charge from Darkmaster Gandling. (Very low drop chance!)
Witchblade from Darkmaster Gandling. (+14H)

Offhand
x

Ranged
Bonecreeper Stylus from Darkmaster Gandling. (+11H)

ETC.
Necropile Raiment from the 6 minibosses at the end. (Very low drop chance for each item, 5 in total - chest, wrists, feet, legs, and shoulders)

LBRS Loot Summary

7 drops total, 6 feasible.

Head
x

Neck
x

Shoulders
Sunderseer Mantle from Crystal Fang [RARE]. (+8H)

Back
x

Chest
x

Wrists
Funeral Cuffs from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin.

Hands
Hands of Power from Quartermaster Zigris. (+26H)

Waist
x

Legs
Skyshroud Leggings from Highlord Omokk. (+34H)
Wolfshear Leggings from Gizrul the Slavener. (+26H)

Feet
x

Finger
Rosewine Circle from Urok Doomhowl. (+29H, +5M)

Trinket
x

Weapon
Trindlehaven Staff from Overlord Wyrmthalak. (+14H)

Offhand
x

Ranged
x

UBRS Loot Summary

11 drops total, 8 feasible.

Head
Starfire Tiara from Jed Runewatcher [RARE].

Neck
Tooth of Gnarr from General Drakkisath. (+3M)

Shoulders
Devout Mantle from Solakar Flamewreath.

Back
Frostweaver Cape from The Beast.

Chest
Devout Robe, Dreadmist Robe, Magister's Robes from General Drakkisath.

Wrists
x

Hands
x

Waist
Dustfeather Sash from Solakar Flamewreath. (+9H)

Legs
Spiritshroud Leggings from The Beast. (+19H)

Feet
x

Finger
x

Trinket
Briarwood Reed from Jed Runewatcher [RARE]. (+29H)

Weapon
x

Offhand
x

Ranged
Serpentine Skuller from Jed Runewatcher [RARE]. (Not really good for healing, but it's something...)

A big thanks to itemization.info, and to the AtlasLoot addon, without which this list wouldn't exist! Also thanks to everyone over on YouTube who told me of my initial errors and helped me to improve the quality of this guide. Much love everyone!

Memories of Vanilla #30 - You Done Attunement, Right?

Hey dudes. Silvite Soltis here back with another installment of Memories of Vanilla - my reflective series of my Warcraft adventures back in 2005-2007.

Last time, I told about how I came to the decision to try and acquire a full set of Dreadmist gear, as well as how some of my adventuring went in pursuit of that goal. Needless to say, I was still a huge noob back then - so today I'd like to tell another nooby story that happened around that time.

I hope you enjoy. If you do, remember to leave a comment below telling me if you had a similar experience back in the day. But anyway, let's get right into the story...


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Molten Giants in the Core

Back in early 2006, I remember watching Leika as his mage took on huge giants made of rock and magma. There was something intoxicating about what he was doing - talking with a clamor of voices in Ventrilo, spamming his Frostbolt icon, and running with a massive group of Alliance soldiers through the pits of this fiery cave - I was enthralled.

Well, fast forward to the summer, and I was ready! I was finally going to enter the Molten Core for myself.

One evening, shortly after hitting level 60 and somewhere in the middle of my quest to obtain a full set of Dreadmist gear, Leika called me on the phone and asked if I wanted to go to MC with his guild that night.

Oh boy, did I ever!

Naturally, I agreed and proceeded to stock up on mana potions, the only consumable I really knew about, before logging out to do other things before it started. I don't remember how I spent the time until the raid to be honest - probably played Aoyamamotoko or something - but eventually, it was time...

8:00PM - the summer sun still shone through the basement windows as I logged into Silvite and messaged Leika for an invite. Within seconds, it came - and I found myself in a group with around 30 other people. Other than my random experiences in Alterac Valley, this was the biggest group I'd ever been in. I was pumped up!

Molten Core Entrance

And then it hit me - I had no idea where Molten Core was or how to get there...

Sheepishly, I messaged Leika to ask where I should go. He lol'd (typical) and just told me to wait for a summon. They'd take care of me so long as I followed my healing assignments. This helped me to relax a little, but I was still really anxious to get inside and start fighting those baddies I'd seen before.

How Noobs Get Places...

Eventually, a window popped up: "[Player] wants to summon you." This was it! I clicked 'yes' and was transported to Blackrock Mountain - a place I only recognized from the few UBRS runs I'd done previously. Stoked, I /waved at everyone before watching them gather by some elf in a room. This is where something odd started happening...

One by one, my teammates started disappearing from that small room. I wondered why, but figured it would be best not to say anything for now. Eventually, only a handful of us remained - all in various guilds and looking just as confused. Leika whispered me, asking why I hadn't zoned in...and this is when I noticed where everyone else was - Molten Core.

Confused, I asked him how they'd gotten in - as they'd all simply disappeared from the room. Apparently, all I had to do was talk to the elf guy and he'd teleport me. I sighed, and walked over to the NPC, but all I could do was accept a quest...

"Attunement to the Core"

Attunement to the Core

Leika's response was, as expected, 'ROFL!' In my noobishness, I had never found out that I actually needed to attune for the raid. At this point, the raid leader asked us why we were all still standing outside. Apologizing, I said that I apparently hadn't done the attunement yet, but would get it done as soon as I could, hoping to somehow save my spot.

I, along with the others standing around outside, were told to get attuned first, then kicked from the raid group. So much for my dreams of slaying lava giants...




------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed the misadventure that was my first attempt at raiding in vanilla. It's one of those experiences that really helped me to grow as a player and one that, while negative at the time, I always look back on fondly now. After being kicked from the group, a few of us unattuned players did make a group and run the attunement quest in BRD, but by the time we actually finished it, the raid was long finished (yeah, we sucked). So I never actually got into MC that night, or ever again, in vanilla.

Luckily, I'll have another chance to do it right from August 27th. And I'm going to cherish every bit of it this time!

Anyway, that's it for today. If you enjoyed this story and would like to see more in the future, follow my blog by adding yourself to my email list below. Also, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel, as I eventually make videos of all of these stories over there as well. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates when new content is released, and consider supporting me on Patreon as well! Every dollar helps a lot in building up my content collection, and I truly appreciate it.

But yeah, that's enough shameless self-promotion for today. Thanks for reading. And as always, take it easy! :)

Gear Your Heavy Healer FAST - Shaman and Paladin Phase 1 Healing Gear Guide

Hey dudes. Silvite Soltis here and today I've got another simplified gearing guide for you all!

After discovering a few issues with my initial healy priest guide (some phase 2 items made their way into it) and having several people point out that other healers can wear many other powerful healing items, I decided that it's now time to start exploring the other loot that can be obtained by more...heavy healers. So today, let's head into the realms of the spiritual and the holy with both shaman and paladin healing gear!


Note as always that this is not a best-in-slot list, as there are tons of those out around the Internet. Rather, this guide is meant to serve as a simplified method in which to get geared up well enough to hold your own once you get into Molten Core and Onyxia's Lair. Also, it's important to note that there are some differences in paladin and shaman gear, such as the relics and libram difference, and the fact that only paladins can wear the plate gear listed in this guide. But, so long as you know what you actually CAN equip, you should be fine.

So without further ado, let's get into the guide...

Step 1 - Get Your Attunements Done

As with every class and spec hoping to raid, your first priority at or close to 60 should be to knock out the attunements for Molten Core and Onyxia's Lair. This should be pretty easy to do as a healer, as there will no doubt be tons of players running the appropriate dungeons to complete these quests, and it just makes sense to knock these out ASAP, since you'll probably be able to get into raids so long as you're attuned (especially in the early days).

Since these quests involve running the various dungeons of Blackrock Mountain - and there is a ton of great gear to be had in those places for healers - it just makes sense to start here.

Step 2 - Do These Quests

When you're not running BRD, LBRS, or UBRS for your various attunement quests, go out into the world and complete the following quest chains, depending on what slots you need:

Neck
The Battle of Darrowshire in the Eastern Plaguelands awards a necklace with decent stats, but no +healing, the Archlight Talisman

Back
Rise of the Machines [H] in the Badlands/BRD awards a +22 healing cloak, Raincaster Drape

Finger
In Dreams in the Plaguelands awards the pre-raid best-in-slot healing ring, Fordring's Seal

Trinket
Heroes of Old in the Blasted Lands awards a mana-per-5 trinket, Shard of Afrasa

Offhands
It's Dangerous to Go Alone in Un'Goro Crater awards a +20 spell power offhand, Spirit of Aquementas
Order Must be Restored [A] / The Scarlet Oracle, Demetria [H] in the Eastern Plaguelands awards an intellect shield, Sacred Protector

There are some other quests with good items for healers as well, but in general these are the five big ones you should definitely make sure to complete - especially "In Dreams!"

Step 3 - Run Blackrock Depths

Ok, so once your paladin or shaman healer has completed all of the quests you feel need to be done, it's time to start the dungeon grind. After reviewing all of the drops obtainable in Phase 1, I've found that, like for most classes, BRD is the most lucrative dungeon by far - both in terms of the quantity and quality of the items that drop there. As a healer, there are roughly 33 possible items you could get from BRD, depending on which class you're playing of course. Naturally, some of these items are simply high-stat items, such as the Chief Architect's Monocle from Fineous Darkvire. However, some of them are pre-raid BiS and are worth a LOT to any healer (and some dps for that matter).

Here's a basic rundown of every item you could get in BRD. Notice that there are drops for every slot other than neck and relics, so it's really beneficial to run this dungeon. Also, the numbers to the right indicate how much +healing each item provides. Particularly powerful items' healing values have been bolded for additional attention:

Head

Chief Architect's Monocle from Fineous Darkvire, +0

Neck

X

Shoulders

Earthslag Shoulders from Lord Roccor. [PLATE], +9

Kentic Amice from High Interrogator Gerstahn, +14

Splinthide Shoulders from Eviscerator (Arena), +9

Dregmetal Spaulders from Grizzle (Arena), +0

Lead Surveyor's Mantle from Fineous Darkvire, +15

Back

Spritecaster Cape from Houndmaster Grebmar, +14
Raincaster Drape from the Horde quest "Rise of the Machines," +22

Chest

Spiderfang Carapace from Hedrum the Creeper (Arena) [PLATE], +13

Flamestrider Robes from Pyromancer Loregrain, +20

Robes of the Royal Crown from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, +18

Wrists

Flameweave Cuffs from Lord Incendius (Random Enchant), +0

Cinderhide Armsplints from Lord Incendius (Random Enchant), +0

Pyremail Wristguards from Lord Incendius (Random Enchant), +0

Emberplate Armguards from Lord Incendius (Random Enchant) [PLATE], +0

Hands

Silkweb Gloves from Hedrum the Creeper (Arena), +0

Ogreseer Fists from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena), +13

Hands of the Exalted Herald from Princess Moira Bronzebeard, +33

Waist

Ban'thok Sash from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena), +12

Chillsteel Girdle from Warder Stilgiss (Rare/Event), +0

Legs

Searingscale Leggings from Pyromancer Loregrain, +0

Senior Designer's Pantaloons from Fineous Darkvire, +40

Luminary Kilt from Golem Lord Arglemach, +22

Haunting Specter Leggings from the Trial of Seven, +0

Feet

Omnicast Boots from Golem Lord Arglemach, +22

Fingers

Cyclopean Band from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena), +9

Emperor's Seal from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan (Random Enchant), +?

Trinkets

Second Wind from Golem Lord Arglemach, +22

Burst of Knowledge from Ambassador Flamelash, +12

Main Hand

The Hammer of Grace from the Trial of Seven, +31

Guiding Stave of Wisdom from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan [STAFF], +53

Arbiter's Blade from Warder Stilgiss (Rare/Event) [SWORD], +8

Offhand

Enthralled Sphere from High Interrogator Gerstahn, +0

Thaurissan's Royal Scepter from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, +22

Relic

X

Anyway, once you've run BRD into the ground, feel free to head on over to the next step - especially if you're missing a good chest, wrists, or shoulders...

Step 4 - Run Scholomance or Stratholme Undead

By this point, you should probably have a good set of items. However, you may find that your chest, wrists, or shoulders are still a bit lackluster. If so, the next, and hopefully final step, is to run Scholomance and/or Stratholme Undead.

Scholomance is home to about 30 decent drops for healers, though many of them are tier 0 helms and set pieces with low drop chances from the mini bosses near the end. This is irrelevant, however, as what you're REALLY after if you're coming here is the Loomguard Armbraces from Kirtonos the Herald, (+33 healing) and the Royal Cap Spaulders from Jandice Barov, (+26 healing). These two items are excellent for both paladin and shaman healers, though the latter may be difficult to convince a group to try for as Jandice is an optional boss. Still, they're probably your best bet for solid healing wrists and shoulders.

If you need a good chestpiece, head over to Strat UD to try and get the insanely good Robes of the Exalted from Baron Rivendare, (+68 healing). This is basically the best healing chest you can get prior to BWL, so it's a nice way to round out your set. Plus, if you didn't get lucky with +healing drops in BRD, this can help to compensate. Before running this dungeon, though, make sure to pick up the quest Houses of the Holy from Light's Hope Chapel so you can get the MP5 helm, Crown of the Penitent, in case you need more mana regeneration, or just don't have a solid helm yet. More loot can't hurt, right?

Final Thoughts

Congrats on getting your shaman or paladin to 60 and good luck getting geared up! It's not easy collecting all of the best items, but hopefully this list serves you in getting "good enough" to raid as fast as possible. As always, I've included a list of all item drops for these dungeons, as well as the other high level classic dungeons, below. Feel free to look through and find other useful items you might aim for along the way.

If you found this guide useful or interesting, remember to follow my blog by adding yourself to my mailing list below. That way, you'll get updates whenever new content is posted! Also, check out my videos over on YouTube, as I eventually turn all of these posts into videos over there (yay visuals)! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates, and consider supporting me by becoming one of my patrons over on Patreon. I really appreciate your support!

Much love everyone. And, as always, take it easy!

------------------------------------------------------------

Dungeon Loot

Blackrock Depths

33 Possible Items Total

Head

Chief Architect's Monocle from Fineous Darkvire, +0

Neck

Shoulders

Earthslag Shoulders from Lord Roccor. [PLATE], +9

Kentic Amice from High Interrogator Gerstahn, +14

Splinthide Shoulders from Eviscerator (Arena), +9

Dregmetal Spaulders from Grizzle (Arena), +0

Lead Surveyor's Mantle from Fineous Darkvire, +15

Back

Spritecaster Cape from Houndmaster Grebmar, +14

Chest

Spiderfang Carapace from Hedrum the Creeper (Arena) [PLATE] +13

Flamestrider Robes from Pyromancer Loregrain +20

Robes of the Royal Crown from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan +18

Wrists

Flameweave Cuffs from Lord Incendius (Random Enchant), +0

Cinderhide Armsplints from Lord Incendius (Random Enchant), +0

Pyremail Wristguards from Lord Incendius (Random Enchant), +0

Emberplate Armguards from Lord Incendius (Random Enchant) [PLATE], +0

Hands

Silkweb Gloves from Hedrum the Creeper (Arena), +0

Ogreseer Fists from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena), +13

Hands of the Exalted Herald from Princess Moira Bronzebeard, +33

Waist

Ban'thok Sash from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena), +12

Chillsteel Girdle from Warder Stilgiss (Rare/Event), +0

Legs

Searingscale Leggings from Pyromancer Loregrain, +0

Senior Designer's Pantaloons from Fineous Darkvire, +40

Luminary Kilt from Golem Lord Arglemach, +22

Haunting Specter Leggings from the Trial of Seven, +0

Feet

Omnicast Boots from Golem Lord Arglemach, +22

Fingers

Cyclopean Band from Ok'thor the Breaker (Arena), +9

Emperor's Seal from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan (Random Enchant), +?

Trinkets

Second Wind from Golem Lord Arglemach, +22

Burst of Knowledge from Ambassador Flamelash, +12

Main Hand

The Hammer of Grace from the Trial of Seven, +31

Guiding Stave of Wisdom from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan [STAFF], +53

Arbiter's Blade from Warder Stilgiss (Rare/Event) [SWORD], +8

Offhand

Enthralled Sphere from High Interrogator Gerstahn, +0

Thaurissan's Royal Scepter from Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, +22

Relic

Stratholme Live

11 Possible Items Total

Head

Neck

Star of Mystaria from Balnazzar, +0

Shoulders

Back

Archivist Cape from Archivist Galford (Random Enchant), +?

Chest

Songbird Blouse from Hearthsinger Forresten, +0

Wrists

Hands

Devout Gloves from Archivist Galford, +0

Waist

Rainbow Girdle from Hearthsinger Forresten [PLATE], +0
Grimgore Noose from Timmy the Cruel, +0
Foresight Girdle from Archivist Galford (Random Enchant), +?

Legs

Woollies of the Prancing Minstrel from Hearthsinger Forresten, +0

Feet

Magister's Boots from Hearthsinger Forresten, +0

Fingers

Trinkets

Main Hand

Gift of the Elven Magi from Balnazzar [DAGGER], +0 

Offhand

Tome of Knowledge from Archivist Galford, +0

Relic

Stratholme Undead

14 Possible Items Total, including 6 legs and the pre-raid BiS chest

Head

Neck

Shoulders

Soulstealer Mantle from Ramstein the Gorger, +0

Back

Royal Tribunal Cloak from Magistrate Barthilas, +0

Chest

Robes of the Exalted from Baron Rivendare, +68

Wrists

Hands

Dracorian Gauntlets from Baron Rivendare, +16

Waist

Legs

Tier 0 Legs (Devout, Dreadmist, Magister's, Wildheart, Elements, Lightforge) from Baron Rivendare, +0

Feet

Verdant Footpads from Stonespine (RARE), +34
Dreadmist Sandals from Baroness Anastari, +0
Devout Sandals from Maleki the Pallid, +0

Fingers

Seal of Rivendare from Baron Rivendare, +0

Trinkets

Main Hand

Offhand

Relic

Scholomance

30 Possible Items Total (10 of which are shared loot from mini-bosses with low drop chance and 6 of which are tier 0 helms from Gandling), including amazing wrists and shoulders.

Head

Tier 0 Helms (Devout, Magister's, Dreadmist, Wildheart, Elements, Lightforge) from Darkmaster Gandling, +0

Neck

Heart of the Fiend from Kirtonos the Herald, +0

Shoulders

Royal Cap Spaulders from Jandice Barov, +26
Magister's Mantle from Ras Frostwhisper, +0
Death's Clutch from Ras Frostwhisper, +0

Back

Dreadmist Mantle from Jandice Barov, +0

Chest

Alana's Embrace from Ras Frostwhisper (Low Drop Chance), +20

Wrists

Loomguard Armbraces from Kirtonos the Herald, +33
Detention Strap from Darkmaster Gandling, +0

Hands

Waist

Clutch of Andros from Kirtonos the Herald, +0

Legs

Ghostloom Leggings from Jandice Barov, +0
Skullsmoke Pants from Vectus, +0
Maelstrom Leggings from Ras Frostwhisper, +13

Feet

Boots of the Shrieker from Darkmaster Gandling, +12

Fingers

Trinkets

Main Hand

Offhand

Rattlecage Buckler from Rattlegore, +0

Relic

Other

Necropile and Bloodmail Sets (Chest, Hands, Belt, Legs, Feet) from the 6 mini bosses, all low drop chance.

LBRS

20 Possible Items Total

Head

Neck

Shoulders

Demonic Runed Spaulders from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin, +0
Sunderseer Mantle from Crystal Fang (RARE), +8
Wildheart Spaulders from Gizrul the Slavener, +0

Back

Chest

Plate of the Shaman King from Highlord Omokk [PLATE], +18

Wrists

Funeral Cuffs from Shadow Hunter Vosh'gajin, +0
Brazecore Armguards from War Master Voone, +0
Bleak Howler Armguards from Gizrul the Slavener, +15

Hands

Gilded Gauntlets from Mother Smolderweb, +0
Fallbrush Handgrips from Crystal Fang, +20
Slaghide Gauntlets from Urok Doomhowl (Event) (Random Enchant), +?
Hands of Power from Quartermaster Zigris, +26
Backusarian Gauntlets from Bannok Grimaxe (RARE) [PLATE], +0

Waist

Legs

Skyshroud Leggings from Highlord Omokk, +34
Tressermane Leggings from Highlord Omokk, +19
Wolfshear Leggings from Gizrul the Slavener, +26

Feet

Swiftdart Battleboots from Spirestone Battle Lord (RARE), +0
Wildheart Boots from Mother Smolderweb, +0

Fingers

Rosewine Circle from either War Master Voone or Urok Doomhowl (event) [Changed source in patch 1.10], +29

Trinkets

Main Hand

Trindlehaven Staff from Overlord Wyrmthalak [STAFF], +14

Offhand

Rhombeard Protector from Gizrul the Slavener, +0

Relic

UBRS

18  Possible Items Total (7 Tier 0 chests from Drakkisath)

Head

Starfire Tiara from Jed Runewatcher (RARE), +0
Tribal War Feathers from Gyth (Random Resistance Enchant), +33

Neck

Emberfury Talisman from Pyroguard Emberseer, +0
Tooth of Gnarr from General Drakkisath, +0

Shoulders

Devout Mantle from Solakar Flamewreath (Event), +0
Pauldrons of Elements from Gyth, +0
Lightforge Spaulders from The Beast [PLATE], +0

Back

Frostweaver Cape from The Beast, +0

Chest

Tier 0 Chests (Devout, Magister's, Dreadmist, Wildheart, Beaststalker's, Elements, Lightforge) from General Drakkisath, +0

Wrists

Hands

Gauntlets of Elements from Pyroguard Emberseer, +0

Waist

Dustfeather Sash from Solakar Flamewreath (Event), +9

Crystallized Girdle from Solakar Flamewreath (Event), +9

Legs

Spiritshroud Leggings from The Beast, +19

Feet

Fingers

Trinkets

Briarwood Reed from Jed Runewatcher (RARE), +29

Main Hand

Offhand

Relic

As always, a special thanks to Atlasloot, itemization.info, and vanillawowdb.com for their valuable information used to compile this guide! Also, thanks to Jordan over on YouTube for letting me know he was awaiting a holy paladin guide.