Leveling Your Priest: Levels 1-10
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The Priest Class is one of the most rewarding classes in World of Warcraft. As a primary healer class, they are the medic in the field of battle, rushing to allies' sides to heal them in the heat of battle. In instances and raids, they become a vital piece to a functioning group, for without heals others have no chance at survival against Azeroth's powerful bosses. Besides healing, priests can deal shadow damage and become a dark figure with rather good DPS capabilities.
In this series, we'll go over all of the spells that you'll get as a priest including the best ways to implement them. We'll also guide you through the important class quests that you'll find on your way up to max level. Before you start, you might want to figure out which professions you'll be leveling on your priest, so check out our guide to picking priest professions!
The first 10 levels are meant to help welcome new WoW players to the expansive world. You'll go through the basics of attacking enemies and accomplishing quests, all the while making acquaintances with other's leveling around you. You will start off in a level 1-5 area that is simple to quest in. The biggest thing to get familiar with is your mana usage, as it will become essentially your lifeline throughout your WoW experience. Learn when it's best to use staff or wand rather than a spell so that you save mana for your next encounter. If you burn out your mana too quickly you'll find yourself taking drinking breaks every few minutes to replenish you're supply. You'll initially start out with a ranged damage spell, Smite, and a healing spell, Lesser Heal.
You'll have the opportunity to learn your first buff spell, Power Word: Fortitude, which will become vital to you and your teammates as you continue to level for it increases your Stamina which in turn increases your health. Solo questing is doable, especially in this level range, but a priest is a much more efficient healer, and grouping with one or more other players can make questing a great deal more fun and easy. Plus, they'll be happy to have a healer just as much as you're happy to have their damage capabilities.
Here you'll get your first DoT (Damage over Time) spell, Shadow Word: Pain, which will deal damage slowly throughout the fight. This spell will make soloing much easier and also speed up enemy encounters while you're in a group. This will also become a significant PvP spell.
This level brings you your Power Word: Shield spell that bubbles you or your friendly target, blocking incoming attacks from enemies. This is extremely useful for a priest, as it will allow you to cast without interruptions. It is known to decrease threat though, which is good for a priest but can be disruptive if cast on a tank during an instance or raid.
Renew is a HoT (Healing over Time) spell that heals you with every second it's active. You'll also get a Fade spell which will relieve you of enemy aggro while in a group, allowing you to focus on heals.
You'll get one of the best Priest abilities at level 10, Resurrection, which will allow you to "res" other players in your group or faction. Few classes have this ability and in raids and instances it is a vital resource. You'll also get your first Shadow spell, Mind Blast, which isn't of much use for a healing priest, but an essential spell for Shadow priests.
At level 10 you also get to put your first talent point into use. Many people believe the best spec to master while leveling is the Shadow talent tree, since it will improve your damage capabilities and allow you to solo quest. Holy priests can also solo, but it's a bit harder and more time consuming. Being a healing priest can get you into many different instances easily and quickly and also make you preferable as a questing partner. Shadow Priests shouldn't have much of a problem healing instances, though.
Finally, at level 10 you'll get one of two race specific spells. These also help to differentiate skills in a class. You will get this quest from any priest trainer and it requires you to travel to your race's capital.
Blood Elf/Undead - Touch of Weakness: The next damaging melee attack against the caster will cause Shadow damage and reduce the damage caused by the attacker for 2 min. Aelthalyste in the War Quarter of the Undercity gives this.
Troll - Hex of Weakness: Weakens the target enemy, reducing damage caused and reduces effectiveness of healing spells by 20% for 2 minutes. Ur'kyo in the Valley of Spirits in Orgrimmar gives this.
Human/Dwarf - Desperate Prayer: Instantly heals the caster. 10 minute cooldown. The trainer you'll get this from is High Priestess Laurena in the Cathedral in SW.
Night Elf - Starshards: Rains starshards down on the enemy target's head, causing Arcane damage over 15 sec. No mana cost, 30 sec cooldown. Priestess Alathea in the Temple of the Moon in Darnassus gives this.
Draenei - Symbol of Hope: Greatly increase the morale of the party members. Gives them mana every 5 secs for 15 secs. 5 min cooldown.
Now that you're level ten, check out the next part of our leveling guide, Leveling Your Priest: Levels 11-20
In this series, we'll go over all of the spells that you'll get as a priest including the best ways to implement them. We'll also guide you through the important class quests that you'll find on your way up to max level. Before you start, you might want to figure out which professions you'll be leveling on your priest, so check out our guide to picking priest professions!
The first 10 levels are meant to help welcome new WoW players to the expansive world. You'll go through the basics of attacking enemies and accomplishing quests, all the while making acquaintances with other's leveling around you. You will start off in a level 1-5 area that is simple to quest in. The biggest thing to get familiar with is your mana usage, as it will become essentially your lifeline throughout your WoW experience. Learn when it's best to use staff or wand rather than a spell so that you save mana for your next encounter. If you burn out your mana too quickly you'll find yourself taking drinking breaks every few minutes to replenish you're supply. You'll initially start out with a ranged damage spell, Smite, and a healing spell, Lesser Heal.
Level 2
You'll have the opportunity to learn your first buff spell, Power Word: Fortitude, which will become vital to you and your teammates as you continue to level for it increases your Stamina which in turn increases your health. Solo questing is doable, especially in this level range, but a priest is a much more efficient healer, and grouping with one or more other players can make questing a great deal more fun and easy. Plus, they'll be happy to have a healer just as much as you're happy to have their damage capabilities.
Level 4
Here you'll get your first DoT (Damage over Time) spell, Shadow Word: Pain, which will deal damage slowly throughout the fight. This spell will make soloing much easier and also speed up enemy encounters while you're in a group. This will also become a significant PvP spell.
Level 6
This level brings you your Power Word: Shield spell that bubbles you or your friendly target, blocking incoming attacks from enemies. This is extremely useful for a priest, as it will allow you to cast without interruptions. It is known to decrease threat though, which is good for a priest but can be disruptive if cast on a tank during an instance or raid.
Level 8
Renew is a HoT (Healing over Time) spell that heals you with every second it's active. You'll also get a Fade spell which will relieve you of enemy aggro while in a group, allowing you to focus on heals.
Level 10
You'll get one of the best Priest abilities at level 10, Resurrection, which will allow you to "res" other players in your group or faction. Few classes have this ability and in raids and instances it is a vital resource. You'll also get your first Shadow spell, Mind Blast, which isn't of much use for a healing priest, but an essential spell for Shadow priests.
At level 10 you also get to put your first talent point into use. Many people believe the best spec to master while leveling is the Shadow talent tree, since it will improve your damage capabilities and allow you to solo quest. Holy priests can also solo, but it's a bit harder and more time consuming. Being a healing priest can get you into many different instances easily and quickly and also make you preferable as a questing partner. Shadow Priests shouldn't have much of a problem healing instances, though.
Finally, at level 10 you'll get one of two race specific spells. These also help to differentiate skills in a class. You will get this quest from any priest trainer and it requires you to travel to your race's capital.
Blood Elf/Undead - Touch of Weakness: The next damaging melee attack against the caster will cause Shadow damage and reduce the damage caused by the attacker for 2 min. Aelthalyste in the War Quarter of the Undercity gives this.
Troll - Hex of Weakness: Weakens the target enemy, reducing damage caused and reduces effectiveness of healing spells by 20% for 2 minutes. Ur'kyo in the Valley of Spirits in Orgrimmar gives this.
Human/Dwarf - Desperate Prayer: Instantly heals the caster. 10 minute cooldown. The trainer you'll get this from is High Priestess Laurena in the Cathedral in SW.
Night Elf - Starshards: Rains starshards down on the enemy target's head, causing Arcane damage over 15 sec. No mana cost, 30 sec cooldown. Priestess Alathea in the Temple of the Moon in Darnassus gives this.
Draenei - Symbol of Hope: Greatly increase the morale of the party members. Gives them mana every 5 secs for 15 secs. 5 min cooldown.
Now that you're level ten, check out the next part of our leveling guide, Leveling Your Priest: Levels 11-20
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