Is Disc Priest and Resto Druid spam OK?

#0 - Oct. 15, 2010, 12:21 p.m.
Blizzard Post
I have raided on a main holy priest 2 nights since the patch. We recorded world of logs records of them.
Not posting them because I want no guild drama or problem with other players I personally like.
But I went back and double checked the logs to make this post accurate.

What is interesting is how Blizzard was ultra concerned (or so it claimed) about spamming.

Well the disc priests spammed PW:Shield for about 60% of their healing over 2 lengthy raids
Resto druids spammed rejuv for about 40% of their healing over those same two raids
And at least in my case, healing was divided among half a dozen spells with the highest spell usage being renew at about 30% over those same 2 raids

The patch did seem to bring holy pallys back down to the level of other healers. I suspect holy pallys may be going from far and away top healer in terms of effective healing to perhaps bottom?

But it seems that holy priests have to again micro manage many more spells in a much more complicated manner for less total effective healing than is achievable by disc priests and resto druids simply spamming one spell each all raid long.

With their spammed shields getting first shot at all healing opportunities it looks like disc priests are going to do very well numbers wise when you consider absorbs. And right behind them will still be resto druids with their hots.

Maybe this changes at level 85?
I guess this time is not important enough to merit work to balance the classes until they reach level 85?

I am not sure I understand why disc priest and resto druid spamming is fine but spamming by holy priests is horribly bad. I guess I am just not as smart as the guys deciding those classes being allowed to spam is fine.
#6 - Oct. 15, 2010, 5:22 p.m.
Blizzard Post
Despite the Cataclysm changes, which will have a big effect at 85, healing at 80 hasn't changed that much. Health pools are about the same, so it doesn't require more mana to keep everyone up. Also, since health pools are about the same, there's still a risk that players could drop in a couple of GCDs so blanketing is still desirable and effective. Spells like Rejuv and PW:Shield are weaker than they were before the patch, but their mana costs aren't as much of an issue now as they will be at 85.