World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Priest: Changes
What has changed for the Priest in the Forever beta, newest first. The rest of this guide describes the class as it plays now (client build 1.60.1.70425).
Last updated 2026-10-16, checked 2026-10-16.
- : Wands began requiring you to stand still for half a second before they fire.
- : Gnome Eureka! became an 8-second buff and began boosting Power Word: Shield.
- : Troll Regeneration doubled to 20% health regeneration bonuses.
- : High ranks of Renew stopped blocking other Priests' Renews on the same target.
- : Devouring Plague's cooldown changed from 1 minute to 24 seconds.
- : Shadow Word: Death's cooldown was set to 18 seconds (Blizzard listed 12 s, the client showed 15 s).
- : Vampiric Embrace's cooldown changed from 1 minute to 30 seconds.
- : Mental Strength changed from +15% Intellect to +2/4/6/8/10% Intellect.
- : Improved Mind Flay changed from +20% damage, +10 yards range and a slow cut to 20% to 10/20% more damage per tick.
- : Dark Inspiration replaced Shadow Affinity in row 4.
- : Smite ranks 1–4 had their base damage smoothed to 13–18, 26–31, 44–51 and 59–68.
- : Lesser Heal ranks 1–3 were changed to heal 47–57, 89–106 and 157–181 (build 70291).
- : Heal ranks 1–2 were smoothed to 260–300 and 364–415 (build 70291).
- : Build 70291 cut Penance's damage and healing and raised its mana cost, and fixed rank 4's damage anomaly (131); it now costs 150 mana, with 45 damage and 134 healing (earlier values 81, 184 and 100).
- : Penance healing on ranks 2 and 4 showed in the client as 209 and 425, down from 291 and 673.
- : Low ranks far below your level began getting less from spell power and healing power, and proc talents less often.
- : Gnome Eureka! stopped boosting Renew and damage-over-time spells.
- : Dungeon quest XP was cut; it still pays about 2.2 times Classic's.
- : Respawns were raised in Hillsbrad, Ashenvale, Wetlands, Duskwood and Thousand Needles.
- : Crafted common and uncommon wands began selling for 1 copper.
- : Devouring Plague began to be able to crit.
- : Inner Focus's crit bonus stopped applying to periodic effects.
- : Shadow Weaving was fixed so it can't fail to apply.
- : Early Demise was fixed to add crit only at or below 20% health.
- : Blizzard said several Priests' Renews can sit on one target.
- : Blizzard said Fade's threat drop was doubled.
- : Wands stopped scaling with spell damage.
- : Beta patch notes set the respec cost at 1 silver.
- : Power Word: Shield can always overwrite a shield on a target without Weakened Soul.
- : Renew can crit.
- : Dark Sacrifice stopped breaking crowd control.
- : Contingency Plan's ward lasted 15 s in the demo.
Still open
- Racial cooldowns: Divine Grace and Contingency Plan are 10 minutes in the client, 5 in Blizzard's post. Which is intended?
- Lightwell: the client trains it at 40 without a talent; Blizzard lists only the talent as removed. Check the trainer when the cap rises.
- Smite and Holy Fire: the client gives about half of Classic's base damage. Confirm with a level-30 hit before spell power.
- Power Word: Shield in Shadowform: is a shield a "healing spell"? Untestable before 40.
- Shield on a bear: Blizzard says shields no longer cost a Warrior rage; a Druid in Bear Form is untested.
- Fade: Blizzard says its threat drop doubled; the tooltip has no number.
- Penance healing: Blizzard says healing was raised on ranks 2 and 4, but the client shows it lower (209 and 425). Test at 40 and 60.
- Everything above level 30 is untested until the beta cap rises.