NAME:Ashari
Race/Class:Blood Elf
Main Spec:Holy
Primary Professions:JC 442
Armory Link:http://armory.wow-europe.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Defias+Brotherhood&cn=Ashari
Fishing Skill:0

What's your name and where are you from?
Ash, from the UK

How old are you? Please give your answer in Reverse Polish Notation.
29

How long have you been playing WoW? (may also help explain strangely high fishing skills)
4 years+!

Is this your main? How often do you play this character? Tell us about your other characters, including any serious alts.
This is my main yes, I play her almost every night. I struggle to play more than one character. I have a very well geared warlock and hunter on Defias that I never play but use for their proffesions.

What's your guild history? Are you in a guild right now? Are you leaving that guild because of some drama you caused? Cause one thing we really don't want is drama... No, you say? Then why are you leaving?
Im in a guild but they dont raid much / at all. No Drama with me at all, Im a quiet player.

Provide the names of some people we can get in touch with in-game as references. If you know anyone on the Path, either in-game or IRL, mention that here also.
Florizel (rogue in your guild) We have played along side eachother for a long time now and he can vouch for my behaviour.

What is your role in raids? How do you judge whether you're doing a good job or not?
I heal and buff, I use healbot & pallipower to help with this, and look at recount to see how my healing is doing.

What's your PvE experience like?
Ive done everything apart from ICC. I like to read up on boss tactics to make sure I stay alive and keep others alive.

Describe your choice of spec, how you came to your current build, and any other things you feel we should know about why you spent your talent points the way you did.
I've specced for raid healing and happy with my build.

Where do you go to read about your class outside of the game?
http://www.holypaladin.net, http://www.maxdps.com, http://www.wowwiki.com, genral wow forums

Obviously you're here for the awesome PvE, but this being an RP realm, and us lot being total nerds, indulge us: end your application with a short biography, in-character note to the officers, or other story or statement about yourself. Effort is much more appreciated than length or content, and this section is not optional.
Ashari coughed, sending more pain into her already broken body. The pain... why wouldn't it stop? There was no aura. No light. The darkness was almost as painful as her body. She was confused. The cold concrete floor was the only relief. Her face, her throat... everything felt swollen, a fire of anguish unending. This pain was new to her. Her gift with the light made her heal quick. She rolled herself over and gasped at the air like it was her last breath, her armor protected her from the attack, but now its weight made every move impossible. She needed time, time for the light to mend her... footsteps, she heard something.. cant see in the darkness... just need more time... a shadow? A figure... a rogue "Florizel!" she laughed, it hurt. A friend. At last.

Additional notes. Optionally, mention anything else you'd like us to know about your application.
I fully resepct the RP rules, although I dont RP anymore. I hate silly named characters. You seem an ideal guild and I hope I get in to heal you all!

I will leave the specifics of your gear to someone who knows the class a bit better than I do; but it seems to me your gear is generally good, maybe requiring one last push to make it ICC-10 and -25 ready. What are your immediate goals for gear, and what are you doing to fulfill them?

Hey Ash.

Forgive me, but this is going to be a long one. I have a lot of questions and concerns about this application, and I very much need you to respond to each discrete issue, because the initial post is pretty thin. So take your time; I don't expect the Great Wall of Text, but thoroughness is more important than speed. Feel free to agree, disagree, or argue. I have Opinions!, and they might differ from yours.

General class questions:

• Arrange Int, Crit, Haste, SP, Mp5, and Spirit in the order in which you value them as stats. Feel free to explain.

• The going theory is that there are two types of PvE holydin: HL-focused and FoL-focused. Talk to me about your playstyle and which you prefer.

• Going along with that, there is no "rotation" for healing—it's too dependent on the situation—but there is a cycle of spells we have to keep up. What do you cast as the fight is starting? How do you decide when to use Plea, Divine Illumination, and when to renew your Beacon? Who gets your SS?

• I understand you haven't been to Icecrown. Could you read through the tactics for Deathbringer Saurfang and Professor Putricide and tell me (a) what your job will be on both of those fights, and (b) the aspects of them that will particularly challenge you?

Now on to the character:

• I'd like you to compare your build with mine. Why is yours better, if it is?

• Regardless of your playstyle, there are some serious problems with your gemming. Paladin gemming is about stacking intellect: stackstackstackstackstack. If you are outside the 5 second rule long enough for Spirit to provide you any regen, you're doing it wrong. You're a JC, and yet you only have one JC gem equipped. Also, spell pen?! Consider changing all of your gems to Brilliant King's Amber except for the meta slot (which should be this: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=41401—you will never, ever pull threat even with Righteous Fury up) and a Nightmare Tear in the socket with the best bonus to activate it. That change alone will probably put you close to 30k mana.

• Where does your mana regen come from? Illumination has been nerfed to hell, and your pool is only 24k (less intellect = less regen; it's a bitchin feedback loop), and you've got crit and spirit enchants. If you don't want to read the EJ thread (though I suggest you bookmark it, for it is very insightful), at least read the Stats discussion here: http://www.wowhead.com/?forums&topic=117253

• Even outside of ICC, there's upgrades and side-grades you can snag to make your paladin much better than she is now (though she is good, don't get me wrong). Never ever neglect mail, leather, and cloth: it's often itemized better for the stats we need, and since we're not tanking, who cares about armor? Consider replacing any piece of gear you have without haste on it, at least until you reach 676 haste, which is the cap for GCD reduction.

That's all I have for now. The conversation will continue. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Hi

With regards to many of your questions my paladin character only hit 80 3 weeks ago, so yes my gear, gems and enchants could be a bit off. Also, this is also the 1st paladin I've played in the 4 years of having warcraft so I dont claim to be a paladin expert. If my gear is currently under item level 232 I dont go for the most expensive gem or enchant as I know the item will be getting replaced in due time. I dont have gold to waste on gems and enchants for gear that Im working hard to replace.

• Arrange Int, Crit, Haste, SP, Mp5, and Spirit in the order in which you value them as stats. Feel free to explain.

I go for Intellect 1st, - then Spell Power, Haste or MP5 - and Spirit, Crit last. I like to have as much intellect as possible with good mana regeneration with spell power and haste to boost my overall healing.

• The going theory is that there are two types of PvE holydin: HL-focused and FoL-focused. Talk to me about your playstyle and which you prefer.

• Going along with that, there is no "rotation" for healing—it's too dependent on the situation—but there is a cycle of spells we have to keep up. What do you cast as the fight is starting? How do you decide when to use Plea, Divine Illumination, and when to renew your Beacon? Who gets your SS?

I'll answer both of those; I tend to use FoL a lot more than HL due to casting time, I beacon the tank or player Im looking after and put sacred shield on for the increased FoL crits. Then I spam FoL, Holy Shock, throw JoL on the tanks target and use HL if I think I have safe time to cast it. I find healing very situational, I dont follow a set rotation as you pointed out. I use Divine Plea with things simmer down a bit or between fights. Avanging Wrath goes on just after boss fight starts and get to use it a few times due to the cool down. Divine Illumanation, I use half way through fight to ease my mana use and Divine Favour for emergency back up. Healbot helps a lot with renewing my Beacon, I see a clear 10 second countdown, thats when I renew it. Im also usualy busy casting cleanse on raid members, again healbot is fantastic for showing who has something to cleanse.

• I understand you haven't been to Icecrown. Could you read through the tactics for Deathbringer Saurfang and Professor Putricide and tell me (a) what your job will be on both of those fights, and (b) the aspects of them that will particularly challenge you?

Ill read through this and watch some videos next week when I have some time. Or on my lunch break at work. Im not around this weekend. I like to know bosses inside out, Its a part of wow that I like and find it really frustrating when others dont read up and expect to be carried through every fight.

• I'd like you to compare your build with mine. Why is yours better, if it is?

Our holy trees look the same. Then I went for the heal crits from the Retri tree and you have Divine guardian wich is great. I dont think there is a great deal of difference on what I see and what I read on how holy paladins spend their extra 20 points?

Regardless of your playstyle, there are some serious problems with your gemming.

I agree my gemming isnt just right yet ill look into it.

• Where does your mana regen come from? Illumination has been nerfed to hell, and your pool is only 24k (less intellect = less regen; it's a bitchin feedback loop), and you've got crit and spirit enchants. If you don't want to read the EJ thread (though I suggest you bookmark it, for it is very insightful), at least read the Stats discussion here: http://www.wowhead.com/?forums&topic=117253

Thats great thanks, Ive book marked both pages and will read through them. So far I've not had any serious mana issues healing in TotC10/25, Ulduar, Naxx. Ill stack more int, I do have +34 int gems in bank, just holding onto them for gear that's worthy.

• Even outside of ICC, there's upgrades and side-grades you can snag to make your paladin much better than she is now (though she is good, don't get me wrong). Never ever neglect mail, leather, and cloth: it's often itemized better for the stats we need, and since we're not tanking, who cares about armor? Consider replacing any piece of gear you have without haste on it, at least until you reach 676 haste, which is the cap for GCD reduction.

Im working hard on gearing up my paladin, I play almost everynight. Im finding good weapons and shields and absoloute bitch to find. I know there are still upgraes from Emblem vendors which ill get in time after ive grinded more damned heroics, good thing I find with a healer is there are no ques with the Dungeon finder

Thanks for you input!

Ash.

• Regardless of your playstyle, there are some serious problems with your gemming. Paladin gemming is about stacking intellect: stackstackstackstackstack. If you are outside the 5 second rule long enough for Spirit to provide you any regen, you're doing it wrong. You're a JC, and yet you only have one JC gem equipped. Also, spell pen?! Consider changing all of your gems to Brilliant King's Amber except for the meta slot (which should be this: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=41401—you will never, ever pull threat even with Righteous Fury up) and a Nightmare Tear in the socket with the best bonus to activate it. That change alone will probably put you close to 30k mana.


Hi,

Ive added my JC int gems from bank, bought some Brilliant King's Amber ( on gear that i hope to get replaced soon :/ ) and got an Insightful Earthseige Diamond in my head piece now.

Thanks

Ash.

Excellent! Since you've said you're more FoL-focused, here's my advice (worth exactly what you paid for it )

• Stats: Int > Spell power > haste (until you hit 676) > mp5 = crit. There's no point going above 676 haste for you, as it won't shorten FoL any further, but more isn't bad like above-cap hit is for DPS classes. The arguments about crit vs. mp5 regen rage on, but if you're casting FoL, crit doesn't just automatically equal overheal as it would with an HL paladin like me. I would treat it and mp5 equally.

• Gems: Since socket bonuses are spell power, generally, it might even be OK for you to gem for them! I would do it like this: put the Nightmare Tear in a blue socket, and use http://www.wowhead.com/?item=40133 for the other blue ones. Stick with http://www.wowhead.com/?item=40123 in yellow sockets (especially because your talents convert Int to SP). In reds, use http://www.wowhead.com/?item=40151 instead of the pure SP gem. The socket bonus and the Int conversion will make up the difference, plus you will gain the extra mana, plus you can't go wrong with anything that has Luminous in the name.

• Enchants: Most slots have an SP enchant, and you're generally doing it right. +250 Mana on your chest gives you more mana and is cheaper than the +10 to all stats, which you will get from the prismatic gem anyway. Junk the Spirit leg enchant in favor of the SP/Stamina one: the extra health is more important than the spirit, which contributes 0 to your mana regen.

• Talents: I know you're ret subspec for the crit, and your build is acceptable for a FoL-focused strategy, but consider this (just consider it): Dropping SoB and Conviction will cost you 8% crit. We run with a ret paladin already, so Heart of the Crusader is redundant because Lortex will be doing it and they don't stack. Same with Improved Might. Which means if you got rid of the stuff in the Ret tree that isn't helping your healing, you would have 15 free points. You should throw 5 of those points in Divinity immediately, since that's a guaranteed 5% throughput bonus to your FoL instead of less reliable crit (I know, I know, regen, I know, but Illumination is crap and you will have crit from your gear that I won't), and if you were willing to sacrifice the rest of the Ret tree, you could have the improved Sacred Shield (yours is almost useless now as it only absorbs every 6 seconds, and because absorption scales with SP, yours would be far more powerful than mine if it were improved), a second raid wall (this might be decisive in hard modes), AND you could reach Improved Devotion Aura, giving you another 6% bonus on every single heal you cast. Just something to think about.

• Glyphs. Since FoL is at the centre of your playstyle, get rid of Glyph of Holy Light (consider replacing it with Glyph of Divinity for what amounts to an OOM oh-shit button) and consider whether Glyph of Seal of Light might not be better for you: FoL costs next to no mana anyway so your savings from SoW are limited, and that's 5% more heal, so if you combined it with the talent changes you could be looking at a 16% HPS increase just from talent and glyph tweaks. But I lose crit! you protest: it will come back with your increased mana pool from the gems, because Int scales our spell crit as well.

Like I said, those aren't questions or things you have to do to get in, just... advice. You are accepted for trial. Whisper Thórva, Ekhan, Zalmoxis, Nimoe, or Kainé for a ginvite.