Updated November 5, 2026.
Our source guides say a Priest playing alone levels faster in Shadow, and can reset talents once group play starts. Of the two healing trees, Discipline is the easier one alone. At level 60 the damage build is the Cookie Cutter Shadow build, and the healers are The Mitigation Machine for Discipline and the Full Throttle Group Healer for Holy. PvP has a Shadow build. The Discipline and Holy PvP builds took Binding Heal, which Blizzard's hotfixes of October 30 replaced with Holy Binding, so they will be back once a guide publishes them for the new tree. WoW Forever launched on November 4, so nothing at level 60 is tested in play yet, and we will update these as players reach 60.
Priest build planner
Pick a build and set your level: the planner shows the talents you should have now, where the next point goes and what to press.
Talents, spells and their numbers come from the game client. Every build and rotation comes from a published guide or plan, named under the planner. Where we changed an order or carried one over from leveling, the rotation says so. Nothing at level 60 is tested in play yet.
Priest leveling builds
Discipline Leveling
Wand Specialization and Spirit Tap come first: your wand is your main weapon and Spirit Tap cuts the time spent drinking. Twilight Focus at 17 to 19 keeps hits from delaying your casts. Power in Light from 20 makes Smite and Penance hit harder on targets with Holy Fire or Shadow Word: Pain, and Meditation by 30 keeps some mana coming in while you cast. Penance at 38 deals damage or heals, and our source guide rates what it does for its cost among the best.
Talent points: 33 Discipline, 13 Holy, 5 Shadow.
Rotation: keep up: Power Word: Fortitude, Inner Fire; when you fight alone: Power Word: Shield, Holy Fire, Smite, Penance, Mind Blast, Shadow Word: Pain; when you heal: Power Word: Shield, Penance, Heal, Renew, Flash Heal; when it helps: Prayer of Healing, Dispel Magic, Cure Disease, Fade.
Open Discipline Leveling in the planner
Holy Leveling
Wand Specialization and Spirit Tap come first, for your wand damage and your mana. Twilight Focus and Improved Renew follow by 22, then Discipline points for Mental Strength and Meditation by 33. Holy Nova at 38 is your only area damage, and Searing Light by 44 can make it free. The last points go to healing, with Improved Healing, Litany of Light, Spiritual Healing and Prayer of Mending at 58.
Talent points: 14 Discipline, 32 Holy, 5 Shadow.
Rotation: keep up: Power Word: Fortitude, Inner Fire; when you fight alone: Power Word: Shield, Holy Fire, Smite, Mind Blast, Shadow Word: Pain; when you heal: Power Word: Shield, Heal, Renew, Flash Heal, Prayer of Healing; when it helps: Holy Nova, Dispel Magic, Cure Disease, Fade.
Open Holy Leveling in the planner
Shadow Leveling
Wand Specialization comes first, because your wand does most of your early damage. Spirit Tap by 16 is the key talent for your mana while leveling. Mind Flay at 22 replaces Smite as your filler, Vampiric Embrace at 27 heals you from the damage you deal, and Devouring Contagion by 33 makes Devouring Plague cheaper and lets it jump to new targets. Shadowform at 42 halves the mana cost of Shadow spells, and Meditation by 53 keeps 50% of your mana regeneration going while you cast. Expect to respec for dungeons and raids at 60.
Talent points: 13 Discipline, 38 Shadow.
Rotation: keep up: Power Word: Fortitude, Inner Fire, Shadowform; in the fight: Power Word: Shield, Smite, Mind Blast, Devouring Plague, Shadow Word: Pain, Mind Flay; when you need healing: Power Word: Shield, Flash Heal, Heal, Lesser Heal; when it helps: Vampiric Embrace, Shadow Word: Pain, Psychic Scream.
Open Shadow Leveling in the planner
Priest raid builds
The Mitigation Machine
This is the Discipline build for dungeons and raids. It stops or reduces damage before it lands, so it is great on one target but can struggle with group healing. Renewed Hope and Divine Aegis work only with heals that are not periodic, and Penance counts as one even though it is channeled. Power Infusion gives you or an ally a window of stronger healing or damage. You have to act before the damage comes, which can be a challenge for newer players.
Talent points: 31 Discipline, 20 Holy.
Rotation: keep up: Power Word: Fortitude, Inner Fire; when you heal: Power Word: Shield, Penance, Heal, Renew, Flash Heal, Prayer of Healing; when it helps: Power Infusion, Inner Focus, Dispel Magic, Cure Disease.
Open The Mitigation Machine in the planner
Full Throttle Group Healer
This is the Holy build for dungeons and raids, for a classic reactive healer: you repair damage once it lands. Most of its talents make your heals stronger or help your mana, and it handles group damage well. Litany of Light changes how you play, because it rewards alternating your heals instead of spamming one. Players of any skill level should do well with it.
Talent points: 17 Discipline, 34 Holy.
Rotation: keep up: Power Word: Fortitude, Inner Fire; when you heal: Power Word: Shield, Heal, Renew, Flash Heal, Prayer of Healing, Holy Nova; when it helps: Prayer of Mending, Inner Focus, Dispel Magic, Cure Disease.
Open Full Throttle Group Healer in the planner
Cookie Cutter Shadow
This is the pick-it-and-play Shadow build for dungeons and raids. It is not perfect, but it holds up in any situation. The main goals are Shadowform in the Shadow tree and Meditation in the Discipline tree. Many of the other points come down to preference and change little, so see the swaps for what you can move.
Talent points: 15 Discipline, 3 Holy, 33 Shadow.
Rotation: keep up: Shadowform, Power Word: Fortitude, Inner Fire; in the fight: Shadow Word: Pain, Devouring Plague, Shadow Word: Death, Mind Blast, Mind Flay; when it helps: Vampiric Embrace, Silence, Power Word: Shield.
Open Cookie Cutter Shadow in the planner
Priest PvP builds
Shadow PvP
Blackout takes the first five points, so your Shadow spells can stun for 3 seconds. Mind Flay at 20 slows a target by 50% so melee cannot reach you, Improved Psychic Scream by 22 brings your fear back sooner, and Vampiric Embrace at 25 heals your party from your Shadow damage. Silence at 30 stops a heal or a big spell. Shadowform at 40 adds damage and cuts physical damage taken by 15%, and from 43 the points go to Discipline for Twin Disciplines, Silent Resolve and Martyrdom.
Talent points: 18 Discipline, 33 Shadow.
Key moves: keep for the right moment: Shadow Word: Pain, Devouring Plague, Silence, Psychic Scream, Power Word: Shield, Mana Burn.
