9.1 Healer PTR Compendium – 2 June
Another very small build for healer changes.
Druid
- Well-Honed Instincts (conduit) cooldown nerfed to 135 seconds (from 90) at rank 1, and 97 seconds at rank 5 (was 64).
- This was the best endurance conduit in the game by a substantial margin and will likely remain so, even at a longer cooldown.
All legendaries are now available on more slots, probably to avoid clashing with the new Shards gemming system coming in 9.1.
Full Recap
Patch 9.1 is expected to release in April May June July to August but we have no hard dates yet. I’ll keep a running set of buffs, nerfs and additions for all healing specs on this page to give you an easy way to keep yourself up to date. Numbers and commentary provided where possible but keep in mind everything in this article can and will change. 9.1 adds four covenant-specific legendaries to each class, however only a few of these have been implemented on test realms so far. Something to look forward to. While this article should be comprehensive for PVE, it won’t include any PVP-only changes.
Stuff being added to all specs
- Soulbind trees gain four extra rows. These are unlocked with renown and all include a guaranteed Potency slot, plus a choice of Finesse or Endurance conduit. Each also has a new “end tree” slot but these have yet to be balanced in their current iteration.
- Conduit slots will gradually become “empowered” as you level your renown. These are special yellow-bordered slots that are a little more powerful than regular conduits. Right now they basically just add two ranks to the conduits you enter. A reasonably small power increase but interesting enough.
- There are some new role-specific gems. I’ll cover these in a proper post as we start to learn more.
Resto Druid
Covenant Legendaries
- Sinful Hysteria (Venthyr): Each time Ravenous Frenzy is applied it’s duration is increased by 0.2 seconds. Additionally, you gain bonus haste and healing for 5 seconds after Frenzy ends, equal to the number of stacks you gained.
- Wrathful Swarm (Necrolord): Adaptive Swarm has a 30% chance to split into two swarms each time it jumps.
- Celestial Spirits (Night Fae): Convoke the Spirits cooldown and number of spells cast halved. The probability of getting a Flourish cast during Convoke increased dramatically.
- With the exception of the first cast, this is a 2 card deck system which means you’re guaranteed one (and not more than one) Flourish from every set of two convokes you cast.
- Watch this legendary closely. It’s a very likely candidate for our 9.1 raid best in slot.
- Kindred Affinity (Kyrian): You are your Kindred Spirits both gain a secondary buff based on covenant. This bonus is doubled when your bond is empowered.
Spell Changes
None currently and there is a high chance we won’t get any since the spec is in a good place and the playstyle is extremely good.
Best Covenant in 9.1
From information we have so far, Night Fae will remain a dominant choice in PVE – especially in raids.
Holy Paladin
Covenant Legendaries
- Divine Resonance (Kyrian): After casting Divine Toll, you cast a free Holy Shock every 5 seconds for 30 seconds.
- The bonus Holy Shock casts are now on yourself which drastically increases it’s overhealing. It also doesn’t proc Glimmer anymore.
- Doesn’t really compete with Shock Barrier in it’s new form.
- Radiant Embers (Venthyr): Ashen Hallow duration increased by 15 seconds. Leaving the area will end the effect and reduce it’s cooldown by up to 50%, proportional to it’s remaining duration.
- You could previously get Ashen Hallow down to about a ~2:10 cooldown if you moved out of it when Wings ended. This is no longer possible, and doing so instead gives you close to a 2:40 cooldown – significantly worse than before.
- Duty-Bound Gavel (Necrolord): Vanquisher’s Hammer gains an extra charge. An additional cast of Word of Glory is empowered.
- Just not strong enough to compete in it’s current form.
- Seasons of Plenty (Night Fae): Blessing of Seasons effectiveness is increased by 10 seconds after 10 seconds of being active.
- This is not yet available to test but Night Fae is quite far behind the pack.
Spell Changes
- Change: Infusion of Light now causes your next Holy Light to generate 1 Holy Power (healing bonus removed).
- Nerf: Crusader’s Might now reduces the cooldown of Holy Shock by 1 second (was 1.5).
- Nerf: All damage reduced by 8%.
- Nerf: Ashen Hallow, Judgment and Hammer of Wrath damage reduced by 10%, in addition to the flat aura nerf above.
- Nerf: Crusader Strike mana cost increased to 1100 (was 900).
- Nerf: Hallowed Discernment no longer double dips with Versatility.
- Nerf: Holy Prism healing reduced by 8%. This is potentially unintentional since it wasn’t mentioned in the blizzard notes.
- Buff: Flash of Light healing increased by 20%.
- Change: Inflorescence of the Sunwell (legendary) now gives Holy Light a 30% chance to generate an additional Holy Power when consuming Infusion of Light.
Best Covenant in 9.1
Kyrian & Venthyr will remain the dominant covenants. Necrolord and Night Fae are not competitive at this time.
Analysis
Effect on DPS
This represents a 13-15% DPS nerf for Venthyr Paladin (half that for Kyrian) which while significant is still kind of small compared to how hard Holy is pumping right now. These are smaller nerfs than what was expected and the spec is still insane.
Healing & Crusader’s Might
The Crusader’s Might talent row was pretty competitive already, and when combined with the mana cost increase we might definitely explore other choices. It should be made clear though that the cooldown reduction nerf is not as big a change as it seems. In most cases you will just be waiting a fragment of a second for Holy Shock to come back up. Some of the previous 1.5 seconds were already wasted at decent haste levels. Healing wise this is a very small nerf.
Playstyle
Playstyle wise nothing will necessarily change much. You could play just as you did in 9.0.5 and still do very well. The buffed infusions will need some play testing to work out if they fit into the rotation. Holy Light in particular has some really strong potential. If they do see play then it’s very likely you actually end up healing for more than you did in 9.0.5, but with a larger DPS tax.
- Divine Resonance (Kyrian): After casting Divine Toll, you cast a free Holy Shock every 5 seconds for 30 seconds.
Discipline Priest
Covenant Legendaries
- Bwonsamdi’s Pact (Night Fae): Enter a pact with the Death Loa, calling forth a mask that lingers on a target until Fae Guardians ends. The Haunted Mask copies the benefit of the current Faerie on the target.
- Shadow Word: Manipulation (Venthyr): The Mindgames debuff lasts an extra 3 seconds and reverses an extra 10% damage and healing. When Mindgames can no longer reverse healing or damage, gain 3% crit for each second remaining on the debuff for 10 seconds.
- This is not at all good and by the time you get the crit buff your key spells will have already been cast.
- Sphere’s Harmony (Kyrian): Boon of the Ascended’s cooldown is reduced by 2 seconds, up to 60 sec, for each stack of Boon of the Ascended consumed by Ascended Eruption.
- A two minute cooldown Boon is barely any better than a three minute cooldown Boon, and it will rely on potential synergy with Mikanikos new cooldown reduction soulbind on an AoE fight to see any play at all.
- Pallid Command (Necrolord): Casting Unholy Nova summons a Cackling Chemist that gains 2% additional damage and healing each time an enemy affected by Unholy Transfusion is damaged by an ally, up to 100%. The Cackling Chemist serves you for 20 sec, damaging an enemy for 40% spell power and healing an ally for 40% of Spell Power every X seconds..
Spell Changes
- Spirit Shell cooldown increased to 90 seconds (was 60).
Best Covenant in 9.1
Highly likely to be Venthyr or Kyrian.
Mistweaver Monk
Covenant Legendaries
- Legendary (Kyrian): Weapons of Order calls forth Yu’lon / Chi-ji to assist you for 12 seconds.
- Legendary (Night Fae): Your abilities chance to reset Faeline Stomp is doubled. Enemies and allies hit by Faeline Stomp are affected by Fae Exposure, increasing your damage and healing against them by 8% for 10 seconds.
- Legendary (Venthyr): Fallen Order summons an additional adept for 24 seconds. While you have an active adept your abilities that critically hit reduce the cooldown of Fallen Order by 3 seconds.
- Legendary (Necrolord): Your abilities have a low chance to cast Bonedust Brew at your targets location.
Spell Changes
- Buff: Revival now causes a Gust of Mists on all targets, but base healing reduced by 10%.
- This is a net buff in all circumstances.
- Buff: Blackout Kick, Tiger Palm and Rising Sun Kick damage buffed by about 10%. Spinning Crane Kick buffed by ~20%. This is also a 10% buff to Ancient Teachings of the Monastery.
- This is a net 7-8% DPS increase total.
- Buff: Enveloping Mist mana cost reduced by nearly 7%.
Best Covenant in 9.1
We’ll hold off on a prediction this early, but Mistweaver covenants are likely to remain close in strength unless one of the covenant legendaries is up to the task of dethroning Ancient Teachings as our dominant raid legendary.
Resto Shaman
Covenant Legendaries
- Splintered Elements (Necrolord): Each additional Healing Wave generated by Primordial Wave increases your Haste by 5% for 10 seconds.
- Possible Legendary (Kyrian): When all charges of Vesper Totem are consumed, Vesper Totem will radiate one final burst of X Arcane damage and Y healing.
Spell Changes
None currently.
Holy Priest
Covenant Legendaries
- Bwonsamdi’s Pact (Night Fae): Enter a pact with the Death Loa, calling forth a mask that lingers on a target until Fae Guardians ends. The Haunted Mask copies the benefit of the current Faerie on the target.
- Shadow Word: Manipulation (Venthyr): The Mindgames debuff lasts an extra 3 seconds and reverses an extra 10% damage and healing. When Mindgames can no longer reverse healing or damage, gain 3% crit for each second remaining on the debuff for 10 seconds.
- Sphere’s Harmony (Kyrian): Boon of the Ascended’s cooldown is reduced by 2 seconds, up to 60 sec, for each stack of Boon of the Ascended consumed by Ascended Eruption.
- Pallid Command (Necrolord):
- They haven’t added any numbers to this yet and it isn’t testable, so TBA.
- Holy: Casting Unholy Nova summons a Brooding Cleric that gains 2% additional damage and healing each time an enemy affected by Unholy Transfusion is damaged by an ally, up to 100%. The Brooding Cleric serves you for 20 sec, healing an ally for 40% Spell Power every X seconds.
- This is a further iteration on the previous legendary design, and not one that will see play in it’s current form.
Spell Changes
- Symbol of Hope now also reduces the cooldown of each raid or party members short defensive cooldown, and the mana restore has been buffed by 50%.
- The full list is: Divine Protection, Shield Wall, Desperate Prayer, Barkskin, Ardent Defender, Icebound Fortitude, Mirror Image, Unending Resolve, Astral Shift, Exhilaration, Fortifying Brew, Die by the Sword, Enraged Regeneration, Shield of Vengeance, Blur and Fiery Brand.