Group buffs as solo buffs and when to use them
by Mike Schramm 
Apr 24th 2008 at 3:30PM
Rufus over on WoW LJ brings up Commanding Shout, the Warrior group buff that increases maximum health of party members for two minutes within 20 yards, and comments that it doesn't work so well in solo play. Which isn't necessarily true-- there are cases when you need as much health as you can get. And he got me thinking about other buffs like that -- buffs that are really meant for group play, but that can sometimes help in solo play.The first one that jumped to my Shaman mind is the Mana Spring Totem -- it's really meant for group play, but every once in a while I'll pull too many, need some extra mana, and drop that to pick up a little blue. Also in the Shaman's Resto tree is Earth Shield, which can be helpful in solo play, too. And while Power Word: Shield is really too mana intensive to regularly be used in solo play (it's really meant to be used in groups), there are lots of times when it's helpful with solo priests.
Usually, you should only use these things when absolutely necessary (and when you've got the resources to use them -- Commanding Shout, for example, doesn't actually give you any health, so using it in the middle of a fight doesn't help). But Blizzard has made sure we don't just have group buffs and solo buffs -- some group buffs are occasionally really useful in solo play. Can you think of any others?
Filed under: Priest, Shaman, Warrior, Analysis / Opinion, Tips, Blizzard, Buffs
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Kevin Apr 24th 2008 3:37PM
PW Shield not to be used during solo play?? Apparently I've been playing my Priest wrong for the past year.
makishima Apr 24th 2008 3:44PM
heh I was thinking exactly the same thing :P
Nick S Apr 24th 2008 3:55PM
ditto.
PW:Shield - wand - afk - repeat
(lowbie holy priest w/wand spec just for leveling)
Ganesh Apr 24th 2008 4:01PM
PW:S is one of those spells that priests of every level use frequently in solo play.
Oh! and by frequently, I really mean "ALL THE TIME".
Iwanttobeasleep Apr 24th 2008 4:06PM
No kidding! I was told not to use PW: Shield in groups because it's so mana inefficient, but it's the best thing ever for soloing: I rarely take damage and no interrupted casts! Mind flaying a mob to death without it would suck, and who cares if I have to drink more often if I'm not having to bandage or pop out of shadowform to heal?
SweetPoison Apr 24th 2008 4:09PM
I have to agree that is a very ignorant comment regarding PW:S. You should not comment on classes that you do not even have a basic knowledge of, as new people to the game might stumble across this post and actually heed the "advice." Harsh, perhaps, but true.
Algorithm Apr 24th 2008 4:14PM
Thank god. I really felt like a noob priest there for a second. It's awesome as a shadow priest and a discipline priest. Even though I know it's generally considered dumb, I got PW:S for my mostly arena spec. I just couldn't take solo'ing mobs without it :D
jeckelbros Apr 24th 2008 5:39PM
Mana spring totem pays for itself in 6 ticks untalented, and 5 ticks talented. If the fight is going to last 12+ seconds, or you will be fighting in totem range for >12 seconds, you will see a benefit to dropping it. This isn't even taking the 25% refund if you totemic recall it before it expires.
L2shaman or priest or about any class.
jbodar Apr 24th 2008 6:00PM
Exactly. It's the only way to use Mind Flay without pushback vs melee. And Mind Flay is one of the most mana-efficient spells a Priest has and it's short duration means you won't waste ticks as can happen with SWP.
Chris Anthony Apr 24th 2008 6:10PM
I use Power Word: Shield in exactly two solo situations: when I'm running away and am low on health, and when I've overpulled or accidentally body-pulled and need to situate myself.
Otherwise, as far as I'm concerned, Mike is right; it's more efficient to toss Renew on myself and negate the damage that way. (In fact, I resist using Power Word: Shield /because/ it prevents hit-based spell delays; to be most efficient with cooldowns, my optimal spell rotation actually relies on being delayed a little while casting Smite, so that Mind Blast can finish cooling down.)
Then again, I'm specced Holy/Disc, with 5 points in Spirit Tap so that I have very little downtime between fights; on the other hand, I didn't use PW:S when I was Shadow, either.
hpavc Apr 24th 2008 9:15PM
This is what paid blogging gets you ... power word shield isnt for soloing .
Kiki Apr 24th 2008 10:02PM
Can't get a single Smite off without my PW: Shield on first. :) CONSTANTLY using it solo.
Jane Gray Apr 25th 2008 12:53PM
Shadow I only use it when I need for my VE to heal me up.
Holy I have fine mana regen but spell knockback makes me furious so I although yes, my renew can usually outheal the damage I prefer to just shield and get the mob smitten* rather than waiting forever for it to die.
Patrick Apr 28th 2008 1:46PM
Not that it hasn't been emphasized enough already, but PW:S is THE option for a soloing shadow priest. It keeps you healed up (VE really just doesn't do as well) and protects you from interruption when channeling Mind Flay. For any soloing priest not liberally using the spell, I highly recommend that your try.
Dakira Apr 24th 2008 3:37PM
Crusader Aura for the Paladin is perfect for Solo and Group play...
I usually switch up aura's between Crusader (for moving), retribution (a little extra damage/threat) and Concentration (when I just gotta heal).
The Blessing aren't so helpful in Solo play... i usually find myself forgetting to use them, but they are essential in group situations. Every Paladin should have PallyPower!
Nasgoul Apr 24th 2008 3:43PM
To say that a priest isnt supossed to use his shield everytime the cd is up shows that you dont play the class. In every situation renew pom and the shield are being used so that renew is always on and pom and shiled are chained through their cooldowns.... any new priest ignore that comment.. unless ur horde
lol
Yossarian Apr 24th 2008 6:06PM
I'm holy spec with a little disc. If it's a 1v1 pull, i'll start with a holy fire, hit with a mind blast, throw a sw:pain and have a renew on myself by the time they get to me. then i'll proced to wand them the rest of the way down, keeping renew up and throwing a smite or mind blast every once in awhile. This means that i finish almost every fight with full or almost full mana and can move straight on to the next mob. anything more than 1 nme and i usually throw up a shield, just so i can get my spell off. But 1v1, it's not in my typical spell rotation, just cause of the way it uses mana.
Soloing with a holy priest can be a pain. Obviously you kill stuff sooooo slow but I seem to have absolutely no downtime.
Chris Anthony Apr 24th 2008 6:19PM
Yossarian, your rotation is very close to mine; I toss in another Mind Blast and Smite after the instant-casts and before the wand, but I think we're getting the same effect.
Jon Apr 24th 2008 3:45PM
Power Word Shield isn't used during soloing? Have you ever rolled a priest? My gut feeling says "no".
Aron Apr 24th 2008 3:56PM
I have a cast sequence macro for soloing.
PW:Shield, Holy Fire, SW:Pain, Smite (i add more smites for higher level mobs), Shoot
I do this every time I'm soloing one non caster mob. I'm holy btw. This usually gets em down to 1/2 health or better and by the time PWS wears off they are dead, or close to it, and my mana is back up to 80-90%. So since I don't use PWS for every pull in an instance it is MORE of a solo tool for me than a group tool.