i realize this is an old thread, but i've got an 80 holy priest (Bix on Quel'Dorei) and i always have critical mana issues. i definitely have an 'all out' play style; meaning, i am generally tops on the overhealing list, but i find that mostly that's due to spamming group heals (CoH, PoH)... generally i find in a group of undergeared players (and there are many youngsters out there that confuse their desire to hit ToCr with their geared ability to do so) i'm OOM lickety-split. even trying to be judicious with heals, i'm still using a mana pot, shadowfiend, my BE mana racial (what's it called again?) and Divine Hymn.

the problem i think is perhaps i'm confusing the efficacy of gemming and gearing spirit... maybe i don't need spirit if i'm almost never in the 5-second rule because of having to string heals together all the time... should i make the switch (at least gem-wise) to MP5?

Also, i usually eat Cuttlefish for my food buff, but maybe i should be switching to SpellPower or Fangtooth.

Any other Holy Priests wrestling with the same dilemna?