Healing heroics and statsFollow

I feel sure this question must come up often but I even did a search and all. You're welcome to call me names if I'm a screwup.

Your lovely Holy Paladin guide sez:


Is it your opinion that these guidelines also apply to heroics, or at least the easier heroics? With my priest I often found that some heroics were harder than Naxx.

I have no PVE gear to speak of but in my PVE spec and PVP clothes, self-buffed with Kings, I have about 1750 spell power, 29% Holy crit and 17k mana. I'm trying to figure out if I can get by with that to start.

Thanks for any help.

I have a similar thread in the main WoW forum and from what people have advised there, I think you'll do fine.

Almost or more important than stats is familiarity with the instance. Whether you keep on your toes and learn as you go or read up ahead of time, being ready will go a long way toward making up for gear.

But, yea, you're more than ready for heroics. You may find the odd group that demands you have better, but you should do fine.

Those numbers should be fine for heroics. Your relative weakness is in mana, and heroic boss fights should be short enough that you won't be exposed unless your DPS is suicidal.

As for Naxx, the mana pool might be more of an issue, especially in a 10-man where replenishment and mana totem aren't always available. If your group takes Patchwerk to the enrage timer, or takes a lot of AOE on Noth because the timing/priorities aren't straight, or kills the disciples too soon/too far away on the Widow (note: not random examples, as these all happened to my groups while on the learning curve, on /kills/, not wipes) - if those happen, 17k unbuffed probably won't give you long enough to OOM to salvage the situation.

OTOH, if you're assigned to a geared OT and the DPS is up to snuff, you'll spend most of your time cleansing and shielding, so mana wouldn't be much of an issue at all.