Penetrating cold - the bad boss

This tool to see what people do search to get on my page, is pretty nice. Like this I see on second place Penetratinc cold+priest discipline healing, or power aura for penetrating cold.

So… here it is the subject: Penetrating cold – the bad boss…

I know  ICC is really close, but, maybe this will still help some one.

First, here is the power aura code I use:

gcd:bofalse; b:nu1; anim1:nu4; g:nu1; optunitn:bofalse; ignoremaj:botrue; stacksLower:nu0; target:bofalse; icon:stInterface\Icons\Spell_Frost_ColdHearted; size:nu0.75999999046326; torsion:nu1; r:nu1; y:nu275; x:nu14; customname:st; groupany:bofalse; isAlive:botrue; timerduration:nu0; unitn:stOnly for raid/group.; bufftype:nu2; stacks:nu0; focus:bofalse; raid:bofalse; texture:nu25; DurationExpired:bofalse; alpha:nu1; aurastext:st; symetrie:nu0; soundfile:stRaidWarning; owntex:botrue; isResting:nu0; duration:nu0; mine:bofalse; multiids:st; inVehicle:bofalse; speed:nu1.6000000238419; sound:nu11; TimeShown:nu0; stacksOperator:st=; realaura:nu1; threshold:nu50; exact:bofalse; textaura:bofalse; wowtex:bofalse; groupOrSelf:bofalse; customsound:st; combat:nu0; InactiveDueToState:bofalse; randomcolor:bofalse; aurastextfont:nu1; id:nu130; HideRequest:bofalse; Active:botrue; customtex:bofalse; anim2:nu0; tooltipCheck:st; isSecondary:bofalse; thresholdinvert:bofalse; stance:nu10; inRaid:nu0; spec2:botrue; Showing:botrue; buffname:stPenetrating Cold; spec1:botrue; begin:nu1; off:bofalse; texmode:nu1; inverse:bofalse; ismounted:bofalse; targetfriend:bofalse; party:bofalse; finish:nu1; timer.a:nu1; timer.dual:bofalse; timer.CustomDuration:nu0; timer.enabled:botrue; timer.cents:bofalse; timer.HideLeadingZeros:bofalse; timer.id:nu130; timer.Showing:botrue; timer.y:nu165; timer.h:nu2; timer.ShowOnAuraHide:bofalse; timer.Transparent:botrue; timer.HideRequest:botrue; timer.HideAura:nu0; timer.x:nu-75; timer.Texture:stAccidentalPresidency; stacks.enabled:bofalse; stacks.Showing:bofalse; stacks.HideLeadingZeros:bofalse; stacks.y:nu0; stacks.h:nu1; stacks.Transparent:bofalse; stacks.id:nu130; stacks.x:nu0; stacks.a:nu1; stacks.Texture:stDefault

It will look like this:

How to instal the code

• Open Power Aura with /powa
• Go to general tab (I use it in general because like that I will have it on my alt to)
• Hit “Import”
• Copy the code from this page
• Paste the code in the Import window
• Hit Accept

If you are a dps class be sure you have ready any class cd/a health pot/ a health stone. You should have healers assigned, but this will help them a bunch. Mages can Iceblock and when that is on cd frost ward gives a huge help. Aura mastery can also give less pressure on healer.

Now… healing as a discipline priest

When we started this boss on heroic and until 2 weeks ago I always had 2 targets. For me was an insane pressure and is still is, but i can give some tips as well (most of those things are for 2 targets, but, of course you can adjust for 1).

I remember I was searching for “tips” about how to handle this as a disc and was no were any info that would give me some strait answers. First, you will need some haste gear (yes, even you are disc) but you want your gcd at 1 sec and with raid buffs 1 sec cast for flash heal (with no borrowed times) is also a thing you do want (i run with 800 haste unbuffed).

Don’t forget the Flash Heal glyph , Glyph of Power Word: Shield (something that it should be in your arsenal anyway),  and Improved Flash  Heal talent. If your job in first phases is to dps adds and depending of how long the phase 3 will take, you might need that extra mana (you won’t trigger Rapture each 12 sec).

Set Grid to show debuff and the mark assigned by a dbm on 2 different place because sometimes the mark is removed before the debuff itself fades. The utility is simply in getting healers ONTO the correct target quickly. It is NOT a panacea whereby you simply always need to heal the mark on Grid, you simply need to get onto your mark and keep healing it until the debuff fades.(quoting Gala here, one of the main healers from my guild)

• BIND to key board your shield, penance, flash heal, binding heal (if you haven’t already) in mouse over macros. The reason for using your keyboard is obvious: click won’t ever manage to do this in time. Mines looks like this:

1. /cast [target=mouseover] Power Word: Shield(Rank 14)
2. /cast [target=mouseover] Penance(Rank 4)
3. /cast [target=mouseover] Flash Heal(Rank 11)
4. /cast [target=mouseover] Binding Heal(Rank 3)

• Make sure you shield both targets in those 2.7 sec (0.3 are for spotting first mark) + 1 sec global cd + second shield. After this is spam Flash Heal till the marks fades.
• Ask for help if you won’t manage. Most of the times this did work, but the range of 3 seconds is so small that a global cd or 0.5 sec 2 late, will kill a person. So yes, I did fail and I asked for help. For that another healer was in charge of a first heal on one of my targets, then it was my responsibility till the end. I never relayed on that but it does help. I was still trying to get both shields up before first tick. With a bit of practice it won’t be that hard.  Probably i wouldn’t had the best feeling in this expansion if I had only 1 target. The focus for not failing in those 3 sec was insane.  (I am referring at the first kill, and, later on on the insanity achievement).
• Check that only 1 person will use a mod to mark people with debuff (can be tricky - read this if you didn’t)
• Only shield people with debuff and those that you are assigned. You don’t want some one with weakened debuff on and a fresh penetrating cold. This is something to consider when are more then 1 disc priest in raid, but also… you do need every gcd you have most likely.

If you have one target and a group to keep up with Holy nova there are also a few things to take care off:

• Everyting from above is still valid…
• Watch your group health closely.  Holy nova can crit so 1-2 might have a higher health some times then the rest of the group. You will still use Holy Nova, but you just need to time it somehow so you don’t lose anyone. (First evening I did this, on the first attempt I did fail..:S)
• If you know a new debuff will be applied trow a holy Nova and be careful to pick up fast your target.
• Never drop your eyes from your group.
• ASK them to stay close to you. One that is to far away won’t do any good.

If you have 1 penetrating cold target and one of the tanks:

• Everything from above is still valid… (concerning the penetrating cold target)
• Flash heal/Penance your target while you help on tanks (You can shield them each time the weakened debuff is off)
• Don’t cast 2 consecutive heals on tank if you have some one with debuff. Basically is heal 1 on Penetrating Cold/heal 2 (or shield)  on tank and repeat.

This should be it. If I am wrong on something feel free to correct me but this is what works for me and any other tips are welcome.

I will end this post with the kiting path we use:

NOTE:

There are different tactics for phase 3 but this is what is working for us. Of course you can adjust it.

Happy healing!

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