This is a guest post by Ecclestiastical Discipline, of the eponymously named blog on healing priests and other things WoW.
I haven’t seen much talk about the changes to dispel mechanics. I imagine people are a little distracted with their new glyphs and talents and abilities and other shiny things. However, there have been many changes to this under appreciated raid utility, and I hate to let them get overlooked. Shaman seem to have gotten the short end of the stick here. They are loosing their ability to cleanse poison and disease, as well as their beloved Cleansing Totem. For some reason, druids got their cleanses combined into one button. (Why on earth do some classes get one button and others use several to dispel?) Priests, on the other hand, hardly changed at all. So, here is my (hopefully) helpful guide for dispelling for 4.0.1 and beyond. I’m covering who can do what and how, as well as when it might be useful in current raiding situations.
Poison
- Druids – Remove Corruption (http://www.wowhead.com/spell=2782)
- Paladins – Cleanse (http://cata.wowhead.com/spell=4987)
Shaman can no longer remove poison. Druids can no longer use Abolish Poison to automatically remove subsequent poisons.
Curse
- Druids – Remove Corruption
- Shaman – Cleanse Spirit
- Mages – Remove Curse
I’m sure that it is possible to defeat Lady Deathwhisper without removing Curse of Torpor I wouldn’t want to give it a try. (Special Note: if you are afflicted with Curse of Torpor and cleanse yourself or another raid member, you will lock out your ability to cleanse for 15 seconds.)
Disease
- Holy & Discipline Priests – Cure Disease. Shadow Priests have access to this ability, but it will drop them out of Shadowform.
- Paladins – Cleanse
This is the most crucial dispel presently in Icecrown Citadel. Removing Rotface’s Mutated Infection and the Lich King’s Necrotic Plague are both vital elements to successfully completing the encounters. Also note that the Abomination tank on Professor Putricide is affected by a disease and shouldn’t be dispelled unless you’ve called a wipe. Shaman can no longer remove diseases. Priests can no longer use Abolish Disease to automatically remove subsequent diseases.
Magic (Allies)
- Priests (All) – Dispel Magic removes two harmful spells. Mass Dispel can affect up to ten allies.
- Restoration Druids – Remove Corruption through Nature’s Cure
- Holy Paladins – Cleanse through Sacred Cleansing
- Restoration Shaman – Cleanse Spirit through Improved Cleanse Spirit
- Warlocks – A Doomguard can Dispel Magic.
While all Priests are granted the ability to remove magical effects, other healers will need to use a talent point to gain this ability. I would expect that crucial dispels in Cataclysm will all be magical effects so that one can bring any combination of healers and have it covered. In the meanwhile, you might find Mass Dispel particularly effective at removing Glittering Sparks on the Blood Prince Council. Not only is it damaging your friends over time, but the movement debuff can make it difficult for melee to avoid getting bounced around. Frostbolt Volley on both Valithria and Lady Deathwhisper are two more opportunities to utilize Mass Dispel.
Magic (Enemies)
- Priests – Dispel Magic removes two beneficial effects. Mass Dispel can affect up to ten enemies.
- Shaman – Purge removes two beneficial effects.
- Mages – Spellsteal grants the removed effect to the mage.
- Hunters – Tranquilizing Shot also removes enrage effects.
- Warriors – Sheild Slam also causes damage and high threat.
- Warlocks – A Felhunter can Devour Magic and a Doomguard can Dispel Magic.
I know it’s helpful to dispel the adds on Lady Deathwhisper. Anyone else know any times this comes in handy in ICC?
Healing + Dispels
There are two new options to include healing into your dispels. Restoration Shaman can spend 2 talent points in Cleansing Waters and Priests can equip Glyph of Dispel Magic. Druids and Paladins are out of luck.
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I’ve got a mage. I like to spellsteal the renews on the valkyries in the spire (if she mirrors a priest), and the renews and buffs that the trash just after Deathwhisper cast on one another. I haven’t seen anywhere else to spellsteal in ICC.
I’m slowly getting round all my classes and finding this really useful to know who can do what these days. My shammy’s confused at the lack of poison removal!
I’m pretty sure you could decurse yourself when you were affected by Curse of Torpor without being locked out of your decurse hability. You were only locked out if you decursed someone else first.
Has it change in 4.0.1 ?
Druids (all) now have “Soothe” that will dispel enrage effects. Though it will pop you out of feral forms.
@ Zahia I have previously had issues with dispelling Curse of Torpor off of myself, however I could *not* replicate them tonight.
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