Light’s Grace After 2.3

Before 2.3, for Paladins, with proper buffs (Blessing of Light), librams, and talents, one could get their holy lights to be as mana efficient as a flash of light, and yet have it heal for more. Post 2.3, this was nerfed when downrank penalties was added to Blessing of Light. Since afterwards, I have been asked and have asked this question by several Paladins in my former guild and now current guild: Is Light’s Grace worth keeping up now since we will hardly use Holy Light?

I know that no matter what I conclude here though, there will be those who disagree, so I’ll state this disclaimer first: It depends on your raid setup, your gear, and YOU.

Last time we raided Leo, I decided to challenge myself and try to keep lights grace up. Before I explain my rotation and how the fight went, I’ll list what my average holy lights and flash of lights heal for, non raid buffed.

Holy Light (Rank 6) – 1800-2000 Normal, 2300-2500 Crit

Flash of Light (Rank 7) – 1300 – 1500 Normal, 2000 – 2300 Crit

Holy Light (Rank 11) + Divine Favor - 5000-7000 Crit

Raid Buffed, these numbers would go up about 200-500 per heal (Not counting a blessing of light), but even with a spreadsheet, I could not get exact numbers. Now onto my rotation.

Phase 1 – Tanking:

Holy Light 6 > Flash of Light x 6 (or 7, depending on lag) > Holy Shock

I did this to ensure that Light’s Grace would stay up.

Phase 1 – Whirlwinds:

Flash of Light > Flash of Light > Holy Light 6 > Flash of Light

Obviously to heal DPS.

Now, in phase one, almost no one is getting hit, so obviously my Holy lights would be mostly overheals. I avoid using rank 1 Holy Light though, to ensure that if my target does get damaged, that they would not die so I could just save a bit of mana. Also, Phase 1 on Tanks is more of a waste since they will have blessing of light. Phase 2 however…

Phase 2 – Healing Warlock:

Holy Light 6 > Flash of Light > Flash of Light > Flash of Light > Flash of Light > Holy light 6 > Holy light 6 > Holy Light 7 > Holy Light 11 + Divine Favor

By the end of the phase, the warlock is getting hit for almost 10k by the fireball that the demon throws, so in this case, Lights Grace does help me get the warlock healed up to full and not die. Flash of Light may be .5 seconds faster in this case (Only if you don’t have 4pc T5, and even then, that was nerfed), but it is a great deal weaker.

Phase 2 Warlock Damage: A Sample from my combat log

As you can see below, after a few resists, the fire debuff starts stacking enough to where it will break through the fire resistance the warlock is wearing. I know once I see that 8k hit come on the warlock, that another big one is coming very fast, so what do I do? Divine Favor and Holy Light Rank 11. With that and the other heals landed on it, the warlock manages to survive the precious five seconds before phase 1 begins again.

02:53′47.021	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast resisted by Enydera
02:53′49.396	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast resisted by Enydera
02:53′51.850	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast resisted by Enydera
02:53′54.663	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast resisted by Enydera
02:53′57.085	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast resisted by Enydera
02:53′59.039	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast resisted by Enydera
02:54′01.649	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast resisted by Enydera
02:54′04.462	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast hits Enydera for 8375 Fire damage
02:54′06.681	Shadow of Leotheras’s Chaos Blast hits Enydera for 10050 Fire damage

On a final note, I would like to mention our raids are usually shaman heavy, so that makes me cry on the healing meters. QQ