Priest spells: healing efficiency

[Demius]

I have a question about healing, since we have a few healing spells to rely on and I would like some advice from people who played a high lvl priest in beta / had raid experience / whatever.

Heal (rank 3) 375 mana to cast, 4 second casting time, 754 to 856 healed.
Flash heal (rank 3) 185 mana to cast, 1.5 casting time, 360 to 432 healed.

They seem to be about the same efficiency, i dont know how the hate system works so I'm assuming "Heal" will generate more agro then "flash heal" .. but which one should be used more often? Currently I use Heal Rank 2 until someoen gets really low then i hit them with a PW:Shield and heal rank 3. any suggestions?

[Harrison]

Flash heal is meant to be just a faster patch heal, like a bandaid.

The regular heal is meant to heal more but at the cost of cast time and mana.

It's quite simple just looking at the numbers.

[Demius]

depends on more factors then just clear cut look at the numbers.. for example, hate agro control. If flash heal gives more agro then "Heal" then heal would be the simple solution.

As i said, right now I use Rank2 heal until i need to REALLY heal someone, then PW:S Rank3 heal. I rarly use flashheal except for on casters who have little HP where a heal wouldn't be mana efficient.

[Rotj]

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/threa ... 1#post4027

That was the thread I read regarding the topic..check it out.

[chanteez]

also keep in mind the mana regen factor... unless priests have talent that allows certain amount of regen while in casting mode like druids do... you dont regen till about 5 seconds after casting..

so.. if you have a tank who has decent ac/hp i would use the big heal then dont heal him till he gets low again which allows some mana to regen before your next big heal. or cast big heal then renew then regen up before you need to do it again.

hopefully the rest of your group can watch their aggro.

but healing aggro does come into the factor as well of course.