The Best Priest Runes in Season of Discovery

Often regarded as the all-around best Healing class in World of Warcraft, the Priest gets some powerful buffs to both its Discipline and Holy specs – but Blizzard didn’t leave Shadow in the dust. In fact, with the new Priest SoD Runes, Shadow shows some serious DPS potential. But ultimately, the best Priest Runes are still healing and support-based.

Though many of these WoW Priest Runes have been found, their effects and power levels will change as the Season of Discovery progresses. Because only one Rune can be equipped to each slot, each section below ranks Priest Runes against other Runes within the same gear category.

Updated November 6, 2023 by Erik Petrovich: Now that the Season of Discovery is in full swing a week after launch, all Priest Runes SoD players can get have been found. Some are easy to get, and players will practically stumble across some Priest SoD Runes in the starting zones, while others can only be used after long questlines (and long journeys across Azeroth). This guide to the best SoD Priest Runes has been updated with all Discovery methods – but players who want to preserve the sense of adventure and mystery need not avert their gaze. Though the names and effects are spoiled below, the methods to get each of the best Priest Runes in SoD are hidden by default. Only reveal this information if you are truly stumped on how to get the best Priest Runes WoW SoD offers.

This guide to the best Priest Runes in WoW SoD covers all 12 Phase One Runes. Later in the Season, check back for information on the best SoD Priest Runes for other equipment slots when the ​​​​​​40, 50, and 60 level brackets unlock in later Phases.

Priest Chest Runes, Ranked

Serendipity, Strength of Soul, Twisted Faith, & Void Plague

Of the four Chest Runes Priests gain in SoD, two are DPS oriented, and two are Support/Healing oriented. For healers, Serendipity can be helpful in some endgame group content, as Flash Heal used on non-Tanks will empower the next direct Tank heal. However, the other Support option, Strength of Soul, is going to be more powerful choice. This Rune reduces the cooldown on healing targets’ Weakened Soul debuff, letting them take advantage of spells like Power Word: Shield more often.

For DPS Runes, Shadow Priests gain Twisted Faith and Void Plague. Twisted Faith increases Mind Flay and Mind Blast damage against targets with Shadow Word: Pain, but the boost is only 20% for these two abilities. Void Plague, on the other hand, is a powerful DoT that complements’ the spec’s other DoT spells, and works naturally in the Shadow Priest rotation.

Serendipity

Purchased from Grizzby in the Ratchet Inn after completing a series of quests requiring several items – 24 Fish Oil, 20 Dark Iron Ordinance, and 16 Shredder Turbochargers. Players have at least 5 Gold to interact with Grizzby.

Twisted Faith

Memory of a Devout Champion

Dwarf characters must kill Kobolds in the southern Caves to get an Offering Coin, then throw it into a Well near the entrance

Human characters must kill the elite enemy Undying Laborer in the Gold Coast Quarry with Holy Damage

Night Elf characters must kill Naga in Darkshore to get the Shatterspear Offering, then offer it to a statue underwater near the Ruins of Mathystra

Troll characters must kill Razormane enemies in the Barrens to get the Helping Hand, then use Resurrection on an ally to be able to use it

Undead characters must kill the elite enemy named Wailing Spirit, found in Silverpine Forest

Void Plague

Dwarf characters must kill Leper Gnomes

Human characters must kill Goldtooth

Night Elf characters can find the Rune in a bootable container in the bottom of the Furbolg Cave in Teldrassil

Troll characters must kill Kil Tiras enemies near Razor Hill

Undead characters must kill the unique elite enemy Gillgar in Tirisfal Glades

Strength of Soul

Prophecy of Seven Visitors

All characters must gain the Primal Insight item from Thistlefur mobs (only in Ashenvale) then use the item on a Dreamcatcher found in a tree above the entrance to the giant Thistlefur cave. Priests must have two Meditation Buffs active.

Priest Legs Runes, Ranked

Homunculi, Power Word: Barrier, Prayer of Mending, & Shared Pain

The four Legs Runes Priests have in SoD, once again, include two DPS and two Healing oriented options. The two Healing Runes are Power Word: Barrier and Prayer of Mending. Power Word: Barrier has its uses, especially in PvP to protect Spellcasters from having delayed spellcasts. But it’s just not as useful as Prayer of Mending, a healing buff that jumps from party member to party member as they take damage.

The two DPS Runes available to Priests are Shared Pain and Homunculi. We’ve seen Shared Pain in later expansions, which makes Shadow Word: Pain jump to two additional targets on cast. But as nice as it is to mass DoT enemies, the potential of the brand-new Homunculi Rune has yet to be seen. The fact that the summoned Homunculi reduce the targets’ core stats and deal damage makes it one of the most interesting Runes available to the class, and one that every Priest should try out at least once.

Power Word: Barrier

Prophecy of a City Enthralled

All characters must kill Blackrock Shadowcasters in Redridge Mountains, while two Meditation Buffs are active, to acquire the Prophecy

Shared Pain

Memory of an Imprisoned Savior

Dwarf characters must kill Captain Beld, an elite in Dun Morogh

Human characters must kill Kobold Miners in Elwynn Forest

Night Elf characters must kill Lord Melenas in Teldrassil

Troll characters must kill Makasgar or Gazz’uzz, elites found in Durotar

Undead characters must kill Tirisfal Farmers in northwestern Tirisfal Glades

Homunculi

Prophecy of a Desecrated Citadel

Dwarf characters must kill Frostmane Seers or Frostmane Shadowcasters in Dun Morogh

Human characters must kill Defias Rogue Wizards just north of Eastvale Logging Camp in Elwynn

Night Elf characters must defeat Sprites in the Fel Rock Cave in Teldrassil

Troll characters must kill Voodoo Trolls on the Echo Isles, just outside Senjin Village

Undead characters must kill Scarlet enemies in the Solliden Farmstead

Prayer of Mending

All characters must complete a Ritual of Mending on adventurer’s Remains found in starting zones. These Riturla must be completed with another Healer (Priest, Druid, or Paladin) to spawn a unique elite mob, but credit goes to all party members.

Priest Gloves Runes, Ranked

Circle of Healing, Mind Sear, Penance, & Shadow Word: Death

Priests are great healers in vanilla World of Warcraft, and their base spell list already gives them plenty of ways to deal with healing in multiple situations. There is only really one true support rune in the Gloves Runes for Priests, in the form of Circle of Healing. This AoE heal gives a lot of HP back to party members in a huge area, but it’s not exactly the most novel spell. Penance, on the other hand, works as both a direct heal or damage spell, based on the target, and repeats twice after being cast.

The two damage-based Gloves Runes Priests can get are Mind Sear and Shadow Word: Death. Mind Sear will certainly be the most useful spell to Shadow Priests looking to up their damage numbers in group settings, but Shadow Word: Death will significantly speed up leveling as a way to quickly finish off low-HP enemies.

Circle of Healing

Prophecy of a Thousand Lights

All characters must kill Defias Night Runners and Enchanters in Duskwood to get Dark Insight. Bring this item to a grave far northeast of Darkshire, and the Rune will be rewarded – this is another one that Priests can only get if they have two Meditation Buffs active

Penance

Memory of a Troubled Acolyte

All characters learn this Rune after completing the Level 2 quest that introduces the Rune system. Priests must /kneel at different Altars near the quest givers to learn how to Meditate, and earn Penance.

Shadow Word: Death

Prophecy of a King’s Demise

Alliance players can loot the Rune from the elite Leprithus in Westfall, by interacting with an Orb on an island near Auberdine, or by performing a /kneel at the Heretic Idol in northeastern Loch Modan. Must have two Meditation Buffs active.

Horde players must kill Thule Ravenclaw in Silverpine Forest, or look for the Desert Mirage near Ratchet and use Dispel on it.

Mind Sear

Purchased from Waylaid Supply vendors after reaching Honored with the new faction, the Azeroth Commerce Authority/Durotar Supply and Logistics.