Now that I have Holy, I don't want to cast it.

[Gemina]

The learning curve continues.

AoE stun and dmg, and a beautiful animation comes at a very high cost. Roughly 15% of total mana at my level if my math is correct. I am curious if this stays fairly consistent to lv 60?

Divine Seal and SoS really helps MP efficiency, but I am having trouble fitting Holy into my toolkit unless I want the AoE stun. It's DPS contribution is a distant second. Do I have the wrong impression? In short, I am very MP conscious as WHM. I gladly contribute to DPS when HP/MP bars permit it, but I feel there is this expectation of me to cast Holy for DPS contribution, and I'm like "umm, no."

Edit: Oh, and just to be a little more clear. I am casting it, just not often. It's kind of like a mini LB. I kinda had enough of the incoming dmg, and I explode. Giving me a little more time to patch people up.

[DarkmoonVael]

Holy is love, holy is life. You will come to learn this mantra on WHM.

However, to actually help you, the relative mp cost: max mp ratio on holy is more or less the same at lvl 50 as it is at 60. But with experience, you will learn to not be too bothered about the cost when you get mana management down better.

Holy will let you dps a bit unhindered in dungeons due to the stun. The stun prevents damage, so its healing saved. Used alongside Aero III and Assize, its fantastically scary how much aoe burst dps a healer can do.

The useage of Shroud of Saints sensibly helps offset the mana cost of holy during dungeon pulls. Use it when holy spamming alondside assize for the damage and busrt dps.

[Thunda_Cat_SMASH]

You should be spamming Holy whenever you can for the AoE stun and damage. WHM's heals are so ridiculous that you can very easily keep the tank afloat in casual content with sub 20% MP with no problems. Of course, it also doesn't hurt to keep a stock of ether on you for an emergency back up. And yeah, the MP cost very much stays consistent.

[winsock]

Holy is a great skill. Feel free to get a little spammy with it. You can stretch your MP out further than what you might think.

You don't win any awards by staying above 50% MP the entire duty. If you dont use your MP, it just goes to waste.

[Ghishlain]

While the cost does stay about the same as you level up, once you hit 60 and you start to raise your ilvl, you'll find you get more and more PIE on your gear which increases your maximum MP pool and by extension your natural MP regeneration rate, making using Holy more manageable. Even in lower level situations you should find some MP to use and dropping your MP to even sub 40% isn't a detriment to your role if you play properly (which comes with experience).

Holy should be something you should attempt to use at least 3 times in a single pull just for the maximum Stun duration. Remember to buffer some filler spell between the 1st and 2nd Holy (usually Aero III once you acquire that - Blizzard II makes a decent low level substitute) so the diminishing returns don't negate the 2nd Holy.

Also, something to consider as you become more and more comfortable with Holy - be aware that when partied with DRKs that they have an ability called "Blood Price" which allows them to regenerate MP as they take damage. It's a small purple / pink icon with what I believe is a hand facing down (I think???). This ability obviously runs into issues if the entire pack of mobs is stunned. The rate the DRK will activate this ability will depend on their skill level but is something to be aware of as you get better at using the WHM kit.

Happy "SUPER LIGHT SHOW POWER"ing =p

[Alistaire]

Stunned mobs don't deal damage you'd have to spend MP on to cure.

Also for emphasis since it's kind of buried in their post:

be aware that when partied with DRKs that they have an ability called "Blood Price" which allows them to regenerate MP as they take damage.

[Gemina]

Stunned mobs don't deal damage you'd have to spend MP on to cure.

Also for emphasis since it's kind of buried in their post:

Mmm, I knew someone would mention this to me, and figured that the stun effect would indeed negate some of the MP cost. Dmg given goes down on subsequent mobs, but I believe the stun effect remains the same for all. I just unlocked lv 45 guildleves so I will be doing some trial and error solo for a bit. I know Aurum Vale is just around the corner, and I heard it is such a big test for healers. Ugh, as if I haven't felt tested already.

As for Blood Price. It is indeed a little purple/pinkish icon. A little ways back I posted a thread in the tank forum asking them for tips on what they like to see from their healers. A very elaborate post was made that included icons to look out for and how to respond to them. TyTy for the reminder ^^. These are things I wouldn't know unless told to me, or I play the class/job.

[Alistaire]

but I believe the stun effect remains the same for all.

It does. The only difference will be if someone else stuns a mob first yours will count as the next stun.

Also keep in mind till lv 50 and 60 dungeons you don't nearly outlevel mobs as much as you do after and your experience will pull sizes and tank durability will change drastically in non-levelling dungeons.

[StrategistShiroe]

etc.
I know Aurum Vale is just around the corner, and I heard it is such a big test for healers. Ugh, as if I haven't felt tested already.
etc.

The hardest time I've had in Aurum Vale was positioning for Holy because of the pools during the swarms of morbol(assuming you don't fight at the bottleneck right before it). If you go for full exp from the few times you come across the swarm spot it could get tricky for timing heals and Holy together at the start. Tossing a stoneskin on the tank pre-pull generally buys you the cast time for 1st Holy in my experience.

The boss fight can be a nightmare if people decide to test the fruit barrier as I call it. As long as they are well timed on their numbers to eat at it's a lot less painful on you. Not Mine but Healing Aurum Vale

[_slowpoke_]

dropping your MP to even sub 40% isn't a detriment to your role if you play properly (which comes with experience).

This so much. You'll have so many tools on level 60 that allow you to keep the group alive (not topped off, but alive) even if you're at literally zero MP. Learn to use Benediction very liberally, once you get it. It's free, it's instant, it saves you a ton of MP - MP you could spend on spamming Holy instead. Don't let it rot in a corner of your hotbar for that "OH SHIT" moment that comes once in a blue moon. Freecure procs are also amazing, use them and fish for them if you're low on MP. All of the Heavensward abilities that aren't purely offensive are also free, instant, and should be on CD most of the time, keeping your MP up for more Holy spam.

But, as Ghishlain also pointed out, much of this comes from experience. You'll gradually learn to gauge the amount of incoming damage on your party in the next X GCDs, how long you can leave your tank alone without healing them, whether or not someone needs a heal right now or whether they can wait until you've (re)applied your DoTs or gotten off another Holy or two. Most importantly: don't be afraid of failure, and take reasonable risks every now and then. You won't learn anything by always perfectly playing it safe.