Priest Racial Changes!

After hearing the new racial changes announced not too long ago, I've gotta say it's about time!

• - Desperate Prayer - This is now the 11-point talent in Holy, Holy Nova is now a base ability. Cooldown also reduced to 30 seconds.
• - Devouring Plague - Now a base ability. Cooldown reduced to 30 seconds, mana cost greatly reduced.
  
• - Symbol of Hope - Now a base ability. Now restores 5% base mana every 2 seconds for 8 seconds to your party. Renamed "Hymn of Hope."
  

Priest racials have long been a total mess, with lots of whining all around by the priest community. Priests were the only class for a while that had different racials for different races of that particular class. Blizzard tried it with horde and alliance paladins, but just like priests they realized that it should be changed.The only difference is it took them much longer to figure out the Priest racial problems.

I must say as a Human priest, I was extremely happy to be getting these racials, especially the new version of Symbol of Hope. That was until I realized that it only restored 2% of base mana. At level 80 this comes out to just over 700 mana. Basically one greater heal. Not very impressive I must say.

From another point of view, these changes could be pretty painful. Draenei and Dwarves will doubtlessly be missing their chastise, and the main appeal of picking a Draenei over a human is now gone with Symbol of Hope. Draenei priests will no doubt wish they were human for the 5% extra spirit now that their unique spell is no longer...well...unique.

You have to read a little bit of the fine print to see it, but the second big beneficial change here is the change to Holy Nova. Nova will now be a baseline talent, being replaced by Desperate Prayer on a 30 second cooldown. Priests have been waiting for a change to Nova for years and it is finally here.

All in all these changes make me look forward to playing a Priest in Wrath, although there is still alot of work that needs to be done to the class before I would consider it balanced.