How does healing a raid work?

[Twyst]

I'm looking to get my disc priest into healing raids (simple pugs). I have healed ZA/ZG and have sometimes been kicked for being a clueless dolt. lol.
It took a few hits with the clue stick that atonement should only be used when you know there's little damage going out for example

OK, so we tanks talk to each other in pugs. Normally just a quick tactic check and a who goes first check. Do healers do the same? For example, do you primarily heal your group, focus MT, OT, etc?

Next question, what's the primary difference between healing in a 5-man vs raid?

Last question, does the blizzard raid ui show if a debuff is a disease vs magic so I can remove it?

Really the last question, what flavour ice cream should I buy?

[Jewelz^]

In a raid a disc priest will more than likely be healing the main tank due to their high output of single target heals. My main heal is attonement and use flash heal when things aren;t going to plan. obv using Shield on tank is prio.
Prayer of healing for AoE heals
Pain Supression as panic button.

[TeaLeaf]

Most tanks are also in the Healer channel too Twisted (hint) as there is quite a lot of info with which you can help each other.

From ElitistJerks Disc Priest Compendium

A typical Smite/Penance strategy might involve:

PoM, 5x Smite - PI - Archangel - PW:S - BT/Penance - IF+Gheal
then PI and Penance on cooldown, Archangel on cooldown
(or hold Archangel for few seconds in anticipation of an increased damage phase)

When Weakened Soul drops off, reshield and use BT+Gheal in preference to BT+Penance
Continue, using Smite as filler and keeping PoM on cooldown, bounced off your healing target.

Raid healing can be accomplished using atonement to heal the melee, and BT-hastened PoH's to heal groups. As always, keep PoM bouncing.

Stat Priority

For Disc:
1. Get as much Intellect as you can through higher item level gear and gemming.
2. Make sure every item has Spirit as a secondary stat.
3. Keep a balance to your other secondary stats. None of them are outstanding, but they synergistically
increase each other's values.

I came at it from a slightly odd angle in that I prioritise haste much more than the guide does as I never have to worry about mana in the healing I do as an AA/A priest.  I have so much haste (20% unbuffed) that my GH cast is quick enough to be a filler in the rotation even without casting PW:S for the BT proc.  I also find that Smite casts so very fast that I get many more casts off and therefore many more heals to tank & melee.  I still tend to follow a similar rotation to the above though and use MF for mp5 whenever possible.

If you struggle in ZA/ZG, where abouts are you struggling?  Are you getting behind on the MT or on the group?

[TeaLeaf]

Several ninja edits done to this as I added more info, so bumping this for Twisted so he knows more info is there.

[JonnyAppleSeed]

Raid healing has set rolls .. simple side is you look after "X"  Ill look after "Y"  Its a bit like dps in a way as you learn the fights you decide if its time to single target heal or aoe heal

5 man is look after the tank and play whack a mole as others take damage. The difference in a raid is you stick more to a set task ie Tank or Raid tho its very dependent on fight mechanics. As a tank you have a good understanding of when damage is incoming so its a good base to work from

As for a UI i find the standard one pants. Best option is Grid with the clique addon tho I have been a healbot user for so long its tricky for me to change. Both allow you to see and remove stuff they are a must (for me). They also alow you to hover over the raid frame and click heal removing the need to change target. Some healers use mouse over macros but i have never been a huge fan

Plain old vannila with a tight body to smear it on   :dribble:

Ill add..

Early on in your quest for healing power you will find it hard work. Everyone expects a uber healer every run. I still find tanks pulling without CC expecting Massive heals that I have trouble keeping up with quite good gear. Mana will be short at the start too so grab lots of pots

[Twyst]

If you struggle in ZA/ZG, where abouts are you struggling?  Are you getting behind on the MT or on the group?

I'm not personally struggling, but I have been kicked about 3-4 times just because I spec AA when the group wipes on chains through stupidity.

I'll look into grid + clique, thanks

[Treach]

For decursing (dispell/cure) I highly recomend the addon Decursive

Once set up it gives you a small little grid of green squares. If the square turns red, left click to dispell, if the square turns blue, right click to cure disease, if there's alot of red, use mass dispell. 1 Click decursing at it's finest.

[TeaLeaf]

With Grid/Clique you do not need Decursive.  It's already covered.