Guarded by the Light will cause your melee weapon hits to restore mana over time, however; the amount healed by Flash of Light, Holy Light, and Holy Shock will be reduced by half.
Guarded by the Light is a Paladin rune in WoW SoD that offers a trade-off between mana regeneration and healing effectiveness. Here’s a breakdown of its pros and cons to help you decide if it’s right for you:
Pros:
Significant Mana Regen: Each melee hit grants you 5% of your maximum mana per 3 seconds for 15 seconds. This can be a boon for mana-hungry Paladins, especially Retribution and Protection specs who rely heavily on melee and spells.
Burst Healing Potential: During the 15-second effect window, you can potentially regain a large amount of mana, allowing you to unleash a burst of strong heals with Flash of Light, Holy Light, and Holy Shock.
Cons:
Reduced Healing: The trade-off for the mana regen is a 50% reduction in healing from your three main heal spells. This can be significant, especially in situations where consistent healing is crucial.
Timing Requirement: You need to use your healing spells during the 15-second mana regen window to maximize its benefit. This requires careful timing and awareness of your mana and the raid’s needs.
Not Universal: The rune might not be ideal for Holy Paladins whose primary role is sustained healing, as the healing reduction can severely impact their effectiveness.
Overall, Guarded by the Light is a situational rune with high potential for Paladins who can manage the trade-off effectively. It shines in encounters with moderate healing requirements and opportunities for burst healing during the mana regen window.
Here are some additional thoughts:
The rune synergizes well with talents that improve mana efficiency, such as Holy Aura and Judgement of Light.
Gear with haste can help you trigger more melee hits, increasing your mana regen.
Consider using Guarded by the Light strategically, switching to it for specific phases of encounters where burst healing is beneficial.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of Guarded by the Light depends on your personal playstyle, the specific encounter, and your raid’s healing needs. Experiment and find the situations where it can truly shine!
I hope this information helps you decide if Guarded by the Light is the right rune for your Paladin in Season of Discovery!