I just started the game and am only a lvl 8 and I hear everyone talking about shadow and holy priests. When do I choose which one I want to be? Is is jsut where I but my task points?

I really don't get it

At level 10 on all jobs an icon appears on your hotbar next to your Icon for skills (book).  There are 3 talent trees for all classes.

Priest have the holy,Discipline, and Shadow.

PVE server  Holy all the way...in groups it is the best spec to survive...and in END game holy spec performs way better over the shadow.

PVP players get a 60 priest and love to use shadow.....you are one deadly priest in your shadow form also.

Give it time...just casually play your priest...I would say use Shadow for a while....I think when you are around lvl 55 its time to decide Shadow or Holy.....YOu can respec anytime but gold cost is goes up each time you reset talent at the main trainer in each city.

I know many priests will get holy and find all there endgame items first...Then flip to shadow.  You dont have to. It's just the advise of priests in my guild im applying.  I know nothing on how to play them I solo mine lol.

I am the worst healer in all games....Im so mean I would allow someone to die for pissing me off...then I would rub it in there faces =p So I am a very bad priest =)

i play a PvE server i play both Horde and Alliance priest i say take shadow till 60 then respec to holy. reason being is because it is so much easier to solo as a shadow than holy. at 60 ya want to respec to holy (some call it raid spec) so that ya can be the "god" of raids. if ya want a "template" just shoot me a PM and i'll help ya as much as i can

I have a horde and alliance priest also, and I agree, by far the easiest way to level through to 60 is to spec shadow. Shadow specced priests who know their place in a 5 man or raid are completely capable of being great healers right up until primary healer roles in 20/40 man raids IMO. So there is really no need to change spec until you are ready to take those first halting steps into ZG, AQ and MC.

I'm still working out the finer details of my 1.10 spec, but I'm thinking 21 disc, 30 holy... I am as yet unconvinced of the usefulness of Lightwell... As for the new shadow talents... it makes me want to go PvP :P

Heres a couple of my sample builds

PVP DPS

PVP healing(recommended for pvp)

PVE Staying Power(recommended for pve)

PVE Healing

PVE dps(not recommended)

I myself are going holy all the way when i start this Christmas. Maybe sooner, need comp. upgrades. Anyway, I am going holy and I might be considered a noob because ive only played a 14 day trial (when i bought the 6 month!!!!). And ive played on my brothers account, he is a long time player and i made a priest under his name, and loved healing. i was addicted to it. I really think healing is just fantastic!!!! Even though i would like to score high crits once in awhile with a warrior or something. =D

so far I'm definately staying holy till the exp, healing is far to important in my guilds pvp group. Im not sure whether I'm going to respec shadow come the expansion, with many of my guildies leveling at the same time as me I may be better off staying holy for instances.

I was shadow with my undead until 60... I work during the week so I have continued to be shadow until such time it is worth me going to raid spec.