healer setup: 5-5-1 vs 5-3-2-1

Lynx7386

I run two healers, a nightblade and a templar, so this question goes for both:

Is it better to use two 5 piece sets with either 1pc monster or 1pc weapon (Vma and such), or a single 5 piece set with 3pc jewelry (willpower), 2 pc monster, and 1pc weapon?

The dilemma comes with the fact that most monster sets really don't seem all that good where a healer is concerned. Heals need to be reliable and consistent, so having a monster set that only procs every once in a while for burst healing seems unreliable. It could be on cool down when you really need it, and proc when you don't.
The exception would be sets like molag kena, which are easy to control and give a general boost to your abilities. I've also considered lord warden 2pc since its a 50% proc chance on damage taken (you're bound to take damage from aoe and such even as a healer) and its a group buff to reduce damage taken. Seems moderately useful. Lastly would be something like sentinel of rkugamz to help with team resources.

Opinions?

Taleof2Cities

It varies depending on the type of content you’re doing, @Lynx7386.

PvE or PvP? Small group or raid group?

You always want to use a DPS setup with a self-heal in vMA. You can’t use full heals through that kind of content.

You’re right ... healer monster sets generally don’t have a place in end game PvE. But, they can work fine in pretty much every other type of group content.

SirCritical

5+5+2 with weapon swaps. If not, then 5+5+1.

mocap

5+3+2+2 for dual wield DD/heal bar;
5+3+2+1 for resto bar (no resto skills, only for mag regen from time to time);

Works pretty nice for my hybrid healer and vet dungeons. 30% group dps most of the time

Lynx7386

Ok so here's what I've got at the moment, and what I'm thinking about using:

Templar Healer
5x Spellpower cure (shoulders, gloves, belt, boots, resto staff / destro staff - I have both lightning and fire spc staves)
5x Rattlecage (chest, legs, jewelry - I use this as an easy source of major sorcery and some extra toughness in 4 mans)
1x Monster piece (head) - either molag kena for extra spell damage or bone pirate for extra resistances/toughness

I also have a set of alteration mastery that swaps out where the rattlecage goes. Alteration mastery gives better magicka recovery and reduces the cost of everything I use by 6%, even ultimates and sprinting/break free. I dont normally run alteration unless I'm having to over heal because a group is taking more damage than I'm used to.

Nightblade Healer
5x Spellpower cure (Head, chest, shoulders, belt, legs)
5x Powerful assault (gloves, boots, jewelry)
1x Generic lightning/resto staff - eventually vMA staves

I havent actually run the powerful assault set yet, working towards it, currently those pieces are bahraha's curse which is kinda useless for healing. I need other pieces of spellpower cure to swap though - I had originally gotten the powerful assault set for a tank, but none of my tanks use it right now and I'm kinda curious how well it will work on a healer also using spellpower cure - all I have to do to activate it is slot vigor, which also helps with healing (and my stam pool isnt used for anything else really).

Alternatively, I could go 5x SPC, 3x willpower, with either 2 lord warden (group resist buff) or 2 nerieneth (for extra damage when I'm soloing or acting in as dps).

Taleof2Cities

You still didn’t specify the type of content ... but assuming PvE and not end game (e.g. vet dungeons).

Rattlecage and Powerful Assault aren’t very good for sustain ... which you’ll need for any kind of healing (Magicka or Stam heals). Plus, Powerful Assault requires your group members to be near you to receive the 5-pc buff. You can get some sustain through CP, but I would go with other sets if I had a choice. Alteration Mastery is better than those two. There are a number of good crafted sets that help with sustain too. On the Stam side, I had a positive experience with the new Trappings of Invigoration set on PTS ... also to consider.

If you’re looking at long term, you really want to get your SPC jewelry secured. It’s a lot of trips into vWGT ... but way worth it after.

Keep in mind that Nightblade healers have less room for error since they don’t have the skill set or passives that Templars and Wardens have.

Lynx7386

Yea, primarily vet dungeons, normal trials at the moment, etc.

I havent had any real issues with sustain even in some of the tougher vet dungeons, tbh. I usually have room to heavy attack when needed and a single heavy with the resto staff restores nearly 30% of my magicka pool. For the templar using rattlecage, I typically have radiant aura active for minor magicka steal, and again heavy attacks give back a huge chunk of magicka with the resto staff.

As a nightblade healer I'm already usually in pretty close range to my team because of refreshing path and sap essence, so hitting with vigor to proc powerful assault shouldnt be an issue, and if it's a decent enough dps increase to the team it could be worth running - otherwise maybe i'll find something like worm cult or just go with alteration mastery again.

WrathOfInnos

Try 5X SPC with 5X Jorvuld's Guidance (new set from Scalecaller). Jorvuld's will increase the duration of your group buffs and debuffs by 40%, including Aggressive Warhorn and Combat Prayer.

WuffyCerulei

5 SPC and 5 Worm/Mending with either a monster shoulder or a Master resto is what most end-game healers run. Healers usually don't do dps there. They just heal, help with resources, and buff the DPS.

Taleof2Cities

@Lynx7386, as the content becomes more difficult (which I think you would aspire to some day), sustain will become more of an issue.

Heavy attacks put a dent in your HPS ... and sometimes there isn’t any time to heavy attack anyway. The DPS and tank will be far away holding taunt or simply being out position. Some DLC dungeons are a very large area of gameplay ... vICP and vFL in particular.

So, the earlier you think about these issues, the better off you’ll be down the road. Sounds like you’re ready for more difficult content anyways.

Silver_Strider

Unless they returned and updated something like the Relics of the Physician Ansir (Sp?) I can't think of a single 3 piece set that I would use over a 5 piece as a healer.

Lynx7386

Silver_Strider wrote: »

Unless they returned and updated something like the Relics of the Physician Ansir (Sp?) I can't think of a single 3 piece set that I would use over a 5 piece as a healer.

It's not a matter of 3pc vs 5pc, its 3pc+2pc monster vs 5pc

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO

I use 5/5/2 on my warden and 5/3/2/1/1 on my temp, you can really run whatever you want if you have spc but for any real serious content, it is always going to be better to have 5/5/1.

Horowonnoe

PVE or PVP? I am seeing responses for both
PVE and PVP healing are very different

Taleof2Cities

Horowonnoe wrote: »

PVE or PVP? I am seeing responses for both
PVE and PVP healing are very different

OP said primarily vet dungeons and normal trials just a few posts above.

exeeter702

Nb healer
Vet dungeons - 5pc spc front bar + 4 peice moondancer + 2pc monster set + resto maelstrom
Or
Back bar 5 peice proc and swap option.

For trails 5-5-1 without question.