What's it to be like a new healer in ESO.

Tasear

Looking for some fresh perspective from new healers or novice ones.

kichwas

"What's it like to be a new healer?"

New to it in THIS MMO? New to healing in ANY MMO? Low level?


I'm a lowbie healer - got a Warden at 30 I've not played since last year (because I just recently came back to the game)…

And I've got a Templar healer that is level 28 (started a new character on coming back to get a fresh perspective).


It's mostly pretty easy at low levels. It is easier this time around than it was for the Warden because the dungeons have been 'sorted' better... I used to get things like white tower and the argonian dungeons ALL DAY LONG... from I think level 10+... I've yet to get any of those on returning to the game.


It's basically all about using heavy attack all day long, casting buffs, debuffs, some damage, and then now and again tossing out a heal...


In other words... mostly like being a Staff-DPS...


When I first came back I was tossing out a heal anytime someone was 1 health below max... and well that's kind of a waste of my effort. Now I mostly just put on resto staff and heavy attack and that keeps people up on it's own... then swap into destruction staff and act like a DPS, with a single heal slotted there 'just in case'... I then swap into resto-staff when people start standing in the fire...

kichwas

I guess I thought I covered that. I don't find it hard at all.

It's more interesting to heal in this MMO than in many others because you need to DPS to recharge and you need to put out buffs and debuffs. But it's not a matter of hard - rather it's engaging.

Tasear

kichwas wrote: »

I guess I thought I covered that. I don't find it hard at all.

It's more interesting to heal in this MMO than in many others because you need to DPS to recharge and you need to put out buffs and debuffs. But it's not a matter of hard - rather it's engaging.

That's interesting perspective thanks.

Raraaku

I enjoy healing, I find it fun and challenging keeping your group mates alive, one of my Mains is a Warden Healer. My only complaint, and it's a slight one, is that I wish either the "traditional" healer classes or some other skill line had more skills that were plain buffs such as Dragonknight's Molten Weapons and its morphs as well as a few more CC/debuf options (if they could take the taunt off ice staff HA, that would be a huge help). When I'm healing, my two priorities are healing and buffing/debuffing the group and boss or aiding in CC. There are a lot of great heals that also buff, but more skills like Molten Weapons would really help to give the Healer flexibility; do I want to go buff/debuff with my free slot, or CC since I know the tank has a limited mana pool and his CC skills costs are a bit too high?

Tasear

kichwas wrote: »

"What's it like to be a new healer?"

New to it in THIS MMO? New to healing in ANY MMO? Low level?


I'm a lowbie healer - got a Warden at 30 I've not played since last year (because I just recently came back to the game)…

And I've got a Templar healer that is level 28 (started a new character on coming back to get a fresh perspective).


It's mostly pretty easy at low levels. It is easier this time around than it was for the Warden because the dungeons have been 'sorted' better... I used to get things like white tower and the argonian dungeons ALL DAY LONG... from I think level 10+... I've yet to get any of those on returning to the game.


It's basically all about using heavy attack all day long, casting buffs, debuffs, some damage, and then now and again tossing out a heal...


In other words... mostly like being a Staff-DPS...


When I first came back I was tossing out a heal anytime someone was 1 health below max... and well that's kind of a waste of my effort. Now I mostly just put on resto staff and heavy attack and that keeps people up on it's own... then swap into destruction staff and act like a DPS, with a single heal slotted there 'just in case'... I then swap into resto-staff when people start standing in the fire...

Just the general experience? Is it hard? Do you feel challenged?

BejaProphet

About like this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcZzlPGnKdU

mocap

dps in dungeons, heal&buff in trials.

Tasear

Raraaku wrote: »

I enjoy healing, I find it fun and challenging keeping your group mates alive, one of my Mains is a Warden Healer. My only complaint, and it's a slight one, is that I wish either the "traditional" healer classes or some other skill line had more skills that were plain buffs such as Dragonknight's Molten Weapons and its morphs as well as a few more CC/debuf options (if they could take the taunt off ice staff HA, that would be a huge help). When I'm healing, my two priorities are healing and buffing/debuffing the group and boss or aiding in CC. There are a lot of great heals that also buff, but more skills like Molten Weapons would really help to give the Healer flexibility; do I want to go buff/debuff with my free slot, or CC since I know the tank has a limited mana pool and his CC skills costs are a bit too high?

It's issue we been talking about in healers discord and it's been noted.

SugaComa

You should heal more often as sets like spell power cure only prov at 100% health and that a set you should be running as a healer to help buff your group , other than that have fun playing it as you are

swirve

Tasear wrote: »

Raraaku wrote: »

I enjoy healing, I find it fun and challenging keeping your group mates alive, one of my Mains is a Warden Healer. My only complaint, and it's a slight one, is that I wish either the "traditional" healer classes or some other skill line had more skills that were plain buffs such as Dragonknight's Molten Weapons and its morphs as well as a few more CC/debuf options (if they could take the taunt off ice staff HA, that would be a huge help). When I'm healing, my two priorities are healing and buffing/debuffing the group and boss or aiding in CC. There are a lot of great heals that also buff, but more skills like Molten Weapons would really help to give the Healer flexibility; do I want to go buff/debuff with my free slot, or CC since I know the tank has a limited mana pool and his CC skills costs are a bit too high?

It's issue we been talking about in healers discord and it's been noted.

Please please please... we need buffplars...

The buffing role is awesome in other games and you can switch from healplar in demanding trials to a buffplar in speed runs...

@Tasear

aetherial_heavenn

Healing is not targeted by healer thru group member selection to specific group members like it is in other games. Some heals are conal or slightly directional, most others are aoe ground effects. Some automatically go to lowest health group member.
Spamming certain heals like healing springs is pretty easy as long as you heavy attack in between to regain resources.

Being a good healer in this game in normal content involves buffing members to increase their dps and doing some damage. Because most heals aren't targeted you will find (over)healing easy. Buffing dps and sustaining resources is good to practice as you level.

In harder content, Healers also are relied on for: Interrupting at range, Shielding, Debuffing & importantly, Supplying resources. Different classes have diff abilities in these areas.

Tasear

swirve wrote: »

Tasear wrote: »

Raraaku wrote: »

I enjoy healing, I find it fun and challenging keeping your group mates alive, one of my Mains is a Warden Healer. My only complaint, and it's a slight one, is that I wish either the "traditional" healer classes or some other skill line had more skills that were plain buffs such as Dragonknight's Molten Weapons and its morphs as well as a few more CC/debuf options (if they could take the taunt off ice staff HA, that would be a huge help). When I'm healing, my two priorities are healing and buffing/debuffing the group and boss or aiding in CC. There are a lot of great heals that also buff, but more skills like Molten Weapons would really help to give the Healer flexibility; do I want to go buff/debuff with my free slot, or CC since I know the tank has a limited mana pool and his CC skills costs are a bit too high?

It's issue we been talking about in healers discord and it's been noted.

Please please please... we need buffplars...

The buffing role is awesome in other games and you can switch from healplar in demanding trials to a buffplar in speed runs...

@Tasear

We aren't here for combat changes, but if you explain more then I can note concern.

Gargath

Here not following the majority's recommendation for buffing others for spell damage - imo it's dd's role to build a proper dps monster, not me as a healer to constantly buff their low dps because they weren't creative enough. The healer can provide other useful buffs, but don't expect the healer to provide all.

I found healing very entertaining on mag warden and I offer buffs from Combat Prayer and Expansive Frost Cloak.
This time healer based on high basic heals, with low crit chance, so 5 pcs. The Healer + The Eyes of Mara + 2 pcs. Molag Kena (will change it to other monster when possible). No need for heavy attack too often, no issues with resources.
The basic non crit stats look promising and more than enough for a humble healer (unbuffed, without Betty).

Ready for dungeons and overland bosses, but not trials.

raj72616a

i mained a tank for a while before i tried healing, so i think i get a rough idea whether a pug knows what they are doing.

but for those who begin doing dungeons as healer, it could be hard for them to gauge whether they are healing ok?
1. they may think they screwed up healing when the group wipe, but then it could be mechanics or groupmates standing in un-out-heal-able stupid
2. they may think they are doing ok, but it could just be a group of flawless conquerors playing self sufficient

i mean, there are 'experienced' healers at high cp who think good healing means well timed BoL, and refuse to provide Rapid Regeneration and Combat Prayer.

BejaProphet

With regards to the "healers need stronger buffing aspect of this thread...

I'm all for ZOS giving healers more options just like I'm for them giving more options in all circumstances.

But I don't think healers ought to envy tank buff abilities too much. In this game buffing falls more appropriately to tanks. This is because damage scales off of max resources. Healers have the enviable boon of being able to boost their heals and damage at the same time. Now, yes, in specializing with sets they will have to choose to some extent. But largely they can build a character that can both heal and DPS both.

Tanks can not do this. At least not as I think they should be built. A tank is going to have lower stamina and magicka for the sake of a larger health pool. Meaning his personal damage will stink, and therefore he will get more bang for his buck using skill slots to buff a group rather than do DPS. So it makes solid sense that tanks do this more so than healers.

Even though as previously made clear, healers do buff groups a bit.

kichwas

There's been a long heated debate over in FFXIV of "should healers DPS?"

What's that got to do with ESO... I think it has a lot to do with the 'should healers buff' argument I see wanting to start up above.

I suppose you could spend your entire dungeon run doing NOTHING but heal spam and then a Heavy Attack to recharge mana...

But honestly... you could be just as useful camping the door to make sure nobody's mini-pet escapes... and you might be more active too. Without having to follow the group, it's a perfect moment to try out the entire list of emotes in the game.

Do I care if healer buffs are amazing or not? No... but it gives me buttons to spam, things to mash, and a way to feel like there's a reason I'm taking a spot in the group...

So... I'm a lowbie healer in this game, which is what the OP is seeking I suspect when the 'new' comment. Healers in Trials / raids, and such... their perspective is going to be VERY DIFFERENT...

So there you are on your brand new level 10 Warden Healer, you haven't even unlocked weapon swap yet, and the dungeon queue pops. You've got a few green balance abilities and maybe the first 2 resto staff abilities... and then put put up something from the other 2 lines of your class so you can be sure those skills increase when you complete the place...

1. You get a run where everyone else has a massive amount of Champion Points and you might as well have just brought a selfie camera and a Hawaiian Shirt... Because playing tourist is all you're going to be doing...

2. You get a pack of fellow noobs and one of them is standing in the fire like he's paying rent on that spot... the tank grabs ONE MOB off to the side and gets 3 on his back and NEVER fixes his facing, and the other DPS keeps running in circles with a bow out of range of everyone else and... your heals...

- That's basically my experience every time I dungeon queue. It's one or the other.

Except my healers (Warden and Templar) are now both at level 30... but this dynamic still hasn't changed...

Now... you could decide to be pure healer and slot ONLY green balance and resto staff abilities, and then when weapon swap unlocks... ignore it...
- But that's going to be useless in the first scenario and NOT ENOUGH in the second...

In the first scenario, I can pop out all my buffs and my DPS abilities and go to town and act like I'm contributing even if my numbers are not... It at least looks pretty on my screen and I have fun.

In the second scenario... healing won't keep those noobs up... I'm going to have to put armor on them, I've actually had to solo down many mobs that were on a tank's back or following that guy running circles... and I've rezzed 'rent-boy' on the red spot many times... I've even tanked half the pull while the tank was over in that corner with his one single mob...


Hard vs. Easy isn't the right question for either of these though. Those two group dynamics happen in every MMO...
- What's different here is that I actually have skills I can put on my bar to give me more things to do that will either prevent boredom in the first story, or keep the group going in the second...

That... BTW... is why healers DPS in FFXIV... Because if they don't, in many dungeons they're just a tourist...

I'm not playing the game to be a tourist.

If you want to 'level as a tourist' play a healer in WoW... you basically just AFK till you hit not only max level, but 'Normal Raids' - before that nobody needs you... but the queue system demands your presence anyway...