Why do all PVP builds for templar healers suggest sword and shield?

Gorakiki

I'm not by any means one of the advanced players, and I've just dipped one toe in PVE (enough to know that as a healer, I have of trouble being useful -- I can sorta keep my team alive... I manage better in Cyrodil than battlegrounds, for now ). I'm trying to figure out what would be a better PVP build -- and everything I see suggests sword and board and resto staff. (Especially for templar; that's my main toon).

Could anyone tell me why?

The way I see it, most of my CP that aren't in healing are either in mitigating damage or in increasing my Magicka critical chance, and a very few in increasing Magicka damage. So I definitely lose the benefit of the last two. Secondly, my playstyle is to stay well back so I can heal my team and apply debuffs (I'm running a resto and a lightning staff). So this would ask me to get closer, and maneuver more (while restricting the amount I can move around). I'm sure that there's something I'm not seeing, and the sword and board make sense, though I can't for the life of me figure out why.

Danksta

Any decent players will focus the healer first so you need to be tanky. Can't keep your team alive if you're not alive yourself.

VaranisArano

Because you need to be actively defending yourself in PVP. It's not like a boss mechanic where you only need to not stand in stupid and just heal through everything.

As someone who stands back and heals PUGs, you have to prepared when the enemy spots you and decides to take out that pesky healer. When that happens, you need a plan for defense that's not "spam heals." You have to be able to maneuver and reposition on the battlefield.

As someone who also heals an organized raid, being able to stand up close and reposition in the heat of the battle is 100% the best help you can be to your groupmates. A dead healer heals nobody and 1H and Shield helps me be not dead.


That's not to say that you can't do a resto/destro healer in the right group, but the extra defense of 1H and Shield is extremely useful in PVP, especially when healers are a prime target.

Gorakiki

Thank you so much! Ok, this makes a lot more sense. It's not the damage, it's the shield.

I know what you mean -- and I do try to reposition as much as possible, especially during trials or vet dungeons that need it. I ain't saying I'm great at it, tho.

Vevvev

Yeah, healers without a bit of tankiness to them become very easy targets. I know in my PVP guild our group lead calls out the healers when he sees them and we focus them down quickly. Still loved that one time I was hunting a Nightblade and a tanky healer used Symbiosis's heavy "attack" on me, and it was the most hilarious things I had seen in Cyrodiil. The Nightblade couldn't even really kill me and 50% of the healing the healer gave me went to himself so the Nightblade couldn't kill him either

Oreyn_Bearclaw

If you are trying to be a PVP healer, I agree with what has already been said. As a templar, you have a fair amount of built in class utility for healing. Best thing as the healer is to stay alive, so Sword +Board allows you to be tanky as possible. You slot the resto for the handful of weapon line skills you will want as well.

If you want to play more of an open world build, then Destro/Resto or Destro/S+B become much more appealing. A true PVP healer will usually have a S+B on one bar so they can handle the damage focus you will undoubtedly receive. Always kill the healer. Haha

Atherakhia

This is hardly limited to healers or Templars. Every non-stamina class is pretty much forced into a s+b off hand for PvP. Stamina classes can get away with alternatives, but even they use S+B most of the time. Stamina is the all important resource for PvP and it gives stamina classes a very large advantage over magicka because breaking free, dodge rolling, and blocking are infinitely more powerful defensive tools than shields. Anything you can do to reduce the cost of the few defensive options available to you is important. Thus S+B for every non stamina class and why PvP is such a joke in this ESO.

Satiar

Gorakiki wrote: »

I'm not by any means one of the advanced players, and I've just dipped one toe in PVE (enough to know that as a healer, I have of trouble being useful -- I can sorta keep my team alive... I manage better in Cyrodil than battlegrounds, for now ). I'm trying to figure out what would be a better PVP build -- and everything I see suggests sword and board and resto staff. (Especially for templar; that's my main toon).

Could anyone tell me why?

The way I see it, most of my CP that aren't in healing are either in mitigating damage or in increasing my Magicka critical chance, and a very few in increasing Magicka damage. So I definitely lose the benefit of the last two. Secondly, my playstyle is to stay well back so I can heal my team and apply debuffs (I'm running a resto and a lightning staff). So this would ask me to get closer, and maneuver more (while restricting the amount I can move around). I'm sure that there's something I'm not seeing, and the sword and board make sense, though I can't for the life of me figure out why.

If you are doing small man (1-4) type of play, I can see the use for SnB. If you're running an actual pure healer build in a 12+ group you really don't need to use a SnB. You can, but your ability to survive will come from positioning and heal output more than block mitigation. Smaller groups you'll get focused and need to tank it yourself. Larger groups you'll be healing from the outside of damage/negate points and you won't need it the SnB at all.

hexentb16_ESO

In my experience shields aren't really needed for pvp healing if you slot CCs, have super strong heals, and some invisibility potions.

And to any pvp'ers reading this...ALWAYS slot a CC.

Cinbri

With incoming changes for frost staff it might become bis weapon for healers, has to wait for patchnotes.

Vevvev

hexentb16_ESO wrote: »

And to any pvp'ers reading this...ALWAYS slot a CC.

A PVPer without a CC isn't trying to win a fight that's for sure.

Deter1UK

Interesting and helpful comments

Explains why my PVE temp/healer had such a ‘lively’ time getting assault to level 5 today

JayKwellen

It's because like others said, healing is a focus magnet pretty much.

I know whenever I see a healer I'm calling you out and focusing on you completely. There also aren't a ton of dedicated healers in Cyrodiil, so I'll probably also remember your name and focus you anytime I see you from that point forward.

Likewise, this is also why healers often (though not always) wear heavy armor too.

Deter1UK

JayKwellen wrote: »

I know whenever I see a healer I'm calling you out and focusing on you completely. There also aren't a ton of dedicated healers in Cyrodiil, so I'll probably also remember your name and focus you anytime I see you from that point forward.

Ahhh my Healer wears light and has de/buffs on one bar and heals on the other - nothing much aggressive. Plus in the spirit of The International Red Cross wears brilliant red and white and can be seen for miles...

Thank you. I feel so much more confident now

EyelessCZ

I play in battlegrounds only as magnecro doublestaff Lightning/Resto. With Skeletal Arcanist, Intensive mender and Hungry scythe. In lightarmor I had hard times not to get killed. Because I wanted to do some kills too, not just heal everyone.

But if you want to stay alive easily, while doing lots of damage, try to go heavy armor, Medusa from Arx Corinium, for example. Or Bahrara from goldcost with Spinner or treasure hunter. You will se change. I never tested healer with 1H+Shield, but eventualy when oponent gets to you, it can be game changer for you.

Taleof2Cities

JayKwellen wrote: »

There also aren't a ton of dedicated healers in Cyrodiil, so I'll probably also remember your name and focus you anytime I see you from that point forward.

Deter1UK wrote: »

Plus in the spirit of The International Red Cross wears brilliant red and white and can be seen for miles...

Same. I wear bright yellow robes in Cyrodiil and ride a white Indrik ... so you can’t miss me. Challenge accepted.

Sahidom

the templars have several healing skills, and therefore, do not necessarily need a restoration staff except for resource recovery on heavy attacks; but you can gear, CP, and food buff your recovery to be functional without heavy attacks.

Artorias24

hexentb16_ESO wrote: »

In my experience shields aren't really needed for pvp healing if you slot CCs, have super strong heals, and some invisibility potions.

And to any pvp'ers reading this...ALWAYS slot a CC.

How you gonna survive 3 ppl focus on you while also trying to heal your groupmates? Cant heal if you are invis...

Sheuib

A sword and shield is not needed for PVP healing. A resto staff or frost staff with the defending trait is only 82 armor points less than a shield and a sword with defending trait unless you have reinforced on the shield. Plus there are other options for getting your armor up.

- Protection trait on your jewelry
- The Lady mundus stone which gives armor
- 5 heavy and 2 light
- Defensive sets

You need to put together a whole build to survive, heal, and do damage. Don't expect just throwing on a shield is going to suddenly make you tanky. And, yes you need to be able to do damage and CC.

Don't be one of those healers that only heals. If you get isolated, and yes you will get isolated, then you have to stand around getting beat on until someone comes and saves you. Or, if you end up in a two on two the other two are doing double the damage while you are hoping that the person with you can kill both of them. You need to be able to kill people. And, you will have a lot more fun if you can kill people.

As a templar you can do good damage and heals. Toppling charge is a great CC and an easy way to reposition on the battlefield. Undo is a great way to reposition on the battlefield. Radiant destruction is a great execute that you can queue up while someone is doing their burst. Get use to weaving in damage, CC, and heals together. It will make you much more effective in PVP.

Gorakiki

Thanks guys! That makes the builds I've seen online make a lot more sense.

To be perfectly honest, it's also given me a strong (and justified) sense of paranoia about PvP-ing and my first reaction, which is "but i wanna heal, not kill players" is rather silly for PvP

Also, thanks for the CC suggestions -- those are great, since I wasn't sure what to go for. I'd gotten as far as "stuff that applies defile" but not CC -- there's clear blindspots if you only play healer

Starlight_Whisper

There's other ways to do it, but you need a defensive strategy.