What class makes the best healer?

Eedat

I made a similar thread for tanks and got a lot of useful info, so I thought I would make one for healer. I've been running a templar healer since ever and was wondering if I was missing out by not trying anything else. How does necro and warden healer stack up to the good old templar healer?

FrancisCrawford

Eedat wrote: »

I made a similar thread for tanks and got a lot of useful info, so I thought I would make one for healer. I've been running a templar healer since ever and was wondering if I was missing out by not trying anything else. How does necro and warden healer stack up to the good old templar healer?

It depends in part on your healing preferences. For example:

• How important is it to you to have a burst heal?
• Do you always run Combat Prayer?
• Do you like to use ground-based HoTs?

Also, you're going to have a limited DPS rotation, so how do you feel about what the class offers in that?

In my case -- well, my first healers to Undaunted 9/10 were two templars and a sorcerer, and my only other one so far is a warden. (My only other character to that range overall is a sorcerer with which I did a lot of duoing.) Next-highest, I believe, are yet another sorcerer and yet another templar.

Hotdog_23

Templar biggest strength anymore for healing is the size of Extended Ritual at 12meters and synergy.

BOL is still good but a shell of what it used to be compared to today or even compared to Sorcerer Matriarch heals.

Rite of Passage and its morphs can still rock if timed and used correctly and it also has a large range at 20 meters.

Healing Ritual and its morphs can also be very powerful when played are stacked pretty good.

In short what makes a templar the best overall is the range offered by it heals vs. the other classes.

Major Maim can also be a nice perk if needed with Solar Prison.

Wardens’ bring minor toughness is a nice unique perk for sure.

Budding Seeds is nice for healing but small compared to Extended Ritual. The addition they added awhile back of a little HOT to the skill was a nice change.

Enchanted Growth is nice with additional perks of Minor Intellect and Minor Endurance given. Really powerful in tightly packed groups.

Minor Vulnerability from Fetcher Infection is another nice perk with good damage also.

Enchanted Forest is a nice strong heal that is easily seen.

These 2 are the strongest healers in the game but the others can be very strong as well. DK probably is the weakest overall.

Stay safe and have fun

Grianasteri

It is fairly uncontroversial and acknowledged that Templar and Warden are the best classes for healer. It is not really a question of which is best, its a question of what you prefer and how you provide the group with the utility they need (heals/resoruces/buffs etc).

Templar and Warden each bring some different tools to the fight. I love both, but what I would say is that after maining Warden healer for a long time, when I finally made a dedicated Templar healer, I never really looked back because Templar was easier, not better, easier.

Just my personal thoughts.

Xuhora

Saying it is uncontroversial that templar and warden are the best healer is kinda controversial for me, since I would argue for necro and warden being the “best” healers, since templar got ripped of his unique debuff with PotL.

Warden as correctly stated has his buffs with health and resource regen, and necro has his vulnerability debuffs + empower.
I play my templar heal since the beginning of the beta, but healed with all classes, while again, necro and wardens feel easier to heal for me than templar. But I guess that is just personal playstyle factoring in.

But it is fair to say that you can heal every content with every class, some just require more effort than others.

Vevvev

A Dragonknight healer waves in the distance as they spam Obsidian Shard.

zvavi

I mean. My opinion is definitely biased, but sorc.

Anotherone773

I prefer Templar two of the main reasons being the strong class heal and a templars holy shards.

Laerion

What makes a templar easier than a warden?

Starlight_Whisper

zvavi wrote: »

I mean. My opinion is definitely biased, but sorc.

No no you are in the right here.

Krevad

Laerion wrote: »

What makes a templar easier than a warden?

Wardens require higher rate of casting to maintain budding seeds and various uptimes including fetcher infection, frost cloak and enchanted growth.
Templars are simpler with just power of the light (or purifying light morph this patch, you still want to be proccing the prism passive every 6 seconds for ulti gen) and extended ritual being their key class skills.

Krevad

Vevvev wrote: »

A Dragonknight healer waves in the distance as they spam Obsidian Shard.

They would actually be pretty good healers with Fragmented Shield providing Major Mending on demand if their class AoE HoT Cinder Storm was not so tiny.

Vevvev

Krevad wrote: »

Vevvev wrote: »

A Dragonknight healer waves in the distance as they spam Obsidian Shard.

They would actually be pretty good healers with Fragmented Shield providing Major Mending on demand if their class AoE HoT Cinder Storm was not so tiny.

And cost so freaking much... Luckily it lasts really long and has a stronger heal over time than the Resto staff's ground based heal. As you mentioned it is tiny and it also looks like a damage dealing ability. Won't believe how many allies run away from it!

WrathOfInnos

Xuhora wrote: »

Saying it is uncontroversial that templar and warden are the best healer is kinda controversial for me, since I would argue for necro and warden being the “best” healers, since templar got ripped of his unique debuff with PotL.

Warden as correctly stated has his buffs with health and resource regen, and necro has his vulnerability debuffs + empower.
I play my templar heal since the beginning of the beta, but healed with all classes, while again, necro and wardens feel easier to heal for me than templar. But I guess that is just personal playstyle factoring in.

But it is fair to say that you can heal every content with every class, some just require more effort than others.

I agree with this post. Templar healer lost the one unique thing (Minor Breach) that made it required in optimized Magicka groups. Still need a Templar somewhere for Minor Sorcery, but it works just as well on a DPS build. Same goes for Shards and the Ritual synergy, there’s nothing that makes these tools exclusive to healers. The main reason for bringing a Templar healer is that Templars are currently the lowest damage class.

Warden is a strong option, arguably the best for raw healing output, and with strong defensive buffs like Frost Cloak and Minor Toughness. They also help with damage using Fetcher Infection for Minor Vulnerability and can add the Harvest synergy to improve Alkosh uptime. Minor Intellect is also an important buff in the Warden toolkit, although uptimes with Enchanted Growth are difficult. The main hesitation with Warden healer currently is that many tanks are running Warden frost builds for Minor Brittle, which makes most of these buffs redundant. Although Frost healer is an option if you want to add even more utility (crit damage for the group and minor main on enemies).

Sorcerer doesn’t have the best healing skills, but their burst heal with Twilight Matriarch is good. They are likely the best option for providing sustain support given the easy Minor Intellect on Empowered Ward (large area and buffs a full trial group with one cast). Sorc healers can also help Alkosh uptimes with the conduit synergy (which is often unique because Sorcerer DPS don’t use it much). They also bring the important Minor Prophecy buff, but it’s usually redundant since Sorcerer DPS is common and has an easier time fitting a Dark Magic skill into their build.

Necromancer healer is great. Several class skills focused on healing, and high ultimate generation for more Colossus or Warhorn. The most important buff for Necro healers is Empowering Grasp, giving a 40% increase to everyone’s light and heavy attacks. They have 2 great synergies with Boneyard and Totem (which also gives AoE Minor Protection and Minor Vuln, although lower uptime than Warden’s Fetcher).

Grianasteri

Laerion wrote: »

What makes a templar easier than a warden?

I find the play style easier in terms of healing and in particular - damage dealing. A templar seems to require less intense button bashing than a Warden, which I find I have to work a bit harder to keep everything up etc. Switching to dps or contributing dps, I find easier on Templar - I really dislike the Warden dps playstyle, too clunky for me.

That said, Templar is not as good as it was and some folks lean towards Warden at the moment. Dont get me wrong, I love my Warden healer, its still effective and fun.

Id add, when Necro came out my instant desire was to make a healer, it looked like it would make a great one, and I think it probably does, its just I have no experience of this yet, because I also found they make great tanks and dps and ended up with one each of those instead!

FrancisCrawford

Sorcerer is one of the best when you are in an unpredictable situation (content, groupmates, whatever), because of the one-button, no-aiming emergency heal.

Starlight_Whisper

FrancisCrawford wrote: »

Sorcerer is one of the best when you are in an unpredictable situation (content, groupmates, whatever), because of the one-button, no-aiming emergency heal.

Definitely

Zodiarkslayer

I would not reduce sorcerer to the matriarch heal. Its strength is clearly the versatility of the class passives. You can do every role very good, if you keep a magicka orientation and know how to. It's even better to play without "Flappy the annoying woman bird" at all.

In general one could see a paradigm shift over the last patches or years really. Where in the past a good healer was defined by high HPS, Buffing and Support DPS are more important now. So, which class is the best healer is a misleading question.
The current idea of Healing in ESO requires nothing more than a Restoration Staff to be good enough at HPS. That is a reality. Sad, but true.

So IMO, Sorcerer and Necromancer are the best classes in this context, because they bring powerful buffs from simple class skills or passives AND are still doing high damage while at it.

BXR_Lonestar

Grianasteri wrote: »

It is fairly uncontroversial and acknowledged that Templar and Warden are the best classes for healer. It is not really a question of which is best, its a question of what you prefer and how you provide the group with the utility they need (heals/resoruces/buffs etc).

Templar and Warden each bring some different tools to the fight. I love both, but what I would say is that after maining Warden healer for a long time, when I finally made a dedicated Templar healer, I never really looked back because Templar was easier, not better, easier.

Just my personal thoughts.

Templar and Warden are definitely the best classes for healing, bar none. The only question is what order they come in - and that largely depends on what you are looking for out of your healer and your comfort level with playing the class.

I've had a Templar Healer since I started playing the game, but I recently started playing on a Warden Healer. The Warden is better for group utility and buffs IMO, but the Templar is still tops for raw healing and ease of use. The Warden is lacking an "oh crap" smart burst heal that can be used to bring your tanks back from the brink, where Templar has two skills (Breath of Life and Ritual of Rebirth). Thus, IMO, for pure healing, the Templar is always going to be #1, but if your goal is to maximize group buffs for group content, the Warden is definitely better.

Overall, IMO, most coordinated trial groups would have 1 healer be a templar and one be a warden to get the benefits from both classes.

manny254

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

Grianasteri wrote: »

It is fairly uncontroversial and acknowledged that Templar and Warden are the best classes for healer. It is not really a question of which is best, its a question of what you prefer and how you provide the group with the utility they need (heals/resoruces/buffs etc).

Templar and Warden each bring some different tools to the fight. I love both, but what I would say is that after maining Warden healer for a long time, when I finally made a dedicated Templar healer, I never really looked back because Templar was easier, not better, easier.

Just my personal thoughts.

Overall, IMO, most coordinated trial groups would have 1 healer be a templar and one be a warden to get the benefits from both classes.

Most coordinated Magicka groups will have one Templar in the group, but it does not have to be the healer. Templar really does not bring much as healer currently.

Warden will always be slotted due to minor toughness, and the changes to Empowering Grasp has made healer Necro the other common healer.

The only real things Templar brings to trial group is Potl (good for the ice Boss in vSS), and minor sorcery.

If you don't have a DPS mDK, even DK healer is more appealing than Templar.

Eedat

Grianasteri wrote: »

Laerion wrote: »

What makes a templar easier than a warden?

I find the play style easier in terms of healing and in particular - damage dealing. A templar seems to require less intense button bashing than a Warden, which I find I have to work a bit harder to keep everything up etc. Switching to dps or contributing dps, I find easier on Templar - I really dislike the Warden dps playstyle, too clunky for me.

That would depend. Stamplar DPS is by far the easiest DPS in the game. It took me about two hours of practicing to get a 100k parse after I leveled mine. I golded my jewelry and retraited it to bloodthirsty and I'm at 105k now. Warden and Necro require FAR more complicated rotations and way more practice to hit those levels. And since stamplar rotation is so easy it's also infinitely easier to pull off in real scenarios where there are mechanics to think about. Magplar has less DPS but they're practically unkillable.

(sorry for derailing a bit on DPS in a healer thread)

Starlight_Whisper

Zodiarkslayer wrote: »

I would not reduce sorcerer to the matriarch heal. Its strength is clearly the versatility of the class passives. You can do every role very good, if you keep a magicka orientation and know how to. It's even better to play without "Flappy the annoying woman bird" at all.

In general one could see a paradigm shift over the last patches or years really. Where in the past a good healer was defined by high HPS, Buffing and Support DPS are more important now. So, which class is the best healer is a misleading question.
The current idea of Healing in ESO requires nothing more than a Restoration Staff to be good enough at HPS. That is a reality. Sad, but true.

So IMO, Sorcerer and Necromancer are the best classes in this context, because they bring powerful buffs from simple class skills or passives AND are still doing high damage while at it.

Agreed

Starlight_Whisper

manny254 wrote: »

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

Grianasteri wrote: »

It is fairly uncontroversial and acknowledged that Templar and Warden are the best classes for healer. It is not really a question of which is best, its a question of what you prefer and how you provide the group with the utility they need (heals/resoruces/buffs etc).

Templar and Warden each bring some different tools to the fight. I love both, but what I would say is that after maining Warden healer for a long time, when I finally made a dedicated Templar healer, I never really looked back because Templar was easier, not better, easier.

Just my personal thoughts.

Overall, IMO, most coordinated trial groups would have 1 healer be a templar and one be a warden to get the benefits from both classes.

Most coordinated Magicka groups will have one Templar in the group, but it does not have to be the healer. Templar really does not bring much as healer currently.

Warden will always be slotted due to minor toughness, and the changes to Empowering Grasp has made healer Necro the other common healer.

The only real things Templar brings to trial group is Potl (good for the ice Boss in vSS), and minor sorcery.

If you don't have a DPS mDK, even DK healer is more appealing than Templar.

Polt is only minor breech now which is also on sword and board.

WrathOfInnos

Starlight_Whisper wrote: »

manny254 wrote: »

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

Grianasteri wrote: »

It is fairly uncontroversial and acknowledged that Templar and Warden are the best classes for healer. It is not really a question of which is best, its a question of what you prefer and how you provide the group with the utility they need (heals/resoruces/buffs etc).

Templar and Warden each bring some different tools to the fight. I love both, but what I would say is that after maining Warden healer for a long time, when I finally made a dedicated Templar healer, I never really looked back because Templar was easier, not better, easier.

Just my personal thoughts.

Overall, IMO, most coordinated trial groups would have 1 healer be a templar and one be a warden to get the benefits from both classes.

Most coordinated Magicka groups will have one Templar in the group, but it does not have to be the healer. Templar really does not bring much as healer currently.

Warden will always be slotted due to minor toughness, and the changes to Empowering Grasp has made healer Necro the other common healer.

The only real things Templar brings to trial group is Potl (good for the ice Boss in vSS), and minor sorcery.

If you don't have a DPS mDK, even DK healer is more appealing than Templar.

Polt is only minor breech now which is also on sword and board.

I think he meant PotL specifically for ranged tanking Lokkestiiz. Pierce Armor might still work there with careful timing, but I can see PotL being easier. I don’t think it really matters though because those are not the only 2 sources of Minor Breach. Focused Aim is a source of Breach that any class can use from up to 40m away. Many tanks use bow back bar for that fight anyway, with Hail to proc enchants and ranged heavy attacks to help stamina sustain. It wouldn’t even need to be the main tank doing it, 10s of Minor Breach is now available to literally any player. I’ve even seen healers back bar a bow for that fight. PotL is now irrelevant IMO.

Starlight_Whisper

WrathOfInnos wrote: »

Starlight_Whisper wrote: »

manny254 wrote: »

BXR_Lonestar wrote: »

Grianasteri wrote: »

It is fairly uncontroversial and acknowledged that Templar and Warden are the best classes for healer. It is not really a question of which is best, its a question of what you prefer and how you provide the group with the utility they need (heals/resoruces/buffs etc).

Templar and Warden each bring some different tools to the fight. I love both, but what I would say is that after maining Warden healer for a long time, when I finally made a dedicated Templar healer, I never really looked back because Templar was easier, not better, easier.

Just my personal thoughts.

Overall, IMO, most coordinated trial groups would have 1 healer be a templar and one be a warden to get the benefits from both classes.

Most coordinated Magicka groups will have one Templar in the group, but it does not have to be the healer. Templar really does not bring much as healer currently.

Warden will always be slotted due to minor toughness, and the changes to Empowering Grasp has made healer Necro the other common healer.

The only real things Templar brings to trial group is Potl (good for the ice Boss in vSS), and minor sorcery.

If you don't have a DPS mDK, even DK healer is more appealing than Templar.

Polt is only minor breech now which is also on sword and board.

I think he meant PotL specifically for ranged tanking Lokkestiiz. Pierce Armor might still work there with careful timing, but I can see PotL being easier. I don’t think it really matters though because those are not the only 2 sources of Minor Breach. Focused Aim is a source of Breach that any class can use from up to 40m away. Many tanks use bow back bar for that fight anyway, with Hail to proc enchants and ranged heavy attacks to help stamina sustain. It wouldn’t even need to be the main tank doing it, 10s of Minor Breach is now available to literally any player. I’ve even seen healers back bar a bow for that fight. PotL is now irrelevant IMO.

Indeed, that's why it's not mandatory to have a Templar anymore. Their day has pasted.

exeeter702

For pvp....

Not single mention of magblade and what is indisputably the strongest single target burst heal to allies in the game.

Malevolent offering ignores los, elevation, and heals with more throughput than matriarch and bol. Its self inflicted oblivion dot is highly risk vs reward and when managed, is very satisfying and something sorely missing in this game.

Soup siphon is one of the strongest healing ults in the game as well, even despite its .5 cast time.

Refreshing path is often criticized for it's small size while the key factor often ignored in that its effects linger beyond the path, assuming you are fighting in a vicinity amd granting major expedition to everyone, the actual uptime and reach of path is far greater.

And few healers can still bring lethal pressence to a small group while maintaining meaningful hot uptime and emergency heals.

100 percent minor mending uptime
6 to 8 percent healing done with siphoner passive
Only ult in game to give major vit to allies

Then again if we are talking about low teir/low effort cyrodil seige group healing then have at it. I've been making these arguments for far too many years now.

Astrid

Depends what kinda healer you want and what your group wants, the best all rounder and just healing output Id have to say warden. Toughness as it naturally heals, and expansive frost cloak for Major Resolve.

Templar/Sorc healers are both decent for your magicka comp. Sorcery and Prophecy respectively. Templar has a strong purge built-in purge with a decent burst heal that’s admittedly a shadow of its former self (rest in peace breath of life), and POTL has been basically laid to rest also, but purifying light or any skill from the tree line will still proc sorcery. Sorc has excellent off balance uptimes, arguably the strongest burst heal in the game (matriarch) besides the nightblade burst heal (which is risky business let’s be honest) and can work as an off-dd where overhealing isn’t an issue due to natural spell damage and crit.

Necromancer is a strong contender but honestly if you’re in raid it’s likely already being ran by DDs in Catalyst/MA. They do provide a ton of synergies and incredibly strong healing, plus their ultimate uptime is far far higher than any other class due to Necrotic potency. Always nice to have if you have the time to make an extra healer, but i wouldn’t bank on using this one a lot in trials. In dungeons, go for it.

Nightblade and DK healers are super niche and would fit nicer into a stamina composition due to their passives and not used often unless it’s to fit a specific group set up. Though a DK in Z’ens is really really efficient for the 10% engulfing and nightblade was basically a one trick wonder when everyone decided to put one in Roaring before it got changed. They’re doable, just not as sought after unless you’re in a specific group.

Ventru7

exeeter702 wrote: »

For pvp....

Not single mention of magblade and what is indisputably the strongest single target burst heal to allies in the game.

Malevolent offering ignores los, elevation, and heals with more throughput than matriarch and bol. Its self inflicted oblivion dot is highly risk vs reward and when managed, is very satisfying and something sorely missing in this game.

Soup siphon is one of the strongest healing ults in the game as well, even despite its .5 cast time.

Refreshing path is often criticized for it's small size while the key factor often ignored in that its effects linger beyond the path, assuming you are fighting in a vicinity amd granting major expedition to everyone, the actual uptime and reach of path is far greater.

And few healers can still bring lethal pressence to a small group while maintaining meaningful hot uptime and emergency heals.

100 percent minor mending uptime
6 to 8 percent healing done with siphoner passive
Only ult in game to give major vit to allies

Then again if we are talking about low teir/low effort cyrodil seige group healing then have at it. I've been making these arguments for far too many years now.

Biggest problem nb heal has that it has no class synergies in their non ults. I think malevolent offering is very lacking as a skill since unlike other los heals you can't heal yourself and there is not a morph to heal more than 1 person,both morphs are also very boring. Other problem they have is that their minor vulnerability skill is in lotus fan which is a melee skill and that is a pretty bad design decision as whole. Another problem their major sorcery source is in a pbaoe damaging skill(sap essence) also another design mistake. Funnel Health is still useless since radiating regen completely outclasses it.

exeeter702

Ventru7 wrote: »

exeeter702 wrote: »

For pvp....

Not single mention of magblade and what is indisputably the strongest single target burst heal to allies in the game.

Malevolent offering ignores los, elevation, and heals with more throughput than matriarch and bol. Its self inflicted oblivion dot is highly risk vs reward and when managed, is very satisfying and something sorely missing in this game.

Soup siphon is one of the strongest healing ults in the game as well, even despite its .5 cast time.

Refreshing path is often criticized for it's small size while the key factor often ignored in that its effects linger beyond the path, assuming you are fighting in a vicinity amd granting major expedition to everyone, the actual uptime and reach of path is far greater.

And few healers can still bring lethal pressence to a small group while maintaining meaningful hot uptime and emergency heals.

100 percent minor mending uptime
6 to 8 percent healing done with siphoner passive
Only ult in game to give major vit to allies

Then again if we are talking about low teir/low effort cyrodil seige group healing then have at it. I've been making these arguments for far too many years now.

Biggest problem nb heal has that it has no class synergies in their non ults. I think malevolent offering is very lacking as a skill since unlike other los heals you can't heal yourself and there is not a morph to heal more than 1 person,both morphs are also very boring. Other problem they have is that their minor vulnerability skill is in lotus fan which is a melee skill and that is a pretty bad design decision as whole. Another problem their major sorcery source is in a pbaoe damaging skill(sap essence) also another design mistake. Funnel Health is still useless since radiating regen completely outclasses it.

There is no other los heal in the game.... if malevolent self healed or healing more than 1 target it would be grossly and uniformly overpowered. Malevolent offering is one if the strongest abilites in the game and is well designed. Most critics of it have never used it on a build for which it is actually designed for. When someone suggests it self targets, that is evidence enough....

Numerous classes outsource primary major buffs depending on builds the sap essence argument is a non starter.

No one uses funnel health for pvp, not since its nerf years ago. Swallow soul serves as a passive boost to outgoing healing and passive ult gen.

Lotus is another buff that is not make or break for a healer build, a brawler tanky nb healer build could engage with it but that is not something to really refute. Every class both stam and magicka versions have a swath of buffs and debuffs that fit into certain builds and not others. Compromises are always made depending on groups.

For small scale tight knit pvp groups, they are absolutely strong and have been for many years, even before agony was turned into offering as both the strongest single target HoT in game at the time and then into it's current version. No other heal will go through walls and disregard elevation entirely while having no bearing on magicka use. Lacking a synergy is a valid criticism but hardly a deal breaker depending on your groups makeup where particular synergies will be present regardless (ie non healing templars etc).

Ventru7

exeeter702 wrote: »

For pvp....

I may have totally missed this part and talked about pve .Yeah I have no idea how it is for pvp and synergies are probably not that importan in pvp too unlike pve which is probably the biggest issue. For los heal though idk why are you not counting matriarch bol or resist flesh .Matriarch has better targeting than malevolent.

Grianasteri

Eedat wrote: »

That would depend. Stamplar DPS is by far the easiest DPS in the game. It took me about two hours of practicing to get a 100k parse after I leveled mine. I golded my jewelry and retraited it to bloodthirsty and I'm at 105k now. Warden and Necro require FAR more complicated rotations and way more practice to hit those levels. And since stamplar rotation is so easy it's also infinitely easier to pull off in real scenarios where there are mechanics to think about. Magplar has less DPS but they're practically unkillable.

(sorry for derailing a bit on DPS in a healer thread)

I think we can discount stamplar dps, since if one is healing, its likely to be magplar dps that is relevant here.

Personally, I find executing reasonable dps with my magplar healer, easier and more straight forward, than doing so on my Warden healer. Perhaps worth noting here that Magden and Magcro have similar dps playstyles, I can enjoy them, but I find each a bit clunky and more complex to execute than some other mag classes. So magplar dps is, for me, just a bit more straight forward, you can kick out some really decent dps by using 2 or 3 skills when a healer.

Basically we are in agreement that magplar is on the easier end of the spectrum when it comes to achieving dps

If you are at 100k+ parsing, you are already well inside the top 10% elite players in the game, probably closer to the top 1%, so some of your experience may not be particularly applicable to a new healer.