What defines someone as a 'healer'

a.skelton92 · September 2015

Hi everyone,

Basically, the title says it all. What distinguishes my character as a healer as opposed to just someone who has a resto staff as there backup weapon? Say another magicka user (mage for example) has a resto staff as his backup weapon, what exactly makes it any different to me? Other than one second he is a glass cannon the next he is a healer? At higher levels do you get gear that defines you as a healer and there is a clear difference between someone who does the role full time or just that guy who has it on his backup slot?

I have fun healing (though Did not want to go down the temp route) but it can be a bit spirit breaking when I am busting my ass trying to keep people up in PvP, PvE etc but then that mage next to you who was just killing people in his droves gets out a resto staff and starts doing the exact same thing as me (with seemingly no downsides, just as effective)..

I would love to hear what you guys have to say and hear from some experienced players.

Thank you!

P.s I am only level 20 but cant "see" anything that will change in the future.. Please enlighten me!

Noerknhar · September 2015

Skill, healing gear and healing CP?
Just a guess.

Winterpsy · September 2015

Mindset.

a.skelton92 · September 2015

Winterpsy wrote: »

Mindset.

Unfortunately in a game where everything is calculated by statistics; a mindset does nothing. No matter how much you convince yourself you are a healer, if your STATISTICS say otherwise then your not. Because i use a rest staff full time does it make me a healer or just a DK that refuses to use a shield?

Until I get something that defines my characters healing capabilities then you might as well just be a mage that has resto staff on backup surely? Because he can eliminate anyone in his way and then 'BAM', he presses square (to change class essentially) to just as good a healer as someone who when they created their character had the 'mindset' of; "I want to be a healer."

Shinra · September 2015

Well, almost all Healers in my guild wear DPS-Gear with a Destrostaff on the second hand, so... "healers" and "dps" aren't all that seperate for me, in endgame.

In some dungeons, it goes as far as the healer being the one with breath of life and repentence. Other skills are dps skills and both weapons are destruction staffs (or 1x destro and 1x dual wield)

I feel like, as soon as you look only at one specific aspect of the trinity (dps, dd or healer) you are unnecessarily limiting yourself and the performence your character can show.
I think flexibility is the key here, so depending on the situation I can play:

Full Tank
Tankhealer
Tank-DPS

Full Healer
Heal-DPS

Full DPS

I think, as a Healer, I want to at least know how to get decent dps at the same time as keeping the group alive. There are some bosses where I have to heal nonstop, and other bosses where one spell every 10-15 seconds is enough. And at that time, I want to be equiped for both scenarios, dealing extra damage when possible and healing when necessary.
Well, once I master that, I will want to know how to tank as well, while still healing the group. Especially with PUGs, where a new tank may end up dead, a healer who knows how to use a shield can save the day. Or if you want to make speed runs in some of the older dungeons, 1 Tankhealer + 3 DPS is probably an awesome option.

a.skelton92 · September 2015

Thankyou very much for your time taken to type that up!

I think I am just old school and feel like everyone should have a job.. I generally prefer a class system in games and their is a specific class that can fulfill all roles if youlike that style. I just feel their is no unique identity that defines your character if everyone can do everything. Feels really pointless when 'x' archer just wacks out a resto staff and be as good at it as anyone else..

Wanting to contribute to the damage is fine. But there is a difference (or there should be) between dealing a bit of extra damage when there is not much healing needed to just out right completely changing role. Its the same the other way round mind you..

So apart from templars; healers dont exist? There are just some dps who choose to use a resto staff as a backup..

Leon119 · September 2015

healer in this game is a support. some1 who puts buffs on allies debuffs on boss and makes sure every1 else can put out as much dps as they can while making sure they dont die and dealing as much damage as possible themselves.
this is what it means to be a healer in ESO

Leandor · September 2015

A person with "a resto staff equipped as his off weapon" managing to keep his team alive in a dungeon is a healer, not a "person with a resto staff equipped as his off weapon".

I assume you talk from the point of view of a templar that has concentrated on healing abilities. That is not a healer, that is just "a templar concentrating on healing abilities".

So, to answer your question:

A healer is a person that manages to heal his group through an encounter, irrespective of how he does that.

a.skelton92 · September 2015

Leon119 wrote: »

healer in this game is a support. some1 who puts buffs on allies debuffs on boss and makes sure every1 else can put out as much dps as they can while making sure they dont die and dealing as much damage as possible themselves.
this is what it means to be a healer in ESO

Thankyou for the reply.

But apparently your average archer.. Or wizard.. Or tank can do the exact same thing because everyone is everything. Ha.

EgoRush · September 2015

a.skelton92 wrote: »

Thankyou for the reply.

But apparently your average archer.. Or wizard.. Or tank can do the exact same thing because everyone is everything. Ha.

Well not quite true. If you have an archer trying to off heal and use support skills then he's not going to be doing damage much. It's all a sliding scale between tank/heal/DPS, you're right, but people are further along the scale based on their preferred role. A dedicated healer should be putting out damage if the opportunity arises, but oftentimes in 12-man raids and such I don't always have chance to slot damage skills and I have pure support (Siphon, Ele Drain, Mystic Orbs, Combat Prayer).

Also, I doubt a stamina-based archer is going to whip out a Resto Staff to start healing, and if they do they will do pittance compared to a magicka build. That isn't a healer.

A healer keeps the team alive, keeps resources high, has gear to support everyone (Kagrenac, Spell Power Cure, Healer's Habit) that wouldn't be optimal for a tank/DPS build. Just because every class is capable of this doesn't mean there is no identity as a healer.

a.skelton92 · September 2015

Leandor wrote: »

A person with "a resto staff equipped as his off weapon" managing to keep his team alive in a dungeon is a healer, not a "person with a resto staff equipped as his off weapon".

I assume you talk from the point of view of a templar that has concentrated on healing abilities. That is not a healer, that is just "a templar concentrating on healing abilities".

So, to answer your question:

A healer is a person that manages to heal his group through an encounter, irrespective of how he does that.

Is it? Or is just that mage that has decided that *** has hit the fan so he gets his resto staff out. He isnt a healer, he is just the mage that has a resto staff in his pocket. What I mean is just in my opinion there should be clear distinction between a dedicated healers capabilities than that guy who just got a staff out quickly because the 'main healer' died. No i am not a templar.

I know ESO allows for the freedom to change class on the slightest whim but is there gear/ CPs that i can wear/ spend that will set the role a bit more in stone?

a.skelton92 · September 2015

EgoRush wrote: »

a.skelton92 wrote: »

Thankyou for the reply.

But apparently your average archer.. Or wizard.. Or tank can do the exact same thing because everyone is everything. Ha.

Well not quite true. If you have an archer trying to off heal and use support skills then he's not going to be doing damage much. It's all a sliding scale between tank/heal/DPS, you're right, but people are further along the scale based on their preferred role. A dedicated healer should be putting out damage if the opportunity arises, but oftentimes in 12-man raids and such I don't always have chance to slot damage skills and I have pure support (Siphon, Ele Drain, Mystic Orbs, Combat Prayer).

Also, I doubt a stamina-based archer is going to whip out a Resto Staff to start healing, and if they do they will do pittance compared to a magicka build. That isn't a healer.

A healer keeps the team alive, keeps resources high, has gear to support everyone (Kagrenac, Spell Power Cure, Healer's Habit) that wouldn't be optimal for a tank/DPS build. Just because every class is capable of this doesn't mean there is no identity as a healer.

Thankyou for the reply!

And your right, I agree. So is there many variations of healing gear at end game or is it just that one set that gives the healers habit passive?

Also, are there champion points that increase healing power or anything do you know?

Winterpsy · September 2015

a.skelton92 wrote: »

Winterpsy wrote: »

Mindset.

Unfortunately in a game where everything is calculated by statistics; a mindset does nothing. No matter how much you convince yourself you are a healer, if your STATISTICS say otherwise then your not. Because i use a rest staff full time does it make me a healer or just a DK that refuses to use a shield?

Until I get something that defines my characters healing capabilities then you might as well just be a mage that has resto staff on backup surely? Because he can eliminate anyone in his way and then 'BAM', he presses square (to change class essentially) to just as good a healer as someone who when they created their character had the 'mindset' of; "I want to be a healer."

Mindset also determines what you percieve and what you try to prevent. A DPS - off-healer will not watch for preventive HOTS, buffs, rapid manouvers ouf of the red, in general he'll remain a dps who drops a healing springs when have a brief moment, whereas a dedicated healer looks at every encounter through different eyes.

Is the same with being a tank. When I am on with the tank, the encounters I percieved differently.

And ofc there are those CPs, gears that support the mindset. But first and foremost its the mindset.
Without it you can wear the best healer's garb you will miss many opportunities to prevent damage or carry the group through serious situations.

a.skelton92 · September 2015

Winterpsy wrote: »

a.skelton92 wrote: »

Winterpsy wrote: »

Mindset.

Unfortunately in a game where everything is calculated by statistics; a mindset does nothing. No matter how much you convince yourself you are a healer, if your STATISTICS say otherwise then your not. Because i use a rest staff full time does it make me a healer or just a DK that refuses to use a shield?

Until I get something that defines my characters healing capabilities then you might as well just be a mage that has resto staff on backup surely? Because he can eliminate anyone in his way and then 'BAM', he presses square (to change class essentially) to just as good a healer as someone who when they created their character had the 'mindset' of; "I want to be a healer."

Mindset also determines what you percieve and what you try to prevent. A DPS - off-healer will not watch for preventive HOTS, buffs, rapid manouvers ouf of the red, in general he'll remain a dps who drops a healing springs when have a brief moment, whereas a dedicated healer looks at every encounter through different eyes.

Is the same with being a tank. When I am on with the tank, the encounters I percieved differently.

And ofc there are those CPs, gears that support the mindset. But first and foremost its the mindset.
Without it you can wear the best healer's garb you will miss many opportunities to prevent damage or carry the group through serious situations.

Good answer! Thanks again. And yes your right the angle at which you are looking at the encounter definitely changes things. Thank you all for commenting and putting up with my ranting. I have the strength to carry on!

eliisra · September 2015

Shinra wrote: »

Well, almost all Healers in my guild wear DPS-Gear with a Destrostaff on the second hand, so... "healers" and "dps" aren't all that seperate for me, in endgame.

That is definitely true for PvE content. Building for big heals exclusively is sort of pointless.

Dps either gets one shot because failed to block, move, mechanic or dodge...healer cant really help them there. Or they only take moderate dmg, so no need for crazy heals.

Having better dps, is overall more helpful to the group.

In PvP however, you cant rock a build like that and be a good healer, not with the 50% heal reduction and all the focus you take from the enemy. The archetype PvE healers(usually wearing Martial Knowledge, fire staff and no stamina or recovery) going PvP land tends to die in a few seconds and gankers favourite pray.

You need to think more traditional MMO healing and more tanky + sustain, when you heal in PvP. I do find it hard myself to have dual builds that works perfectly for both PvE + PvP heal.

Jumper45 · September 2015

In my personal opinion id define a healer as someone who could keep everyone alive more then 95% of the time ( Not Due to the other persons actions such as running in fire etc and discounting 1 shot attacks) ( This also does not count for pvp as everyone needs to die in pvp at some point) How you get there is up to you via gear/stats and abilities. I say 95% of the time because if people are dieing around you from your lack of ability to heal then you really arnt a healer you are just some person failing at the task lol. It doesnt matter what gear you wear, your stats or what abilities you use as long as you reach that goal. I also say 95% of the time in the hardest situations. If you are end game level etc and can heal reg dungeons for example but cant heal a raid/vet dungeon that doesnt really make you a healer just someone who can heal easier content which i think anyone can with a resto staff which can blur those lines.