Question regarding healers

mordameusb16_ESO · February 2017

Hello, all.

I have had the game for quite some time, but I'm rather rusty/unfamiliar with a lot of the more higher-level/end-game content.

Because of this, I'd like to ask the community on opinions/facts on finally settling on a class to consider my "main". More specifically, my "Main healer".

I thoroughly enjoy healing in MMO's, including ESO. Initially I had rolled an Altmer Templar to be a healer. While he is far and away from end-game (he's only level 25), I've sort of come to the conclusion that that race/class combination is far too.... dull. I'm not necessarily going to say that healing as an Altmer Templar is "easy", but it provides quite a dull play-style to a longtime/veteran Healer main. The resource management game is almost non-existent, and almost any group mistake can be easily rectified with 1-2 quick heals.

In my quest and research to find a far more interactive, engaging, and enjoyable playstyle, I've "narrowed" - if you could call it that - down my class choice to either Dragon Knight or Nightblade.

The aesthetics/animations of both are quite fun, and I've played both (across multiple races) to at least level 10. Yes, I understand that neither of those two classes offer the raw healing through-put of a Templar, however, at least on paper, they both seem to offer solid and unique ways to support allies.

However, some solid, and most importantly, up-to-date input on effectiveness, efficiency, and group utility would be greatly appreciated. Basically, something to aim for in the long-run, without completely gimping myself, or "locking" myself away from highlevel/end-game content because of class/role choice.

So, my questions are:

Between DK and NB, which would provide a more interesting and effective healing playstyle for a longtime healer?
Between DK and NB, which could hold it's own in efficiently and effectively questing in the overworld?
Between DK and NB, which would be more accepted as a healer/off-healer in end-game content?

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO · February 2017

How about you play them both to 50, it does not take that long, and then make up your own mind?

The long and the short of it is that if you want to be an end game healer, you have to be a Templar. Full stop. No other class is really allowed to heal in serious group. Can other classes heal good? Yes. Can they heal as good as a temp? Depends on the player. Can they support their team like a temp? No. They can come close but they just can't.

Now to more directly answer your question on which class is better please read through this thread,
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/305196/can-a-wizard-heal-with-resto-staff-as-good-as-a-templar-can/p1 it has some of the best arguments for healers of each class.

RavenSworn · February 2017

I have a sorcerer healer that I swear is sometimes better than some Templar Ive played with.

But honestly, best active healer to play to me is Nightblade healing. Requires you to have a lot of mobility and more upfront than a regular healer. But I'm biased towards nb so take my opinion with a pinch of salt.

Praetorrus · February 2017

mordameusb16_ESO wrote: »

Hello, all.
I thoroughly enjoy healing in MMO's, including ESO. Initially I had rolled an Altmer Templar to be a healer. While he is far and away from end-game (he's only level 25), I've sort of come to the conclusion that that race/class combination is far too.... dull. I'm not necessarily going to say that healing as an Altmer Templar is "easy", but it provides quite a dull play-style to a longtime/veteran Healer main. The resource management game is almost non-existent, and almost any group mistake can be easily rectified with 1-2 quick heals.

That's because you are doing an easy content now. Things will get more complicated as soon as you start doing veteran versions of dungeons and especially trials.

mordameusb16_ESO wrote: »

The aesthetics/animations of both are quite fun, and I've played both (across multiple races) to at least level 10. Yes, I understand that neither of those two classes offer the raw healing through-put of a Templar, however, at least on paper, they both seem to offer solid and unique ways to support allies.

Yes, they support allies, but the thing is, these classes support group in form of tanks (dk) and dd (nb) mostly.

mordameusb16_ESO wrote: »

However, some solid, and most importantly, up-to-date input on effectiveness, efficiency, and group utility would be greatly appreciated. Basically, something to aim for in the long-run, without completely gimping myself, or "locking" myself away from highlevel/end-game content because of class/role choice.

As a veteran MMO player and member of one of the top raiding ESO guilds I can say you, that if you at least considering playing trials (raids) with decent guild, you should take templar. Any class in ESO can heal, and you can successfully heal even trials with any class, but for top raiding you have to bring the most optimal class/build, and templar has it all for healers. It has great heals, great ultimates, and support abilities that no other class can match (at least until warden release in June). You can't see it now, because you lack of understanding of ESO mechanics, so just believe me, you'll face a lot of problems with other classes as suboptimal healers. More of it, being a 'pure' healer/debuffer is only works in trials, in most of 4ppl content and pvp you should be a part time damage dealer to be most effective. So basic setup for templars are destro/resto staffs and in some cases healers should wear not healers, but dd sets, and magicka management is becoming an issue.

To get a taste of what healers should do in trials, you can watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvIzayGty2M
Half of the time he doesn't heal at all, but do damage and target debuffing.

mordameusb16_ESO wrote: »

So, my questions are:

Between DK and NB, which would provide a more interesting and effective healing playstyle for a longtime healer?

NB.

mordameusb16_ESO wrote: »

Between DK and NB, which could hold it's own in efficiently and effectively questing in the overworld?

NB is much easier to level and has better survivability in magicka based build.

mordameusb16_ESO wrote: »

Between DK and NB, which would be more accepted as a healer/off-healer in end-game content?

NB, with DK you better have a good guild, because most random parties will just kick you as soon as they'll notice that you are a DK healer.

P.S. Continue with templar. Templar levelling is boring, because it's generally 1 skill spamming, but it's a real healer powerhouse in any group content.

mordameusb16_ESO · February 2017

Lightspeedflashb14_ESO wrote: »

Now to more directly answer your question on which class is better please read through this thread,
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/305196/can-a-wizard-heal-with-resto-staff-as-good-as-a-templar-can/p1 it has some of the best arguments for healers of each class.

Thank you kindly for the link! It offered a good read, and a fair amount of information. Also, while yes, I will be levelling all classes to 50, due to time constraints and limited game knowledge, I'd like to focus on a single character for the time being.

Frankly, spreading my gametime across multiple characters as I have been, to give myself a "feel" for each class, has proven rather fruitless, and getting me nowhere rather quickly.

Praetorrus wrote: »

Yes, they support allies, but the thing is, these classes support group in form of tanks (dk) and dd (nb) mostly.

So it appears as though the "on paper" part is incorrect. What I mean by that is, looking at those classes' skills and morphs, I can see, taking DK as an example, they can bring AOE shielding (Obsidian Shield and Shild Ult) and raw damage buffing(Igneous Weapons). With more difficult content, if a DPS or tank DK is in the group, would they be bringing those abilities anyways? (making a healing DK superfluous)
(As an aside, yes, I know I don't *need* this info right now, but it's always good to learn class/group nuances early on to start generating good/effective practices quickly)

Praetorrus wrote: »

As a veteran MMO player and member of one of the top raiding ESO guilds I can say you, that if you at least considering playing trials (raids) with decent guild, you should take templar. Any class in ESO can heal, and you can successfully heal even trials with any class, but for top raiding you have to bring the most optimal class/build, and templar has it all for healers. It has great heals, great ultimates, and support abilities that no other class can match (at least until warden release in June). You can't see it now, because you lack of understanding of ESO mechanics, so just believe me, you'll face a lot of problems with other classes as suboptimal healers. More of it, being a 'pure' healer/debuffer is only works in trials, in most of 4ppl content and pvp you should be a part time damage dealer to be most effective. So basic setup for templars are destro/resto staffs and in some cases healers should wear not healers, but dd sets, and magicka management is becoming an issue.

Praetorrus wrote: »

P.S. Continue with templar. Templar levelling is boring, because it's generally 1 skill spamming, but it's a real healer powerhouse in any group content.

It's quite heartening to hear that the challenge ramps up quite quickly! Thank you for that honest, well-worded, straightforward post. It truly is a shame that I cannot give you both an "awesome" and "insightful".

Yes, questing as a Temp is rather dull (buff spellcrit/spelldmg, and faceroll Jab til my fingers bleed). I've already mixed up questing with a fair amount of 4man dungeon content, and have been noticing that being 100% healer is not necessary. So I do help out with DPSing on my Destro back-bar (basically just using my questing skillbar setup).

While my focus is not necessarily strictly on Vet Trials, and they do seem to be quite a ways off for me, yet (still need to hit lvl50 and build some CP, as well as figure out BiS sets), I'd like to still have that avenue open in the future.

So it seems that the best course of action is to stick to Templar healing for the time being, get some more gear, CP, and knowledge under my belt, then dip my toes in experimenting with healing on a NB.

Thank you again, for your replies!

AcadianPaladin · February 2017

I think to be a good healer you want the following:

Healing - burst, area, over time.
Cursing foes.
Helping allies with stamina.
Helping allies with magicka.
Ability to stay alive, quickly dispatching immediate attackers so you can spend max time focused on your allies.
Providing DPS during those times when it is the most effective use of your time.
Having (as a player) an almost obsessive focus on your allies, their health bars/needs and a nurturing nature.

I can only speak to healing with a templar and add my assurance that it is a good class for the role. Looking at the skills my templar uses to manage the above tasks, it is helping others with magicka that tends to rely on 'non-templar' skills. Her stamina assists though are pure templar. In fact, she uses no more than a small number of skills to do her job that are not from the templar class. She does swap skills around some depending on who she is supporting but the non-templar skills in her bag of tricks are Mutagens and Healing Springs (resto), Necrotic Orbs (undaunted) and Elemental Drain (destr). Normally though 8 of her 10 slotted skills are templar abilities.

SolarCat02 · February 2017

My main is a Dragonknight healer who has completed all the Craglorn Trials on veteran. I will be taking her in to her first Hardmode run, Hel Ra Citadel, later today if everything works out. She has also successfully healed veteran Dragonstar Arena. With that said...

If you have no interest in veteran trials, any class can be an effective healer. You do have to learn your class, and some groups have cautious about running with non-Templar healers, but it is definitely doable, and also a lot of fun. I have also solo-healed all the normal Trials except Aetherian Archive without a problem. You just need to know what you are doing. It really is a lot of fun!

For veteran Trials, however, it's very different. You need to have a good group to run with for a veteran trial, plus the second healer needs to be a Templar for the resource assistance, at least for the sake of the tank in many situations. You also really need to know what you are doing.
If you are going for leaderboard runs, on the other hand, two Templars is a requirement for pretty much every group.

This is my experience in the matter! All this may change, as well, if the Warden has some really good healer support skills, or a future class rebalance adds useful healer support skills to other classes or strips away too many of the Templar's. (Unlikely, but who knows?)

But based upon the current state of the game, if you want endgame leaderboard-serious veteran Trials, you will need a Templar healer. For anything else, you need to know what you are doing, and preferably play with others with a similar level of competence for at least the veteran bits.

I hope that helps!