Some "healers" just don't know how to even heal. Sometimes it is people who queue as healer for the faster queue time, other times it is people who think they are good because they have the BiS gear from some online build, but they don't know how to actually use what they have. (Which really applies to any role. You can say similar things about my DPS at the moment, but everyone starts somewhere.)

I typically queue as healer, so I have not run into too many PUG healers, but I have seen enough to know it's a mixed bag. You can't really go into PUGs with too specific expectations, or you will only frustrate yourself. Even among good healers there are tons of variations.

For example, my main is a Dragonknight healer, while my secondary is a Templar healer. Both have a full load out of Trials gear I can swap out at will, including Master Staves, and have completed all veteran Craglorn Trials. (Well, Templar hasn't done vHRC, but that is more because my usual group rarely runs it currently due to the lagouts and crashing on Xbox since Homestead).

Templar is full support stereotypical Trials healer. She has very little DPS on her own. Also not a ton of skill points, so her build currently is pretty close to set in stone aside from a select few stereotypical Templar DPS abilities she can slot. She also needs some passives yet.
Dragonknight is a Swiss Army Knife who typically queues with a healing front bar, DPS back bar, and ability to swap in and out of almost every role. (Still grinding for the last of the tanking gear.)

Both are very good at healing. The group experience is entirely different though depending on which one I bring. Some people who have run with both have a distinct preference, others don't really care which I bring. Each fulfills a different set of expectations about healing, and someone expecting a role that one fulfills would be sorely disappointed if I ran the other instead.

I can't remember the last time I queued and got a healer that used Springs—it must have happened at some point, but it's got to have been months.

A PUG is a dice roll. To put it simply, the perspective and expectations of what you get from a dice roll has to change. If you want to have a better experience, expect only the barest minimum. For me, that means expecting the worst outcome every time. Any else is a bonus.

What that means is that in a PUG, you expect 3 other players to be basic AI NPCs performing the bare minimum of roles, as meat shields which can die, anything else they can do is just an extra sweetener. With this mentality in mind, every PUG can be fun, because you learn to rely on yourself.

Placing further expectation just hurts and stresses you for no reason, and is often beyond your control. So what's the point ? After all, you cannot force others to conform to your world view.

Healer is the least important dungeon role (unless it's vet DLC dungeons). You can get by with anyone in the role.

VodkaVixen1979 wrote: »

My husband is an eletist (shhhh, I didn't just say that) and he nit picked my healing setup that I wouldn't dare step into a vet dungeon to heal without full preparation. I am a lowly CP509, but I have a magplar that wears gold mara with Kags. I run war horn, elemental drain, shards, plus some resto skills. I am good, but not great, so I don't pug because I feel like people like my husband would kick me. I did pug a vet dungeon today and had a no death run, so I can't suck as bad elitism makes me feel I am. Does this mean I should heal in more pug runs?

Hey, you sound like a self critical person. That is one good aspect and as long as you are working to improve yourself people will respect you. But all that aside, of course you should heal more pugs! Your setup sounds right. Also don't feel bad or guilty if someone dies, often it is their own fault. It is a popular trend to curse at the healer or tank when someone dies. Just ignore it and continue to have fun with the game. The more you do it the more you will improve and find your playstyle.

If someone as useless as me can hit 20 to 30 k dps there is no reason anyone else should struggle. I stick to normal and I've gotten used to my dps having to also be the tank and the healer, fortunately I have a good wardrobe add on

Isn't the sound of the forum that everyone else in PUGs is bad in general? Just curious

Again... today... just right now I just duo qued spindleclutch I for vet pledge with a tank from my guild.

The other dps and heal cant do what they are supposed to, won't dodge roll out of last boss aoe... I beg them to dodge roll from cc -> aoe combo, still won't dodge roll, keeps saying they did double tap on movement key and dodge roll didnt go off, blames ZOS, healer gets embarrassed and logs off, and I had to heal instead to complete it with 3 ppl...

They were both 300+ CP and it was Spindleclutch I for love of god.

Priceless.

I probably have to put vigor on my buff bar a quarter of the time due to healer/dps not doing their job. But as usual I assume its my fault as a DPS

dantuffley_ESO wrote: »

Anyone have a link to a truly good healing guide for a templar? I am new enough to the game I simply do not know the right things to be doing, so I avoid even trying anything unless it is my friends. Breath of life, regen, circle of retribution, jabs, I literally just run around spamming keys. Deltias was the only decent looking guide I could find. I want to heal, I just don't want to be a bad one.

@dantuffley_ESO
First thing to focus on when healing is the actual healing. You want to be sure you can help keep the group alive. (Notice I said HELP - the other players do have a responsibility to avoid damage when possible or mitigate it, as even the best healer can't heal through everything).
To this end you definitely want a restoration staff with at least the first two skills unlocked - Grand Healing to Healing Springs and Regeneration to whichever morph you prefer (I have learned that one is a personal preference thing). As a Templar yes you also want Cleansing Ritual, Breath of Life although be very careful not to rely on BoL too much. A good Templar healer knows when BoL is an asset and when Heal-over-Time skills are better; a bad one relies on BoL to recover from everything.

Second order of business is to stay alive! Make sure you are healing yourself rather than simply fixating on everyone else's health bars (we have all forgotten our own bars at some point so don't be embarrassed, it does happen ), make sure you are also working to avoid AoEs and other damage (but don't be "that guy" hiding too far away to heal anyone!), and if you are targeted by adds walk over towards the action to bring those adds into range of the tank to taunt or the dps' AoEs to kill them faster. Mitigation is also important; as a Templar you have Rune Focus which NEEDS to be on your bar as it offers you protection AND Major Mending to boost your heals.

Once you feel comfortable with the healing aspect of things, it's time to bring in some of the group buffs and sustain features.
Shards are great for feeding stamina to the tank and damage dealers. They also add a little dps, so they are perfect for tossing directly onto a boss.
Combat Prayer (Restoration Staff) is a heal that also boosts damage done by anyone it hits. It is tricky to use in mobile fights, but very easy in stacked ones. You definitely want access to this.
Elemental Drain (destruction staff) or Radiant Aura (Templar) are great for magicka sustain. You personally only need to run one of them because it's the same magickasteal debuff. Elemental Drain is best if you don't have a tank, as it adds a debuff for magicka attacks (same as tank's Puncture skill) and doesn't pull aggro. Radiant Aura will hit all the adds with the magickasteal but also pulls aggro so only use it if you are comfortable with that!
Orbs (undaunted) are also great! There is a healing morph and also a morph for providing a burst of magicka. Morph preference depends on the group, so unless you are running with the same group most of the time just pick the morph you personally prefer.
Siphon (restoration staff) and Blood Fountain (undaunted) do a healthsteal debuff. You don't need both on your bar, although having access to both is good.
Aggressive Warhorn (PvP) is the most important healer ultimate for Trials. If you intend to run Trials you need this. It's not as commonly seen in dungeons, but if you are running with good damage dealers they will love you for using this.
Barrier (PvP) is also a useful ultimate. It's a group shield, and I tend to slot this if people are having difficulty avoiding AoEs and one-shot mechanics in Vet dungeons (for example, final bosses of Spindleclutch I, Wayrest I, Ruins of Mazzatun for the execute phase...) It can sometimes be useful in Trials, such as the upstairs boss in Hel Ra Citadel, but it's very situational and generally will not be a staple on your bar once you level it.

This should get you started! Gear-wise, if you have access to White Gold Tower you will want to get a set of Spell Power Cure once you hit max level, and build your gear setup around that set. Skill wise, there are others that I have not mentioned that may also work well for you, so try stuff out, too!