Healing Class Inquiry

Camdan8504 · May 2019

It has been a while since I played seriously and I'm starting over on a non-Steam account (which I should have done sooner). I am a support player by nature and prefer keeping the party buffed/cleansed/alive during combat as opposed to beating on stuff (never have been good at DPS). I know that many players simply state that Templars are the only real healers in the end-game content, but I want to know if that's actually true.

I'm currently leveling a Warden and a Templar, because I like each for their own reasons, but I don't know which I should max out first. I enjoy the Warden more during leveling because it's easier to kill large groups quickly and levels go rather fast. I can heal fairly well with it and haven't had issues keeping smart groups up. The Templar is slower, due to the lack of AoE (unless I've missed something), but their healing ability does allow me to keep more diverse groups alive in dungeons.

Is it possible for a Warden to heal in the end-game content? They do have decent heal values on their heals, but I concede that Templars do have a more capable healing tree. I just prefer my Warden and would like to heal with it in the end, but I also want to be a useful support for my party, even if it's a bit slower to level it up.

Iskiab · May 2019

Warden’s good for endgame pve. Typical trial setups are a Warden and Templar healer, so if you like Warden I say go for it.

Only thing I’d say is Templars do have good aoe dps. Shards are powerful and being buffed, plus they have sweeps and an execute which warden does not. If you like to sometimes dps magplars are stronger.

In pvp I’d say Warden performs better in all roles.

PTS will change things, and it’ll probably take a couple of months to figure out how things will pan out.

Camdan8504 · May 2019

@Iskiab I didn't ever run a magplar, which is weird because I only run magicka-based classes and I had a high level Templar.

I'll look into the magplar stuff and the abilities you referenced. I feel a bit silly for not knowing them! Thanks!

ATreeGnome · May 2019

While templars do make great healers and are probably the easiest class for healing, they are definitely not the only good option for end game content. Both wardens and sorcs can provide comparable levels of healing and group utility and in many cases are actually outright better options, especially if you are doing a trial and the other healer is already a templar.

That said, some people like to live in the past and may not be open minded about a warden healer, so be prepared to deal with that.

Iskiab · May 2019

Really? I can’t imagine a trial that would prefer 2 templar healers over a Warden and Templar.

If you’re in that situation you’re probably better off looking for a different trial group anyways. It shows a total lack of understanding game mechanics, the group probably wouldn’t do well.

DarkShadowFax · May 2019

Wardens are perfectly fine. Not everything is defined by raw healing power. Since minor toughness (increase max health) was taken away from warhorn it's not unusual for trial groups to ask for a warden support to provide it.
Some trials actually favour a warden in certain heal positions (vCR kite healer). Tho sorcerers often do well in this position too due to high mobility.

exeeter702 · May 2019

Truthfully speaking, each of the 5 (soon to be 6) classes is more than capable and are fully equipped to perform in the healing role. The only hurdle you will naturally face is other players mentality on the subject vs any actual mechanical limitations.

There are scenarios where certain healers have a small advantage over others in certain encounters, but those are hardly razors edge scenarios.

Templars are the easiest of the healers to play for sure, with nbs and dks have a single disadvantage with having no class based synergy to provide on a regular basis, unlike purify, liquid lightning and budding seeds to go along with shards / orbs. Healing throughput as a benchmark is equal across all healers and is not really a driving factor.