Bow-Healer Set Questions

Ksariyu · November 2021

Hey fellow theory-crafters, I'm hoping some of you can help me out a bit.

I have a Warden Bow-Bow Khajiit that I've been using as a healer, to a surprising level of success in my opinion, and I would like to start finishing the build to get it to a more "optimized" state. In particular, I'm having trouble deciding which sets to run, as I worry my current setup of Gryphon/Hunding's is perhaps a bit too DPS oriented (Though I do view this build as more of a Support-DPS hybrid). I'm not sure if I should try to add in some extra utility here, or if the extra damage offsets the need to do so.

In general I focus on Crit Chance, and I'm using the Thief Mundus. For skills I have the following:

Bar 1: Soothing Spores, Snipe, Budding Seeds, Venom Arrow, Growing Swarm, Ballista
Bar 2: Bursting Vines*, Leeching Vines, Necrotic Orb, Green Lotus, Bull Netch, Healing Thicket
*I'm debating swapping this with Bird of Prey, as I don't find too many situations where this skill is actually useful.

Thanks in advance for any advice you all may have. Bonus points if the sets fit into the mystical archer sort of archetype.

Chilly-McFreeze · November 2021

Puh, interesting one. Bringing in some utility is a core function as a healer.

I'm not too deep into the whole healing thing but I can offer some food for thoughts.

The last updated opened some nice build possibilites with the double-stats on damage. Have you considered running a healing staff backbar for utility (going full hybrid)? You don't have any bow skills backbar anyway, Spell Power Cure would be an okay set to go with that.

If you want to keep double bow you could run maelstrom/volley backbar instead of bursting vines for the dmg part. I'm not sure if Venom Arrow is worth it, so you can shuffle around some skills.

As for the sets
Does Bursting Vines trigger the Crusader set (minor courage group buff)?
You could run echoing Vigor with Powerful Assault for an unnamed wpn/spell dmg buff too. (instead of hundings)

BXR_Lonestar · November 2021

Are you a stam focused healer? If so, you might want to try Powerful Assault and Zen's Redress, with a troll king monster helm. Toss in Vigor into your rotation and you can grant a damage bonus that stacks on top of Olorime/SPC (a mag offtank could wear those like my templar offtank), and you can use dots to increase group damage with Zen's.

Stx · November 2021

One of the main buffs a healer provides their group is minor berserk from combat prayer. So since you are playing a stamina bow healer, I would recommend Kinras wrath set so you can still give this buff to your group.

Another huge buff usually provided by healers is major courage. If you can, I would try to get an olorime bow and jewelry and use it on your back bar.

Powerful assault is a great option for a stamina healer as well, although sometimes your tank will be providing this.

GrumpyDuckling · November 2021

Wildcard option set:

Combat Physician
(2 items) Adds 1096 Maximum Magicka
(3 items) Adds 657 Critical Chance
(4 items) Adds 657 Critical Chance
(5 items) When you critically heal yourself or an ally, you grant your target a damage shield that absorbs 4308 damage for 6 seconds. This effect can occur once every 6 seconds per target.

The bonuses allow you to keep your crit chance up (the extra magicka is helpful for casting more of your magicka skills), and each time you crit heal you're landing a damage shield on allies and yourself. Could be helpful for passive mitigation and keeping squishier allies alive.

Ippokrates · November 2021

I was running Stamhealer in Grisly Gourmet - in 4 people content you can provide nice bonuses to your team fighting in first line by fighting yourself.

And Vateshran Resto on backbar to give them extra sustain.

Syrpynt · November 2021

I have a stamina healer right now so I'll try to break down step by step from your post what I would do differently, up to you if you want to change it:

Ksariyu wrote: »

...Warden Bow-Bow Khajiit...

• Warden--great start! Best stam-healer class to decide from (unless you're self healing with Stamplar, StamSorc or NB).
• Khajiit: Crit! Awesome, matches your "goal" mentioned later on.
• Bow increases crit chance. Great!

Ksariyu wrote: »

...my current setup of Gryphon/Hunding's is perhaps a bit too DPS oriented (Though I do view this build as more of a Support-DPS hybrid).

In general I focus on Crit Chance, and I'm using the Thief Mundus.

Gryphon's: +10% Critical damage done is not helping your heals at all. Keep that in mind. This would be the first set I'd swap.
Hundings: Good starter choice for now. (But I suspect in the next year that healing will be max-stamina only trait, while damage is weapon power. This is conjecture, but it is definitely a direction I'd agree with ZoS devs doing).

Honestly: critical chance is still broken in this game to where maximizing critical chance essentially makes you a great dps and healer all in one. I actually hate it, but I'm exploiting it until they change it to "Critical healing chance" and "Critical damage chance". Healing and Damage shouldn't be the same source, otherwise you don't need healers or pure dps, you can just run healer-dps roles and everyone does 80% dps and still way more heals than 1 dedicated healer can do. So stick with your critical chance healer until ZoS realizes that dps and healer roles are what should be split. I do agree on "power"/penetration being merged though in last update.

Ksariyu wrote: »

Bar 1: Soothing Spores, Snipe, Budding Seeds, Venom Arrow, Growing Swarm, Ballista
Bar 2: Bursting Vines*, Leeching Vines, Necrotic Orb, Green Lotus, Bull Netch, Healing Thicket
*I'm debating swapping this with Bird of Prey, as I don't find too many situations where this skill is actually useful.

Only abilities I want to comment on:
• Snipe: If there's no tank? Puncture offers minor breach in addition to major breach now. This ability is not needed.
• Venom Arrow: Not really helping, even if paired with Master's bow since that increases damaging attacks to the enemy, not your total weapon power. Swap for Endless Hail if you're looking to support group dps too. Use Maelstrom Bow?
• Growing Swarm: Keep this because it's good with AOEs on large groups of enemies.
• Necrotic Orb: Any reason you chose this over Healing orb?
• Don't swap to Bird of Prey, unless you're moving towards more damage than healing*

I agree with this:

Chilly-McFreeze wrote: »

Have you considered running a healing staff backbar for utility (going full hybrid)? You don't have any bow skills backbar anyway, Spell Power Cure would be an okay set to go with that.

My last hints will be general for anyone theorycrafting with specific items:

1.) Does the set have slots that increase a primary resource that you "focus" on? Yes? Good. (Unless someday, total Magicka and Stamina affect your healing done, you still 'should' focus on one. I say this loosely)
2.) Does the set increase healing done? Yes? Good.
3.) Does the set boost other players stats in any way? Yes? Good.
4.) Can the set increase both healing AND damage done? Yes? BEST.IN.SLOT.

Thank you for listening to my Elder CritsBreakDifficulty Online podcast.

CP5 · November 2021

Don't doubt vines. Both morphs are useful, with bursting being a surprisingly helpful burst heal from time to time, and the other morph providing easy minor-lifesteal uptime.