Hi
@ZOS_MattFiror,
@ZOS_BrianWheeler, and
@ZOS_Kevin,
Cross healing/shielding in PvP is destroying the playerbase. It's one of the most referenced mechanics in the PvP forums for both Cyro and BG related activities. The main issues at stake here:
- Healing has remained roughly untouched while damage has been nerfed consistently over the years
- Recoveries are easier than ever to source
- Polar Wind - The most juiced burst heal in the game that scales off a defensive stat
- Heal stacking and Shield stacking
There are many more issues with cross healing, but this just outlines the point. The result of healing being so much stronger than damage means that a healer in PvP is also a tank. They have insane recoveries, insane HPS, and sometimes have insane defensive stats such as high HP (40k+) or high armor (30k+). This is a bad combination.
The Goal
Reduce the power of cross healing without affecting damage and without deleting the playstyle of a PvP healer, while also making them no longer be tanks.
The Solution - Blessings
A Blessing is something that fits within the lore of the Elder Scrolls and would allow a player under the effect of Battle Spirit to claim themselves as a healer. The blessing could just be something accessible through the skill sheet or could be a physical shrine that exists in Cyro bases or at BG spawns. A player who takes a blessing should be clearly noticeable and clearly marked as someone who is a healer.
Cross Healing and Shielding would get hit by -90% through battle spirit. This
only affects a player's heals that target another player. Single target direct heals, such as Resistant Flesh, would no longer target anyone else but the caster
unless they take a blessing. AOE heals and shields, such as Echoing Vigor or Bone Shield, would still affect other players, but would be reduced by -90%.
A player who takes a blessing will immediately gain access to full cross heals and shields, but will curse them in the process, making them take 50% increased damage from all sources. Put whatever lore you want here.
The Reasoning
Doing this through Battle Spirit is the way to make this happen. This solution (or something like it) will immediately resolve the power imbalances that cross healing creates, especially with such powerful heals such as Polar Wind. A Warden DD with 40k hp can easily get 12-15k crit heals on teammates AND a guaranteed heal on themselves, plus a giant HOT, while also getting to dish out a ton of damage. This is too much.
This solution won't affect the balance of PvE at all and will still allow healers to be an effective and legitimate playstyle in PvP, without also being outright tanks. Healers are almost never the target right now because of how easily they can tank damage. This shouldn't be the case. Healers should always be the primary target and someone their teammates try to protect as they counter the offensive.
DDs can still have their self-heals. In some respects, removing the ability for targeted heals like Healthy Offering to heal others would satisfy a great frustration that many DDs have experienced throughout the years where their burst heals get "stolen" by a friendly, but not grouped, player within the radius or LOS that is lower health than the caster.
As an example, several Warden DDs within radius of each other can burst heal each other and HOT each other with one skill, without having to aim, while also having 35k+ hp, while also having high armor, while also having high burst with Shalks, while also having high pressure with Northern Storm. There is no concession being given here. There's a reason why Wardens are one of the most common classes in BGs.
If not this, please do something soon. The Team vs Team BGs are showing great promise, but they've really helped isolate just how far the imbalance in the game has gone between damage and healing.