Hello there, healers! Creepy goth Zealots, butt-ugly Shamans or even haughty Disciples of Khaine. How ya doin’? On behalf of all tanks, I’d like to tell you that you are indeed appreciated for your efforts. But you know how it is - a good healer is invisible. Only when the fecal matter hits the oscillating unit and people start looking for scapegoats, then you too shall be noticed. And blamed.
But really, everyone loves a good healer. So if you’re thinking of maybe rolling one, this piece is for you. It contains a few tips that will make your relationship with the tank (me) much smoother and hopefully, also much longer. ‘Ere we go!
#1 If I’m hanging back and guarding you, that’s your cue to stand in my general area (ie: 30 feet or so). That way, all damage you take will be split between you and me.
#2 However that doesn’t mean you have to grow roots in one place. If you see me getting between you and a Witch Hunter with a mind to kill you, don’t just stand there. Move a little! I’m blocking and snaring him so he won’t be able to chase you easily but if you just sit there, he can still hit you! Besides, I’ll feel pretty stupid for just sitting between you two and watching him reach you through me. (Especially since I might not have any knockbacks yet). So don’t just sit there trying to finish that 3 seconds cast. Take some distance!
#3 Don’t be afraid to DPS. If the fight is going rather well and there are plenty of healers, don’t be shy, go for it. I know alot of people will tell you that your one and only role is to healbot it up but don’t listen to them. You’ve got DoTs and instant spells so if no one is dying without your immediate help, feel free to be opportunistic and finish off some enemies.
#4 If you have a detaunt then, for chrissake, use it!
#5 Understand how damage builds up and be on the ball. You see, with the way alot of class mechanics work, what will happen is that the damage I take in the first 10 seconds of the fight will usually double in the next 10. Sure, I’m a walking panzer, I can take a good amount of punishment, but do watch for bursts.
#6 Your morale abilities. Use them. Mmm, Divine Favor.
#7 Find good spots to heal from. High spots, building corners, low fences. Anything that allows you to maintain line of sight and makes you harder to reach. The more trouble they have reaching you, the better the chance that I’ll notice and pick them up before they make you into lasagna.
#8 Stay behind me. This should be a no-brainer but apparently some healers think it’s a good idea to run into battle before the tanks. Then they get tab-targeted, start running towards the back in a mad self-healing dash and bring a whole train of enemies with them through our line. Bad, bad healers! Especially in some scenarios where the idea is to advance to the flag and fight on it, not get within 50 feet, then have run back and try to stop the guys chasing you. Ya dig? (And what are you doing in front of me on the stairs of a keep we’re sieging?)
#9 Don’t go out by yourself. The less people around you, the juicier a target you become. Witch Hunters will take one look at you and you know what they’ll see? They’ll see you roasted on a tray, with an apple in your mouth, like in the cartoons. So stick to the friendly crowd and don’t try to rambo it up. No glamour and glory for you I’m afraid. But hey, next time we have an empty spot in our group, who do you think we’ll call? The flashy melee DPS or you, the trusty, reliable healer? :)
10# Don’t panic. Sometimes in PvE, a boss mob will disable me for a few seconds and then make a beeline for you, as you’re probably next on his hate list. Just keep it cool for a few seconds, until I have a chance to pick myself up and taunt it.
And #11, because I just thought about it:
Let me know you’re there for me. Drop me a /tell at the start of a scenario telling me you got my back. Spare a /cheer when we’re charging. Poke my eyes out with how you kept me alive that evening in T1. Like I said, it’s pretty easy to take good healing for granted, so make sure I know who I need to thank. Make me notice you and chances are I’ll put in some extra effort into keeping you safe. Not to mention, it also keeps me humble (yeah right).
So there you have it - some basic tips on how to make my tank life easier. Also note that I’ve been trying out a healer lately, as I’m playing with a friend who just got the game, thus I’m also getting a view of the other side. So expect a healers-for-tanks list soonish (here’s a sneak preview: #1 - if I’m healing you and then you tell me to “heal”, you can bet your boots that I’ll ignore you on purpose from now on).
October 5th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Excellent writeup. I’ve posted this to all the healers on my guildforums. *hugs*
October 6th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Hi Shaman healer here.. i see your points and in respones..
1 check
2 check again.. we have same page’dness going on yay
3 saving action points for heals .. shaddup and kill sumpfink
4 my de-taunt makes me look like im pooing myself.. but again check
5 yep damage on da ball builds.. stop thinking you have to kill with it to get points.. i swear some people all on the front lines with the ball .. side note other healers heal me when i got the ball im squishier.. and /sc “about to drop get ready to pick it up” lrn 2 love it
6 check
7 LOS is a 2 way street .. if i move to see you i closer than i should be they see me and i get ganked .. (since you mention the ball ill assume MT scenario) that corner by the ball is a bitch.. if your killing someone stay what your doing.. if your getting hit get back into LOS.. im sure they will follow you
8 when that lvl 12 at half health gets the ball from us.. we should be able to swarm him and get it back.. pick up the pace. but under normal circumstances (ie the ball by me in the back) check
9 same goes for you.. a tank out solo wont go down as fast as i would.. but your better off sticking by me or infront of me.. let the dps figure out their jobs
10 famous PvE MMO rules.. tank dies its the healers fault.. healer dies its the tanks fault.. and if dps dies its their fault
11 just know i always have your back.. its what i do.. and if i have to let you die.. action points / LOS miss communication /or just realizing by the time my heal lands you’ll be dead, so i choose somone else to live.. if i pick you and only you to heal we loose .. if you guard me and only me .. i bet i can keep us all alive longer.
xoxo
October 6th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
oh also “/sc YOUR ALL NOOBS YOU SUCK.. etc etc ” = name on a list.. and that list = no heals for the rest of eternity.. honest engine
October 6th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Thanks for the comments.
As a note, when I say “be on the ball”, I don’t mean ball as in the Mourkain Temple/Tor Anroc ball, but more like being able to adapt on the fly to anything unexpected.
October 12th, 2008 at 5:47 am
This is the best list ever.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Wait… tanks are actually supposed to guard healers? *chuckles*
Excellent tips and a few I need to consider more often (pay attention to detaunt when I need to, for example).
October 16th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
No, I said don’t overextend because I won’t be able to heal you. Don’t jump over that wall either, because it’s not me who breaks line of sight. And no, I’m not your personal healbot, some other people actually need healing. Oh yeah detaunt. On which one of the three Witch Hunters? No, it wasn’t your fault that they are gobbling up the backline. *omnomnomnom*
October 16th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Oh and I’ve nearly forgotten. If you by any chance die, don’t blame me. And if you by any chance get rezzed, don’t rush back into the battle with 20% health FFS.