Comments on: Be a Healer by Nature http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/ Practical advice for World of Warcraft healers and leaders Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:13:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kazgrel http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23991 Kazgrel Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:33:41 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23991 This is why I encourage other guild members to try out different off specs; even if they feel they suck at said spec, they can get a feel for how it is to play a different part of the equation. I am much more comfortable as a dpser, for I'd rate my tanking and healing as average to slightly good, at best. That said, I've chipped in as a healer on my shaman when we do 2 x 10 man raids, and recently I've had to bring my paladin alt to fill a tank spot for one of the two groups (which in turn has geared him out for both ret and prot quite well). Besides, as the OP pointed out, you could find one of the other pieces of the trinity (tank/heal/dps) to be more to your liking. Never know until you try. :) .-= Kazgrel´s last blog ..<a href="http://stormearthandfire.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/gear-score-wows-catch-22-a-fail-concept/" rel="nofollow">Gear Score, WoW’s Catch 22: A Fail Concept</a> =-. This is why I encourage other guild members to try out different off specs; even if they feel they suck at said spec, they can get a feel for how it is to play a different part of the equation. I am much more comfortable as a dpser, for I’d rate my tanking and healing as average to slightly good, at best. That said, I’ve chipped in as a healer on my shaman when we do 2 x 10 man raids, and recently I’ve had to bring my paladin alt to fill a tank spot for one of the two groups (which in turn has geared him out for both ret and prot quite well).

Besides, as the OP pointed out, you could find one of the other pieces of the trinity (tank/heal/dps) to be more to your liking. Never know until you try. :)
.-= Kazgrel´s last blog ..Gear Score, WoW’s Catch 22: A Fail Concept =-.

]]> By: Adgamorix http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23821 Adgamorix Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:59:03 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23821 One of the best things I ever did for my tanking was to switch over to playing a healer - specifically a Paladin. It really helped my arenas as well. I have a better idea of what causes the healers pain, and what I can do as a tank to mitigate it. My only regret is that I didn't roll a druid - because I don't have the ranged DPS aspect available. .-= Adgamorix´s last blog ..<a href="http://paladindivineplea.blogspot.com/2009/10/omg-lrn2spl.html" rel="nofollow">OMG lrn2spl</a> =-. One of the best things I ever did for my tanking was to switch over to playing a healer – specifically a Paladin. It really helped my arenas as well. I have a better idea of what causes the healers pain, and what I can do as a tank to mitigate it. My only regret is that I didn’t roll a druid – because I don’t have the ranged DPS aspect available.
.-= Adgamorix´s last blog ..OMG lrn2spl =-.

]]> By: makraen http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23819 makraen Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:16:40 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23819 Nice article, well written ! I enjoyed Paul's comment too ! All in all, I'd say that to be good in your role, you have to try them all. It's only once you put yourself to the other's shoes that you can get an overview of what's going on. All the more, you will appreciate the down of the boss at a different scale, knowing it's a teamwork more than your dps that made the difference. Nice article, well written !
I enjoyed Paul’s comment too !
All in all, I’d say that to be good in your role, you have to try them all. It’s only once you put yourself to the other’s shoes that you can get an overview of what’s going on.
All the more, you will appreciate the down of the boss at a different scale, knowing it’s a teamwork more than your dps that made the difference.

]]> By: Spazmoosifer http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23817 Spazmoosifer Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:11:29 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23817 I didn't have the opportunity to raid pre-BC, however, I did my share during that time, but had always played as a Shadow Priest, and while I did enjoy that time raiding, I felt like I was missing out. With the addition of dual specs, I decided to pick up a healing off spec, and I would have to say that I absolutely love healing, and would just like to emphasize the comment about healing making you better at DPS. However, even with being able to heal & DPS on my priest, I still felt I was missing out, so I set up my DK for tanking and melee DPS, and I would have to say that, though I don't consider myself a good tank (I have even stopped tanking now on my DK) I did learn some valuable insights as a result of my time tanking. On the plus side, as well, I found that DPS as melee was quite a bit different than as a caster, and I feel like I have become a better all around player now. My suggestion to anyone that hasn't tried it: try your hand at each form of playing (Tanking, Melee DPS, Caster DPS, & Healing) and you will most likely notice your all around improvement in your gaming. .-= Spazmoosifer´s last blog ..<a href="http://spriestblog.weebly.com/1/post/2009/08/calculating-pseudo-power.html" rel="nofollow">Calculating Pseudo Power</a> =-. I didn’t have the opportunity to raid pre-BC, however, I did my share during that time, but had always played as a Shadow Priest, and while I did enjoy that time raiding, I felt like I was missing out.

With the addition of dual specs, I decided to pick up a healing off spec, and I would have to say that I absolutely love healing, and would just like to emphasize the comment about healing making you better at DPS. However, even with being able to heal & DPS on my priest, I still felt I was missing out, so I set up my DK for tanking and melee DPS, and I would have to say that, though I don’t consider myself a good tank (I have even stopped tanking now on my DK) I did learn some valuable insights as a result of my time tanking.

On the plus side, as well, I found that DPS as melee was quite a bit different than as a caster, and I feel like I have become a better all around player now.

My suggestion to anyone that hasn’t tried it: try your hand at each form of playing (Tanking, Melee DPS, Caster DPS, & Healing) and you will most likely notice your all around improvement in your gaming.
.-= Spazmoosifer´s last blog ..Calculating Pseudo Power =-.

]]> By: Nefernet http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23814 Nefernet Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:49:20 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23814 My main is a hunter and I absolutely love raiding with her. I wouldn't change. But I have a healing druid too and I love that toon. With her, I discovered another "visage" of the game. I love healing, it's so rewarding to go through a fight and everyone is alive at the end, and you're there panting on your keyboard, your manabar empty just in time... I mainly run heroics with my healer, my raiding shedule is quite busy with my hunter, but sometimes, when I got a free night, I will help my druid's guild to fill a 25-man. What I love about that are two things : - I'm useful to the guild with my healer, I help for daily heroics, or to fill up raids when available. I play with good friends and running dungeon is a great way to spend some time with them on TS, because I can relax on the healing, as they are all very good players. (In pugs with a not that good group, I need a lot of focus to keep everyone alive...) I love helping people with my healer. I'm someone different when playing my healer : I would help friends, or pugs. And I hate dps with my druid, "d'you need dps ? I got a hunter..." And when on my hunter and asked for help, it's like : "err... d'you really need help ?... I will log my druid and heal if you want..." - I discover again those fights I know so well with my hunter. And it's like running a different raid. I'm not focused on the same targets, I don't have the same "rush" period. As a dpser, I don't care about things doing damage as long as it's not something I can avoid. What I'm focused on is my target and how fast I make its life going down. I completely trust healers to watch my life, as long as I'm not standing in fires. I just check the raid life an pop a health stone if they seem really busy... As a healer, I must be aware of the various spells dealing damage to people. I will need to focus on different things I'm not used to as a dpser, and sometimes, have some free time to regen while dpsers enter in a frantic all-cooldowns-and-trinkets-raging-pew-pew... That feels odd... It's new. I like it ! .-= Nefernet´s last blog ..<a href="http://krasuskronicles.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/epic-pug/" rel="nofollow">Epic Pug</a> =-. My main is a hunter and I absolutely love raiding with her. I wouldn’t change.

But I have a healing druid too and I love that toon. With her, I discovered another “visage” of the game. I love healing, it’s so rewarding to go through a fight and everyone is alive at the end, and you’re there panting on your keyboard, your manabar empty just in time…

I mainly run heroics with my healer, my raiding shedule is quite busy with my hunter, but sometimes, when I got a free night, I will help my druid’s guild to fill a 25-man.

What I love about that are two things :

- I’m useful to the guild with my healer, I help for daily heroics, or to fill up raids when available. I play with good friends and running dungeon is a great way to spend some time with them on TS, because I can relax on the healing, as they are all very good players. (In pugs with a not that good group, I need a lot of focus to keep everyone alive…)
I love helping people with my healer. I’m someone different when playing my healer : I would help friends, or pugs. And I hate dps with my druid, “d’you need dps ? I got a hunter…” And when on my hunter and asked for help, it’s like : “err… d’you really need help ?… I will log my druid and heal if you want…”

- I discover again those fights I know so well with my hunter. And it’s like running a different raid. I’m not focused on the same targets, I don’t have the same “rush” period. As a dpser, I don’t care about things doing damage as long as it’s not something I can avoid. What I’m focused on is my target and how fast I make its life going down. I completely trust healers to watch my life, as long as I’m not standing in fires. I just check the raid life an pop a health stone if they seem really busy…
As a healer, I must be aware of the various spells dealing damage to people. I will need to focus on different things I’m not used to as a dpser, and sometimes, have some free time to regen while dpsers enter in a frantic all-cooldowns-and-trinkets-raging-pew-pew… That feels odd… It’s new. I like it !
.-= Nefernet´s last blog ..Epic Pug =-.

]]> By: Fleksy http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23810 Fleksy Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:04:35 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23810 /joins the choir I started my raiding career as a rogue in Vanillla, did some support healing and OT on my druid and now I heal full time as priest. Wish more could see the big picture. /joins the choir

I started my raiding career as a rogue in Vanillla, did some support healing and OT on my druid and now I heal full time as priest. Wish more could see the big picture.

]]> By: Whimzee http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23809 Whimzee Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:57:54 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23809 I've found the quickest way to stop the dps from pulling off the tank is to not heal them. Not that I don't heal them, if I can, but the ones who consistently pull aggro go lower on my priority list when I'm healing. Fortunately, I don't have to make my point that often, but sometimes it just needs to be done. Nice article, btw. I’ve found the quickest way to stop the dps from pulling off the tank is to not heal them. Not that I don’t heal them, if I can, but the ones who consistently pull aggro go lower on my priority list when I’m healing. Fortunately, I don’t have to make my point that often, but sometimes it just needs to be done.

Nice article, btw.

]]> By: Canedom http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23804 Canedom Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:41:02 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23804 @Paul. I main a tank, you mentioned the two MOST important thing healers and dps can do to help their tanking allies out. I can't tell you the number of times I've had a large sized boss and an add I couldn't see. In BC and Vanilla, people did small things like visibility and proximity more often than they do now and makes me happy to see someone make mention of it. As for the article, solidly written and quality work. @Paul. I main a tank, you mentioned the two MOST important thing healers and dps can do to help their tanking allies out. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had a large sized boss and an add I couldn’t see. In BC and Vanilla, people did small things like visibility and proximity more often than they do now and makes me happy to see someone make mention of it.

As for the article, solidly written and quality work.

]]> By: Paul http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23802 Paul Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:51:10 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23802 The comment about playing a healer making you better while playing other roles is something I see all the time. It actually works vice versa as well. I've found that having a tank actually makes me a better healer. Knowing the challenges that tanks face, what cooldowns they have available to pop, and how they go about holding aggro on multiple targets makes it easier for me to make it easier on them. Little things like standing where the tank can see you when he has a giant boss in his face so that if you get an add on you, he can see it clearly and all he has to do is tab/taunt. Or other little things like running TO the tank when you have an add and not away from them. These are all things you can certainly learn without playing as a tank, but it sure does make understanding easier when you walk a mile in their shoes. The comment about playing a healer making you better while playing other roles is something I see all the time.

It actually works vice versa as well. I’ve found that having a tank actually makes me a better healer. Knowing the challenges that tanks face, what cooldowns they have available to pop, and how they go about holding aggro on multiple targets makes it easier for me to make it easier on them. Little things like standing where the tank can see you when he has a giant boss in his face so that if you get an add on you, he can see it clearly and all he has to do is tab/taunt. Or other little things like running TO the tank when you have an add and not away from them.

These are all things you can certainly learn without playing as a tank, but it sure does make understanding easier when you walk a mile in their shoes.

]]> By: Rhii http://www.worldofmatticus.com/2009/10/12/be-a-healer-by-nature/comment-page-1/#comment-23800 Rhii Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:22:32 +0000 http://www.worldofmatticus.com/?p=6305#comment-23800 Where's the DPS-tank on that list? You know, the player that was recruited to DPS but somehow thinks they can tank better than the tank and keeps yanking aggro *on purpose*. Blood DKs and Feral Druids, I'm looking at you.... and ret pallies... and fury warriors. Grr! Don't do that, it's bad for your healer... you can't see it, but she's having a stroke trying to heal you in your DPS gear/spec, and next time she just might not! .-= Rhii´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ISheepThings/~3/MCNitveZcUc/" rel="nofollow">A Matter of Trust</a> =-. Where’s the DPS-tank on that list? You know, the player that was recruited to DPS but somehow thinks they can tank better than the tank and keeps yanking aggro *on purpose*. Blood DKs and Feral Druids, I’m looking at you…. and ret pallies… and fury warriors. Grr!

Don’t do that, it’s bad for your healer… you can’t see it, but she’s having a stroke trying to heal you in your DPS gear/spec, and next time she just might not!
.-= Rhii´s last blog ..A Matter of Trust =-.

]]>