The solo healer of a party

[Donte]

<DIV>When I get a pickup going sometimes people will keep telling me to find another healer, my response is if the tank is in heavy and does his job we are fine.  I am a confident Templar and usually prefer DPS over a backup healer.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Well, my tune has changed, for Dugeons that is.  Been doing SH for a couple nights and doing pretty well I might add.  The problem arises when we get adds.  Either from running the wrong way or a respawn.  It runs me out of power I would otherwise have with a druid type as backup.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So I may be sucking my pride up for safety reasons.  /shhh</DIV>

[EfrenCecht]

I agree with you, Generally I try to get someone that will do more damage then get another healer because of the same issue with pride. But after exploring SH a few times I have realized that shamans/druids are neccessary for any sort of Dungeon grouping. Oh well Guess this isn't just like EQ1 after all ( YAY ) *changes his tune about another healer*

[Curati]

<DIV>i too like being the primary healer in a group but i also love having a druid or shammie as back up becasue when they arent helpin with heals they are damaging....works out great</DIV>

[chrome]

I too usually prefer being the solo healer in a group, generally. Its not an issue of pride; its more an issue of butting your heads continually against the other guy. - Sometimes you'll both heal with arch healing at the same time and one of you will just waste the mana. - The lower level guy might put on vitae, then the higher level guy will waste mana replacing it. - If you are both debuffing, only one character can use a particular debuff at a time.This can be managed easily by just talking about it with the other healer. Generally, whoever is the strongest healer should be primary healer, and concentrate on vitae and top up heals on the tank and nobody else. Secondary healer should do top-up heals and debuffs, as well as emergency heals on other players.Talk about what you'll do if you get an add and someone else ends up tanking as well. Should the primary healer also do vitae on that guy, or should he just concentrate on the primary tank?I think with two healers in a group its deadly important to keep the primary tank alive even more than normal because the extra healer is taking away from the possible damage output of the group. This is why I suggest the strongest healer just concentrate on the tank ..Oh, and don't waste your power on wizards. I warn them that if they burn their health into red, I'm not going to waste 1/8th of my power doing a greater arch on them. Basically my primary concern in any group is to ensure that the Tank stays alive ... above all else. Mind you, if it looks like I can spare the power on a heal to another party member, I'll do it. I just hate it when I have to spread the healing around a lot; its highly inefficient.

[Coppun]

I am in high demand because of the low priest population on my server. I would love to have backup for healing. most times I run in guild group and we aren't even full hehe

[Phaid]

<DIV>I would just like to say i like being the primary healer as a warden for the group with a cleric backup healer.</DIV>

[Zaer]

As a Templar, if the second healer is a Shaman I automatically become backup healer because my reactives won't get tick time. The wards prevent damage being done. It's a little bit annoying to be backup healer to a shaman 3 levels lower than you <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />But it's extremely efficient to have the vitae lying under the ward to buffer any damage when the ward wears off. That part I like <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[caspak]

<DIV>While I appreciate the sentiment, I think in EQ2 you can't afford not to heal another party member if noone else does.  It's a little thing called Experience Debt.  Of course talking over responsibilities with the party is nice, but as you know in a busy dungeon, with lag and nervous energy, its very hard to communicate things to the rest of your party.  Two healers makes a huge difference, but like you said, DPS is lower.  I think we just have to deal with ways of making sure the whole party survives, as it is awful hard to "educate" the masses.  Try explaining to them they are expendable, and you dont want to waste your mana on them.  They will learn with time, as we will learn to be more efficient with our mana.  I find lately that using debuffs and Damage spells can really help too.  Differnet stratagies for different mobs and differnet groups.  You have to be flexable overall.</DIV>

[Magistrate]

Cleric and Shammy duo is the key. Once the mob is slowed and kept there, heals are easy to maintain and the shaman can spot heal or ward as they see fit. A second healer in a group is not required but it sure makes the game more fun I think. It also gives you the advantage of killing tougher mobs.

[caspak]

<DIV>I think it all comes down to balance.  If the group is highly unbalanced, and can't get the DPS high enough, even two healers will run out of power and everyone is scrwd.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Had this happen this morning when we were a party with two templars, and a druid, a rogue, pally and guadian.  We were in steppes going after yellow gnoll groups and got wiped out.  I think we needed a caster in the lot, but it could have ben just inexperienced players, in a zone we dont know that well, in over our heads.  the levels were 18 - 21 , wich might have been a factor too. Mobs were hitting for up to 200 dmg per hit at cerain times.  It was bad.</DIV>

[Pia]

At higher levels you need a second priest to be able to work efficiently. I recommend picking up a shaman or druid over another templar, because they don't work as well together due to the nature of instant heals.

[Gwynet]

<DIV>/nod after 20 or so, it's just more efficient to have another healer in the group. I too prefer druid over the rest, and with a shaman I'm always a secondary healer, but I don't mind it much because then I can debuff/nuke. With another cleric, usually one does debuffs and the other vitae, and it works fine.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'd like to add though, most of the time you don't NEED another healer, it's just safer when you get adds etc. Also, you get less downtime, and mostly you can kill tougher mobs. I also think it's more fun for the healers, as they get to do other stuff than just heal, but can heal in emergencies.</DIV><p>Message Edited by Gwynet on <span class=date_text>11-24-2004</span> <span class=time_text>12:04 PM</span>

[Kl]

<DIV>At high levels you do not need a second healer. As long as you have a bard, or enchanter in the group, with mana regeneration, then you will be fine. This is ofcourse assuming that you have a good tank. A second healer will ofcourse make things safer though, when dungeon crawling. For normal plowing 1 healer is more than enough.</DIV>

[FLA]

<DIV>I agree with previous post. With a good tank in non dungeon areas at low levels ~20's 1 healer is fine. 2 is better in areas with lots of adds, strange spawns...etc.</DIV> <DIV>IMHO</DIV> <DIV>Elladan- temp 22 ab <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[ThrillHou]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Gwynet wrote:<BR> <DIV>I'd like to add though, most of the time you don't NEED another healer, it's just safer when you get adds etc. Also, you get less downtime, and mostly you can kill tougher mobs.</DIV> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>Definately true. As of late I've always been in groups with 2 healers, but on more than one occasion somebody grabs agro while the other is afk and I'm able to heal without much problem. Its just that when we're done I'm at about 25% power and if something else added somebody would probably be dead.</DIV>

[Clenagh]

You're going to want 2 healers most of the time because lvl 20+ heals are broken, if they fix those it may be possible to have 1 healer groups and more DPS which is what I prefer.

[caspak]

<DIV>Please elaborate on 20 plus healers are broken?  How are they broken?</DIV>

[Lamprey_02]

I don't think they're broken. They don't scale with mob dmg output (mid to high 20s mobs) but I've found that if you're careful to land your debuffs on every mob (weakness, mark of pawns, rebuke) their dmg ouptput drops to where you have little trouble keeping the tank up. A secondary healer definitely erases or shortens downtime in between pulls and makes things safer with adds etc though. Personally, I think it's working as designed. If you get out of the EQ1 mindset you'll notice that 2 healers have no trouble past lvl 20 with the heals currently as they are in game. Who says one has to be able to handle it all with no downtime? 1/4th of the classes in the game are healers, it wouldn't be fair to make them compete for 1/6th of the group spots only the way they had to in EQ1. The comparably less effective heals later on seem to me to be SOE's way of telling us that the desired group makeup in EQ2 is no longer cleric/enchanter/tank + 3 DPS, it's 2 healers at least and chanter optional. As they keep reminding us, you're in our NEW world now.

[rogGT]

<DIV>Yes at 20+ things get much more challenging (and they should) vitea has some trouble "keeping up" with the damage output of higher level mobs. Once the debuffs start kicking in you can start making some headway keeping the tank healthy. Those first few hits always make me nervous! Luckily the debuffs aren't huge power drains and really do help!</DIV>

[Arcain]

<DIV>On the power thing - after or even close too level 20 you will need to buy or craft better drink as it willr egen your power faster and last longer than you casted crap.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I am a lvl 20 provisioner and the drinks i have keep me in the mix a lot longer even when the 4 aggro mobs turn to 8  I also make sure each group member has a priest revive symbol.   I make it clear that as long a s 1 member survives i can be revived and then res everyone else.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I also insist that aoe spells not be used in a dungeon - outside is fine as long as you are aware of your surroundings.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If they balk or have a problem witht his and the situation continues to be a problem i am gone.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Most thoughh will agree and abide by this - your heal over time spells also play a major roll and it helps a great dela to have a designated tank.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have grouped with many being the sole healer and even the skeptics at first realize the power of the healer on solid water and food and use of spells sparingly.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Combat heal - bestowal and soothing sermon rule.</DIV>

[Lamprey_02]

This sounds interesting, think you could elaborate on that? Where does one get those drinks, can they be vendor-bought? How long do they last? Which ones? Is food important too?I've been the sole healer of a group a lot but find it works well only in a good group. I have some friends I group with often and we use heroic opportunities to help if we only have 1 healer. Warrior, cleric & bard can trigger group regen, slow on the mob, group heal easily in addition to bonus damage, adding a mage lets you trigger +buffs to all stats, complete heals, mana regen etc.But you don't always group with good groups or good friends, which is why the drink thing seems so intriguing.<p>Message Edited by Lamprey_02 on <span class=date_text>11-27-2004</span> <span class=time_text>07:05 AM</span>

[Zabumt]

<DIV>Depends on the tank and the group.  At 25, I'm still using bestowal of vitae.  With a good tank outfitted in plate, I can keep up with heals usually.  With a less than good tank, I get pretty low on power during every encounter.  I've watched higher level Templars in my groups keep the tank alive with the occasional "upgraded" vitae that one gets during level 26.  So, it's a matter of getting the right levels for your group and fighting the right mobs.  Giants in TS will kick your butt on power if you're a lone healer.  Unless you have a bard or enchanter in the group to help with power regen.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's also very important to note that you NEED to debuff if you're a lone healer.  Get that weakness and ac debuff stuck on the target.  It will make your encounter much more manageable.  Also remember on big group pulls that group vitae and single target vitae stack.  If I'm lone healer on a dicey pull, I'll group vitae before the tank has even left the area for a pull  then kick in a single target vitae when he gets back.  Helps to give me time to stick debuffs and regen some power from the group vitae.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Kl]

<DIV>Power management is very important when being the only healer. Try keeping Bestowal of Vitae (not the level 26 reactive heal, which sucks) on the tank at all times during a fight. It's so much more mana efficient than casting normal heals. Using the food/water bought in Thundering Steppes (23 per stack) or in Enchanted Lands (1g per stack) is also a must.</DIV>

[Arcain]

<DIV>Lamprey you get the drinks from a provisioner or craftsman I am using tier 2 drinks I make myself as I am also a provisioner.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Most folks do not understand the importance of better food & drink as they gain levels.  Once you try it you will never go back to creating your own.    Food increases the health regen - Drink Power.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I make sure my hunting party has drinks if I see they start running out of power too quickly or regen too slowly.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Cassusdy]

<DIV> I like having a backup healer especially a druid. BUT, nothing gets me more POed then when the druid takes credit for MY healing job. They have no  idea that you put reactive heals on the tank so they say "Wow good thing for my wards!" after the fight and your thinking to yourself..."dude, you are a druid, he would have dropped like a sack of potatoes without my heals"</DIV>

[Con]

<DIV>2 healers are a must in higher klvls yes, already at lvl 30-35 it´s needed, I work good with another templar, all you have to decuide is who put up which spell i.e. We decide that I put bestoval of vitae, rebuke and weakness, and the other templar puts up supplicants prayer, disgace and sign of weakness...</DIV> <DIV>that works just fine, no worries about the dmg, just get an assasin and 2 wiz and a tank <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. Ae dmg on groups and nice debuffed solomobs with ^^ is easy, </DIV>

[khrokh]

I play most of the time with an inquisitor in the group. The good thing is it seems that all our debuffs stack which tend to make encounters significantly easier. The other healers i prefer to group with ar shamys. Once your group start to hunt orange++ mobs on a regular basis 1 healer seem to not be sufficient anymore (you can heal for 1 fight but downtime seems long).

[Donte]

<DIV>I have played aound with drinks a little, but either cost(vendor) or time(craft) is pretty high.  They are MUCH better.  Will just have to either find a reasonable supplier or take time off to craft.  Wish we had summon upgrades :/</DIV>