Templar Healing: A Guide to Reactive Heals

[Ly]

<DIV>Ok, I am making this post in general response to questions, rants, comments like: Shamans heal better than us! I use arch healing mostly, and throw out combat healing in emergencies. What's the point of reactive heals? </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>A reactive heal is a buff with charges. Every time the target of the buff takes damage, one charge dissipates and heals the target. This applies to spells, DoTs, melee, even Conjurers sucking life from their pets! The group version is also a buff. When anyone in the group takes damage, the reactive heals that person, not the entire group, and dissipates one charge. In other words, the main difference between group reactive and single reactive is that the group version does targeting for you. This has an upside and a downside which I discuss later. Because reactive "heals" are really a buff, they agro like a buff, meaning they generate almost no threat, unlike rune, unlike heal+regen. Let's crunch the numbers now:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>BoVitae (App3) - 4 charges, ~110hp heal, 55power, single reactive, total healing 440 hp</DIV> <DIV>Sermon (App3) - 8 charges, ~110hp heal, 124power, group reactive, total healing 880 hp</DIV> <DIV>In comparison:</DIV> <DIV>Arch Healing (App3) - 367 hp heal, 93 power</DIV> <DIV>Combat Healing (Adept1) - 240 hp heal, 65 power</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>*numbers based on a level 26 HE Templar, your results may vary...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Simple comparison tells us that reactive heals are 1) the largest 2) the most efficient by a large margin. I would also add they are the most heal-per-second in times of need. You can also pre-cast it out of combat, during high power regeneration, on a particularly tough pull. More on this later.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Skeptical "I hate my Templar" post: These numbers sound nice, but when I use them, reactives suck, wear off too fast, don't heal fast enough, and an old lady pops in and laughs at me everytime I cast it!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Woah there! Combat is fast and furious in EQ2, let's look at what's happening.</DIV> <DIV>- DoT hits tank for 30 'tick' dmg, reactive dissipates 1 charge for 110 healing - Net: +80hp heal</DIV> <DIV>- Wimpy scout type melee hits tank for double hit 30, 30 dmg, reactive dissipates 2 charges for 220 healing - Net: +160hp heal</DIV> <DIV>- Wimpy scout type uses ub3r skill hits tank for 500 dmg, reactive dissipates 1 charge for 110 healing - Net: -390hp, 110 dmg mitigated</DIV> <DIV>- 4 Wimpy monsters hit tank for 30 dmg each, reactive dissipates 4 charges for 440 healing - Net: +320hp heal</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So depending on what is hitting the tank, a reactive acts differently, heals differently, and dissipates charges fast or slow. If you pull a single l33t orange++ group monster, a reactive heal acts as damage mitigation for his special attack, and healing on his normal attacks, and dissipates charges slowly. If you pull 4 wimpy monsters, reactive acts as a single 1 time large heal, using all its charges in one shot. This is what makes reactives seem difficult to use, its different for different situations, whereas shaman rune, for example, always works the same way. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Stacking reactives:</DIV> <DIV>One of the best combos available to Templar is the way group and single reactive stack. Let's assume you have cast BoV on tank, and also cast Sermon on party.</DIV> <DIV>- DoT hits tank for 30 'tick' dmg, BoV loses 1 charge for 110 heal, Sermon loses 1 charge for 110 heal - Net: +190 heal</DIV> <DIV>- Weak double 30, 30 hit, BoV loses 2 charge for 220 heal, Sermon loses 2 charge for 220 heal - Net: 380 heal... wow better than Arch Healing....</DIV> <DIV>- Ub3r skill hits for 500 dmg, BoV loses 1 charge for 110 heal, Sermon loses 1 charge for 110 heal - Net: -280hp, 220 dmg mitigation!</DIV> <DIV>- 4 Wimpy monsters hit tank for 30 dmg each, BoV loses 4 charges for 440 heal, Sermon loses 4 charges for 440 heal - Net: +850 heal... probably overkill</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Stacking reactives essentially doubles the healing/mitigation of reactives. Great for group++ monsters. Waste of power for large piles of small stuff.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Strategies:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Incoming l33t orange group++ monster!</DIV> <DIV>- Cast a single target reactive on tank. This casts fast, and will quickly cut down damage to more manageable levels.</DIV> <DIV>- Cast a group reactive. This takes a while, but now doubles your mitigation/healing. You will find, even if the tank is yellow, double stacking brings him up to green.</DIV> <DIV>- Cast your debuffs, my favorites are MoK, Rebuke, and Weakness. The group reactive should keep your tank happy while you do this.</DIV> <DIV>- Recast single target as it wears off.  Usually monster should be dying by now.</DIV> <DIV>- Recast group reactive only if you need extra healing power.</DIV> <DIV>- Arch Healing, combat healing, and the like should be used only for emergencies.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Incoming large pile of wimpy stuff! (this is easy).</DIV> <DIV>- Cast Sign of Weakness and debuff their dmg.</DIV> <DIV>- Cast BoV when tank is yellow health to heal him up.</DIV> <DIV>- Do whatever you want, add to dps with DDs if you want...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Incoming Storm Lord! (or your favorite AoE casters) --- this is gonna get tricky</DIV> <DIV>- Cast a single target reactive on tank.</DIV> <DIV>- Recast single target reactive as it wears off.</DIV> <DIV>- Cast Sermon when group drops to yellow health --- the problem is you can't use Sermon for mitigation because the AoE chews through Sermon charges, this is the one downside to sermon</DIV> <DIV>- Cast Arch Healing if BoV can't keep up to keep tank health up.</DIV> <DIV>- Squeeze in a MoK when you can, it will help with the AE dmg.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Final words. A Templar should have no problems being the only healer in the party, even without a enchanter. Even accidental pulls of two group++ monsters can be handled as long as the tank is competent enough to actually, taunt, the add... They are indeed the best healer in EQ2, by far. Of course life is always easier with a 2ndary healer, then you can have some fun meleeing or using that nice DoT Combative Faith. Cast rebuke first for a +10% dmg on it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you find this useful or junk let me know... m^o^m, I can add a section on interactions with other healing classes if there is a demand. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>-Lyen</DIV> <DIV>Templar, Crushbone Server</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Ender]

pretty much what i do. good guide for the newbs tho.

[Auria]

<DIV>Very well written post. This covers 99% of groups/templars/situations. 5 star.</DIV>

[Ke]

<P>Good guide.</P> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Lyen wrote:<BR> <DIV>BoVitae (App3) - 4 charges, ~110hp heal, 55power, single reactive, total healing 440 hp</DIV> <DIV>Sermon (App3) - 8 charges, ~110hp heal, 124power, group reactive, total healing 880 hp</DIV><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>BoV does more than 4 ticks for me - always has done right from the start. I think it does 7 ticks.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>My BoV is currently adept 3, so I get 135 (or is it 133?) a tick. I am pretty sure I get 6 ticks at 135 but the final hit also gets a 141 heal - ie the 6th hit actually triggers a 135 and a 141 heal - totaling a 276 heal.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I always look for the 141 tick to know whether BoV has expired.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hence, given your numbers above:</DIV> <DIV> <DIV>BoVitae (App3) - 7 charges, ~110hp heal, 55power, single reactive, total healing 770 hp</DIV></DIV>

[Gobbwin]

<DIV>/applaud</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Excellent guide/overview.  Though I must agree with Kehi, my BoVs last for 6 hits, not sure about the 7th haven't really paid attention, usually stare at the active spells list, though I will check tonight when i get home.  How much does SP work for?  I ask this because now it "supposedly" stacks again with BoV?  I don't have it yet, but if i understand correctly it would be even more efficient that the group reactive...</DIV>

[Lifewast]

I'm 100% sure bov only gives 4 ticks for me at adept3..It doesnt stack with supplicants, rather the 2 heals go on but only one of them ticks per hit.Thus bov + supplicants at same time gives a total of 8 ticks of either one or other at a time.Please test this again and let us know if BOv alone is really giving you 6 ticks, because if it is, then I'd love to know why most templars are only getting 4 ticks....

[TROri]

Seems to me that BoV does 4 ticks plus a last heal. The final heal just taggs on top of the last hit. Kind of a nice figure.Oh, and please bring me back to those wimpy mobs that hit for 40pts each! I need them again! These 220 pt hits are killing me (had a hit today for...910! How am I supposed to fix that one? good thing it was the last hit in the fight).

[YoDu]

Any thoughts on Amending Fate? Mages trade health for power, and the little pop in health all around seems to keep the party happy and rolling along.

[Pia]

Great post, should help clear up some of the confusion regarding reactives.As for amending fate, it's not bad at adept I, healing I think 180 hp for very little power. If I notice anyone other then the tank hurt near the end of a fight I'll cast it on the mob when it's near death. It doesn't always seem to go off though, even though I wasn't resisted and the timer hadn't run out yet. Anyone else experienced this?

[YoDu]

I notice there's often an Amending Fate lag. That is, after battle, the spell graphic goes off, showing people getting the holy light, but not everyone's health increases. Then a few seconds later, pop: healed party. I'm assuming it's Amending Fate lag, and not a regeneration, as it has just been health that increases, not power.

[mindwy]

<DIV>Great guide</DIV>

[Loampound]

<DIV>Remember that use of reactive heals vary:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If your tank is a good taunter and only he takes damage, it's more efficient to use BoV only.  Maintaining BoV usually keeps him healthy, as in the long run the net change is usually positive hp change.  Watch for the "depleted" message in the combat spam.  If need be, it's more efficient in this case to cast in a combat heal if the damage gets too furious rather than a Soothing.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If the damage is too fast for BoV to keep up, [Removed for Content] is useful.  Usually this happens in the beginning of battles with group pulls.  As the party wipes our beasts, damage usually becomes more manageable so you can go back to only BoV.  The important part is to watch the rate of damage.  If SS expired before it's "time" limit( i.e. expired because it used all of its healing potential), then it's useful.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If the main tank does not hold all aggro or  the party tends to share damage, [Removed for Content] is very useful.  It gives you time to find the damaged party member and get off a combat heal.  It's very useful when you expect "adds" and are not sure who will be getting it because it protects all party members.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Use the stacking ability to it's potential.  In dual priest parties, I get jobs set up for hard encounters.  One priest is assigned BoV duties for the main tank; the other is ordered to maintain SS (easy to do since you see the status on your buff bar).  The SS priest usually also takes care of other duties (such as debuff, cure poison, etc.)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Remember the nature of reactive heals - it's not useful to cast BoV when the enemy is almost dead.  Towards the end of the battle I usually stop doing BoV and wait for a last combat heal or Arch.  Those heals may be more efficient if the BoV goes unused because the beast dies.</DIV>

[merlektwo]

<P>Lately I've been finding BoV pretty useless. It might be me using it wrong, the mobs we've been fighting hitting just too [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot] hard, or just plain lag (TS has been pretty insanely lagged on Runnyeye the last week). I cast BoV on the MT, and it just doesn't seem to make any difference whatsoever, forcing me to chainheal with every heal I've got to keep him/her alive. My BoV is Adept 3 so I figure it should be good enough. Is it just me noticing this? </P> <P> </P> <P><A>//Merlek@Runnyeye</A>, lvl 25 templar</P><p>Message Edited by Merlek on <span class=date_text>12-29-2004</span> <span class=time_text>02:00 AM</span>

[SenorPhrog]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Merlek wrote:<BR> <P>Lately I've been finding BoV pretty useless. It might be me using it wrong, the mobs we've been fighting hitting just too [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot] hard, or just plain lag (TS has been pretty insanely lagged on Runnyeye the last week). I cast BoV on the MT, and it just doesn't seem to make any difference whatsoever, forcing me to chainheal with every heal I've got to keep him/her alive. My BoV is Adept 3 so I figure it should be good enough. Is it just me noticing this? </P> <P> </P> <P><A>//Merlek@Runnyeye</A>, lvl 25 templar</P> <P>Message Edited by Merlek on <SPAN class=date_text>12-29-2004</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>02:00 AM</SPAN><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> don't think there is anything wrong with your BOV.  There are many times where your right BOV isn't cutting it and even not in those times BOV is barely holding the damage the MT is taking.  I'm around your level and you have to remember even though its Adept 3 (which is what I have) its a level 12 spell which will grey out in a couple levels.  It looks like they intended Supplicants Prayer to replace it (and yes I know it doesn't heal for as much).   I've herad that Supplicants get better as you hit around 30 but I'm curious what many other people have used 25-30.

[MilkToa]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Radar-X wrote:<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Merlek wrote:<BR> <P>Lately I've been finding BoV pretty useless. It might be me using it wrong, the mobs we've been fighting hitting just too [expletive ninja'd by Faarbot] hard, or just plain lag (TS has been pretty insanely lagged on Runnyeye the last week). I cast BoV on the MT, and it just doesn't seem to make any difference whatsoever, forcing me to chainheal with every heal I've got to keep him/her alive. My BoV is Adept 3 so I figure it should be good enough. Is it just me noticing this? </P> <P> </P> <P><A>//Merlek@Runnyeye</A>, lvl 25 templar</P> <P>Message Edited by Merlek on <SPAN class=date_text>12-29-2004</SPAN> <SPAN class=time_text>02:00 AM</SPAN><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> don't think there is anything wrong with your BOV.  There are many times where your right BOV isn't cutting it and even not in those times BOV is barely holding the damage the MT is taking.  I'm around your level and you have to remember even though its Adept 3 (which is what I have) its a level 12 spell which will grey out in a couple levels.  It looks like they intended Supplicants Prayer to replace it (and yes I know it doesn't heal for as much).   I've herad that Supplicants get better as you hit around 30 but I'm curious what many other people have used 25-30.<BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>I'm level 28 and my adept 3 supplicant's prayer is healing for 133.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Narae]

I generally use BoV as backup healing. I'll open on inc with BoV followed by weakness (rebuke if time). After that, its primarily Arch Healing time (now amelioration - just dinged 30). For pulls of more than one mob, its arch heal on inc, sign of weakness, BoV, then more arch heal or group heal if no crowd control/bad taunting.After about lvl 28, once you move deeper into Varsoons etc, (qeynos side) the HoT lines will *not* be enough on their own. Combine this with the fact that Adept1 Arch heal is the most efficient heal you have in my opinion, and I solo heal all night in Varsoons, Zek and EL at any camp a group of lvl 30's can go.On my hotkey bars I have: arch heal, healing touch, combat heal, amelioration, supplicant's prayer, BoV, soothing sermon, prayer of amelioration. Plus the utility spells Radiance, MoK, amending fate. I use them *all*.It's about finding the right balance. A good healer is familiar with his/her entire spell line and will have about 8 heals up on his hotkey bars. If things get really bad, and its looking scary, toss Radiance for the mana free HoT that will help ya get back on your feet. Everybody has their own style. No technique will work for everybody. But dont be afraid of your instant heals. They are your best friend.

[Xran]

ermm, maybe I am mistaken...Narae, in 2 posts I have seen so far, you mentioned HoT lines. BoV is not part of HoT lines. HoT lines go to Druids.I believe you meant to say Reactive heal lines? Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't want to confuse other readers.

[HerrD]

<DIV>Read the spell description on ammending fates guys.  It has a "chance" of healing when the mob dies.  It's not a guarantee.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Also, you people should really look into intercession (or soothing sermon).  Yes it's a group reactive, and yes if the main tank holds agro it "appears" to be a waste.  But do the math and you will quickly rethink.  Mine, at adept I, lvl 37, heals for about 293 a tick, and I think it's 8 ticks per cast.  That's a lot of hp's compared to the 4 ticks of 134 for BoV or SP.  And even if the tank is the only one taking dmg, he gets all 8 ticks.....</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>

[Addlepa]

<DIV>Great overview, thanks for posting!</DIV>

[LeadStati]

Great tutorial. However I think it would be more beneficial if everyone BUT us read it. It looks like my strategy for healing is spot on, but I get groups every now and then that [Removed for Content] and moan when there is a wipeout from a situation that either used up my power or had people taking damage too fast for me to heal, who will tell me to quit wasting power on the "useless reactives" or the group reactive spell. I myself liked using the reactive since the one I have by now reacts for around 250hp. So between that and the single, I can get +350-400hp on a single hit on the tank.

[suva]

<DIV>Great information in this post.  I have been doing all that before i read this post so it makes me feel like a decent healer now in this game.  I see the BOV Adept 3 spell for sale for 12g is it a good idea to get that at lvl 23 or wait till i get to lvl 30+ and have more money?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Orio</DIV> <DIV>23 Templar Oasis</DIV>

[Auria]

<DIV>          Legal tender (i.e. money/coin) is just a place holder for future goods. Translation: if you <EM>can</EM> buy something that will increase your efficiency/effectiveness in a group, buy it a.s.a.p., unless you see something in the near future that is of greater use. There is no reason in this game to horde coin, yet, as 90% of the items you will use are either quested for, or common drops. Most coin will be spent on spell upgrades, until more uber-items come into circulation. So far, from my experience Spell Level > Gear. I would take a Master1 Reactive over the super-Unique-Breastplate-Of-Godliness anyday, if they were the same price.</DIV> <DIV>          Now, I'm not suggesting dropping a plat on nuke adept3s, but for a major heal, <STRONG>yes</STRONG> buy the upgrade if it's feasible. It will keep your group alive better, making xp faster / more efficient.</DIV>

[Orodru]

<DIV>Just my two bits:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Reactive Healing is the key to success, no doubt about it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>At level 36, BoV is still my primary heal.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I chain cast BoV on the tanks, and if the damage is coming in too fast for the recast time, I switch back and forth with SP. I have not yet been able to find/afford adept3 SP so it is still at punty app3, the main reason I only use it as backup healing for BoV.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I only use group RH spells in wierd situations, mostly because it's usually pointless to put in on before a fight as it heals so much that it is wasting heals (an undamaged tank takes 50 HP damage and is healed for 200 - wasted some healing there) and the casting time is so long that if someone other than the tank is getting beat down, he'll probably die before I could cast group RH, unless the tank reclaims the aggro, but then the guy I wanted to heal is not getting hit anymore so RH won't help him anyway).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I use Combat Healing or Arch Healing as needed, but most fights can go from start to finish without needing them. They are best used to heal somoene that took AE damage, or got a short aggro (but aggro back on tank now) - RH won't help them if they are not taking any more damage.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So my battles go: BoV, SP, BoV, Combat healing (if needed between RH), BoV, etc...</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And yes, simple as that strategy is, I play as solo healer in any pickup group of 6 and clean out groups of red monsters and I'm never the one with the lowest Power.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The best part is, I never get aggro, unless my timing is off and I land the first spell too early (but after pull).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Safe, effective healing.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Orodruin</DIV> <DIV>Antonia Bayle</DIV>

[Aluin]

I notice alot of people are mentioning things like watching the ticks or reading the combat spam to figure out when their Reactives wear off. You can save yourself a lot of strain by just using the Maintained spells bar. It shows all spells you have cast that are still active, including debuffs, DOTs, and reactives. Highly useful and much less annoying than reading through combat spam. Leena 28 Templar Lucan D'Lere