Opinions, to Pre-Heal or not?

[SorrySonOfA]

<div>I often solo group heal with equal or higher level tanks in small group settings.  It seems that if I caste the single target reactive before the fight then I almost always get aggro on the inital pull (yeah, we survive it, but its a pain).  Thus, it usually seems better to me to wait and cast the single target reactive after the MT takes a bit of damage.</div><div> </div><div>Does that seem reasonable?  I've spent most of my time playing this game as Scouts so I'm still learning the healing role.</div><div> </div><div> </div>

[Kleitos]

Very reasonable. Since the mob usually gets the first hit in, if the tank is body pulling, it will set of your reactive and you will be #1 on the hate list.What is your reason for "pre-healing"? If the tank can't take a couple of hits without dying your healing isn't going to save the tank anyways. Just like when you played a scout, did you start attacking the mob before or after the tank had built up some agro? Heals are the healers agro builder, control it or wipe <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />Use your skills as a scout when you play a healer, positioning for example.<div></div>

[ArivenGemini]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>SorrySonOfA wrote:<div>I often solo group heal with equal or higher level tanks in small group settings.  It seems that if I caste the single target reactive before the fight then I almost always get aggro on the inital pull (yeah, we survive it, but its a pain).  Thus, it usually seems better to me to wait and cast the single target reactive after the MT takes a bit of damage.</div><div> </div><div>Does that seem reasonable?  I've spent most of my time playing this game as Scouts so I'm still learning the healing role.</div><hr></blockquote>It depends on the tank as well..  you have to learn to judge your hate levels with the quality of the tank and his skills.. and with him knowing that you have pre-aggro if you pre-reactive him.If you pre-reactive, the tank should be taunting right off the bat... or using his high damage attack and then taunting... with the pally that I duo with a lot, I can pre-reactive if I need to and rarely (maybe 1 in 200) get aggro off him..  his Amends line sees to that.  But I have worked with other classes where they know how to deal with the aggro.Basically you have to learn to work in the group as a team.</span></div>

[ArivenGemini]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Kleitos wrote:What is your reason for "pre-healing"? <b><font color="#ffff00">If the tank can't take a couple of hits without dying your healing isn't going to save the tank anyways. </font></b>Just like when you played a scout, did you start attacking the mob before or after the tank had built up some agro? Heals are the healers agro builder, control it or wipe <img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /><div></div><hr></blockquote>Well to be honest, I would rather pre-reactive the tank than have to run out and meet him during the pull.   I tend to duo a lot, and as a result we fight stuff on the edge of what we can do.. if I am near him and able to heal I can keep him up.. but if he has to go an extended amount of time without me near and healing, he will die or be in risk of dying.   So, it isn't a matter of taking a couple hits.. its a matter of knowing your limits and knowing what you can do as a team and working within them..  yeah we could take lower level mobs..  but we can do the higher level ones just as easy, as long as we work as a team... and pre-reactives in some of these cases are indeed needed.</span></div>

[Kleitos]

If you are working as a group, why would you be that far from the tank so you can't heal it?Example:If you pre-reactive the tank, he runs off far from your healing range and agros a mob, the mob sets of your reactive, you're #1 on the hate list... where does mob run? to you, (unless the tank gets of a lucky taunt before the mob is out of range) leaving the tank all the way over there, unable to catch up with the mob that runs alot faster then the tank usually. (I have seen this happen actually, quite amusing)But as you say, knowing the group helps alot...<div></div>

[ArivenGemini]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Kleitos wrote:If you are working as a group, why would you be that far from the tank so you can't heal it?Example:If you pre-reactive the tank, he runs off far from your healing range and agros a mob, the mob sets of your reactive, you're #1 on the hate list... where does mob run? to you, (unless the tank gets of a lucky taunt before the mob is out of range) leaving the tank all the way over there, unable to catch up with the mob that runs alot faster then the tank usually. (I have seen this happen actually, quite amusing)But as you say, knowing the group helps alot...<div></div><hr></blockquote>Tank runs off out of healing range and pulls with a taunt,  tank, who knows how to play and keeps his taunts upgraded is now number one on the hate list.As to why would I be so far from the tank that I cant heal him?  Have you considered that sometimes you dont have a perfect spawn of mobs that respawn just after you power up after the last pull and can pull without moving from your spot, so your tank goes out into the field, dodging wandering mobs and brings back some tasty XP to where you are safely ensconced.. out of range of wanderers?Why would I camp out in the middle of a bunch of agro and risk the entire party when everyone can wait in safety for the puller to return.</span></div>

[Daena]

Pre-reactiving used to be a lot more safe than it is nowadays.  After several (as I recall) increases/changes to reactive aggro, it's not half as safe as it used to be to pre-reactive.  It can be done, of course, but... just be ready for the consequences in most cases.  Might I add that it sometimes is a necessary risk.  If you or your group can get the mobs off you if/when you take aggro, then you're fine. <span>:smileywink:</span>-Daenath X'Deus70 Teir'Dal InquisitorNektulos<div></div>

[ArivenGemini]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Daenath wrote:Pre-reactiving used to be a lot more safe than it is nowadays.  After several (as I recall) increases/changes to reactive aggro, it's not half as safe as it used to be to pre-reactive.  It can be done, of course, but... just be ready for the consequences in most cases.  Might I add that it sometimes is a necessary risk.  If you or your group can get the mobs off you if/when you take aggro, then you're fine. <span>:smileywink:</span><div></div><hr></blockquote>Thats exactly it..  I wont pre-reactive until I know the tank and his style and am comfortable with it and know he knows what I am doing...  it certainly isn't for every group, or every inquisitor.. but I duo a lot with the same tank, he knows what he is doing, he knows how to play his class well, and he knows what -I- am likey to do.</span></div>

[Kleitos]

Ariven, if you are sure that your tank always pulls with a damage attack or taunt it's a alot safer then if they pull with the "body pull".The OP wanted some opinions, I presented mine, you presented yours. I doubt there is one way that works for each and every encounter and if there was, this would be a pretty boring game.<div></div>

[ArivenGemini]

<div><span><blockquote><hr>Kleitos wrote:Ariven, if you are sure that your tank always pulls with a damage attack or taunt it's a alot safer then if they pull with the "body pull".The OP wanted some opinions, I presented mine, you presented yours. I doubt there is one way that works for each and every encounter and if there was, this would be a pretty boring game.<div></div><hr></blockquote>Oh I am definately just trying to show different views and ways to do stuff.. and show what works for me.    proximity pulling is sometimes needed, and I wouldn't be likely to pre-reactive in a touchy situation like that..  it all comes down to being comfortable in your group and with your tank and him knowing what is going on.  I am very unlikely to pre-reactive in a pickup group (or pre-HOT with my fury)...  I play very conservative in those (when I get them) until I have the flow of the group..That is one reason I like playing a healer..  enough excitement to keep me awake and on my toes, but not enough to wear me down fast.. (plus the power of the ultimate veto on stupid ideas <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> )One of the powers of inquisitor is we are able to do all kinds of things..  pre-reactive and take a hit or two if we need to..  brute force heal, debuff, casually heal.. heck even tank light stuff from time to time.. and there is lots of room for different styles and techniques.</span></div>

[KnoxExplosi]

<div></div>I usually only pre-heal with group reactives because they take a long time to cast.  Agro can be a problem if it's a body pull, and even then my tanks can usually grab them before they get to me (plus I can take a hit or two if need be).One trick you can use with long pulls is doing a group reactive instead of single target.  The reactive will only go off when the tank is in range, so you don't have to worry about agro on the pull or waiting to cast until he gets back in range.<div></div><p>Message Edited by KnoxExplosivo on <span class="date_text">03-27-2006</span><span class="time_text">10:42 PM</span></p>

[Robbpilot]

<div></div><div></div><p>Back in the good old days we could stack both our single and group reactive heals on before the pull and not get aggro.  That amounted to two free out-of-combat heals and you began the fight with full power and the tank was healed for a while for free.  I don't think the old method generated hate until the actual heals fired so the tank was building hate fast enough.</p><p>I guess the devs figured out that this was overpowered and changed a number of things, including the amount of hate generated and just what kind of reactive heals could stack, as well as the maximum amount of healing done.  It is also pretty painful for an inquisitor and templar to be in the same group now.</p><p>They probably went too far in nerfing things, but that always seems to be proportional to how overpowered the class was to start off.</p><p>The most overpowered situation of all used to be an inquisitor/necromancer duo.  You could slap reactives onto the pet and since it was not a combat move and the pet was not in your group you never entered combat.  This allowed you to chain heal the pet with normal power regen and allowed the duo to tackle mobs far above their heads, since the healer could heal almost indefinitely.</p><p>A lot of changes needed to be made, but I wish the hammer didn't hit so hard.</p><p>Message Edited by Robbpilot on <span class="date_text">03-30-2006</span><span class="time_text">02:55 PM</span></p>