Wards VS Heals

[Makabr]

Blessed aid at lvl 26 APP5 does 287 healed for 68pwr Faithful Zeal at lvl 26 APP5 does 268ish for 68pwr wards dmg is subtracted before mitigation while healing obviously isnt. why would you use faithful zeal? ever <div></div>

[Knesh]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Makabrei wrote:<BR>Blessed aid at lvl 26 APP5 does 287 healed for 68pwr<BR>Faithful Zeal at lvl 26 APP5 does 268ish for 68pwr<BR><BR>wards dmg is subtracted before mitigation while healing obviously isnt.<BR><BR>why would you use faithful zeal? ever<BR> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <DIV>I would have to check the numbers not on my gaming machine. But I have adept 1 blessed aid at lvl 28 and it heals for  I believe for like 306 But I can't remember off the top of my head the exact number. I have Adept 3 Faithful zeal - it wards for like 368 + haste.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>IMO I love using faithful zael.</DIV>

[Makabr]

theres a haste? thats the first ive heard of it... i see hate generation +1% which is minimal at best... hardly a reason to use it over heal. <div></div>

[agememn]

<P>Whilst in the 20s the difference between wrads and heals may not be so large, at 30+ I found myself exclusively using heals because wards just ate up power for too little benefit.  However the hate transfer part of ward should not be ignored - I find myself using them in groups now when aggro spreads to a healer or we get adds, I often find that taunts will not get aggro on to me but throw a ward on the peep and aggro transfers straight away plus u stop them getting hit for a small amount of time.  </P> <P>This use of wards has saved that unlucky healer in my grp many times....</P> <P> </P> <P>Krussh</P> <P>47 Paladin, Reckless Abandon, Faydark</P>

[djhbeek]

also remember:  heals get interupted.  this is especially noticeable with a long-cast heal like devout sacrament.  if you ward before you heal, your heal wont get interupted as long as your ward is still running.  this also works for healers.  if a healer gets aggro the first thing i do is ward them.  not only does this generate some hate for me, it keeps their heals from getting interrupted, so that they can keep themselves alive 'til I get it off them. <div></div>

[Thrilmil]

"why would you use faithful zeal? ever" Recast time.  Your heal needs 5 seconds to refresh before you can recast it.  In the meantime you may still be getting smashed upon.  Using both can therefore be beneficial as you can get a ward in between casting heals, though only one ward every 15 seconds/3 heals).  I've had many an encounter though with no healing but what I can do myself and if I tried to just heal (no wards) I wouldn't have survived those fights and would have had to wait two minutes between fights for the penitent sacrament to refresh.  Also, heal is 2 second cast, ward is one second.  When you're the tank and being beat on, there's less chance of an interrupt with the faithful zeal and it's great for giving a pretty instant protection to someone to stop them dying while the big heals are put in motion. You're right though, that compared to heals, wards are not as power effecient and constant use will have you out of power sooner. <div></div>

[Troodon]

I believe that the nature of wards and mitigation may be addressed with the Priest Balancing and spell changes. So potentially they may be more useful later on. However as a Paladin wards do have a role though: - Both wards and heals generate aggro. With our comparitively few direct taunts we have to rely upon buffs/heals/wards for aggro generation.  However sometimes priests can patch up any wounds that you wouldnt be able to generate Hate by healing yourself e.g. a Templer's reactive heals. In such a circumstance a ward comes in handy as a impromptu (if rather costly) taunt. - Should a someone have aggro when the shouldnt the comparitively quickly casted ward (as compared to our slow heals) will protect them from harm while the mob is got under control. This is particularly useful when trying to get a mob off a Priest: its not uncommon for the first instinct of a Priest upon taking damage after drawing aggro is to heal themselves, building their Hate with a mob so it continues to pound on them while you burn power to get it back. Beyond its instrisic hate generating properties, a quick ward acts as a buffer absorbing any damage, thus hopefully preventing the posibility of a Priest panicing so. - Though rather power costly, there will be times when your under attack from many mobs and the only way you can avoid being constantly interupted while trying to cast one of our slow heals is to throw a ward up first. - They can be cast just before a pull, with enough of a gap to regenerate the lost power, to act as a buffer from a mobs initial attacks. <div></div>

[GilfalasElaandrin]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> TroodonIE wrote:<BR>I believe that the nature of wards and mitigation may be addressed with the Priest Balancing and spell changes. So potentially they may be more useful later on.<BR> <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P>Yup. It has been stated by dev's that Wards will be fixed to be applied AFTER armor mitgation.</P> <P>Additionally sometimes, in combat you need more healing NOW than what your targetable heal gives. Warding yourself or a group member gives that abilty. Is it the first power I would use? Definately not, unless speed of casting was critical since it is one of our fastest casting spells in that regard. But it is definately usefull as a supplemental power when a little more resiliance needs to be added to someone and our heal is down.</P> <P>Also our wards (past the initial) add additional aggro to us, and every ability that does that is helpful.</P> <P>Are they something your going to chain cast all the time? No. Are they situationally usefull? Sure.</P> <P>Plus, read TroodonlE's post just above mine. He is absolutely correct in ever point he makes.<BR></P>

[Makabr]

all good points it just seems to me that the spell that is preemptive should be more efficent than the reactive (healing a damaged target). The interuption is something ive not noticed and is a definate plus i was not taking into effect. thanks for the answers and once they fix the mitigation order of operation that will be a big plus <div></div>

[Mattim]

There's really only two areas at 42 where I use wards on a regular basis. a) getting hit for more than heal can sustain, and b) to generate hate when tanking multiple encounters. In my 20s though I used ward all the time because avoidance was far more effective than it is so far in my 40s.

[Majorminor]

<DIV>I use it situational as well.  Though the thing I like about it is, it can be cast on the run.  Nice to be able to ward yourself if you have to run, or to ward that person that thinks they can out run mobs, while your trying to follow getting aggro back.   </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Well I forget what lvl the wards can be cast on the fly, but you can eventually..</DIV>

[Yrield]

Ward are good until you hit 30 maybe 35 after this point... ward fall short to be polite, 1 sec cast + 160 pwr for a ward who dont last 1sec dont worth it (shaman ward get one-shoted in T5 as well <span>:smileysad:</span>) <div></div>

[Pilo]

I use wards in all the circumstances listed above, but the most common use for me is generally during a pull.  I typically will pull with one of our range attacks and fire off a ward and both taunts while running back to the group.  It generates power and allows a buffer, even if slight, for the cleric to not have to immediately have to start worrying about my health - also helping hate.  A couple things to take into consideration.  Wards (not the first one, but beyond that) can be cast while running, heals can't.  Also, heals don't do ANYTHING when you're full health.  When solo you'll regen a good portion of the ward power back almost immediately when out of combat so I typically fire one off two-three seconds before engaging. <div></div>

[WAPCE]

<blockquote><hr>Pilot2 wrote: I use wards in all the circumstances listed above, but the most common use for me is generally during a pull. I typically will pull with one of our range attacks and fire off a ward and both taunts while running back to the group. It generates power and allows a buffer, even if slight, for the cleric to not have to immediately have to start worrying about my health - also helping hate. A couple things to take into consideration. Wards (not the first one, but beyond that) can be cast while running, heals can't. Also, heals don't do ANYTHING when you're full health. When solo you'll regen a good portion of the ward power back almost immediately when out of combat so I typically fire one off two-three seconds before engaging. <div></div> <hr></blockquote> 5 stars for you. I use a ward while pulling when a heal would have no effect. It gives you a few second buffer before taking damage (especially if the mob is only auto-attacking). After that, it's only the mana-efficient Renar (or the emergency heals).<p>Message Edited by WAPCE on <span class=date_text>07-19-2005</span> <span class=time_text>09:13 AM</span>

[MeridianR]

<span><blockquote><hr>Pilot2 wrote:I use wards in all the circumstances listed above, but the most common use for me is generally during a pull.  I typically will pull with one of our range attacks and fire off a ward and both taunts while running back to the group.  It generates power and allows a buffer, even if slight, for the cleric to not have to immediately have to start worrying about my health - also helping hate.  A couple things to take into consideration.  Wards (not the first one, but beyond that) can be cast while running, heals can't.  Also, heals don't do ANYTHING when you're full health.  When solo you'll regen a good portion of the ward power back almost immediately when out of combat so I typically fire one off two-three seconds before engaging. <div></div><hr></blockquote>Technically though, the cleric should load you up with reactives <b>before </b>the pull, so you don't have to worry about them getting healer aggro right off the bat. <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> I personally use wards before I pull as well, just to mitigate the mobs first hit or so....and during a fight where there is enough dps I will throw it out there for the 1% hate.</span><div></div>

[SanJ]

<P>With our taunts alone being a little too weak to hold constant aggro, wards/buffs often have to assist in our aggro management strategy.  Unfortunately, as previously stated in the thread, our wards/buffs are not very mana efficient even when compared to our heals.</P> <P>Regardless, I contine to use at level 50 both Call to Glory and Prayer of Conviction in combat to periodically assist with aggro, and almost always they are included in my formula to regain lost aggro.  The fast cast of our Display of Devotion is often the difference between life and death should a bath robe wearer take aggro.  They would hands down be dead by the time our cast was complete on Pious Aid.  Likewise, numerous times I've regained aggro with a simple keystroke to launch Display of Devotion.</P> <P>I sincerely hope they address our mana cost issues in regards to wards/buffs during the combat revision.  The missing ranged slot is severe on the raid scene considering other tank classes can add +40 or more to base stats just from equipping an item.</P> <P>Thanks,<BR>Kalen</P>