I took a hunter to 70 so decided to do something different and rolled a priest and after 6 days of in game time I managed to hit 51.
Through my leveling I have joined a few instance runs to test out my healing abilites and have come across two very different types of parties.
Type one is where the 'tank' (usually a shaman or pally ironically) holds agg and I sit back and hardly use no mana healing him and renewing the others as they take marginal damage. "Great healer" I get as thanks. This type is how I believe things are supposed to go right? I don't think I even have to drink when Im playing with a type one.
Type two is what I believe is a messed up party. The tank cannot hold aggro (and the last time I ran the tank was a higher level warrior almost too high for instance) and everyones health is dropping like a rocket at the same time. Im frantically bubbling and healing everyone to try to keep them alive but eventually my casting isnt quick enough to heal everyone so some die, or I die when fade isn't enough with all the major heals Im having to throw out. When I happen to deplete my mana just in time for mobs to die after healing these guys in what should have been a boss fight and not just three mobs, I get "Great healer" but when I cant keep up with this no agg handling tank I get "Bad healer".
I even remember asking the mage with us to not get agg as she fired off all her stuff the second the tank engaged, she stated she couldnt help it she was just so powerful. I mentioned using lower rank spells but she wouldnt have it. The rogues in the group appeared to be doing every button they had as well so Im not sure if it is a bad tank that doesnt know how to handle aggro or is it DPS heavy side kicks that cant hold themselves back?
I guess Im asking, at any level a group should in theory be like type one right?
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Let me apologize in advance, because I'm probably about to become long winded.
First, you are correct. Groups SHOULD be like group number one. In a perfect world, they all would be. However, Azeroth is not a perfect world, and you'll probably find more group twos than you would like to.
A couple of pointers on how you might manage group two.
If the tank is losing aggro, one of two things is happening. Either he's a bad tank or that pesky mage is nuking too much/too soon.
You did the right thing by asking the mage not to nuke so much. If she won't hear of it, simply let her die. And for that matter, I'd only rez her once. Make her run or talk to the leader about kicking her if it continues to happen. Having to heal the DPS should be the exception, rather than the rule. Yes of course, sometimes things happen, and a pull doesn't go as planned and everyone is doing their utmost to manage the situation. In that case, try to keep everyone alive as best you can, but you still have to focus on the tank. If the tank dies it's almost always a wipe unless you have a phenomenal group/and or everything was almost dead when the tank dies.
As the healer of the group, you do have a certain amount of "power" over what happens. Of course this all depends on how you and the group leader are getting along. Don't be afraid to ask for someone to be kicked if you believe they are detrimental to the group. Not the first time they ***** up, but in the case of that mage, I wouldn't have hesitated for a second.
Healing in the OL becomes even more hectic in bad groups, so dont be afraid to put your foot down when it comes to certain things. Now I'm not saying adopt the 'I ONLY heal the tank' attitude. I hate that. But if your cc isn't cc'ing, your DPS isn't watching their threat or your tank forgets he has taunt, you're in for a world of hurt. You know this. You already have a 70.
And lastly, people are always going to blame you if they wipe. I just kind of shrug is off as their own guilty conscience for causing it in the first place. Although it does feel great to get a compliment!
Ok, I'm done now. :D
First, you are correct. Groups SHOULD be like group number one. In a perfect world, they all would be. However, Azeroth is not a perfect world, and you'll probably find more group twos than you would like to.
A couple of pointers on how you might manage group two.
If the tank is losing aggro, one of two things is happening. Either he's a bad tank or that pesky mage is nuking too much/too soon.
You did the right thing by asking the mage not to nuke so much. If she won't hear of it, simply let her die. And for that matter, I'd only rez her once. Make her run or talk to the leader about kicking her if it continues to happen. Having to heal the DPS should be the exception, rather than the rule. Yes of course, sometimes things happen, and a pull doesn't go as planned and everyone is doing their utmost to manage the situation. In that case, try to keep everyone alive as best you can, but you still have to focus on the tank. If the tank dies it's almost always a wipe unless you have a phenomenal group/and or everything was almost dead when the tank dies.
As the healer of the group, you do have a certain amount of "power" over what happens. Of course this all depends on how you and the group leader are getting along. Don't be afraid to ask for someone to be kicked if you believe they are detrimental to the group. Not the first time they ***** up, but in the case of that mage, I wouldn't have hesitated for a second.
Healing in the OL becomes even more hectic in bad groups, so dont be afraid to put your foot down when it comes to certain things. Now I'm not saying adopt the 'I ONLY heal the tank' attitude. I hate that. But if your cc isn't cc'ing, your DPS isn't watching their threat or your tank forgets he has taunt, you're in for a world of hurt. You know this. You already have a 70.
And lastly, people are always going to blame you if they wipe. I just kind of shrug is off as their own guilty conscience for causing it in the first place. Although it does feel great to get a compliment!
Ok, I'm done now. :D
Scholar
22 posts
Thanks for the reply. I did believe it should be type one but wasn't sure if I just didn't realize what a healer was doing when I was using my hunter for instances for all those levels.
I do 'try' to get the party right before going in but it usually just leaves others thinking I am a jerk. The groups usually are just happy to get 5 guys and when I tell them it wont work they get angry as I'm preventing the party from going in.
I mean, one group had a hunter in it and I noticed thru my damage meter that he was doing next to no damage then realize his pet isn't out and he is meleeing. I ask him why (as I do believe I know the ends and out of huntering) and he said it ran away because he didn't feed it!
When I put my foot down and said I wasn't continuing with him in the group I got screamed at for 'stopping the progress'. Another time our party had a level 40 in the group which is way too low for Zul'Farrak and when I refused to continue the group made me out to be the bad guy.
Seems after waiting a hour for a pug group, they are happy with 5 breathing people no matter the class or level and I have run enough instances to see a wipe coming and/or having to heal the entire party where death is so near with every pull.
Think Im sick of pugs.
I do 'try' to get the party right before going in but it usually just leaves others thinking I am a jerk. The groups usually are just happy to get 5 guys and when I tell them it wont work they get angry as I'm preventing the party from going in.
I mean, one group had a hunter in it and I noticed thru my damage meter that he was doing next to no damage then realize his pet isn't out and he is meleeing. I ask him why (as I do believe I know the ends and out of huntering) and he said it ran away because he didn't feed it!
When I put my foot down and said I wasn't continuing with him in the group I got screamed at for 'stopping the progress'. Another time our party had a level 40 in the group which is way too low for Zul'Farrak and when I refused to continue the group made me out to be the bad guy.
Seems after waiting a hour for a pug group, they are happy with 5 breathing people no matter the class or level and I have run enough instances to see a wipe coming and/or having to heal the entire party where death is so near with every pull.
Think Im sick of pugs.
Lol... don't you wish you had your feign death for those bad pugs? Let them all die and save your repair bill!
You're right... sometimes you just can't get the group right and they just don't get it. If they are THAT convinced that it's better just to have 5 breathing bodies, then I would leave the group myself in most cases. If you REALLY wanted to do the run, for rep, quest reward whatever, that's up to you.
Me personally? I can understand not wanting to wait forever to form another group, but there is a limit.
Don't give up on pugs completed, you're bound to find a few decent ones. And if you do, add them to your friends list. Maybe you'll get lucky and wind up with a static group for doing instances!
Good luck!
You're right... sometimes you just can't get the group right and they just don't get it. If they are THAT convinced that it's better just to have 5 breathing bodies, then I would leave the group myself in most cases. If you REALLY wanted to do the run, for rep, quest reward whatever, that's up to you.
Me personally? I can understand not wanting to wait forever to form another group, but there is a limit.
Don't give up on pugs completed, you're bound to find a few decent ones. And if you do, add them to your friends list. Maybe you'll get lucky and wind up with a static group for doing instances!
Good luck!
LOL, i would have kicked the hunter out right away...Go get another pet!!! Geez.
As a healer I sometimes get into groups where I'm the lowest. I just tell em, I'll do my best and then I put out this macro that I shameless stole from someone on this forum..
If the tank dies, it's my fault,
If I die,it's the tank's fault,'
If the dps dies, it's their own fault.
LOL
On the whole, I don't have too many group twos, but the nice thing about being a healer is that we are in higher demand than the dps and you can almost always find another group LF healer.
As a healer I sometimes get into groups where I'm the lowest. I just tell em, I'll do my best and then I put out this macro that I shameless stole from someone on this forum..
If the tank dies, it's my fault,
If I die,it's the tank's fault,'
If the dps dies, it's their own fault.
LOL
On the whole, I don't have too many group twos, but the nice thing about being a healer is that we are in higher demand than the dps and you can almost always find another group LF healer.
I hate group 2, especially for the healer, which is why I only on a rare occasion party with unknowns, and if I do, no more than 2. Everyone has to learn, but it appears most hate positive input. As a Warlock (just rolled my priest), I make it a priority to have a chat with the healer before we even enter a dungeon. The arrangement is simple, I keep a soulstone on him, and he "Keeps one eye" on my minion, not to heal, but as a sign. Focus your heals on the other three in the party. I'll use my felguard to off tank and as the healers personel bodyguard incase he pulls aggro. So if the BIG Ugly falls, the healer has no backup. My job is #1 CC, #2 keep my felguard alive and #3 keep the Priest breathing. I know as a caster, one spell can wipe the party, and any "GOOD", unselfish caster will KNOW this. It doesn't matter how good the rest of the party is, I can melt the whole room, including us....:) So my advice is simple....#1 always discuss the run before you jump #2- have a plan, and #3 Make friends with a Lock who values your role before thier own.
Pallys are good tanks if they spec prot which happens to also be the best pally leveling tree so group up with (the prot ones) eagerly.
And yeah duh if you have a DPSer going out of control and just spamming high damage abilities, pulling aggro, and screaming "HEAL" just let them die. If you keep healing them the aggro will turn to you and the group will wipe. Better to lose one dumb DPS than the whole group. Also, they tend to figure it out after a few deaths.
And yeah duh if you have a DPSer going out of control and just spamming high damage abilities, pulling aggro, and screaming "HEAL" just let them die. If you keep healing them the aggro will turn to you and the group will wipe. Better to lose one dumb DPS than the whole group. Also, they tend to figure it out after a few deaths.
Scholar
22 posts
Thanks for all the input.
I decided to get back on the horse and accept a request for healer tonight. Had two warriors that off tanked each other so wasn't too bad there. Had to warn a mage who nuked a few times but once I asked him to calm down, he took the advice and was great after that. The druid also in the party was a chore and liked to AOE or whatever it is druids do that make every mob turn his way and when they did, I didn't go out of my way to help other than offer a renew *smirk*
I rezzed him at least 5 times lol.
I decided to get back on the horse and accept a request for healer tonight. Had two warriors that off tanked each other so wasn't too bad there. Had to warn a mage who nuked a few times but once I asked him to calm down, he took the advice and was great after that. The druid also in the party was a chore and liked to AOE or whatever it is druids do that make every mob turn his way and when they did, I didn't go out of my way to help other than offer a renew *smirk*
I rezzed him at least 5 times lol.
21 posts
I really enjoyed your post !!
I've started a priest a few days ago, and I've seen group like the one you said.
My main is a rogue, and I'm usually doing the main assist.
To do my best work (very, very high dps) i need just one thing. A good tank.
I have found group where the "supposed" tank refuesd to use taunt, mocking etc... just because he did not realized what his role was. Found even one that wanted me to tank 'cause he wanted to use a double handed looool.
In these cases, the group is always a mess. Just leave.
As a priest, all changes but nothing changes: without a tank the group do is a mess.
If in the group there's someone like the mage you said spammind AoE and causing the tank to loose aggro (well, even a rogue opening with cheapshot lol), it should be the tank to be angry with him, not just you. If the tank is saying nothing, that' s because he do not realize his role
My conclusion: everyone can roll a warrior. There are a lot of warrior.
There are very few good warrior.
I've started a priest a few days ago, and I've seen group like the one you said.
My main is a rogue, and I'm usually doing the main assist.
To do my best work (very, very high dps) i need just one thing. A good tank.
I have found group where the "supposed" tank refuesd to use taunt, mocking etc... just because he did not realized what his role was. Found even one that wanted me to tank 'cause he wanted to use a double handed looool.
In these cases, the group is always a mess. Just leave.
As a priest, all changes but nothing changes: without a tank the group do is a mess.
If in the group there's someone like the mage you said spammind AoE and causing the tank to loose aggro (well, even a rogue opening with cheapshot lol), it should be the tank to be angry with him, not just you. If the tank is saying nothing, that' s because he do not realize his role
My conclusion: everyone can roll a warrior. There are a lot of warrior.
There are very few good warrior.
3 posts
Personally Grp2 is the 10-65 range generally. +65 and things should be getting better. I had a grp 2 in mara the other day. Fire mage with a tendency to attempting to solo the run..... Generally with a good grp i can heal a mob grp by just keeping renew up. With a grp 2 expect pots.And regarding dps deaths. Dont worry. Nothing quite like going to a normal instance with kara/Heroic gear on my lock main and mutidotting every single mob. Have a laugh in grps and everythings all good.
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