A Few Random Best Practices Questions

[Epistolary]

I'm currently leveling a Sage healer, and I've got a few random questions. I'll get right to them:

 

1) I want to level as a healer since I want to develop those PVE/PVP heal skills as I level. I began by getting the talents in the TK tree to increase max Force and reduce the cost of heal spells. I'm now proceeding up the Seer tree. Does this seem like a decent strategy, or should I make my way up the heal tree to some point before branching?

 

2) When solo questing as a heal specced sage at high level, do you quest with a DPS companion or a tank companion (ignore treek and HK for now)?

 

3) Do you keep either of the saber strikes on your bar? With no free ranged attack and no instant attack without a CD, I wonder what you use to finish off that last sliver of HP.

 

Thanks much.

[TheHarvester]

1) I want to level as a healer since I want to develop those PVE/PVP heal skills as I level. I began by getting the talents in the TK tree to increase max Force and reduce the cost of heal spells. I'm now proceeding up the Seer tree. Does this seem like a decent strategy, or should I make my way up the heal tree to some point before branching?

 

This isn't a bad idea. The only outcome of this is that the level at which you acquire Salvation will be pushed back from 45 to about 49/50 or so. However, if you plan to heal often in PvP and PvE, getting the heal cost reductions and force pool increase will give you a better feel for how to manage your resource at max level, so you can keep doing what you're doing now.

 

2) When solo questing as a heal specced sage at high level, do you quest with a DPS companion or a tank companion (ignore treek and HK for now)?

 

I haven't tried leveling in heal spec on any of my healing toons. Aside from HK (and possibly Treek, IDK) all my other comps take much longer than I would to kill mobs. But if you'd prefer leveling in heal spec, I'd suggest taking a melee DPS comp who has AoEs, or a melee tank comp.

 

3) Do you keep either of the saber strikes on your bar? With no free ranged attack and no instant attack without a CD, I wonder what you use to finish off that last sliver of HP.

 

I just finish off with Project or TKT. IMO, the saber abilities for Sages are worthless if you have enough Force to cast ANY of your force attacks. If you're at 0 force, then I could see how the basic attack would come in handy. My saber strikes are on my quickbar, but I'm never in a position where I NEED to use them.

[Dragondog]

I'm currently leveling a Sage healer, and I've got a few random questions. I'll get right to them:

 

1) I want to level as a healer since I want to develop those PVE/PVP heal skills as I level. I began by getting the talents in the TK tree to increase max Force and reduce the cost of heal spells. I'm now proceeding up the Seer tree. Does this seem like a decent strategy, or should I make my way up the heal tree to some point before branching?

I leveled my first character as a Sage healer back when the game started in 2011 and I did this as well. Another useful skill not in the Seer tree is Will of the Jedi.

 

2) When solo questing as a heal specced sage at high level, do you quest with a DPS companion or a tank companion (ignore treek and HK for now)?

I used Qyzen, a melee tank.

 

3) Do you keep either of the saber strikes on your bar? With no free ranged attack and no instant attack without a CD, I wonder what you use to finish off that last sliver of HP.

 

Thanks much.

I haven't played a sage healer for a while now. I had them on my bar, but I never needed to use them. I would guess I used whatever else was available at the time.

[lpez]

1. It is better to respec at the moment you can get Foresight. After that your next goal is Rejuvenate with Conveyance (this will highly reduce force cost of heals) and will also teach you more of your rotation/priority heals than the extra force from TK tree will. The next goal on the skill tree will be healing trance, your bread and butter for healing on a sage (remember use on CD after a Rejuvenate. After getting Resplandecence, Force Warden and Amnesty, I would personally delay getting Salvation in exchange of extra force and heals cost reduction.This is because unless you are healing an operation, Salvation is of very force inefficient when healing less than 3 people for its duration (most FPs and WZs).

 

2. I leveled as a DPS on my sage, but I did lvl my scoundrel as a healer. in the scoundrel I ran with a DPS companion to be done with fights quick.

 

3. To help on DPS it's best to learn to add a Weaken Mind, and Mind Crush on CD. For finishing attacks a Project or Telekinetic Throw usually does the trick. As for saber abilities you can happily remove them of all your toolbars, because after Tython you will never use them again.

[kamxam]

1) I've been using the seer tree pretty much exclusively on my sage, and haven't had too many significant problems so far. I DID do the more force power points which is smart for any build you'd do imho. Maybe not as efficient as other builds, but it works for me. (Level 46.5 atm)

2) As for my companions, i used Qyzen pretty much till i got Nadia and have been using her ever since except when one of the other companions would be a better choice for a fight.

I've found that with my build, as long as i get agro on myself and keep myself healed, i can take out some of the harder mobs fairly easy. (Did that with Stark, Got myself agro and Nadia whittled him down)

3) As for the saber attacks, i still keep them up just in case. Been a few times on a long fight where a couple of whacks with the saber would have enabled me to win. Granted, it's very rare that happens, but it's still DPS so unless you need the room why not keep them up?

Just my .02

[SWCelion]

I'm currently leveling a Sage healer, and I've got a few random questions. I'll get right to them:

 

1) I want to level as a healer since I want to develop those PVE/PVP heal skills as I level. I began by getting the talents in the TK tree to increase max Force and reduce the cost of heal spells. I'm now proceeding up the Seer tree. Does this seem like a decent strategy, or should I make my way up the heal tree to some point before branching?

 

2) When solo questing as a heal specced sage at high level, do you quest with a DPS companion or a tank companion (ignore treek and HK for now)?

 

3) Do you keep either of the saber strikes on your bar? With no free ranged attack and no instant attack without a CD, I wonder what you use to finish off that last sliver of HP.

 

Thanks much.

 

Hoy !

 

1) I actually don't do that for my lvl ups, I think the earlier you get HL skills, the quicker you master them. Actually and as was said by someone else, the lvl difference isn't very important. But for example, the % willpower augment becomes worthier when you get more willpower, and it rises exponentially.

 

2) I always lvled up with Quyzen then Nadia when up, as a seer or TK sage. If all CDs up, Nadia can keep the aggro if you use your unaggro spell. It's very strong in AoE tho.

 

3) I don't have any of the saber strikes on my bar. I use project, force bump or the slow to finish them, or let the pet autoattack while I move to the loot spot In Seer, I often try to aggro 2-3 packs, repack them while dotting everybody, and then AoE them down. It's not very safe as an unexpected aggro might be deadly, but you should be able to avoid these situations with a little thinking

[MusicRider]

1) I want to level as a healer since I want to develop those PVE/PVP heal skills as I level. I began by getting the talents in the TK tree to increase max Force and reduce the cost of heal spells. I'm now proceeding up the Seer tree. Does this seem like a decent strategy, or should I make my way up the heal tree to some point before branching?

That you "master" healing by levelling is not entirely true as you heal differently at 20-40 and 55. If you see you are struggling with force take the 5 points on the tk tree that improve the situation. Although while levelling most of your fights will be fairly short to run into such issues.

 

2) When solo questing as a heal specced sage at high level, do you quest with a DPS companion or a tank companion (ignore treek and HK for now)?

I levelled a long long time ago as heals and I used dps companions as soon as I got them. Iresso first then Nadia.

 

3) Do you keep either of the saber strikes on your bar? With no free ranged attack and no instant attack without a CD, I wonder what you use to finish off that last sliver of HP.

Thanks much.

No, saber strikes are long gone. Finishers are project or tk throw or disturbance.

Edited October 7, 2013 by MusicRider

[Cleet_Xia]

1) I want to level as a healer since I want to develop those PVE/PVP heal skills as I level. I began by getting the talents in the TK tree to increase max Force and reduce the cost of heal spells. I'm now proceeding up the Seer tree. Does this seem like a decent strategy, or should I make my way up the heal tree to some point before branching?

That is a decent strategy for your spec. Keep in mind that the ability & spec points that make a sage a seer healer is the ability Rejuvenate & the spec points that give a 100% chance for the Conveyance proc from using Rejuvenate. Learn to use that ability properly & you will be well on your way.

 

2) When solo questing as a heal specced sage at high level, do you quest with a DPS companion or a tank companion (ignore treek and HK for now)?

I leveled using Qyzen. It is more difficult to level with a DPS companion, but it is doable if you want a greater challenge. Be warned though, it can get pretty grinding.

 

3) Do you keep either of the saber strikes on your bar? With no free ranged attack and no instant attack without a CD, I wonder what you use to finish off that last sliver of HP.

Actually yes, I keep the free one in my first keybound slot. The best strategy for dealing with a melee mob that you've gained agro from is to first cast Slow. If you have spec points that add a slow to Weaken Mind, you will also cast that. Both of these are instant casts, so you can cast them while moving farther away from the approaching enemy. Then you turn and let loose with Telekinetic Throw. The slow effects from these abilities will stack, such that the melee enemy will not close to it's attack range quickly. In most cases, if you follow up with Project, the enemy will die. If not, it will be so weak that a single hit from your saber will kill it. I also tend to use the saber in conjunction with force speed to finish off nearly dead ranged enemies if project is on CD (cool down).

 

Be warned: finishing off a player in a PvP WZ with your saber is likely to create entirely too much hate and rage toward you for the rest of the match.

[cxten]

I'm currently leveling a Sage healer, and I've got a few random questions. I'll get right to them:

 

1) I want to level as a healer since I want to develop those PVE/PVP heal skills as I level. I began by getting the talents in the TK tree to increase max Force and reduce the cost of heal spells. I'm now proceeding up the Seer tree. Does this seem like a decent strategy, or should I make my way up the heal tree to some point before branching?

 

2) When solo questing as a heal specced sage at high level, do you quest with a DPS companion or a tank companion (ignore treek and HK for now)?

 

3) Do you keep either of the saber strikes on your bar? With no free ranged attack and no instant attack without a CD, I wonder what you use to finish off that last sliver of HP.

 

Thanks much.

 

1. When you're level 20 to 30, I'd want all the skill points in the Seer tree: you get rejuvenate, then conveyance, then cheaper force armor, then shortly after you get innervate. All these are more important than the extra force or extra healing power you get from the first tier of the other trees. After that, you could grab the low talents in the other trees if you want or just keep going up the seer tree.

 

2. I use a dps companion usually, and switch to a tank companion when soloing heroics if it proves necessary. I like the melee ones as they keep the mobs away from me.

 

3. As a sage healer, here's your dps priority list:

Single target:

A. Open with mind crush if not in combat

B. Keep weaken mind up on the target

C. Cast mind crush on cooldown

D. Telekinetic throw

E. If force is not an issue, project

F. Disturbance

So, you'll be keeping weaken mind up, casting mind crush on cooldown and then going:

Telekinetic throw - project - disturbance (repeat)

Or

Telekinetic throw - disturbance - disturbance (repeat)

Do the latter if it will be a long fight.

 

Multiple target: force quake repeatedly, then single target abilities when there are few remaining.