nightsproull Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I played SWTOR this spring and part of the summer, but I'm incredibly rusty. I just downloaded and patched last night and I re-subbed today. My sorc is barely 29, and I apparently left her in the healing spec. So, in the end game I plan on healing pve. Is it still viable to solo level as a healer, who also plans to queue for flashpoints as I go along? Or will it get more painful as I close in on 40+? I'd feel bad queuing for flashpoints as a healer with a full dps spec, but at the same time I'd like the option of soloing the storyline quests without pulling my hair out. Recommendations? I played a Juggernaut tank to 55 before, and I did flashpoints as often as was possible, because I enjoy grouping with random people and being sociable. I like to think I'm a pretty decent player, and I've been reading up on changes to the sorc class, as well as optimal healing stats and strats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dras_Keto Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) Given the nature of PuGs and things in general, trying to heal a flash point in a dps spec at higher levels is a really bad idea. And, you WILL be expected to heal. If you queue for a role, you must be willing and capable to perform it. You cannot say "Oh, but Im dps." That does not ever fly. And 99 times out of 100, that will earn a vote-kick after the first trashpull goes terribly. Basically, never do that. It can and often does ruin a flashpoint for three other people. As far as actually leveling as a healer. Its gonna be a little slow, but its doable. In fact, depending on exactly how good you are, how up to date you keep your gear, and how well you can control your companions, leveling as a healer allows you to solo most of the heroics you run into. Which, while it might be lonely, can be very entertaining and challenging as well as a good way to make sure you really know what youre doing. Personally, Id get the legacy field respec if possible. Then you can just burn through everything in a dps spec and swap to healing for group content or stuff like H4s. Edit: Just as a note, I level my sorc as a pure healer 1-50 (back before the expansion) although that was primarily in pvp. I never even touched Lightning until way after level 50 when I went to go back and do the last couple class missions on Corellia. Edited January 17, 2014 by Dras_Keto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsproull Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 Ah, thank you. I had no idea about the field respec. That will certainly help out quite a bit. I've been playing healers in mmos for over 10 years now. I know that doesn't necessarily make me great for swtor, but I'm used to the ebb and flow of healing difficult content. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verfallen Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Dras answer is pretty much hitting the nail on the head. Its just unfair to the dps who actually waited the dps queue to have a healer that is a dps wanting to skip in front and jeopardize the flashpoint. Field respec is fairly cheap if you have a 55 that can run dailies, and damn useful on class that can perform two roles, especially healer since dps gear in lower level is the same as healing oriented gear. They start to diverge when dps use accuracy and healers alacrity. As far as leveling healer goes, imo it gets easier with ashara. She brings more speed to leveling and with her cooldown up she is sturdy enough. With presence bonus, she can kill those elite droid with the kb by herself on Oricon with only a shield as "healing" from me. As a tactic you send her on the strong or elite, force storm the thrash then apply mid healing to her while you keep crushing darkness, affliction and fill in with FL and lightning strikke There is no question its faster to level as dps, but leveling as healer in TOR is a lot less painful than in others MMO due to the companion system that can easily cover your spec weakness. Dont level with tank/healer combo unless necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skazur Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I lvled sorc and sage in healing-spec with tank-companion up to 55 - and most I stick on this way for dailies. Trash simply dies in 1-2 force storms and you dort have to fear any elites. Damage specs may be a little faster, but have to regen much more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verfallen Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I lvled sorc and sage in healing-spec with tank-companion up to 55 - and most I stick on this way for dailies. Trash simply dies in 1-2 force storms and you dort have to fear any elites. Damage specs may be a little faster, but have to regen much more. Not really. With ashara as my active companion the "fearsome" bothrium beast dies as the tentacle spawn after managing a big one obliterate. I just keep myself bubbled, and barely have damage done with the aoe I have access too against thrash. So it is faster to go full dps mode, however in case of being pulled in another group, or for the H2 and such healer spec are obviously safer. But saying the "regen" after fight is shorter for healers is just not true, because even if you consider healer doesnt use it (and they will for their force if they dpsed) you'd need to kill the group within 4-5 sec of the dps sorc. If there is a strong in the mix, you simply cannot match the output. If there is not, well a lightning sorc will probably open with CL (hard cast)/FS/CL(proc, interrupt FS). Thats roughly 2-3 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsproull Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Your replies have provided a lot of good info. My jugg was 55, so I just borrowed some money to do the field respec feat on my sorc, and now I'm fine. I'm going to stop using the tank for leveling I think, because Khem's health drops way too quickly, while he's not doing enough damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisweaver Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 (edited) Back on the day(a year and a half ago) I leveled my sorc as a healer through pvp only. I took a looked at the dps trees and said that didn't look like it was for me. I ended up getting to 94 valor brings purely a healer. After the announcement of 2.0 I stopped playing my sorc because of the amount of healer ops taking my job. I just reached 100 valor last week but I've turned into a dps now and am enjoying that quite a bit. Anyway sorcs are great leveling healers. They have some of the strongest heals pre 55 and you will learn a lot about how to Line of sight your enemy and how to look inconspicuous. Edited the bold Edited January 25, 2014 by Chrisweaver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verfallen Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Back on the day(a year and a half ago) I leveled my sorc as a healer only. I took a looked at the dps trees and said that didn't look like it was for me. I ended up getting to 94 valor brings purely a healer. After the announcement of 2.0 I stopped playing my sorc because of the amount of healer ops taking my job. I just reached 100 valor last week but I've turned into a dps now and am enjoying that quite a bit. Anyway sorcs are great leveling healers. They have some of the strongest heals pre 55 and you will learn a lot about how to Line of sight your enemy and how to look inconspicuous. PvP is not a good idea for sorc healing, but in PvE they still have very strong sustained healing. Just to clarify to OP your statement is for PvP and there is no issue in PvE endgame with sorc heals. They however lack a lot in emergency healing, seeing as their main prevemptive healing and emergency healing is the same 20 second debuff inducing ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsproull Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) I'm not worried about pvp at all, as I've long stopped believing that any pve-focused mmo is capable of making a balanced pvp environment. I play other pvp-centric games when I get the itch to kill other players. I'm basically looking to do hard modes and 8-16 man ops after I gear up when I hit 55. I've looked at the other healers, but I really like the look and playstyle of the sorcs a lot. Also, since getting innervate I've had a much better time soloing. I'm just in it to have fun, mostly. Thanks again for the informative replies. I do appreciate y'all taking the time to give out information and viewpoints to a returning player new to this class. Edited January 22, 2014 by nightsproull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twsx Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Skazur has already mentioned it, but I really need to stress how incredible Force Storm is for you if you're playing as a healer. Not that it's not good for a DPS of course, but as a healer, it takes away a LOT of the "little pains" leveling as a healer can bring along. I've leveled a Merc as heal, and though it "works", it was significantly slower. Whereas on my Sorc, I actually don't mind one bit to be leveling as a healer. Force Storm works great, and it's a lot of fun as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnaman Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I've leveled every healing class in any mmo I have ever played as healing spec from the start. IMO it is the best way to learn your class and not having to "unlearn what you have learned" by leveling as DPS and switching later. It doesn't really take a lot longer to level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daxy Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 It is totally viable to level as healerMy sorc was my first toon to fifty and I used khem non stop and at fifty I alternated between khem an xalekFor most of last year my sorc was a mule and fleet camper only running crew skills Just last night I decided to dust off the rusty sorc (with a mix of the old elite wh)I had 177 comms I had accumulated so I decided to deck out ashara (still in her original green gear) with all the makeb mods with one of those freebie gsf outfits- the main reason was to get asharas affection up since my sorc is a dark side female Long story short- we are melting packs on makeb; the only healing is bubble, resurgence, an occasional revivication; packs are melting with force storm, ashara, minimal healing.... Level as full healing- totally doable and pve easy street Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gobgrot Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) I just returned to the game recently myself and went from 40-55 as a Sorc healer and had no trouble at all questing. Use khem as your companion and make sure you both are up to date on your equipment. It doesnt have to be purples, blues are more than enough. If your rich and/or like spending money get yourself a Treek companion. She is a tank or healer depending on the mode you put her in and in my opinion a better tank than khem as she doesnt aoe your cc's. Edited February 7, 2014 by Gobgrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts