Beginner friendly healer

[McBlobbicus]

I've returned to the game recently and I was stuck on classes, but decided to go with a healer, since I imagine DPS have stupid queue times lol. Anyway, anyone have any suggestions for a beginner friendly healer? Right now I'm torn between merc and sorc, though I hear sorc is easier on the resource management.

 

Part 2 of the question is are all 3 classes (so no matter what I pick) equally as good once I leave beginner territory? Like, for example, if I pick sorc will it be good beyond being easy to manage resources.

[HBCentaurion]

Part 2 of the question is are all 3 classes (so no matter what I pick) equally as good once I leave beginner territory? Like, for example, if I pick sorc will it be good beyond being easy to manage resources.

 

It depends if you are content with doing FP or SM operations. If so - then yes - it does not matter which class you pick. However, if you are interested in progression at content level, then I would say that a commando / mercenary healer is the best.

[MikeFL]

All of the healers are good, so you'll be fine whichever you pick. Just my thoughts on the matter:

 

Sorcerer/Sage - good healer for beginners, and great overall. Easy to learn, the heals are either instant or small/medium cast times, plus you can "bubble" the tank or people in trouble and they will take less damage. More of a traditional healer type.

 

Operative/Scoundrel - I really like this healer as well. It is more Hot-based (Healing over Time) and has great mobility, plus you can stealth. Managing the Operative/Scoundrel resource can be more complicated at first than the Sorc/Sage, but the tradeoff is you gain mobility and are able to heal multiple targets by placing a HoT on one and moving on to the next, refocusing your attention as needed.

 

Mercenary/Commando - my least played and least favorite of the three healers, though they are by no means bad. I found the healing mechanic on this class to be clunkier than the other two, but that's just my opinion. Mercs/Commandos use healing ammo to shoot at allies to heal them, as well as tech like the Operative/Scoundrel.

 

Again, all three are really good healers, so you can't go wrong no matter what you chose. My personal opinion would be to start with a Sorc/Sage, but all three are rewarding and have unique playstyles. Try out all three and decide which is best for you.

[McBlobbicus]

It depends if you are content with doing FP or SM operations. If so - then yes - it does not matter which class you pick. However, if you are interested in progression at content level, then I would say that a commando / mercenary healer is the best.

 

I'll probably only be doing FP and SM operations, yes. I currently don't have a guild to run with.

 

-snip-

 

Thanks for the explanations. I'm leaning heavily towards sorc, but I might give both a try and see what works. I'm a sub, so it shouldn't be hard to level stuff lol.

[Jake_Chambers]

Sorc heals are the best, loads of options and fun times to be had. Don't forget to overload

[MikeFL]

Thanks for the explanations. I'm leaning heavily towards sorc, but I might give both a try and see what works. I'm a sub, so it shouldn't be hard to level stuff lol.

 

Sounds good! Sorc and Op are my two favorite, and I recommend both wholeheartedly. Both have very different styles of healing and both are a lot of fun. I think Sorc is the best healer for beginners for many reasons, one being that it is the most straight-forward healer. However, whatever you go with, you're gonna have a blast. (I leave Merc/Commando heals out on this post just because I don't have as much experience with them as the other two).

 

Sorcs are great as triage healers. You pop your bubble on a priority target, and decide between your heals of varying strengths, cast times and Force-cost which one is the best one to use. If a target needs immediate "oh s**t" heals, you can pop an instant or a short-cast heal that is expensive but heals quickly. If you see a target taking damage slowly but steadily, a longer, less expensive heal will do the trick. Decisions like these keep it fresh and active. It makes you feel like a Sorcerer or Sage with a large healing toolkit, always needing to mentally challenge yourself to decide what the right tool for each job is.

 

Op is fun in a different way because its kind of like being everywhere at once. You have plenty of HoTs so you can be a more pre-emptive healer. Notice that the tank is about to pull? Pop a HoT on that sucker. You see a DPS running off Maker-knows-where? Pop a HoT on him, oh look the tank is getting low, lets run a quick med scan to patch him up quick, then get another HoT applied to heal him through the encounter. Oh that DPS is back and he's low too, better run over and get him sorted. Its easier to manage multiple people as an Op.

Edited May 24, 2015 by MikeFL

[Sharkii_boy]

MikeFL summed it up extremely well. I have all 3 healers myself and I would say that sage/sorc is the easiest to both learn and play. They are the most versatile and very mobile nowadays so that's my recommendation for ya. Edited May 24, 2015 by Sharkii_boy

[JouerTue]

-scoupratives: nice energy management, low burst, best aoe, big use of hots, great mobility, stealth res( hard in this tier), low dps(melee).

 

-mercmandos: best burst, nice energy management, great aoe, hold the line ( best utility atm) , great with the other healers, ok dps, best passive dr, ok mobility with forced march utility.

 

-sorcsages: nice burst, best mobility, no energy management, not so good aoe, force armor, only healer without 30% aoe dr, best H at dpsing.

 

also take in consideration that depending on the content you want to do in a group, 2 scoundrels might be weak on tanks spikes and two sages will suffer raid spread damage..rest of combos are fine.