Are any of the healer classes actually fun (for PvE)?

[Godzillamax]

After nearly a year long hiatus I decided to resubb in anticipation of the KotFE expansion. Before I had played off and on since 2011 with the majority of my time spent on my jugg tank or operative sniper. But on the side I was leveling a Merc healer and absolutely loved it.

 

I've played a healer in many prior MMOs but usually found them dull because it was always the same thing - just stand still and cast the same few heal spells over and over again. But what I loved about my Merc healer, while probably trivial, was I actually got to use my weapons as a healer! Blasting my teammates with rapid shots to build supercharges was really fun. The animation was cool, the sound was cool, the fact that as a healer I actually got to use my weapons as cool. it was just flat out fun.

 

Now I find out that was removed (apparently a long time ago) and replaced with this boring single shot Kolto Shot with a lame animation and sound that looks like it is coming out of my wrist. Yawn. Now my merc healer is back to just standing there with dull animations casting the same few heal spells over and over again. I get absolutely no enjoyment from playing my merc as healer anymore.

 

With KotFE we get an instant lvl 60 so I'm contemplating trying one of the other healers (sorc or operative) and wondered are either of them any fun like how my merc used to be? Or will I find both pretty much are just stand there and cast the same few spells with little animations or enjoyment?

Edited October 19, 2015 by Godzillamax

[Godzillamax]

Hoping before I use my free 60 on a healer class I might not like someone can reply.

[DisIzMe]

All are fun. Most fun ,for me at least,is scoundrel/operative but they are weak now (no idea about post 4 changes) compared to others.

Then comes the sage/inquisitor and last (but still tons of fun and most powerful of the 3 types ) - commando. Bounty hunter that is mirror of commando i hate because 1 of the abilities that you need to constantly use sounds like this:

[xxNurkxx]

Healing in itself is fun to me regardless of class. However based on the playstyle you're seeking I'm not sure any healer here will please you 100%(they all stand still for the most part)The sage/sorc is your typical cloth wearing healer (like a priest from wow for best example) and the damage is lacking but they do not require much resource management so healing is not limited. Merc/mando are strong aoe heals with great damage for solo play plus the best cd for healers and they require resource management which limits healing slightly but keeps the style interesting. The op/saw bones is a bit weak atm primarily acting as the hot based class but they have very strong damage reduction and complement either of the two healers well. They also require resource management. Overall though if the animations are important to you I would recommend asking people to show off some skills for you on the particular class to see if you enjoy the look. Hope some of this helped a bit.

[ThomasTheBeige]

Sorc is fun. Everyone is full health? OK force storm.

 

But seriously, sorc is very fun and very powerful healer in pvp.

[DomiSotto]

My preference was a Sage/Sorc before the changes to the force management in 3.3.

 

Now it is a Scoundrel/Operative, since this class has no troubles maintaining healing in SM content, and does well when everyone is hurting a lot simultaneously (which is what happens on the hardest battles atm), just when the sage/sorc is driven into the ground by trying to provide the AoE while not running out of force.

 

In terms of animations no healer stands out for me as anything to write home about. I think it is toned down so the heal effects do not overlay over the battle effects making it even harder to see what is going on in the fray.

 

I have not tried a Merc/Mando.

Edited October 19, 2015 by DomiSotto

[Kheldryn]

I play a Sage-Healer, and I found it fun. Typically I let my comp do all the fighting while bubbling Qyzen and keeping him healed while making an occasional attack. Nice letting someone else do all the work. With the sorc, pretty much the same strategy, except with Khem and lightning.. lots of lightning.. Muahahahaha!!!

[AlienEyeTX]

Sorc is fun for me so far. Send Khem in to do the dirty work and just stand back shooting lightning and healing. Hardly ever even swing my saber... so maybe that's a drawback.

[IanArgent]

For PvE solo specifically, healers are somewhat inefficient DPS, but they do get a chunk of DPS powers. Pick a class you like the DPS of, and just switch over to healing when times get tough

[Master-Nala]

I like all the healers for PvE. Both the Sorcs and Mercs have decent AoEs that they can use when everyone is topped off and the healing mechanics for both classes are fun.

 

Operative heals are not as fun for me in PvE because much of the damage potential of that class is melee based so you only have a few options besides sitting back and healing unless the content is easy (and then you aren't really needed as a pure healer).

[ChrispyBass]

Recently I have been healing Operations as a Operative which is fun. I'm leveling a Sorc for healing and releveling an old Merc for healing.

 

For me personally, all of them are fun to heal on. It's mostly your preference. In terms of numbers, Merc healing is typically sought after more so than the others. I enjoy all of them, so my input isn't very helpful

[Lord_Robert]

Play the DPS roles of each class, decide which one you like most, then switch it to heal and see..

 

It depends heavily on your play-style and what you find most intuitively right for you..

 

For me that's the sorc/sage, especially after the recent changes, for some reason.

(I now have 4 max'ed and another coming, which means, with legacy-gear, I never run out of chars for ops.)

 

I will never ever parse as high on a merc/ando or Saw/perative, as I do on a sorc. Why? Because the style fits me, I like the class (and none of other two healing-classes, tbh, though I've tried them extensively).

 

While the commando may be better on paper, the style does not suit me and does not flow as well as when, I'm on a sorc.

 

 

So basically, it comes down to style, temperament and most importantly which class you like running around on.

Regardless of the on-paper numbers, you'll most likely do better on a char you like, that on one you do not.

[Godzillamax]

Well, I re-subbed for 1-month but am now Kinda sorry I did. I played my lvl 60 Juggernaut for a few hours through the (new to me) content on Ziost, and it was just ho-hum. I tried paying my lvl 60 sniper and some of my healer alts but I just was going through the motions and not really having fun. Then it kinda dawned on me why - the characters in Star Wars The old Republic are really just bland and boring. There is really nothing special to them, no character, nothing endearing that makes you "love" your character. Sure the story-lines are entertaining, but outside that your character is just unimaginative in their animations and persona.

 

When I played the original Everquest I loved playing my Bard. It was very unique and the different instruments and little songs each played were entertaining. In vanilla WoW my undead warlock or shape shifting druid were just flat out a blast. And in Rift my rogue tank was just so different and cool porting all around the place (and surprising people that a rogue could tank so well).

 

While I absolutely love Star Wars, SWToR's characters are just too cookie-cutter and there is almost no skill/ability customization now with the disciplines other than one spec is for PvE and one is for PvP. Since I paid for the month and will get the KotFE expansion I will try it and will give some of my healer characters a shot, but I think trying to mix it up playing healers isn't why I'm struggling to find that "fun" factor in SWToR.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Godzillamax