Is there any reason to play a healer in unranked

[Fynnlagh]

I recently got back to the game and tried to get back into PvP on my healing sorc. Sorry, but it feels like crap. Sometimes it seems impossible to even stay alive vs. a single dps class and if you got more than one on you, even fake casting and using defensive cd doesn't seem to help.

On the other hand you see a merc dps that keeps himself up vs. at least one dps with no effort at all.

The team mates are mostly zero supportive even if you keep them alive.

Is it me? Have I lost my endless pvp experience or is the balancing really that bad?

[Soljin]

PvP healing is pretty tough more so in Regs than anything really.

 

DPS know just enough to train the healer but none of them have figured out or care to peel for their healers.

 

In ranked you have a team that wants to keep you up for a win...Regs most DPS have been on a kill, die, respawn loop for so long healers fall in the added bonus but not required category.

 

Summary...Heal in Regs if you have thick skin and want to practice staying alive.

 

Sorc though...just roll Lightning in Regs and actually have fun.

Edited April 29, 2020 by Soljin

[Lhancelot]

PvP healing is pretty tough more so in Regs than anything really.

 

DPS know just enough to train the healer but none of them have figured out or care to peel for their healers.

 

In ranked you have a team that wants to keep you up for a win...Regs most DPS have been on a kill, die, respawn loop for so long healers fall in the added bonus but not required category.

 

Summary...Heal in Regs if you have thick skin and want to practice staying alive.

 

Sorc though...just roll Lightning in Regs and actually have fun.

 

lol there's some truth to this. I actually like sorc healer best because of the new meta we have now, that being... Never peel for heals, always expect heals to chase you and keep you up, use LOS to avoid damage but do not consider where your heals is at so that you don't lose LOS with THEM, I am sure there's more.

 

My point is, with my sorc I feel like I got a bit more freedom on the map than my merc healer. Yes, merc heals has tons of DCDs now, and even have the capability to out perform the sorc in raw heals but I like the sorc healer for it's slipperiness.

 

Because as a healer I am left to my own design when it comes to surviving nowadays in regs, I find the sorc healer more liberating in it's gameplay. I find this challenging, so enjoy my sorc healer a lot in this present meta.

 

I still don't have a proper gear set on my sorc, and I have a completely geared merc healer, the sorc healer is more fun and I still manage to put up equal if not better numbers on my heal sorc over my heal merc, but this could easily be the fact I have more hours on the sorc healer compared to my merc healer and the sorc healing style always suited me best, anyway.

 

Maybe others find the sorc weak, I find it fun in regs.

[nimmir]

Sometimes it seems impossible to even stay alive vs. a single dps class

Ok, you shouldn't have trouble surviving a single dps on any of the healers. Idk about your endless pvp experience, but find someone to duel you till you get the hang of it again. Also, make sure you have the right utilities for pvp.

[abhaxus]

I recently got back to the game and tried to get back into PvP on my healing sorc. Sorry, but it feels like crap. Sometimes it seems impossible to even stay alive vs. a single dps class and if you got more than one on you, even fake casting and using defensive cd doesn't seem to help.

On the other hand you see a merc dps that keeps himself up vs. at least one dps with no effort at all.

The team mates are mostly zero supportive even if you keep them alive.

Is it me? Have I lost my endless pvp experience or is the balancing really that bad?

 

You should be about to keep yourself up as a sorc vs a single DPS nearly indefinitely. I heal often and do so both solo and with groups, and I have fun both ways. If you find yourself being tunneled and not getting peels, run toward your team especially if you have lots of cleave on your side. Their splash damage will force your attacker to peel off.

 

If you're capable of putting out average HPS (10K or so), just ask the top DPS on your team if they want to group after each game. Eventually you'll build up a network of friends to queue with. If you aren't able to put out 10k on a regular basis, you'll need to get some help to figure out where you're going wrong.

[Soljin]

lol there's some truth to this. I actually like sorc healer best because of the new meta we have now, that being... Never peel for heals, always expect heals to chase you and keep you up, use LOS to avoid damage but do not consider where your heals is at so that you don't lose LOS with THEM, I am sure there's more.

 

My point is, with my sorc I feel like I got a bit more freedom on the map than my merc healer. Yes, merc heals has tons of DCDs now, and even have the capability to out perform the sorc in raw heals but I like the sorc healer for it's slipperiness.

 

Because as a healer I am left to my own design when it comes to surviving nowadays in regs, I find the sorc healer more liberating in it's gameplay. I find this challenging, so enjoy my sorc healer a lot in this present meta.

 

I still don't have a proper gear set on my sorc, and I have a completely geared merc healer, the sorc healer is more fun and I still manage to put up equal if not better numbers on my heal sorc over my heal merc, but this could easily be the fact I have more hours on the sorc healer compared to my merc healer and the sorc healing style always suited me best, anyway.

 

Maybe others find the sorc weak, I find it fun in regs.

 

I actually love Sorc all specs I was just being snarky. It just happens that I am super into Lightning atm so I have become a lightning pusher.

[Lhancelot]

I actually love Sorc all specs I was just being snarky. It just happens that I am super into Lightning atm so I have become a lightning pusher.

 

yeah I need to try to work on a sorc dps, I used to play sage dps a lot then when they added gear gates and made it hard to gear alts I just stopped playing pub aside altogether and started focusing on a few imp toons.

[Wimbleton]

Make sure you're taking the -30% dmg while stunned utility if you are not queuing with a guard. You can also try overload root and/or bubble stun depending on how you play. Melee going after numbers will not want to train on a bubble stun sorc (unless they are still easy to kill).

 

The same tactics that have always been recommended are even more necessary. Smart - and original - phase locations, Position around LoS, don't stand still, stay out of the "open middle area". The more defensives you have on cooldown, the more conservative you have to play. Find that one really solid player(s) on your team and stick next to them. Keep them alive. They'll usually reciprocate out of self preservation.

 

Sorc healing v 8 punishes mistakes pretty hard. Every time you make a mistake you're using one or more of your big DCDs (PvP cleanse, Phase, Bubble).

 

Side note: If you're using knockback root, the best way to apply is dragging melee around corners and los, jump, turn, knockbackroot, turn keep moving and they don't get the chance to leap/saber you as you eclipse them with the corner/LoS. If theres a mara or PT in that grp, be ready to stun them after they break root and if they break that, insta WW or nade.

 

That's all theorycrafting but the absolute best way to survive as a sorc healer is "teaching" the enemy DPS that there are better targets than yourself (each and every game until they start to remember it).

Edited May 5, 2020 by Wimbleton

[Lhancelot]

Make sure you're taking the -30% dmg while stunned utility if you are not queuing with a guard. You can also try overload root and/or bubble stun depending on how you play. Melee going after numbers will not want to train on a bubble stun sorc (unless they are still easy to kill).

 

I love bubble stunning now. It's a fun wrinkle that I never messed with before, but if you use the endless barrier, you can have a lot of synergy with barrier and other abilities.

 

I find it's useful for kiting and just giving yourself some breathing room when you really need it, even if it's only for a few secs.

 

And no doubt, I find many DPS especially melee end up leaving me alone they get tired of chasing me everywhere which means their DPS takes a big hit, and the last thing good DPS want to see is a dip in their numbers on the scoreboard. After about the third time chasing me, most melee go after easier targets.

[Wimbleton]

I love bubble stunning now. It's a fun wrinkle that I never messed with before, but if you use the endless barrier, you can have a lot of synergy with barrier and other abilities.

 

I find it's useful for kiting and just giving yourself some breathing room when you really need it, even if it's only for a few secs.

 

And no doubt, I find many DPS especially melee end up leaving me alone they get tired of chasing me everywhere which means their DPS takes a big hit, and the last thing good DPS want to see is a dip in their numbers on the scoreboard. After about the third time chasing me, most melee go after easier targets.

 

The best DPS farmers will want the enemy healers to die last, more targets alive for longer = more dps via the AoE parts of their dmg rotations and more uptime on sustained outgoing dps from not having to wait for respawns.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Wimbleton

[Lhancelot]

The best DPS farmers will want the enemy healers to die last, more targets alive for longer = more dps via the AoE parts of their dmg rotations.

 

That makes sense, too. I just know I see with my own eyes enemy DPS going after others, but this only occurs after they have tried to solo me a few times. Usually this turns into either the player then gets help (in voice with a pal or pals I can tell how they coordinate quickly at once as one unit trying to tunnel me) or they simply change to easier targets.

 

Changing to soft targets usually wins them the match in regs because quite honestly, the typical PUG DPS is awful and incapable of managing their own DCDs and surviving any sort of focus.

 

I have had my focused heals on a teammate, who is fighting just one DPS (granted it was a high burst class) and I was not able to keep them up. I mean, it might be hard to believe, but I have had this happen... I am healing someone as they fight, and the other player KILLS them... lol. Granted, perhaps I am low on power, maybe I am getting stunned, etc., but the fact is if I am healing someone and they are only fighting one person, they should win this fight lol.

 

Point is I do what you said to do, I make it so killing me is a chore and that has been my best defense against enemy DPS.

[Wimbleton]

Having played the first time last night in many moons I'll say that Merc healer is practically its own tank, and I did not even play with -30% dmg while stunned. I felt very safe coming out of a stun at half or lower health and being able to survive with energy shield (if i was able to kite) or kolto (if I was going to be locked down in an area, net, additional stuns, etc) and saving reflect for my last option. Reflect is great but you need to use it early in a situation you know you'll die in, if you wait till low health you'll just get AoEd down. Watch that sniper and if you are stunned and you see his ambush animation out of the corner of your eye, pop that ****.

 

I would even request guard be removed from me and placed onto DPS sorc or similar.

 

I'll play the sorc once I have it geared properly and report on that one but I can guarantee you I'd be fully comfortable solo queuing regs as a Merc healer.