10 More Tips For Cata Healing

I rather like this picture. Thanks Google!

I wanted to have my "How to Paladin" guide updated by today, but alas, work has gotten the better of me, and between that and gearing up, I just haven't had time to properly finish it. Expect it early next week. Anyways, thanks to some links, and a big thanks to the people who linked to me, I've been receiving a ton of e-mail in response to my Cata healing tips for Paladins. People have still been expressing some concern to me though, and I've been asked several times for more, so I wrote up a few more general tips to survive through these beginning gear levels on my Blackberry at work today. Hurray smartphones! Anyways, here's a few more tips that will hopefully help somebody out.



1. It's OK To Leave People's Health Low

This is kind of the same thing I said in my other post, but I really want to stress this. People do NOT need to have full hp all the time. A good example of this is the first boss in H SFK. When he lifts everyone into the air, he takes everyone to 1 hp. It doesn't matter what your hp started at, he takes you to 1. So Until he starts his dark archangel form, it really behooves you to not top dps off. It saves a ton of mana. This type of situation is abundant in the new design, so familiarize yourself with it. Just because the bar isn't full doesn't mean they're going to die.


2. Heal Reactively

This goes against the design of WOTLK. In Wrath, the goal was to heal proactively, and have tor heals land right as damage did, to minimize the chance that the tank would take a second hit before you could get another heal off. This isn't the case anymore. React to incoming damage. Proactive healing now often leads to overhealing, which strains your mana. There are times for it, but the general rule of thumb here is to be reactionary.

3. Stay Calm

This is self explanatory, but hard to do. It can be difficult to stay calm and focused when it seems like a lot of damage is coming in, but it makes it a lot harder to triage when you don't have a clear head. If you can stay calm and focused, you're less likely to start spamming your bigger heals and running yourself dry. Just remind yourself that even if the tank or someone else dies, It's still very much possible to complete the encounter or pull. Just keep your cool and do your best.


4. Understand The Mechanics

This ties into everything else. You need to understand the fights. Ask questions if you need to. If someone dies, or starts taking a ton of damage, it's a lot easier to evaluate your own performance when you know what caused it. Did you not plan your spells correctly, or did they stand in something bad? It's very important to understand the flow of damage in order to deal with it.


5. Enchant Your Gear - Even The Bad Stuff

I know this can be a strain on the wallet, but it can save you a ton of frustration and repair bills if you shell out the gold for cheap enchants. Most basic enchants you can buy on scrolls on the ah for next to nothing right now due to all the enchanters leveling their skills. the little bit of extra stats can go a long way.

6. Understand Your Gear Level

10 more average ilvel is absolutely a world of difference. If you're really struggling, maybe you need to hit some normal dungeons first. Work on rep, get a few more upgrades. We only went up 5 levels so stat inflation is pretty huge. I went from ooming on trash pulls to coming out of most boss fights almost full with just a few upgrades, and that is after they nerfed Paladins. (We're still OP though)

7.  Don't Just Say It's Too Hard - Be Specific

A lot of e-mails I've gotten have been folks just saying healing is too difficult. I can't help you if you say that, and you can't help yourself. Be specific. What are you having issues with? Mana? Throughput? If you don't know the problem, it's a lot harder to research a solution. Yes, healing is more difficult now. But there's plenty of people doing just fine, and lots of us are willing to help you if you're willing to be helped. That can't be done with a completely negative attitude.


8. Avoid AOE Healing Unless It's Necessary

Most AOE heals aren't cheap. Before you use it, ask yourself if it needs to be done, or if you have time to Holy Light/Nourish/Heal/Healing Wave them up one by one. I see a lot of healers blowing all their mana right before a phase change when they'd have had plenty of time to single target for a lot cheaper. This just goes back to understanding the encounter.


9. Check Your Spell Usage

Make sure you're running some form of healing meter, such as Recount or Skada. These allow you to monitor your spell usage. If your expensive heals are falling amongst your most cast, you are probably doing something incorrectly.

10. Talk to Other Healers

I am constantly bouncing ideas off other healers. On my server, in my guild, on forums, through e-mail; Bouncing ideas off eachother and sharing knowledge back and forth will only make you stronger. If you're struggling, try to approach someone in a reputable guild on your server and ask for help, or post on Plusheal, or send one of the many wonderful people out there who manage healing blogs an e-mail. There is help out there. Don't be afraid to ask. Hide behind anonymity if it makes you more comfortable, but seek help if you need it. Healing is a ton of fun right now, and I'd hate for anyone to miss out just because they got frustrated and were too scared to ask for help.


/bubblehearth