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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsGhostcrawler: Healing is next for an update
by Mike Schramm 
Oct 23rd 2008 at 2:30PM
Ghostcrawler just popped up on the beta forums with some good news for healers: while tanking has gotten the focus lately in terms of mechanics and tweaking, healing is apparently next on the docket.It's nothing to hold your breath over (you'll pass out way before we see any changes on the realms), but Ghostcrawler says that healing is due for a revamp in terms of "fun," and while he says it'll be "a more challenging fix because what people think is fun about healing varies and some people are pretty happy with it already," he also hints that it'll be a pretty big change. Right now, healing is basically whack-a-mole -- when someone gets hurt, you cast a heal on them -- but Blizzard may be rethinking that mechanic completely. We'll have to wait (probably quite a while) and see.
It's also interesting to note that Death Knights are a tanking class, and tanking got the revamp in Wrath of the Lich King. While some healers probably won't want to wait all the way until the next expansion, could this be a hint that we're looking at an Emerald Dream expansion, with an Arch Druid healing Hero Class, and an accompanying revamp of healing mechanics? Obviously, that's a stretch, but it makes sense, doesn't it?
Filed under: Druid, Paladin, Priest, Shaman, Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Expansions, Classes, Buffs, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 5)
Galla Oct 23rd 2008 3:26PM
like earth shield and prayer of mending?
Raaj Oct 23rd 2008 3:49PM
You'd be surprised. I played a healer like that in EQ2, though I can't remember the class name off the top of my head. I stacked the 2 or 3 reactive heals I had then went on to help DPS like the rest of the group. Reapply when necessary and when things get really rough, use my only direct heal to help out a bit more.
MisterMoose Oct 23rd 2008 5:54PM
Things like that and spells that do damage to enemies and healing to allies are a lot more engaging than the current system. Blizzard needs to take a queue from 4th edition D&D in this regard and from their tanking philosophy.
Karmakin Oct 23rd 2008 3:28PM
Well, there are different types of healers in Guild Wars. You have your basic healers, but you also have Protection style healers, who use a variety of shields and damage reduction abilities primarily. (Which also heal for a small amount but that's neither here nor there).
The reality is that this style of healer already exists in WoW, more or less with Resto Druids, and now it seems to be more with Discipline Priests as well. The idea is that instead of playing whack-a-mole, it's often worth it to predict the incoming damage and pre-mitigate it. So for example, if I see an enemy rushing towards another healer, I'll throw a hot or two up, so when they get hit they'll get some quick heals (and with Life Bloom and Wild Growth, it's pretty fast) while having my GCD up for a Regrowth or something if needed.
That's the idea at least. Personally I think some predictive heals are a good idea.
Augustus Oct 23rd 2008 3:31PM
One avenue they could (and in my humble opinion should) explore is the WAR concept where healers get bonuses on their heal spells by doing damage, and bonuses to damage spells by healing. This would promote that all healers become something of a hybrid dps/healer rather than full time healers.
Pretty sweeping change, but I'd love to see this happen.
Muse Nov 10th 2008 11:50AM
I can see the pure DPS classes QQing already.
I love it.
schmunkel98 Oct 23rd 2008 3:49PM
I was thinking the next hero class would be the troll witch doctor, but I think that may incorporate too many of the current shaman spells and abilities. Perhaps they go with some form of monk that is a melee shadow priest of sorts? I'm really interested to see how the current ret pally heals boost your group both in a 5-man and in a raid. They could get close to what they want right there if it is tuned right.
Evi Oct 23rd 2008 3:31PM
Yes, it's a stretch. ;) But as a druid I sure would enjoy an Emerald Dream expansion!
Baluki Oct 23rd 2008 3:33PM
Yea, an archdruid class wouldn't make sense, nor would an archmage. A Demon Hunter could be cool, but lore-wise they primarily deal with demons, and they're too similar to Rogues.
I'd like to see a Monk-style class, which does magic damage as melee attacks, doesn't use armor, and perhaps has some way to heal while attacking (besides the Shadow Priest way). The pen-and-paper WoW RPG has something kinda like this, called a Runemaster. That sounds like a good candidate for a new playable class.
stevens.ce Oct 23rd 2008 3:36PM
I think trying to "reform" healing misses the fact the issues with tanking were very different. Tanking, simply, was broken. Different classes had entirely different tank mechanics, so that you had to choose a specific class type for a specific result. Some of us loved working with warriors, as no AoE meant now broken traps, while others liked AoE tanks for the gathering up they did so well early. And because playing nearly any tanking class as a tanking spec was so patently boring as a solo player, no one wanted to be a tank full-time. Healers, on the other hand, have been getting reasonable amounts of love in the form of outside utility, and if a dual spec option comes soon, with spell power as the new dynamic, gear swaps and respecs will solve most healing issues. I personally find healing no fun at all, but the results of healing completely incredible - there is nothing better than the feeling that you saved the raid with that last second heal on the main tank or sacrificed yourself to keep the healing going and the rest of the party from wiping. A healing crit is more satisfying to me than a damage crit any day. Don't screw with healing too much.
I don't buy the arch-druid idea for the next hero class - as has been noted, it's too much of a development leap over the current druid class. I have long been thinking (and #16 said something similar) that Blizzard will borrow a page from Diablo for this, and the next hero class will be the Monk. In mind, the monk would be a true healing/dps hybrid, but his roles would change depending on group interaction (hence the hero designation). Solo, the monk would be a primarily melee/hand combat type character, probably with some sort of shape-shifted melee form (nothing too funky like an animal, but perhaps mirroring the change in shadowform to something whispy) and would only use staves, polearms, and fist weapons. The monk would benefit from unarmed combat skill too, with some sort of multiplier in a talent tree that would simulate actual weapon stats in hand-to-hand combat. But when the monk transitioned to a group atmosphere, where instance or raid, he would primarily assume the role of healing class, with chi-based buffs and shields that would require some form of meditation mechanic - get hit and the shield fails or something. Most of his melee attacks would not work, perhaps with some sort of phase shift mechanic where he could not be hit as long as the party survived (I think chi would flow from party damage - the more damage the party does, the larger the healing pool of the monk). Anyway, that's my thought.
Dotixi Oct 23rd 2008 3:36PM
I think Bliz might have messed up the creation of "Hero" classes. A Hero class should be something your character turns into that makes them better than whatever class they were before. A "Hero" class shouldn't be a new class. Bliz is already running into extreme difficulty in making them unique from the "normal" classes.
Eg: A "Hero" class for Druids would be Arch-Druid.
Galla Oct 23rd 2008 3:43PM
I agree.
A "Hero" class for a Paladin should be a Deathknight
clegane Oct 23rd 2008 3:46PM
I agree. They should have just called 60-70 the "hero" class for each class. After all, it included new abilities, making the class more powerful, while at the same time taking the existing character, and morphing it into something new. Oh well...
kil'jaeden Oct 23rd 2008 3:58PM
I think you're mistaken... your existing character cannot become a Hero class, therefore there is no mechanic of "makes them better than whatever class they were before", if that's what you meant. Yes, you need a level 55+ character, but that char doesn't become the Death Knight. Things that define a Hero class (right now) are prerequisites/limitations, and a tie into lore. Something like the Shadow Hunters:
Of the highest authority of the jungle trolls are the shadow hunters, masters of voodoo magic. Their spirit powers both heal and curse, walking the line of dark and light in hope of saving the future of the jungle trolls. Roughly spoken, shadow hunters are former headhunters who have gone deeply into the arts of voodoo and Loa. However, they have not forgotten their hunting skills, which makes a shadow hunter very dangerous in combat. They can stand far away from their enemies while throwing weapons at rapid speed, track down enemies with ease, and also heal themselves and allies.
This is not like Final Fantasy where your Thief becomes a Ninja or Fighter becomes a Knight.
Clegane Oct 23rd 2008 4:18PM
I think you're misunderstanding me. I know they currently don't become hero classes, but I think they should. It'd be a cool way to continue playing on the same toon (with all of it's history, not to mention the time you have invested in it), while at the same time be able to transform into a "hero" class. Why is it so unheard of that as a toon becomes more and more powerful, that they'd eventually become a hero? They should be able to be heros. That's my point.
That way, everyone is happy, and Blizzard gets to keep good on it's word to deliver "hero" classes to the masses. Instead, now we have a tacked on "hero" class that really isn't any more powerful than any other class in the game (because if it was no one would play anything different). It's just a new class, balanced to play with all the other non-hero classes. Pretty limp attempt at a hero class, imo.
Clegane Oct 23rd 2008 4:26PM
BTW, your Shadow Hunter sounds cool. Isn't that just a boomkin? :P
Candina@WH Oct 23rd 2008 4:02PM
Didn't I read somewhere in the deep dark past that Hero classes might be released as content patches, not just with expansion packs?
Personally, the next 'druid' themed heroic class should be son/daughter of Cenarius. Mount? I don't need no stinkin' Mount!
As for a monk class, I would like to see a cloth rogue with knock back, knock down, disarm, abilities, fist weapons or open hand.
Jenny Oct 23rd 2008 4:03PM
A healing aura that gets more powerful the more damage you take. A healing projectile. A healing punch. A healing pet. A protective bubble that covers an area. Buffs that make the target weaker at first and build up over time. Buffs with negative side effects that can be cast on enemies and allies alike. Self-heal that steals life/mana from allies. Buff that splits a player in two bodies with halved strength. Okay I'm done.
William Oct 23rd 2008 4:28PM
I'm with you... all those sound good. Someone needs to get YOU on the development team!
Jenny Oct 23rd 2008 4:50PM
Ooh, first time anyone's suggested me makin' the games. The dream is one step closer to coming true. . . just need to find a job position that involves absolutely nothing but coming up with ideas; that's the one thing I'm good at. :)