Update regarding the Healer Questionnaire
Oof! Sorry I haven't been posting any new content over the past couple of days!

Looks like the Healer Questionnaire is a bigger hit than I expected... and I've had my hands full trying to keep track of who all has answered it, and read all the responses.

I've always been of the mindset that in a raiding environment, the best healers (or, if you prefer, the most efficient healers) are the ones who understand at least a little bit about the other healing classes: their strengths, their weaknesses, how some of their major heals work, etc. The larger the healing team, the more varied the healing makeup, the more important this is.

That was the original purpose of this questionnaire for me... I have great interest in understanding all the healing classes, even though I don't seem to have the dedication to really level all of them... but reading through these questionnaires has given me a lot of insight into the different ways each class works - and the variety of ways you can play each one!

One of my major goals is to summarize all this information, and put it together as a handy guide for healing organizers.

I can say this much so far to all the healing leads out there about a healer's biggest pet peeve, since this seems to be the most popular response - STOP TELLING US WHO NEEDS HEALS.
12 Responses
  1. Kurnak Says:

    True about the pet peeve. It really ticks me off. When I'm healing I feel responsible for everyone, and it stress me a lot when I see someone that's going to die, even if he's so stupid to stand in the fire. I don't need more stress bye hearing/seeing yells.
    I've said it several times before: those 'tards have never played a healer before and don't know what's walking on our shoes (and btw, my main is a fury warrior, but I play all classes and roles, so I know how they work)

    Congrats on the big success of the healing post!


  2. @Kurnak

    Thanks!

    My fiance has learned to never ever yell at me that he needs heals when we're raiding next to one another - probably because he got sick of me saying "then bring a health pot!" but every now and then, now that he has a healer, I like to remind him to heal others... and he hates it. I'm so annoying.

    To be fair though, I think most of the time, in the heat of the moment, it's more reflex than anything else - especially if you have no way whatsoever to get health back through a self heal or pot or healthstone. I know that it's usually just people panicking, but it is still super annoying!


  3. LawGirl Says:

    OK, so I heal all the time, and I am wondering if, when I am RL I am guilty of this. I have a habit of saying all heals on so and so, because of aggro switching, like Fuubaar has three stacks. Some tanks aren't as vocal as Fuu so I kind of control the aggro switch and let the healers know, so and so has aggro. I don't know if this bothers you guys. Doesn't bother me lol, so let me know cuz maybe I am making people mad.


  4. @Kayllnn

    It depends on the context. For instance, it's easier to call out "Heals on MightyMage!" than "MightyMage has incinerate flesh" if people can't remember the name of that spell that requires someone to be overhealed until a cap fills up.

    If there are three tanks in the group, and one of the tanks goes down, then it does help for the tank who is picking up the baddies to announce it in vent... and usually the easiest way to say that is "heals on ToddTank".

    But it IS annoying when there's someone who got hit with a bunch of damage, and someone yells out that they need heals. I mean, isn't it obvious they need heals? Most of the time when people call that out, I'm in the middle of casting a heal on them anyway, or making sure the tank isn't going to die before I heal them. I could understand it if i were sitting next to someone and they yelled it out, as it's sort of a panic reflex, but it's just not necessary to key vent and announce it - it's sort of useless anyway, due to lag, and things like that. It's also bothersome because a lot of times when someone yells that into vent, someone else is saying something that is actually important and can prevent further damage.


  5. Kurnak Says:

    Tur, nothing wrong if who asks for heal is a guildmate or someone I know from a friendly guild. I know it's a reflection of a dire situation, but I can't stand it in PUGs.
    Luckily I haven't needed to play "bastard healer" role except one or two times, but I see a lot of comments from healers in blogs about the same: they feel obliged to heal even the noob standing in a poison cloud/fire. People, don't be so servile. Stand firm and make clear healing has priorities (damn, now I sound like a bastard healer :D )


  6. Fuubaar Says:

    This makes me laugh because I will sometimes say something along the lines of" Fuu needs some lovin" Mainly because I know I'm getting nailed and I've already blown my cool downs. This is just a panic thing as a tank. Normally I dont say it if I'm the MT ( because Duh no shit! I'm on the fucking boss!)but as an off tank, I can't remember if I'm bunched with the raid heals or if I'm lucky enough to have my own personal healz on wheelz.

    I did make a joke the first time someone said "I need healz" I was like "Thanks Healbot!" I would imagine that DPS asking for heals is MUCH more annoying than any other role.

    I mean if they have that much time to say "I need heals" should I have a discussion with them as to why they need it so badly?

    "Why are you dying mister Dps?"
    -if they answer anything other than unavoidable damage then tell them that they should come prepared to heal themselves

    - bandages
    - healthpots
    - cookies
    - Syphin Life
    - etc.

    Heck, the first time I heard this it was from a Warlock who got Whirlwinded to death...

    WTF were you even doing near the damn spinning tornado of death anyways? Where you meleeing?

    So to sum up: Fuubaar with STFU about needin dem healz :P


  7. @Kurnak

    But... when the green bar goes down, I HAVE TO CLICK IT. I cannot resist.

    I'll tell you what would be a truly awesome boss mechanic that would wipe every guild, Ensidia or not. Dps gets a debuff that has a DoT effect, but if anyone directly heals them, not only will the heal not go through, it will insta-kill both the healer and the target.

    i want to hear someone yell in vent "DONT HEAL ME!"

    @Fuu

    You have a cute butt in plate so you are excused from everything.


  8. Sushicookie Says:

    :( No one tagged me. BUT I wanted to fill out the non-meme meme anyways.
    Thanks! I had fun with it!


  9. Ophelie Says:

    I think the people I raid with have been trained to never ask for heals, or pally buffs, or anything else. When they do it, it's to purposely get a reaction.

    I did PuG a 5 man once where some mage (in greens, of course) was constantly saying, "x needs a heal", "y needs a heal", "the tank needs to be topped". Then he acted all shocked when I got snarky with him.

    As a tank, I'll admit I do occasionally ask for heals. The reason behind it is that I know that a lot of our tank healers get distracted by raid damage. When I notice that my incoming heals are slowing down and my health is low, I'll ask for heals. I'd rather be annoying than have to wipe.

    As for the RL calling out things like aggro, or incinerate flesh, I find it annoys *me personally* but the healers I run with seem to find it beneficial. I just find it interrupts my concentration. I mean, it says right on grid who has aggo and there are big blue letters on my screen calling out incinerate flesh. What's the point of saying it out loud? (Can you tell I'm very visual? ;D)


  10. Zigi Says:

    WHOA- sweet new blog skin jess.


  11. @Zigi

    Thanks! Now I've just got to figure out how to make myself a nice new banner... MSPaint is not very impressive!


  12. Sushicookie Says:

    You got mentioned at Wow.com! If you hadn't noticed yet. ;)
    http://www.wow.com/2009/10/31/healer-survey-contains-a-wealth-of-information-about-healing/#comments


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