Tuesday, February 23, 2010

A Different Kind of Healer

Okay, still healing. Coming up to level 56 soon. Just ran Blackrock yesterday (ugh close to 2hrs) and we only wiped when we were surprised by mobs when the tank opened a door while we were still finishing off the last set of mobs. Actually, wasn't a total wipe, but I died. Love the fail angel.

It occurs to me I'm learning some very bad habits in these PUGs runs. So far no one marks and we never discuss things except to critique each other, e.g., "so 'lock, why do you have the vw out?" Last group I was in, yah the Blackrock group, I suggested we had a lot of CC we could use, and someone typed in chat, "CC?"

So I only mind control or shackle when I'm questing, and I only do that to keep some sense of skill up in those talents. In groups I'm usually managing mana whle spamming renew. Tossing a shield up on the asshat pulling aggro and fighting almost outside my LOS and pumping greater heals onto the tank who's losing way too much health perhaps because the DPS is daydreaming or incompetent.

I do worry that I'll start running with a more team-like group and be a complete idiot. Ah well.

In Other News...
I got an invite for the Starcraft beta, which I intend to play. However it is PC only at this point so I'll have to dig out and fire up the Dell. It's on the to do list.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Healing, or, "Everybody Sucks Except Me"

Yah, I'm healing. Under the name of PennyPretty on the Alliance side. Laying low to avoid humilation from the guildies were I to reveal yet another alt.

I was diggin' it, probably mostly because I like the challenge of keeping four asshats alive at once. Ah, Althaea, I owe you so many apologies.

I'm doing it fairly seriously. I actually installed GRID and learning that convoluted addon was not a snap. But, since I have GRID, I can really 'see' what's going on in the fight on the screen but also in the stupidity of the players.

I'm using the new dungeon finder system to level quickly. You get nice blue drops for each random you do. So for each level I use about half quest XP and half dungeon XP. I'm guildless, which I prefer atm. Maybe someday I'll guild this toon...nah.  In the random dungeon finder you get PUGs, with the rare exception of a foursome of guildies who need a healer. In the latter case, people seems to know how to play. In the former, you get the keystone cops.

Not sure where to start with my descriptions of player fails. Perhaps the hunter, with the pet on aggro? Nah, too obvious. Okay, the hunter who is fighting in another room while the rest of the party is across the hall in a different room. Oh, of course he's dying and yelling heal me.

Maybe the warlock/mage who is out-aggro'ing the tank, and when told to stop it seems completely clueless about what 'aggro' is and why it's his/her fault. I have been schooling folks on OMEN, which usually requires schooling them on addons too.  /foreheadpalm

Or my real favorite and the one I encounter the most, the party made up of pallies and warriors, all of whom have decided they wish to tank. Well, they probably haven't decided that, they just don't know how to play their character. No dude, don't taunt if you're playing DPS, okay? Yah, kewl.

I have also had no luck getting anyone to realize that their missteps require me to burn through massive amounts of mana and thus stop to drink often. When they leave me behind I usually call out, you just run ahead and kill some shit. I'll catch up with you for the rezzing.

I have actually macro'd the following two cautions:
1. Let the tank tank.
2. Get it off me.

The last is invoked as I run TOWARD the tank with a mob munching my arse. A good tank doesn't need to be told.

Oh, wait, I forgot the total fail of the dudes who, after drawing aggro, run AWAY from us making it near impossible for the tank to regain the mob's attention and near impossible for me to heal him/her without losing LOS on the tank.

omg seabass. But it's fun. It really is. I'm about level 43 now and it's still fun. Not sure I'll have the cajones for high level healing, but I'm willing to give it a shot.