The mode in healing

October 1, 2009 at 9:28 pm | Posted in Characters, Ezza (Xenzzarn) | 2 Comments

I think I’ve mentioned in previous posts about cultivating a general minimalism when it comes to addons, macros, and other enhancements: I find that the payoff in game responsiveness and reduced error complication is worth it, in most cases. Recently I decided to try experimenting with a really bare-bones approach to healing, following some tips from my friend Aerayn, who is one of the best healer players I know.

This is how I have things set up:

In the main row, there’s:

1. Attack, right where it always is.

2. Chain Heal.

3. Healing Wave.

4. Lesser Healing Wave.

5. Riptide.

6. Cleanse Spirit.

7. Chain Lightning.

8. Lightning Bolt.

9. Lava Burst.

10. Flame Shock.

-. Earth Shield.

=. Wind Shear.

Generally speaking, then, healing stuff is on the left, offensive stuff on the right.

To heal, I click on a target or use the function keys to select a target, and click a suitable healing spell or type its number. Depending on my particular whim of the moment, I can click to target and type to cast, type to target and click to cast, or do both with clicks or both with types. I’ve noticed that my subconscious inclinations on this stuff vary for no obvious reason throughout a day and overall for reasons I don’t well understand, so I’ve made it easy to accommodate whatever mix prevails.

On the right, the basic tools of the non-elemental shaman’s fighting trade. Wind Shear to interrupt others’ spells, Earth Shield to plunk on anyone in need, Flame Shock for some damage over time, Lava Burst to fire whenever it’s ready, Lightning Bolt for while Lava Burst is on cooldown, Chain Lightning to bother multiple targets.

The upper row, which is all available via Shift-1 through Shift-0 and Shift– and Shift-=, is a grab bag of stuff I use less often: Berserk, Earth and Frost Shock, the earth and fire elemental totem pets, Grounding Totem, Bloodlust, Purge, Nature’s Swiftness (beloved panic button), Flametongue and Everliving Weapon buffs, Water Shield. Over on the right, stuff I use even less frequently, which I’ll cover in some other post.

This is working out really nicely for me both in five-person heroic dungeons and in battleground healing. I find that it works out about as fast as using an addon like Clique, because in the stress of the moment I’m just too likely to get confused over what’s Shift-Click and what’s Option-Right-Click and so on. Seeing what I’m selecting reduces the error rate enough to end up as a net improvement even though the individual response times may be a bit slower.

PS. MMO Champion links to the new artwork for troll shamans’ totems, to be released in patch 3.3. I am so stoked. (Also for the dwarf shamans that’ll be in Cataclysm and for orc shamans. Color me prejudiced, but I think Xenzzarn and her troll colleagues got the best of the lot.)