High level healers needed - sheesh

[GhoulsTouch]

Example:
I rolled a new FvS the other day, got to Harbor, and needed a few more Coin Lords favor for the 4th tab. I saw a WW run, looked at the party, saw the level range of the party was 3-5, all completely unknown players (to me).
When we got to the entrance, the leader goes in on elite.

Me: "I wouldn't have come if I knew you guys were planning on running elite. We're under level and I don't know you."
Them: "We'll give it a shot."
Me: "OK, we'll give it a shot...."

Half my mana bar was gone before we reached the first shrine. That's like.... 1 fight.... The leader wasn't "leading" so I took over. We got through part 1.
Part 2, leader entered on elite. Same deal.
Part 3, half the party was killed by oozes before I finished loading.

Once we finally wiped:
Me: "Thanks for the group guys."

It's things like this that lead healers to not want to pug. Admittedly, it's not as bad at higher levels, but once you get into a habit of not pugging.... *shrug*

I had an awesome run with a group of all 3rd level characters with a 4th level cleric in the Water Works quests on elite. I think we had one death by an ogre due to an unexpected heavy critical. We worked together, we communicated, things went smooth.

It sounds like the distinction between who was leader was vague in this group. Being you took it upon yourself to lead as you said, and the party was way ahead of you to the point of having HALF the party slain by the time you were loading part 3 tells me either you weren't leading or failed to take the lead which caused the party to wipe.

For some reason, they didn't see you as boss...and you couldn't catch up. For some reason you took the lead and then abandoned it, or did so half heartedly which in turn gave you the plausible result for this. Of course there would be confusion and chaos. THERE WERE NO LEADERS!!!! Even you went your own way. You seem to have thought you were the leader but somehow, somewhere down the line you were the one that was straggling behind. Too many chiefs not enough Indians I say, and I say this because the chief must also realize he is an Indian.

It takes a long time for oozes to kill three members of a party unless everyone froze up in lag. What were you doing this whole time...get lost on the way to tunnelworm? Was the group unaware you made a last ditch effort to shrine at the very last second having to go back a couple corridors?

You all failed...as a group. Not pointing fingers at anyone, just at some of the things I saw objectively in what you said. There are no faults only lessons to be learned. Those who never fail are those who never try.

[mws2970]

I just think people need to learn to be a little more self-sufficient. If you play a class that can use wands to heal, use them. If not, buy pots and top yourself off after fights. Learn to play smart so the healers don't HAVE to heal stupid.

A little off topic, but wanted to share this. I just rolled a FVS/Monk based off of Impaqt's build. I did not take a healing spell, just buffs. My plan is to solo to get used to playing this toon and use him for my guilds low level runs. As I level, I will add healing spells. So I'm in the Harbor soloing Haverdasher, or one of those, and I get a blind invite. Just to see what happened, I told the person I'm a melee, not a healer. The person told me they needed a "healer" and to forget it. Well, I saw his/hers LFM "looking for a healer" for harbor quests up for at least an hour after that blind invite!

[LordPiglet]

Being a healer is not cheap especially when trying to run Epic Quest. In my Guild we have 3 lvl 20 Cleric and we always run the raids together because we know each others play style and work great together. If i do a pug raid i always try to get donations before running it because you never get it afterwards. If people would offer Mana Pots on the raids i would do more of them but since everyone is not willing to give up the money for me to refill my pots i dont run with PUG's because it is not worth it

I save my pot give aways for extreme situations. One's where I know there's no shrine and the healers bar is low. I can wand whip myself. Heck, I can self heal on my rangers, but then I don't have enough SP to justify using a major pot on myself. I ran a shroud on late friday and the Cleric spotted that I got a major pot and congratulated me. I decided to give it to him because I already had several.

I do admit, running with hireling clerics is really not a good idea. I don't self heal myself enough. I'm working to get better at it, but I still slack off on it.

[roverphx]

The only time that i ever need pots are when running raids and the only one i really need one on is VOD. Running regular quest on any lvl from normal to elite i can do without pots. When running Epic that is a different story as these are a lot harder and require more healing.

[Quikster]

The only time that i ever need pots are when running raids and the only one i really need one on is VOD. Running regular quest on any lvl from normal to elite i can do without pots. When running Epic that is a different story as these are a lot harder and require more healing.

you guys need to get in some better groups, or start letting people die

[Corpsebride]

Typically I don't use more pots/consumables than I can spare the cost of, and I rarely end up 'needing' to use pots in the first place. I do mix in scrolls to help stretch things further, depending on what I'm doing. I only use pots in quests when I'm soloing and screw up or get in over my head but think I have a reasonable chance of winning anyways (or am too stubborn to give up on the time invested to get to wherever I am). In raids, I find I use pots more in situations I'm unfamilliar with and misjudge resource usage on. I also find that the more I run something, the more efficient I can be and the 'need' to use pots diminishes or goes away all together. Right now, VoD, Shroud, and Hound are all "easy" raids for me, while ToD still takes some effort and likely a pot or two. I used to feel that way about VoD and Shroud though so I'm sure its a comfort level thing.

Donations of pots are always quite helpful, but never necessary and having to use pots and other consumables doesn't scare me off healing in high end content. The cost of consumables does mean that I tend to steer clear of some quests where the group has been put together horridly, notably when I was a mid level healer and invited to join an Invaders group with 5 fighters. Also, seeing a gianthold group last night with 1 rogue, and 4 warforged (2 sorcs, 2 something else), with "last spot healer only" in the LFM message... another example of a group I'm not going to join on a healer for what should be obvious reasons. I am also picky in terms of what quests I run in actual pugs - I doubt I'll ever pug Stealer of Souls again on normal or higher (and I'm guessing most healers out there will agree with me on that).

I think the scarcity of healers in pugging quests and raids is mostly due to a ratio of who plays what. Many people play dps, few play intimitanks, fewer play healers and bards. As such, healers and bards can notably choose where to go and with who. Most will get into guilds and run almost exclusively with their guilds by the time they are level 13 or so, and those that don't will get very picky as to pug make up, quest target, and/or will only join pugs where they or a known friend lead.

The best answer to this disparity is to 1) make friends with a healer, 2) make up a healer yourself or 3) learn how to play with out a healer at all through self sufficiency and consumables when necessary.