"are you healer spec'd"

[Jaid314]

Off topic, I apologize about that. But I don't understand your math sir.


Cure Light woulds, mass -- "...3 to 8 hit points plus an additional 1 for every caster level..."

So 3-8 (+12) = 15-20 base

100% 15-20
- 50% healing WF
+60% WF
----
110%

+40% Life Magic
+40% Devotion item V
+50% empower healing
---
240%


So,

15-20 x 240% (2.4)

= 36-48

Crit multiplier x2 (Favored Soul Prayer of Incredible Life II)

= 72-96

Edit: It would surprise me at level 12 that you took ALL those enhancements (forget melee, racial, or spellpoints), and then found a Devotion V (can't use armor, and using a greatsword)

try ardor.

[pSINNa]

I understand why they ask the question, and when you have been asked a 100 times or so you really don't bother to explain why the question itself is not really asking what they want to know accurately.

I have an offensive casting oriented fvs with some decent melee (but not uber), a trip/stun multiclass fvs with some great melee but next to no offensive casting focus, and a pure melee fvs again with little to no offensive casting capability, and all of them can heal shroud (which seems to where the question is most asked, and what they really want to know.).

I just say 'both' regardless of which one i'm on, and it always seems to sooth their nerves, and everybody is happy.

Coit out~

[Sethasoigh]

I ask due to one ToD run i was in:

Party leader: ok so for part 3 we are going to have FvS heal Horoth....
FvS: i'm not a healer
Party leader: um what
FvS: i'm not a healer
Party leader: ok, but could you heal this time so we can finish?
FvS: no

I guess i should just ask if the FvS is a d-bag but i find asking if the FvS can heal much nicer

[Vordax]

try ardor.

That's what all the cool kids do!

Vordax

[justagame]

If a raid leader about to run ToD on hard/elite doesn't know you, and asks you if you are heal specced, it's "do you have the feats/enhancements/equipment to keep up a 600+ hp tank who's taking lots of damage in big clumps." If you don't have empower healing, the life magic line, a potency/devotion item, or ardor clicky, it's gonna be tough. It's a fair question IMO.

However, if the leader of a Stormcleave normal pug feels it's necessary to ask if you're heal-specced because he doesn't believe any quest can be run without a nannybot, the answer is yes, no matter how you're specced. Because in all probability, that player knows as much about HP as he does about cleric builds, and that un-empowered cure serious is enough to take care of most of his health bar

Of course, you may not want to answer yes. On a pure cleric, upon joining a pug for a routine mid-level quest, immediately and without so much as a welcome I was asked: "Are you a healer, or are you one of those stupid battle clerics?" I thought about the answer, and said "oh, sorry, I'm a battle cleric -- good luck!" and dropped group.

[protokon]

I got asked this too yesterday I think when I joined a shroud group...

"are you healing specced?"
"I can heal"
"but are you healer or dps"
"both"
"ok so heals then..."

I've yet to see a favoured soul that didn't take any healing spells... the major difference is in the metamagic feats though I think.

I've come across two players (with favored souls) who are not capable of being called 'heal specced'.

The first one took no mass cure spells, the second one is an arcane archer build who took archer feats instead of metamagics.

..with that being said, the DPS output of both players were sub-par, and adding insult to injury was the fact that neither were capable of helping a struggling party if things went awry during the quest / raid.

People should realize that when you are playing either of the two divine classes, you have a responsibility to inform the party if you are not 'heal-specced' - specifically when joining raids so the party leader can plan accordingly.

I've capped enough divines (8 of them across 3 servers) to understand that potential of these classes extends far beyond the 'heal-bot' mentality that most people give them credit for - yet a large amount of players who go this route forfeit the basic feats and enhancements that give them the capability of holding a raid party together as a healer - quicken, empower heal and maximize is typically the minimum.

fail to plan, plan to fail. if your not willing to communicate and help the party you joined, then that is simply bad form on your part.

[protokon]

If a raid leader about to run ToD on hard/elite doesn't know you, and asks you if you are heal specced, it's "do you have the feats/enhancements/equipment to keep up a 600+ hp tank who's taking lots of damage in big clumps." If you don't have empower healing, the life magic line, a potency/devotion item, or ardor clicky, it's gonna be tough. It's a fair question IMO.

However, if the leader of a Stormcleave normal pug feels it's necessary to ask if you're heal-specced because he doesn't believe in buying pots, the answer is yes, no matter how you're specced. Because in all probability, that player knows as much about HP as he does about cleric builds, and that un-empowered cure serious is enough to take care of most of his health bar

Of course, you may not want to answer yes. On a pure cleric, upon joining a pug for a routine mid-level quest, immediately and without so much as a welcome I was asked: "Are you a healer, or are you one of those stupid battle clerics?" I thought about the answer, and said "oh, sorry, I'm a battle cleric -- good luck!" and dropped group.

fixed that for you

[LordPiglet]

Off topic, I apologize about that. But I don't understand your math sir.


Cure Light woulds, mass -- "...3 to 8 hit points plus an additional 1 for every caster level..."

So 3-8 (+12) = 15-20 base

100% 15-20
- 50% healing WF
+60% WF
----
110%

+40% Life Magic
+40% Devotion item V
+50% empower healing
---
240%


So,

15-20 x 240% (2.4)

= 36-48

Crit multiplier x2 (Favored Soul Prayer of Incredible Life II)

= 72-96

Edit: It would surprise me at level 12 that you took ALL those enhancements (forget melee, racial, or spellpoints), and then found a Devotion V (can't use armor, and using a greatsword)

I took Maximize (not empower healing), and have a greater devotion V shield I think. However those crits are without the shield.
I'm criting for 108 on fleshing (with no healing amp items on). When I was in von, I swapped to the shield, and heal scrolls for the end fight. I usually either heal scroll, repair serious pot, or cure crital wand whip myself.

I have however, taken every healing enhancement available to me. I'm running with a fair amount of newbies so being able to heal them is handy and I'd rather they'd get a chance to play, then ride in my backpack. If I just running pugs, then it would be different.

edit: Just ran some quest, right now I have
Healers Friend I
Prayer of Life III
Incredible Life II
Life Magic IV

(Combat): You heal 72 points of damage from Cure Light Wounds.

I do run a Mellkor build, right now I'm a bit squishy because I'm not taking toughness until 15 and didn't take the adamantine body feat (and it's great dr)

[Rumbaar]

I never mind the question, I just mind the manor and/or tone it's done most times.

Everyone else gets a "hi welcome", and I get a "are you a healer?" as their first words to me.

[PopeJual]

A melee FvS that can't also heal a raid party is just as much of a fail as a Rogue that can't do both DPS and traps as far as I'm concerned.

Unfotuantely, there are a few fail FvS winging their way across the servers, so I at least understand why the question gets asked. Still a stupid question since anyone that should answer "no" is probably not going to understand the question correctly.

[PopeJual]

Edit: It would surprise me at level 12 that you took ALL those enhancements (forget melee, racial, or spellpoints), and then found a Devotion V (can't use armor, and using a greatsword)

A Superior Ardor VI item gives you three clickies of +75% healing power at 3 minutes each for your 6th level and lower heal and cure spells and you don't need an item or weapon slot for that because you can use the clicky and then hop back to your greatsword.

Superior Ardor says that it gives a 50% boost, but that's a display error since it actually does give 75%.

[wax_on_wax_off]

There is a group of three WF Lord of the Blades FvS's on Sarlona that constantly put up LFM's "Looking for healers, we're not" or the like.

It's a viable question to ask, as there are enough who don't take anything more than just the single target Heal for themselves.

Well I'm your friendly WF Lord of Blades who actually knows how to play a FvS! I can Heal and DPS! I'll even try my hand at hate tanking your raid! (reavers and VoD done so far, 1 good in VoD and one not so good in VoD (pre-hate DT)).

Seriously, being able to heal on a favoured soul is ridiculously easy, if people say they can't it is either because they don't know how to build a character, are poor players or just lazy; find better people to group with.

[protokon]

Seriously, being able to heal on a favoured soul is ridiculously easy, if people say they can't it is either because they don't know how to build a character, are poor players or just lazy; find better people to group with.

This. only I believe it applies for clerics as well.

like Pope said, divines not heal specced are like rogues not trap-specced. Where did they throw all there skill points into, swim and heal?

[darkforest]

When asking, if the norm were one of:

'are you melee focused?'

'are you offensive casting focused?'

'are you specced to damage?'

etc.

I would believe both of you more.

I get asked on my 18 FvS because of this:

Actually it's a sign of a raid leader who wants to make sure they don't waste the time of everyone else in their group. It's not necessarily that they won't take you as a DPS or caster only, they just need to know the composition of their party. They're likely making sure they don't get a rude surprise in part 2 or 4 of Shroud as I've seen happen.

I disagree.

First of all, my current main character is a FvS. When someone asks me if I'm healing spec'd I say "no, but I can heal just as good as any healer". (I say this just so you don't think I'm biased on what I'm about to answer)

So in my opinion if someone asks if you're a healer that's usually a good sign, because he's up front not stereotyping you because of your class icon. Melee WF FvS can heal? Sure, but they're not healers. Is that good enough for a 6 man common quest run? Sure. Is that enough for a raid? No. It can be pulled off, sure, but more often than not he won't be able to keep your main tank up in ToD or VoD or whatever. Due to lack of metamagics and/or SP focused items.

To me a sign of a poor player is when they automatically assume you're any certain role just because of your class icon. I've seen monks tank ToD, I've seen bards tank HoX, I've seen sorcerers tank VoD. I've seen bards heal raids. So to me anyone who is looking for a specific slot in their group asking you if you can fulfill that slot is just not making the common mistake of assuming you do something just because of your class icon. And that, to me, is a win.

[wax_on_wax_off]

I disagree.

First of all, my current main character is a FvS. When someone asks me if I'm healing spec'd I say "no, but I can heal just as good as any healer". (I say this just so you don't think I'm biased on what I'm about to answer)

So in my opinion if someone asks if you're a healer that's usually a good sign, because he's up front not stereotyping you because of your class icon. Melee WF FvS can heal? Sure, but they're not healers. Is that good enough for a 6 man common quest run? Sure. Is that enough for a raid? No. It can be pulled off, sure, but more often than not he won't be able to keep your main tank up in ToD or VoD or whatever. Due to lack of metamagics and/or SP focused items.

To me a sign of a poor player is when they automatically assume you're any certain role just because of your class icon. I've seen monks tank ToD, I've seen bards tank HoX, I've seen sorcerers tank VoD. I've seen bards heal raids. So to me anyone who is looking for a specific slot in their group asking you if you can fulfill that slot is just not making the common mistake of assuming you do something just because of your class icon. And that, to me, is a win.

A WF FvS Lord of Blades not able to heal a tank in VoD or ToD? Are you high?

What you may not realise is that a healing specced FvS is a reroll case. Either, you go max wisdom for offensive casting or max DPS. Neither of these options includes maximum charisma to have the most SP and therefore healing capacity.

I've met a few Charisma based FvS and they roll those up because they are new to the game

The only discernible difference in healing capacity for either of the accepted builds (dps or offensive casting) may be some more enhancements put in to critical healing. Overall though, critical healing is meh (except for radiant servants). That said, I still try to put 1 or 3 points into it.

[doubledge]

because some don't take metamagics, only twf. imagine a paladin build on a fvs.

[Malison]

What you may not realise is that a healing specced FvS is a reroll case. Either, you go max wisdom for offensive casting or max DPS. Neither of these options includes maximum charisma to have the most SP and therefore healing capacity.

I've met a few Charisma based FvS and they roll those up because they are new to the game

The only discernible difference in healing capacity for either of the accepted builds (dps or offensive casting) may be some more enhancements put in to critical healing. Overall though, critical healing is meh (except for radiant servants). That said, I still try to put 1 or 3 points into it.

I'd make a distinction between heal specced and healbot. Your stalwart defender could have 100 AC and deal dps comparable to a wet sponge, or he could have just enough AC to not take much damage and still be productive when his shield isn't out. The same can be done for divines. I'd elaborate more but about half the posts have been about the enhancements/feats/clickies that get you the ability to heal when you need to, at this point the horse has been beaten, raised, and beaten some more.


I, too, get the healer question on my fvs a lot. For me, it's a totally fair question with 4 splashed levels. But I'd consider it a fair question were I pure. There's virtually no excuse for having to say no, but you do run across a couple of failures.

[wax_on_wax_off]

I'd make a distinction between heal specced and healbot. Your stalwart defender could have 100 AC and deal dps comparable to a wet sponge, or he could have just enough AC to not take much damage and still be productive when his shield isn't out. The same can be done for divines. I'd elaborate more but about half the posts have been about the enhancements/feats/clickies that get you the ability to heal when you need to, at this point the horse has been beaten, raised, and beaten some more.


I, too, get the healer question on my fvs a lot. For me, it's a totally fair question with 4 splashed levels. But I'd consider it a fair question were I pure. There's virtually no excuse for having to say no, but you do run across a couple of failures.

If by heal specced you mean capable of healing, then the answer should always be yes, otherwise reroll. Healbot (charisma based FvS); reroll. It's pretty straight forward.

The reason that this question gets thrown around is due to stereotyping from other MMO's. Those don't exist in DDO so people need to be reeducated. To this end, when people ask me if I'm heal specced or a healer or whatever, I reply that I am my class:

leader: are you a healer?

me: "I am a Favoured Soul";

leader: yes, but can you heal?;

me: *** do you think?

This usually gets it done. The method to fix the issue is to dispel stereotypes. Often this will create a brief dialogue in which the leader defends his question by explaining past WF FvS' that he's come across etc etc. I tell him that if they can't heal they are either fail builds, fail players or just lazy (I'm lazy occasionally).

Slapping a paladin build on a FvS is pretty fail. FvS weapon enhancements don't make up for smites/sacrifices/DM/zeal etc.

[Shade]

There are no stupid questions in DDO when it comes to pugs.

I really can't get people who think there so privallaged and more important then anyone that they are above answering a basic question.

Especially those who go so far as to judge the person who asked it..


It's a FREAKING YES OR NO QUESTION.

Answer it. If you can't.. Find a new game. It's an mmo. Some basic communication with other players is expected.

I ask favored souls it all the time. I ask clerics too.

Many answer no. They get kicked out of the group and my runs go better for it. (actually I avoid kicking people mtos of the time, I ask before they join via tells)

So yes, believe it or not, there are MANY favored souls out there that absolutley will not heal other players, and even a few who wont heal themself.

If you lead a lot of pugs like me, you should quickly learn that asking these questions that seemingly should not need to be asked, is important and saves you pain later on.

And yes - you can spec for healing beyond the life magic enhancement btw:

-Scroll mastery IV - Yea i know, your too cool to use scrolls or your such a good healer you dont need too. Heard it all before and its wrong, scrolls increase healing DPS and are very useful.
-Heal crit chance - Dont rely on it, but a crit here and there can save you SP. I don't bother with the crit multplier myself tho, it generally just results in too much overhealing.
-Empowered Healing - this is the big one for end game raids. A huge amount of FvS do not have this.. If you tank is a super high HP barb, especially WF.. It's a must have.
-Having more then just the heal/mass spell... encase it happens to be on cooldown and more burst healing is needed.
-Having the free cure light wounds capstone.

So while all favored souls should be able to heal.. Only some are very good at it. Asking doesn't hurt.

You can often get a feel for how good a player will be simply by asking him basic questions - even if you don't directly care if they answer it in the positive.

I ask things like "familiar with the quest" "have these buffs: XXX"

And even if they give me an answer of "no sorry" I generally take them along anyways. Thing is most of the bad ones are so bad, they think there good.. So they answer "nevermind im way too important to answer questions" or "Heck no, why would i have those stupid buffs you moron"
They get the decline, Saves a lot of time.

[voodoogroves]

The question that raises flags is not the "can you heal" question. That one should be a yes on any FVS or, as mentioned by others, I think you need to consider rerolling.

The question that raises flags is the "are you a healer or a battle-cleric/fvs" because that question makes the target player think the raid leader doesn't understand that those are not exclusive.