Healers Are 2nd Class Citizens

[Gorbadoc]

My previous post was meant as a joke, but the OP's gripe about people demanding healing is sometimes legitimate. My serious advice: turn a PUG into an exercise in operant conditioning.

The basic theory is this: Players don't like having low hit points. Not only that, but if they have low hit points, they have a sustained visual cue that they've been taking damage. I know, it sounds silly, but some players genuinely don't seem to notice when they've been hit by a club the size of a tree. If players are left at low health, their tendency is to get hit less. The trick is to keep them alive, but without ever refilling their hitpoint bars.

But wait, there's more! You do want the bad players to attack; you just don't want them to be stupid about it. Here's where the operant conditioning comes in: You watch how people play, and you reward competent play by keeping those players' hitpoint bars full. As the underperforming players play more conservatively, you reward their caution by eventually refilling their hitpoints as well.

If you're ever unsure who is playing poorly and who is taking smart risks, a good rule of thumb is to follow your mana. Good players will take damage if it means nailing a dangerous opponent quickly, but they won't do so constantly. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt in the form of a free heal once in a while, and just keep count.

This strategy will occasionally lead to one of the over-aggressive players complaining that you're not doing a good enough job healing them. At this point, comments about how you're not their mother are the standard response if you wish to be rude. My personal favorite is to act innocent, though: "Oh, dear. I'm sorry! I naturally assumed you WANTED to be at low health, what with how recklessly you've been playing." This draws attention to the simple fact of the matter: You don't care whether they zerg, but you personally will not assume responsibility for the damage they suffer while zerging.

I hope this helps. It definitely helps me keep my sanity when I PUG as a healer.