Raid Healer Build

[VanCowboy]

Does anyone have a good/great raid healer build? I want to build a cleric as a raid healer but have not played a cleric in a very long time so looking for a build that I can start raiding with. TIA.

[peng]

Pretty much any pure or nearly pure cleric can be a decent raid healer as long as you have quicken and enlarge (you can gain free enlarge from the level 18 core of feydark illusionist or t4 fatesinger). That means you can be a healer and also ___.

Do you want to... melee dps? range dps? spell dps? spell cc/instakills? tank?

[VanCowboy]

Do you want to... melee dps? range dps? spell dps? spell cc/instakills? tank?

Never really thought of it that way. I would have to say Ranged DPS or Spell DPS would be my preference.

[peng]

For spell dps, you want maximize and empower, along with the aforementioned quicken and enlarge. Add heighten and past life wizard (if available), possibly along with some spell focus feats if you also want to cc and/or instakill. You *can* take empower healing, though I don't think it's necessary. If you can fit them, take up to 4 weapon style feats for the bonus to hp you get from Heroic Durability (I recommend the shield line as it gives additional defenses with shields and doesn't have a stat/skill requirement).

There are plenty of good domains for spell dps and/or heals. Healing obviously for heals. Fire, air, magic, sun, water, death, knowledge, and luck domains all have decent slas and/or added spellpower and/or bonus spell DCs.

For your deity, you might want to look at olladra or sovereign host for the big heal clicky.

Plenty of races can make good healers or nukers, but some standouts are aasimar (regular or iconic) for the bonuses to wisdom and survivability, deep gnome for bonus wisdom, human for the extra feat, or tiefling (regular) or dragonborn for the bonuses to certain spell elements.

You'll want to max wisdom for DCs, get constitution as high as possible, enough int for skills (spellcraft and heal, then concentration and umd, then maybe search, balance, or whatever else you like), and maybe some points in str to avoid being encumbered and/or charisma for turns (turning can be good in heroics, but it becomes increasingly difficult to keep it relevant as you level).

[axel15810]

Does anyone have a good/great raid healer build? I want to build a cleric as a raid healer but have not played a cleric in a very long time so looking for a build that I can start raiding with. TIA.

If you want a straight healbot with great heals but zero DPS it's pretty straightforward. I'd probably go 17 cleric/3 paladin, take shield mastery line and metas - empower healing, quicken, maximize, intensify, etc. Slap on the best healing gear you can get. Take tier 5 radiant servant and tier 3 sacred defender. Focus on CON/WIS. Go Angel and Sentinel for main EDs.

Focus on being super survivable and highest positive spellpower/spellpoint pool possible.

It's gonna be a PITA to level though since you'll be dependent on others for DPS, so it'll be basically unplayable solo. So I wouldn't do this unless I had a stable group of people to group with who want a healbot.

I will say though IMO FVS are better healbots than cleric these days mainly due to healing wall but cleric can also be really good.

[C-Dog]

Never really thought of it that way...

... You *can* take empower healing, though I don't think it's necessary...

There are plenty of good domains for spell dps and/or heals. Healing obviously for heals...

For your deity, you might want to look at olladra or sovereign host for the big heal clicky.

The current state of the game doesn't demand that a "good healer" be 100% dedicated to healing to get the job done.

In fact, many parties/raids only require occasional healing, meaning a 100% "dedicated Healer" is a waste of a party slot more than half the time!

And you don't need every last spell either, so you can multi (depending).

So you def want to be able to do "something" else, even if it's just a little pew-pew now and then to help clean up some trash (or defend yourself!) Besides buffs (which come w pure Cleric (or pure FvS or Bard), some CC and/or some DPS are all appreciated, and give the "healer" something to contribute when no one is hurting.

[axel15810]

The current state of the game doesn't demand that a "good healer" be 100% dedicated to healing to get the job done.

In fact, many parties/raids only require occasional healing, meaning a 100% "dedicated Healer" is a waste of a party slot more than half the time!

And you don't need every last spell either, so you can multi (depending).

So you def want to be able to do "something" else, even if it's just a little pew-pew now and then to help clean up some trash (or defend yourself!) Besides buffs (which come w pure Cleric (or pure FvS or Bard), some CC and/or some DPS are all appreciated, and give the "healer" something to contribute when no one is hurting.

This is generally true but there is an exception...high skull reaper quests (or if you are in a high achieving raid group really pushing skulls in raids). There a healbot can be very useful and giving up all DPS for the survivability and extra bit of healing makes a lot more sense. But yes if that isn't you I'd build to do either healing + offensive casting or healing + melee.

[PedXing20]

This is generally true but there is an exception...high skull reaper quests (or if you are in a high achieving raid group really pushing skulls in raids). There a healbot can be very useful and giving up all DPS for the survivability and extra bit of healing makes a lot more sense. But yes if that isn't you I'd build to do either healing + offensive casting or healing + melee.

IMO the game's moved on from this. A pure healbot is really only needed in push raids where you have toons that can take a hit. In R10, a pure heal bot isn't needed anymore.

[axel15810]

IMO the game's moved on from this. A pure healbot is really only needed in push raids where you have toons that can take a hit. In R10, a pure heal bot isn't needed anymore.

Well I wasn't trying to say it's mandatory, it isn't, just really nice. Had a pure well built healbot player with me when running R10 endgame stuff recently and she sure helped the group a lot. So I agree it is not mandatory, there's a lot of ways for players to pass heals to each other, but it sure is really nice and healbots have a nice niche there.

[gravisrs]

For a elite/r1+ raid healer - go for FVS and it's healing wall + cone. It's most useful build in all 32+ lvl raids. As a second skill - go for light spellpower.
For a R10 healer - go for Cleric and it's regular healing spells (heal, cure, close wounds, renewal), you need to be very reactive eg put a heal between every DoomReaper swings against your tank. You can try to be alternative CC (meteor + greater command) for R10 as a second speciality.
For a lower difficulty/PUG raids - go for Bard healing song (maxed out), and focus on sonic spells as a sidekick. Will be enough.

also - don't you ever roll an alchemist as a healer those flasks often hit a ceiling or another "obstacle" before reaching your target -and as a healer reliability is most important
also - cleric positive energy aura is a hoax, you'd better use exalted angel aura if at all (you prolly won't stand near your tank in R10)

[Fisto_Mk_I]

also - cleric positive energy aura is a hoax, you'd better use exalted angel aura if at all (you prolly won't stand near your tank in R10)

You need both because cleric aura fast recharge Radiant Servant capstone (Exalted Angel aura - not). +50% chance to crit positive spells is crucial in R10.

[Careall]

One lesson I've learned from running a pacifist cleric (Careall) for many years is that an Intimitank cleric does far more damage prevention than healing alone will ever take care of. Some high-end damage avoidance and reduction on you means less healing is needed on the squishier high-DPS builds.

If you are 100% focused on grabbing agro, tanking, and healing, then your DPS will be nearly non-existent. If you don't group with a party you can trust, even the best tank might have to walk away from fights they can't win; that's the best-case scenario - if you get my meaning- XÞ RIP.

[C-Dog]

If you are 100% focused on grabbing agro, tanking, and healing, then your DPS will be nearly non-existent. If you don't group with a party you can trust, even the best tank might have to walk away from fights they can't win; that's the best-case scenario - if you get my meaning- XÞ RIP.

It's rare, but I've seen a good tank build quit a dungeon in the middle of a big fight because the group (or just someone in it) just isn't cutting it. The moment they disappear, it's usually a wipe for the rest, which is frustrating for those who are pulling their weight but illustrates the point you're making (as well as some others ).

[Scortius]

For a elite/r1+ raid healer - go for FVS and it's healing wall + cone. It's most useful build in all 32+ lvl raids. As a second skill - go for light spellpower.
For a R10 healer - go for Cleric and it's regular healing spells (heal, cure, close wounds, renewal), you need to be very reactive eg put a heal between every DoomReaper swings against your tank. You can try to be alternative CC (meteor + greater command) for R10 as a second speciality.
For a lower difficulty/PUG raids - go for Bard healing song (maxed out), and focus on sonic spells as a sidekick. Will be enough.

also - don't you ever roll an alchemist as a healer those flasks often hit a ceiling or another "obstacle" before reaching your target -and as a healer reliability is most important
also - cleric positive energy aura is a hoax, you'd better use exalted angel aura if at all (you prolly won't stand near your tank in R10)

Being a heal-y cleric is a ticket into a lot of raid groups, and most people will be supportive to new raiders getting the hang of it.
It won't be at all hard to get people to pass you healing-themed stuff in raid chests.

I like positive energy aura and usually take it. But I agree, Healing Wall is the tier 1 choice these days, and Radiant Servants are not quite there, but still viable. I do know some tanky healers who like to be near the tank, but I like to stand off and cast mass healing, and the archers can stand in my aura if they want.


Some other notes...

17/3 is a popular split because you can build up your defenses. Deflect Arrows for 7 points from Vanguard, and at least a dozen pts in a defender tree. I've always gone pally for saves but fighter gets a similar tree and you can take a couple of shield mastery feats (or whatever you like, but it's +2 feats). That and T5 RS will use most of your points. Core 5 Feydark has a lot of nice stuff but will cost you from loading up on defence. I've never gone that far into that tree, but I agree it's viable and suits some people.


Gear for healing, of course, but 17 or 20 doesn't matter much, nor does absolutely maxxed out positive spell-power. Make an effort and you'll likely be fine.
You'll be overhealing some of the time, and sometimes in places like high-R Tempest Spine people will suddenly take 26k damage from a cleave and Empowered Cure Moderate Wounds can't do anything about that.


If you think you'd like to run Too Hot To Handle, Sunburst is very desirable. Sun domain or a big investment in Divine Disciple (18core). Radiant Servant effect that gets everyone up from knockdown is useful in there as well (sorta, it's not as fast as it oughta be).

If you want to run Skeletons in the Closet (and you probably should), a sonic absorb item is nice-to-have, and Turns work well- things are warded so you're unlikely to destroy them but you can stop them from attacking.

Chaos-absorb items aren't that hard to get anymore, but try to slot one for Killing Time- you'll be busy when the chaos orbs are roaming around, so you need to have backbone in case one rolls over you.

[Fireball241]

Being a heal-y cleric is a ticket into a lot of raid groups, and most people will be supportive to new raiders getting the hang of it.
It won't be at all hard to get people to pass you healing-themed stuff in raid chests.

I like positive energy aura and usually take it. But I agree, Healing Wall is the tier 1 choice these days, and Radiant Servants are not quite there, but still viable. I do know some tanky healers who like to be near the tank, but I like to stand off and cast mass healing, and the archers can stand in my aura if they want.


Some other notes...

17/3 is a popular split because you can build up your defenses. Deflect Arrows for 7 points from Vanguard, and at least a dozen pts in a defender tree. I've always gone pally for saves but fighter gets a similar tree and you can take a couple of shield mastery feats (or whatever you like, but it's +2 feats). That and T5 RS will use most of your points. Core 5 Feydark has a lot of nice stuff but will cost you from loading up on defence. I've never gone that far into that tree, but I agree it's viable and suits some people.


Gear for healing, of course, but 17 or 20 doesn't matter much, nor does absolutely maxxed out positive spell-power. Make an effort and you'll likely be fine.
You'll be overhealing some of the time, and sometimes in places like high-R Tempest Spine people will suddenly take 26k damage from a cleave and Empowered Cure Moderate Wounds can't do anything about that.


If you think you'd like to run Too Hot To Handle, Sunburst is very desirable. Sun domain or a big investment in Divine Disciple (18core). Radiant Servant effect that gets everyone up from knockdown is useful in there as well (sorta, it's not as fast as it oughta be).

If you want to run Skeletons in the Closet (and you probably should), a sonic absorb item is nice-to-have, and Turns work well- things are warded so you're unlikely to destroy them but you can stop them from attacking.

Chaos-absorb items aren't that hard to get anymore, but try to slot one for Killing Time- you'll be busy when the chaos orbs are roaming around, so you need to have backbone in case one rolls over you.

There is a good reason you can never have enough healing.... LAG!

I have to just throw out heals blindly when the lag hits and pray because Clerics have to pray right.

There is something to be said about Pally splash and survivability. So much is required with gear and past lives now. Everything is Reaper. Non Reaper is rare. am running some low reaper and my Axel PDK build is squashy, so I added more healing, but I barely get by in Reaper. My Pally splash does better surviving. He is Clr15/Pal4/Ftr1. I might redo him as CLR17, but why bother

I am a little annoyed Paladins get True Rez as a 4th lvl spell. I think that is a crock of #$@$@$-$.