05-06-2005, 05:27 PM
I'm adding a general reply because it kind of addresses issues brought up in all kinds of different posts.
a) Priests Only Heal
- In general, yes. In hard pulls, yes. This freaks people out because it looks like you're just standing there behind the party leeching off of their kills. I can get feeling guilty over this, so personally, if I know I have a few seconds where we are not in jeapardy, I will toss wand shots at the main assist's target. Most priests don't, and considering how fast things can turn on you and how quick you can end up having to shield someone, renew the whole party, and start flash healing the tank, I can appreciate why. Wanding, however, costs very little and if you can pull it off your damage contribution is not insignificant - and SW:P, of course.
If it costs you a party member, though, it wasn't worth it.
B) Suicidal Mages
- Been there, done that. Mages are probably the extreme because they wear tissue paper and their AoE attacks can allow them to easily bite off more than they can chew. Players, for some reason, often have no clue how hard they're getting hit when a Priest is on the clock. Our job is to make the party invulnerable and we do it so well that folks start to feel the instance is easy and they can handle anything. Then the priest runs out of mana and they all die. It's not just mages. Every DPS class can go there - it's just that mages can be the worst example.
Behind every successful mage is a terrified priest out of mana.
c) Focused Fire
- The comments on focused fire seem very simplistic to me so far. Yes, every party should use focused fire ... except for the main tank. Paladins seem like they're worse for this than warriors, but that may just be my personal experience. If you are the main tank and you are hitting one mob, you are either 1) zerging the instance and could solo that pull anyway, or 2) demanding that your priest tank. The first heal is going to strip every mob except the one your hitting off and send them at the priest. The job of the tank is to have more aggro on EVERY mob. Warriors get this. They wade in and start dropping sunders on each target and if they miss one they have taunt waiting in the wings. Or for Mind Control pulls, it's Sunder+Taunt (because neither alone will cover that aggro). Pallies need every tool they have to hold that hate.
If your priest is faded already and even one mob leaves you to hit him/her - you are a bad tank.
a) Priests Only Heal
- In general, yes. In hard pulls, yes. This freaks people out because it looks like you're just standing there behind the party leeching off of their kills. I can get feeling guilty over this, so personally, if I know I have a few seconds where we are not in jeapardy, I will toss wand shots at the main assist's target. Most priests don't, and considering how fast things can turn on you and how quick you can end up having to shield someone, renew the whole party, and start flash healing the tank, I can appreciate why. Wanding, however, costs very little and if you can pull it off your damage contribution is not insignificant - and SW:P, of course.
If it costs you a party member, though, it wasn't worth it.
B) Suicidal Mages
- Been there, done that. Mages are probably the extreme because they wear tissue paper and their AoE attacks can allow them to easily bite off more than they can chew. Players, for some reason, often have no clue how hard they're getting hit when a Priest is on the clock. Our job is to make the party invulnerable and we do it so well that folks start to feel the instance is easy and they can handle anything. Then the priest runs out of mana and they all die. It's not just mages. Every DPS class can go there - it's just that mages can be the worst example.
Behind every successful mage is a terrified priest out of mana.
c) Focused Fire
- The comments on focused fire seem very simplistic to me so far. Yes, every party should use focused fire ... except for the main tank. Paladins seem like they're worse for this than warriors, but that may just be my personal experience. If you are the main tank and you are hitting one mob, you are either 1) zerging the instance and could solo that pull anyway, or 2) demanding that your priest tank. The first heal is going to strip every mob except the one your hitting off and send them at the priest. The job of the tank is to have more aggro on EVERY mob. Warriors get this. They wade in and start dropping sunders on each target and if they miss one they have taunt waiting in the wings. Or for Mind Control pulls, it's Sunder+Taunt (because neither alone will cover that aggro). Pallies need every tool they have to hold that hate.
If your priest is faded already and even one mob leaves you to hit him/her - you are a bad tank.