The Healbot

[Alrin]

I play a 60 mage, and I didn't take it that way at all.  I completely agree with you; if I'd torn out just one hair for each mage that I'd partied with who couldn't grasp the solo/group play distinction, I'd be bald.  The worst part is how they won't take advice to improve their play style, even when it's from someone clearly more experienced and skilled than they are.  I can try friendly advice, asking nicely, moving on to stronger suggestions, and they just Won't Take The Hint.  Order them what to do and it gets all dramatic and stuff.  Sigh.
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I agree wholeheartedly. Problem seems to be that many players are unable to shift from their solo-playing style to group tactics style. Take my style of playing for example. I have (while learning to play my mage) understood that perhaps sometimes -even when in face of 90% likelyhood of defeat- I stay and duke it out with the foe(s).
I will only 'disengage' and run if I know I am too far up the creek and there is simply no way to overpower the enemy, even with all the class/talent tricks I have.
My mage is not unfamiliar with even whipping out a sword and meleeing down the last couple hps off an enemy instead of blowing off a 200mana spell. I have a clear understanding on how much hp/mp I loose in the various battles. Flawless = Lots of cc procs and stuns. Normal = Regular casting, rare ccs and no stuns. BAD = Resists and spell interrupts. You get a sense of how much your toon can handle before they start to buckle. While this is very good to know it is imperative to avoid playing on the limit when you group. A redundant point to make yes, but I see this everyday whenever I try to get pickup groups because there simply isn't anyone online and/or I play unguilded alts.

I enjoy playing my warrior on the edge when soloing, often constantly moving and doing pulls/charges when at ~50% hp and still coming out on top and in fairly good condition. This however doesn't mean that when I do instance runs with other people or just plain partying that I show such disrespect to the healer(s) that I go off and 'solo' and force the party to scurry after me in disarray.

"Healbots" are highly respected by me. They are (for the most part) very good at what they do and have a clear understanding of what needs to be done. For that I admire you all. I have found that when playing with Lurkers/Basiners and there was a priest present I could relax more and just focus on the monsters. I get that tunnel effect. Nothing exists except Monster. Healer. Aggro. That's it. Keep healer alive. Keep monsters on me. TRUST. I trust the healer completely that I don't even fret when my health drops down to low levels because I -know- that there is a heal waiting etc. Go gadget-heal go!

/bow