Scald
09-18-2008, 03:45
The role of the healer in the massively multiplayer online games of yesteryear was a simple one: stand back and heal. If you did this, and did it well, your group would love you. Do it poorly, and they would hate you. It was that simple. Over time, a few games introduced the idea of “hybrid” classes, which combined various elements from one class into another, allowing players to enjoy the role of a healer without being relegated to the status of “healbot”. These classes were known to be formidable additions to any party, providing off-healing abilities while still being able to add to the overall DPS of the group.
However, throw any group into a PvP situation, and the entire “stand back and heal” strategy doesn’t always work. Healers and especially the “hybrid” type healing classes must be on their toes at all times. Unlike AI opponents, PvP gamers will take pleasure in seeing a healer standing behind all of his teammates, trying to heal them. However, if you throw yourself in the middle of a group, you may as well kiss your little healing ass goodbye.
As a hybrid healer, I’ve played enough RvR in beta and into the headstart that I feel confident in helping new WAR Archmages really get a grip on their responsibilities in RvR environments and exactly how they can best help their group. It’s a relatively limited list, so if you have any further suggestion for Archmages, make sure you speak up in the forums!
General Archmage Tier 1 Strategies
1. Always Be Alert - Perhaps the most non-specific tip out of all of my Archmage strategies, it is still probably the most important. Unlike your tanking brethren, Archmages don’t have enough hit points to ever be taking unknown damage. There have been numerous occasions where I was watching every health bar but my own, and then was faced with a “You’re Dead!” screen. Know where your enemies are at all times, and make sure that your friends are between you and any baddies that might be heading your way.
While you’re strictly a healer in the MMOG sense, Archmages are true “hybrids” meaning they have almost an equal number of damaging and healing spells. A true Archmage should come out of an RvR scenario with only a bit more damage than healing done. You’re an equal opportunity healer and killer, so make sure you operate that way to get the most XP and Renown for your buck.
2. More DoTs! – Although Archmages don’t have a huge arsenal of damaging spells, we do have one thing that allows us to absolutely shine in RvR. DoTs. Lots of ‘em. Opponents hate getting hit by damage over time (DoT) spells, and the Archmage has a whole treasure trove of these spells at his disposal.
In fact, Archmages even have DoTs that allow them to heal their teammates! These DoTs are great to use in RvR scenarios; most of them are instant cast and do a generous amount of damage to your opponents while keeping your allies alive. If you do find yourself without anyone to heal, just throw DoTs on all the baddies you see. You’ll rake in the XP and Renown.
3. Don’t Be a Selfish Healer – I can’t stress this enough: Archmages are healers. Despite all of the calls to the contrary, our number one priority as Archmages is still to heal our teammates. If we don’t do this, we die. Keep an eye out on the health bars in your group at all times. Use your F1 – F6 keys regularly to cycle through the allies and make sure they’re all staying alive. You’ll still gain XP and Renown this way, so don’t think of it as any skin off your back. You’ll still be rewarded.
4. Be a Selfish Healer – However, if you are faced with a whole squadron of Marauders descending upon you, don’t hesitate to hit that F1 button and lay some heals on yourself. In essence, you’ll be “tanking” the group that’s hitting you, and more often than not you’ll be able to keep yourself alive long enough for your allies to come in and at least pull a number of them away from you. Groups need healers that stay alive, so make sure you’re always up and moving around.
5. Move Strategically – The best way for Archmages and healers to stay alive in RvR combat is moving strategically. Utilize your environment. Stay away from flat, open areas. Stay close to your teammates, but don’t get in the middle of the action. If there’s a high point that you can access, get there so you can see the battlefield. You’re a veritable god of damage and healing, so act like one. As an Archmage, you’re a veritable force to be reckoned with, and you need to make sure you’re in the prime position to achieve your goals whether they’re healing or killing.
6. Hustle But Don’t Hurry – As my father always said, you shouldn’t move slowly, but you shouldn’t hurry either. Just hustle. This same strategy works well in Mythic’s RvR battles. As a back row combatant, you shouldn’t be eager to go racing off into the fray, but you’ll need to keep an eye on where your tanks and DPSers are running off to. Make sure you’re safe, then head over to that area. It does you almost no good to go rushing off into an area where danger is lurking.
7. Use “Line” Spells with Caution – There are a number of spells (Radiant Gaze, Searing Touch, etc.) in the Archmage’s arsenal that are quite problematic in RvR scenarios. Why? These spells create an effect “line” to their target, highlighting exactly where that line of nastiness is coming from. The quickest way for a Destruction DPSer to come charging through the ranks to kill you is to see one of those “lines” flash in front of his face.
However, both of these spells are quite potent, and shouldn’t be neglected either. Rather than using them all the time, save these spells for when you have a target that’s pulled away from a larger group. Minimize the number of characters seeing your “line, and you’ll be just fine.
However, throw any group into a PvP situation, and the entire “stand back and heal” strategy doesn’t always work. Healers and especially the “hybrid” type healing classes must be on their toes at all times. Unlike AI opponents, PvP gamers will take pleasure in seeing a healer standing behind all of his teammates, trying to heal them. However, if you throw yourself in the middle of a group, you may as well kiss your little healing ass goodbye.
As a hybrid healer, I’ve played enough RvR in beta and into the headstart that I feel confident in helping new WAR Archmages really get a grip on their responsibilities in RvR environments and exactly how they can best help their group. It’s a relatively limited list, so if you have any further suggestion for Archmages, make sure you speak up in the forums!
General Archmage Tier 1 Strategies
1. Always Be Alert - Perhaps the most non-specific tip out of all of my Archmage strategies, it is still probably the most important. Unlike your tanking brethren, Archmages don’t have enough hit points to ever be taking unknown damage. There have been numerous occasions where I was watching every health bar but my own, and then was faced with a “You’re Dead!” screen. Know where your enemies are at all times, and make sure that your friends are between you and any baddies that might be heading your way.
While you’re strictly a healer in the MMOG sense, Archmages are true “hybrids” meaning they have almost an equal number of damaging and healing spells. A true Archmage should come out of an RvR scenario with only a bit more damage than healing done. You’re an equal opportunity healer and killer, so make sure you operate that way to get the most XP and Renown for your buck.
2. More DoTs! – Although Archmages don’t have a huge arsenal of damaging spells, we do have one thing that allows us to absolutely shine in RvR. DoTs. Lots of ‘em. Opponents hate getting hit by damage over time (DoT) spells, and the Archmage has a whole treasure trove of these spells at his disposal.
In fact, Archmages even have DoTs that allow them to heal their teammates! These DoTs are great to use in RvR scenarios; most of them are instant cast and do a generous amount of damage to your opponents while keeping your allies alive. If you do find yourself without anyone to heal, just throw DoTs on all the baddies you see. You’ll rake in the XP and Renown.
3. Don’t Be a Selfish Healer – I can’t stress this enough: Archmages are healers. Despite all of the calls to the contrary, our number one priority as Archmages is still to heal our teammates. If we don’t do this, we die. Keep an eye out on the health bars in your group at all times. Use your F1 – F6 keys regularly to cycle through the allies and make sure they’re all staying alive. You’ll still gain XP and Renown this way, so don’t think of it as any skin off your back. You’ll still be rewarded.
4. Be a Selfish Healer – However, if you are faced with a whole squadron of Marauders descending upon you, don’t hesitate to hit that F1 button and lay some heals on yourself. In essence, you’ll be “tanking” the group that’s hitting you, and more often than not you’ll be able to keep yourself alive long enough for your allies to come in and at least pull a number of them away from you. Groups need healers that stay alive, so make sure you’re always up and moving around.
5. Move Strategically – The best way for Archmages and healers to stay alive in RvR combat is moving strategically. Utilize your environment. Stay away from flat, open areas. Stay close to your teammates, but don’t get in the middle of the action. If there’s a high point that you can access, get there so you can see the battlefield. You’re a veritable god of damage and healing, so act like one. As an Archmage, you’re a veritable force to be reckoned with, and you need to make sure you’re in the prime position to achieve your goals whether they’re healing or killing.
6. Hustle But Don’t Hurry – As my father always said, you shouldn’t move slowly, but you shouldn’t hurry either. Just hustle. This same strategy works well in Mythic’s RvR battles. As a back row combatant, you shouldn’t be eager to go racing off into the fray, but you’ll need to keep an eye on where your tanks and DPSers are running off to. Make sure you’re safe, then head over to that area. It does you almost no good to go rushing off into an area where danger is lurking.
7. Use “Line” Spells with Caution – There are a number of spells (Radiant Gaze, Searing Touch, etc.) in the Archmage’s arsenal that are quite problematic in RvR scenarios. Why? These spells create an effect “line” to their target, highlighting exactly where that line of nastiness is coming from. The quickest way for a Destruction DPSer to come charging through the ranks to kill you is to see one of those “lines” flash in front of his face.
However, both of these spells are quite potent, and shouldn’t be neglected either. Rather than using them all the time, save these spells for when you have a target that’s pulled away from a larger group. Minimize the number of characters seeing your “line, and you’ll be just fine.