What is your playstyle like in Instances

MystiMonk - Sanctuary · May 2010

This is mine in Instances.

I usually rely on others in instances to do the dding as I do the healing and buffing.I am thinking of changing my playstyle to be more offense Cleric untill we get to the boss if others die just revive it saves me from going to town.I go to town a lot while being more supportive.

I hardly ever attack or use my offense skills in Instances more of supportive skills IH instead of WT.I get tired of going to town which usually happens in every BH I do because no one is clearing the way for me or watching out for me.

I am rethinking my playstyle here as to why I haven't leveled.

What do you others think go more offensive untill we get to boss and help with the dding instead of IHing everyone on the way to the boss as well?

What is yours like?

BlooD_PRINCE - Heavens Tear · May 2010

Get a better squad.

I find defensive clerics to be very important in a squad especially in BH as they heal more and usually know what to do. There are always gonna be squads that boss you around, let you die and all but it's all up to you to ask them to clear the way up and if they do not listen to you, abandon them before you loose all your precious exp xD

All BH squads depend heavily on clerics and it's up to them to protect both their teammates and their own hp.

So, I'd advice you to keep being a defensive cleric but you might want to dump some points in vit too so that you don't die all that much ;D

Balthier - Dreamweaver · May 2010

Ok, this is something I try to say to every cleric dying too much.

If you are dying alot, it usually means two things.

#1. You're too squishy (Get better gear, or follow my advice on #2).

#2. You're too nice!

By #2, I mean, you are healing people before they have agroed all the mobs, because you don't want them to die. You should NEVER do this, unless you KNOW you can handle the agro from the mobs. Wait untill all the mobs are agroed, then heal. If the barb/bm is not agroing all the mobs and dies, you can just res him/her, where if you heal to keep them alive, get agro and dies, you need to port. Which is better ^^?

If the dead person rages, tell him he should agro all the mobs, and you will heal him. If he continues to rage, dont res him b:laugh

In alot of instances you might not spot all the mobs in range on screen, so as a cleric, you will need to pay good attention to your minimap, and tell the others about stray mobs. That way they can agro them, and everyone is happy.

As for being more offensive, sure thing. Often times if you help DD on mobs, they die faster, and less heals are needed. Just pay attention to your squad members HP.

Reichle - Sanctuary · May 2010

MystiMonk - Sanctuary wrote: »

1. I usually rely on others in instances to do the dding as I do the healing and buffing.
2. I am thinking of changing my playstyle to be more offense Cleric untill we get to the boss if others die just revive it saves me from going to town.
3. I go to town a lot while being more supportive.

4. I hardly ever attack or use my offense skills in Instances more of supportive skills IH instead of WT.
5. I get tired of going to town which usually happens in every BH I do because no one is clearing the way for me or watching out for me.

6. What do you others think go more offensive untill we get to boss and help with the dding instead of IHing everyone on the way to the boss as well?

7. What is yours like?

Srry, I had to number them, cuz I have a response to like every sentence, lmao.
1. Relying on others for DDing isnt bad, and you're there for your healing/buffing skills.
2. You can be an offensive cleric without letting people die, and if someone dies while you're being offensive, and that person is the tank, guess who the mob's coming for next?Thaz right. You.
3. If you go to town a lot, it might not be just because you're being supportive. It could be you heal aggroed, plain normal aggroed a wandering mob, or some fail barb didn't aggro the mobs.
4. Wellspring is very good for quick heals on squishys that grab aggro. Ironheart isnt the ONLY heal to use on the way to the boss.
5. Like I said before, this may not be the only reason. And you don't need to rely on others to "watch out" for you. Sure, it's a squad, but everyone watches out for themselves to some degree. I think you would do well to keep that in mind. Your priority should be to keep yourself alive, if you really hate going to town that much.
6. DDing on the way to the boss is a good idea if you have a smaller squad (3/4 people), because if someone's health goes down, you can react quickly. In a full squad, there will probably be nukes (eh-em, wizzes, psys, archers) who grab aggro, and you may need your full concentration to heal them in time so that they dont die.
7. I used to go DD in squads, a little bit, maybe get one hit on each mob, but I find that now I only DD if there's another cleric in the squad. If the squad is really small (2/3 people), then I DD just to make things go faster. I find that if you plan on going offensive, your timing has to be better, because for me, I have IH at the end of my button skill panels, but i need to switch panels if I want to wellspring, because my panels are organized by attack, buff, and heal (each one panel). So being supportive for me is easier because I just stay on the heal panel.
OH YEAH!!! I forgot one important factor with DDing as a cleric. MANA. If you dont have a charm or a lot of pots on you, DDing is NOT the way to go.
---wow this is the most I've said on a forum, like, ever. O___O

Picky - Lost City · May 2010

MystiMonk - Sanctuary wrote: »

This is mine in Instances.

1. I usually rely on others in instances to do the dding as I do the healing and buffing. I am thinking of changing my playstyle to be more offense Cleric untill we get to the boss if others die just revive it saves me from going to town.

I tend to rely on others to DD as well. When there is an opportunity to DD, then I will. ie. When i see the Barb throw up his turtle, then i know i have a few seconds to phys/ele seal the boss and maybe get in 1 or 2 hits before i'm back to healing. In my case its a bit easier as my rl husband plays a barb so he usually lets me know when to "let loose" b:laugh and hit away. If you want to DD a bit, make sure you stack some IH or throw on a rejuve heal, then go ahead seal/hit but make sure you go back to healing. A few times I've gotten carried away (bad cleric) and had the hubby scream for healing hahah Its alot harder to DD if it is a boss that debuffs so always good to keep that in mind.

2. I go to town a lot while being more supportive.

I tend to do this too. I see someones hp drop and forget to look at the situation. If they have a ton of mobs on them, we will always get the heal agro. Bad habit. Try to make sure the tank has grabbed agro beofre you heal. Dont forget you can always rez them, but there is noone to rez you. Also, you die, tank dies, party dies. Its most important that you stay alive. If the party doesnt realize that....find another party b:victory

3. I hardly ever attack or use my offense skills in Instances more of supportive skills IH instead of WT

See answer to question one. Hope that helps a bit.

4. I get tired of going to town which usually happens in every BH I do because no one is clearing the way for me or watching out for me.

Perhaps you could let them know before hand and remind your party (if its all strangers) that its in everyones best interest to protect the cleric. If course that also means that you watch when you are healing and if someone really wants to go rambo and go mob, then they better be taking pots or making sure they have agro or that will just spell trouble for you.

I am rethinking my playstyle here as to why I haven't leveled.

5. What do you others think go more offensive untill we get to boss and help with the dding instead of IHing everyone on the way to the boss as well?

I think its very possible to have a good balance of DD and support. Unless there are two ep's in the party, I will always believe that its our duty as the cleric to support before all else

6. What is yours like?

I'm support most definitely when it comes to instances that are a bit more difficult or doing something for the first time. However, that being said, if i'm helping with a bh 39 or a something i know i can tank heehe then its WHEE!! have some fun!

b:pleased Hope this helps a bit

LeLelle - Sanctuary · May 2010

I ran with some guildie alts on a BH39 once. They started comparing me to some cleric they ran with a lot who was usually too busy acting like a tank to heal like he should. We don't want to become somebody elses complaint.

But there are times when DDing is good. Help kill a mob quick enough, and nobody needs healed.

A barb remined me once that the less I helped him kill, the higher his repair bill was going to be. LOL

But of course, when its boss time, we all have our jobs to do. Sometimes when I take a break from healing to debuff the boss, I have to pay for it in extra IH's (and extra MP).

kaerys · May 2010

I heal and buff. I will be nice and heal even before aggro is taken. I will do so up to 2 deaths, because if they can't take aggro off before I die then yea...find a better squad.

If the tank's hp is stable I help dd

Tainte - Lost City · May 2010

When I'm in TT with some friends and another cleric, I usually DD and debuff. Otherwise, I'm more of a support person b:cute

I was (and still am) crazy squishy, but I learned the hard way that in order for the squad to go quicker, my being alive was more important than the tank being alive. When other people rage, calling me a fail cleric for not healing when they hadn't attacked the mobs yet, I give them a b:bye yeayeasuresurewhatever and leave squad. In my experience, the majority of the squad followed soon after xD.

But yea- I just decided, do I want this tank to die? Can I survive if I heal him? If the answer is no, I cannot survive, then I stand and wait for them to die, all the while spamming "Hit the mobs! HIT THE MOBS!" They don't comply, they die- not my fault.

If I decide that I can live with the mobs on me, hopefully the tank notices that more than him not hitting all the mobs, then I normally pop up plume shell, give myself a few IHs and continue with business as usual.

I rarely DD in average BH runs, however. I like to keep my mouse over the skill bars in case something slips up and I have to do some emergency healing =P

However, when I'm doing TT runs with my closer friends, including a higher level cleric that does all the healing, I know that I can trust them regardless. I just all out DD because I know for sure that there's no way I can out DD the tank b:chuckle

DeathBanana - Heavens Tear · May 2010

I heal, buff, debuff, DD, and still somehow manage to take aggro

Fruitluips - Lost City · May 2010

Once you're comfortable enough playing as a cleric, the opportunities to safely DD will be clear. When you know the following with little to no uncertainty, you'll start getting friend requests:

* Predicting aggro theft.
If you can anticipate that the dders are gonna **** off the mob, you can start changing your plan early instead of during the chaos. You also have two skills that can stop a mob in its place; Silent Seal will be good as long as the mob's not in range, and Chromatic Seal is better for stray mobs that wander into the fray.
* Being efficient and fast with your heals.
Mostly watch your group, but casually glance at the health bars to catch damage you may have missed. Get a good idea of how much Wellspring Surge will give. A lot of times it's better to do that first because Ironheart takes a moment to kick in. If you have 2.5 seconds to spare, Stream of Rejuvenation works wonders on a barb who's getting dangerously low. The last part can end up being vital for bosses like Polearm; if you don't purify fast enough (read: instantly), he can rip through your barb's 10k hp quickly.
* Patience and holding your tongue.
Often the cleric is not the source of the problems in parties, and your troubles are coming from one or more of your squad mates. As annoying as "fail" parties are, they give an excellent (and sometimes much needed) tutorial on emergency situations. My BH59 parties during the 70s were some of the worst things I've had to put up with in PW, but I'm a better cleric because of them. Try not to berate your squad members for their mistakes (guilty b:embarrass) because, after you save their asses enough times, they will either notice their faults or you'll be done with them for the day.
* Know the instance and the entire path.
Take a good look during your FB because you'll be back there if you do Bounty Hunter or run it for someone else. You should take time to learn: the path from start to finish, stationary mobs that can be avoided, roaming patrol mobs (including two of three bosses in Frostcovered Grounds), the behavior and attack patterns of all mobs you can potentially run into, and any special quirks of the instance you happen to be in. These are things all classes should know, but good clerics should take extra care to learn them because the others won't always do so. If saving the day isn't your thing, pick another class.

All of this is common sense to me (and hopefully others reading this), but enough people don't seem to know it.

MystiMonk - Sanctuary · June 2010

Hmm.Where to start I guess I am to nice I know the supportive part as Play and still do a healing class in another game.We will go with 2 healers usually in 6 man parties.

I would have to say the reason I go down is because of the squad window as I am not in it .I hardly look at my icon to see my own hps.I may have to click on the overhead thingy.I would have to say as we are slow as compared to the other healer class I play walks fast.I do have holy path.

I was wondering what you all do when doing a bh in TT I would probably ask them to clear.I guess I am so used to having others having resses in the other game I play which they do.

I guess one thing I could do is that if the path is safe then move ahead even if they are further ahead.I know I am going to be doing bhs for sometime although getting to 85 will be nice so I can do FF as a change.

My vit btw is 66 or 68 with everything off no buffs.

Teeki - Dreamweaver · June 2010

for me, if i am in an instance i have little or no experience in i let the squad know and ask them for guidance. if i do know the instance well then in most cases i will take on a defensive roll (healing/purifying). however, i have learned to watch the players themselves to anticipate what they're going to do. if i see someone aggroing a bunch of mobs i make sure they aoe before i start healing them. if they don't, they die.

when it comes to dd'ing i will dd only if i feel that my healing is way more than sufficient to keep the tank/squad alive. otherwise im purely a healer

as for vit, i myself have 70 base vit and have no plans on adding more, though i do gain alot of hp through my gears (dbl what i have when naked).

remember if you are the sole cleric in the squad and happen to die, you will have to return to town (unless you bring a rez scroll). heal wisely.

p.s. i only use rez scrolls if i am in a squad i like b:cute

XxLady_XelxX - Dreamweaver · June 2010

I just kinda go with the flow, letting the rest of the squad do their thing while I keep them happy and healthy. Certainly I take opportunities to DD if I'm comfortable, but I don't make it a priority.

...Unless I know the squad and the tank well, and don't have to worry about charms ticking while I go nuts. Then I tear into anything that moves like the wrath of Pan Gu. Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!! >=D

RedsRose - Lost City · June 2010

I just let people die if they are going to be stupid...They get Zero exp loss from me so if they aggro a not-so-very-nice mob, etc....I will stand there b:chuckle

Better for them to die with no penalty then for me to die and have to SLOWLY run through the instance again.

Oh and I am primary healing...now though, at times, I can dd and heal.

Maragon - Dreamweaver · June 2010

when i'm in a random squad I mostly only heal because I dont know their style. just have to be sure to keep everyone alive. things I watch is mob movement and character placement so that if a DD steals aggro on a mob I know who most likely stole by the direction the mob moves and then start wellspring on them cuz IH prolly wont catch up.

with a squad of friends I'm a bit more relaxed on that. run in, IH tank, DD while watching what i mentioned, heal if something goes wrong, otherwise pass out wellspring after that group is dead and continue.

if someones annoys you ignore them, yes keep them alive, but otherwise ignore them. They have just caused you healing them to become lower on your priority list.b:chuckle

LadyTsukiyo - Harshlands · June 2010

When I'm in an instance I will DD and help kill mobs. Use occassional IH to those who are in need of it because healing with a group of mobs only equals to death...gotta hate heal aggro mobs >.<

Deceptistar - Sanctuary · June 2010

i DD, and switch to heal+purify only when the members HP are 75%-60% and pray for them that their HP charm doesnt tick cause im just that nice even tho my mp charms constantly ticking. b:laugh But yeah i do switch to heals completely when someones starting a barrage or the squad dives in a mass aoe nest. (with everyones consent)

Flickerfae - Sanctuary · June 2010

I've been accused of over-healing, because I like to drop IHs whenever I see someone's hp fall, even if they're not really in any danger. b:chuckle

I'm very defensive. I will usually stack an IH on the tank before they run into a group of mobs (note: before, not during, lest the wrath of heal aggro be brought upon the squad). And if I see the tank's hp getting low, but there's still a stray mob or three not aggroed, I'll usually heal the tank (drawing aggro), pop an hp powder, and start fighting defensively. Usually, a dder will notice me in danger and save my butt, but most clerics can handle at least a little aggro if they're properly prepared. You can always rez the tank after the fight (after a stern talk about aggroing all the mobs, of course!)

I've also been called bossy, because I make no qualms about telling people if they're doing something that endangers the group (like not aggroing all the mobs, or squishy nukes using skills with a less-than-ideal tank). If you see people habitually doing something that leads to you dying, tell them. Clerics are in the unique position of watching the entire group at once; we tend to have a much better sense of what everyone's doing at any given time than other classes. Yes, there's a fine line between being stern and telling people how to play their class... but, chances are, if they make the same mistake over and over, they need a hefty reminder at the least.

Also, I usually carry a couple rez scrolls with me, jsut in case. Honestly, I don't use them that much (I think I've used one in the last 3 months), but that's because I don't die that often. Maybe it's the fact that I have decent HP and gear, or maybe my playstyle is highly self-preserving, or maybe I've just lucked out in squads. Either way, every time you die, it's your job to figure out what went wrong and make sure it doesn't happen again... whether it's by micro-managing your squads or making sure you have a couple hp-regen powders in your pocket.

As for DDing... I see it as an option only after I've evaluated to style of the squad. If they seem able to take care of themselves, or if there's another healer in squad who's taken over healing and doing it well... then, yeah, I'll DD. But aggro management is always important in that case. Keep an eye on the healer, and make sure to hit the mob the tank is going after, so you don't steal aggro. Typical dd stuff, you know? Except, of course, if the other cleric is in danger or having trouble, you can always pop out a heal of your own to ease the burden.

Roxiann - Heavens Tear · June 2010

Well I've changed my style a lot. I used to heal everyone and DD when ever possible. I drained so much mana and would use so many pots doing it. I just heal now and unless theres another cleric healing, I may DD, or when they really need me to DD for some reason. If anyone feels that me just healing is lazy by any means, they can pay for my mana pots and I will happily play two roles in my sqaud. So far I've had no complaints, but have been getting a lot of compliments lately.

Reichle - Sanctuary · June 2010

roxiann - Heavens Tear wrote: »

well I've Changed My Style A Lot. I Used To Heal Everyone And Dd When Ever Possible. I Drained So Much Mana And Would Use So Many Pots Doing It. I Just Heal Now And Unless Theres Another Cleric Healing, I May Dd, Or When They Really Need Me To Dd For Some Reason. If Anyone Feels That Me Just Healing Is Lazy By Any Means, They Can Pay For My Mana Pots And I Will Happily Play Two Roles In My Sqaud. So Far I've Had No Complaints, But Have Been Getting A Lot Of Compliments Lately.

Omg Same Here +1

What is your playstyle like in Instances

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