Order of Honor

Introduction to Plate Healing in a Group - Instance Healing, Additional Suggestions and Definition of Terms

Good healing is invisible. The group powers through the mobs, the loot drops, and the tank feels invincible. Don't be fooled - the healer's an essential part of the team. Ask any group that has wiped over and over again, or suffered through a healer who thought he was a tank or a dps death machine.

(NOTE: there are many good styles to healing. Anyone who tries to tell you that their way is the only way, or that their AA spec is the only right one, likely isn't worth listening to. My recommendations are only that, recommendations, based on years of successful healing in groups and instances. If you find them valuable, enjoy them; if not, craft a style that better suits your adventuring needs.)

INSTANCE (OR GROUP) HEALING
Here's a brief description of an encounter in a goal situation: great instance, with a good, full group, fighting a heroic Named mob (at or above level) who drops exquisite chests (why think small?).
-->Indicates an action within the encounter.
The rest is explanation, description, and opinion.

RESURRECTION ITEMS and DEBUFFING
-->Cast that rez item spell
The divine essences will appear in everyone's inventory automatically. Renew only when someone rezzes you.
-->Buff the tank (see Tank Buffs below in Definition of Terms)
All of the other buffs will automatically carry over to your new group members.

TO PRE-WARD OR NOT TO PRE-WARD
Whenever there are active heal spells (see Pre-ward, Reactive and Threat below), the monster likes the healer as the target, until someone else gains its attention. To Pre-ward means to cast an active heal spell before combat even begins. Threat is THE factor to consider in pre-warding; if the group's tank is inexperienced, unable to consistently handle aggro, or objects (hasn't happened to me, but you never know), give it up or be prepared to die horribly (see Pre-ward below). If there are multiple bad guys, again, resist the urge to see how quickly you can die. In this situation, however, we're fighting a single Named, and the tank is experienced and thoroughly familiar with healers and their eccentricities.

-->Pre-ward and cast a group reactive and then an individual reactive on the tank.
Maintain these spells throughout the encounter. (Wondering why? See Reactive below and read on)
-->Maintain Line-of-Sight and stay in range of the tank.
Make it a habit, in combat or out. If you are not there to save the tank, he dies. The group dies. Not fun.
-->The tank body-pulls our fictitious Named.
At this point, our tank can see the monster is targeting - you guessed it - the healer. A good tank will immediately regain aggro with ease. A less experienced tank will be surprised when it rushes past to smash the healer.
-->The tank regains aggro and turns the monster
(For a description of the tank's role, and why he does what he does, take a look at Mathafern's tanking guide.)

COMBAT
-->The Named hits like a truck
-->Healer casts a quick spot-heal to bring the tank back up to full health
Because the healer pre-warded, the blow was cushioned by reactives (see Reactive below), and the healer is able to recover without batting an eyelash.
-->Debuff galore
When you see a good group at work, the debuffs and DoTs light up the mob like a Christmas tree (see Debuff below)
-->Recast individual and group reactives
Layers of healing goodness are the secret to successful healing.
-->Named hits with an AoE (Area-of-Effect)
Group members are often saved from minor AoE by the group reactive. However, our Named, in this situation, hits really hard (remember, we're dreaming big).
-->Healer throws out a quick group heal, and everyone is back to full health
If there had been no group reactive to soak up the damage, it would have taken several group heals to recover. Also, what about our tank, who's taking huge amounts of damage in the meantime?
-->Healer continuously scans the group's health for sudden changes
Avoid damage spells - they are a distraction. The others can dance rings around you in dps, so LET THEM. That is their job. Yours is keeping everyone alive - hardly an inconsequential task. Exception: you really really know what you are doing. If you are a battlecleric, you should be in healing spec to solo-heal an instance like this.
-->Maintain the group reactive and individual reactive on the tank
(At this point, combat settles down to a rough rhythm, if all goes well. Reactives, debuff, reactives, debuff, with spot-heals or group heals inserted as necessary)
-->Combat ends
-->Loot for all

OR (in my experience, the most common hiccup in an otherwise smooth encounter)

-->Tank loses aggro at some point in the combat
Mages and scouts can hit very hard, and they will gain the monster's attention from time to time, so we'll use them as an example.
-->Scout takes serious damage
-->Healer slaps an individual reactive on scout and spot-heals
or
-->Mage takes damage (any prolonged damage is serious to a squishy)
-->Healer throws fast, small spot-heal on mage, followed by group heal if indicated
If that mob decides he likes someone else more than he likes the tank, be ready to slap on a reactive and spot-heal. Always, maintain the tank's reactive and group reactive - that mob will go back to the tank, and he'll need the healing protection. If multiple group members have taken damage, add a group heal, and solve more than one problem at a time (for more information, see Additional Combat Suggestions).
-->Tank regains aggro
These things can happen very, very quickly. Scouts and mages do gain aggro, patrols wander into the fray, adds can be mistakenly pulled into the group. Shifting gears like that is difficult, but use those emergency heal spells (those instant individual and group heal spells on the long timer) if you need the extra heal power, but can't spare the casting time. This is the perfect time to use a fast-cast AA spell (An AA ability at the end of the Int Cleric tree that hastens casting time and reuse timers - I highly recommend it for healing spec and use it often for adds, patrols, and unexpected happenings). Go ahead and blow all of these if you need them, but if you know a bigger fight is coming, it might be wiser to wait. (Personally, I love a challenge and live for the tough save. It's a rush to rescue the group from certain death.)
-->Named succumbs to the inevitable
-->Loot for all

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

For adds: punch any kind of speed spell (casting & reuse) you have. If a squishy takes a hit, spot heal him back to health. If an off-tank or sturdier type starts dropping, slap on an individual reactive, making sure to maintain the tank's reactive and overall group reactive. Now they are more important than ever. If more than one person starts taking damage, use the group heals. There's no time to individually spot heal a squishy and an off-tank and a main tank. Use those emergency instant heal spells with the long timers, if you need to - they will save precious time and can recover a desperate situation.

For dual tanks: Sometimes circumstances require that the off-tank handle one mob, while the main tank handles another. Group reactives are critical for this - they'll keep both of them slowly healing. Individual reactives on both of the tanks are necessary, as well. Maintenance of these is crucial; if one expires, that tank will suddenly become a crisis and start dropping. There's usually no time for an individual spot-heal, and it divides the healer's attention, so group spot-heals fill in while the wards are busy doing their magic. Obviously, power becomes an issue, but dual-tanking is a healing-intensive venture to begin with, so I take potions and spam manastones, shards, hearts, whatevever during a fight like this. It's a challenge.

Lost aggro: If that mob decides he likes someone else more than he likes the tank, be ready to slap on a reactive and spot-heal. Always, maintain the tank's reactive and group reactive... that mob will go back to the tank, and he'll need the healing protection. Note: sometimes one has to heal through the mob, particularly in raids. There are some fun monsters out there that switch or even teleport their targets, and targeting directly through them saves
precious time figuring out who's got the aggro.

Squishies: For a squishy, spot heal him back to health; it doesn't take much. I always try to keep them at full, simply because there is so little time to save them when they start dropping. Group reactives should do that, but occasionally they need an extra spot heal when time allows. When aggro takes a liking to them, use spot heals, group heals, and occasionally an indiv reactive, being sure to keep up your group reactive. Things get exciting when the squishies start dropping.

DoT Removal: there are many wicked DoTs out there that root, stun or fear the tank. Removing them is tedious but sometimes absolutely crucial. Be familiar with your individual cure (lvl 5 spell), as well as your group removal cure.

Death of a healer: If another healer dies, and no one has been designated official rezzer, hop to it and rez! The sooner, the better. Otherwise you're fighting a losing battle. It may feel like you are too busy to rez, but really the group's already lost the battle. Bringing back the healer gives the group a chance. Watch out for each other; heal each other and rez, and you'll have a formidable group/raid.


DEFINITION OF TERMS

(note: when discussing combat in below definitions, the assumption carries that the group is facing at-level or above-level heroic monsters in a challenging instance with a full party. That's where healers shine, and where the group wants to be, to garner master spells and good gear. No mention will be made of soloing or messing about with greens - however fun that may be, we're thinking big, and we're thinking instance)

AA Mirror and Healing Spec
A high-level crafter can make a house item for you that can store a particular AA setup. Clerics should always have a healing spec available, for instance healing and/or raiding. If you solo or duo a lot, you may prefer to run mostly with a more damage-oriented battlecleric spec. Many raid inquisitors go for agi, str, and stamina (cleric tree), and do very little in the way of healing.. I personally save an Undead AA (for Protection from Undead), for use in one of the many instances that are undead-oriented (T8: Vaults, CoA, Karnor's Castle).

Buffs
Get good versions of these spells, as they tend to affect the entire party.

Tank buffs
There are great spells out there that help make the tank bigger, faster, and stronger. Figure out which these are - usually you're looking for an increase in mitigation, health, and extra damage. These are generally permanent, and do not have to be renewed unless the caster dies. There may be some that can be cast on more than one person; figure out who in the group will be pulling aggro away from the tank (and thus getting hit more often) and buff them up. Examples: rangers, swashies, off-tanks (another fighter in the group), or anyone else that may attract mob attention.

Debuffs
These often get overlooked by flashy dr00ds (see Oogie's post) and healers who are in it for the parse. However, they can make the difference between wipe and win. They weaken, slow, lower resists, stun, and so on, allowing the party to do more damage to the bad guy while suffering less in the way of damage to themselves. End result: less trouble healing, and more power saved, because there is less healing. The big, bad guy drops. Loot for all.

Damage spells
If you are solo-healing a tough instance, it's time to switch from battlecleric to healer. Damage can be a distraction from the main job, which is keeping an eye on the group's health and HEALING. Exceptions: See backup healers. 'Dps' refers to damage providers and often damage in general (Oogie's post on dr00ds is insightful and should be read by any healer who's having a dps identity crisis).

DoT Removal
There are some wicked DoTs (Damage over time) out there than can stun, fear, root, or even cause the tank to attack fellow group members. DoT removal may be tedious, but in some cases it makes the difference between life and group wipe. Every healer has a cure (lvl 5 spell) that will remove DoTs from a single group member. We also have a group cure that will remove MOST DoTs from our entire group, although it has an irritating timer. You may not see much of this pre-T8, but once you hit lvl 70, be prepared to DoT remove like a champion. (Note: look for the symbol appearing just below group members' names. If it is bright, it's a DoT that can be removed; if it looks duller, it must be endured.)

The Tank
He/She's the main responsibility. Stay in range. Maintain line-of-sight. Keep him targeted, so that you can both heal and debuff through him. Let the tank lead! That's his job. No one will thank you for dashing ahead and expiring on the spot. If he's already pulled, you'll bring new friends to the party, and then everyone will wipe. Remember, the healer dies, everyone dies. Keep him un-stunned and un-feared - those traumas and noxious tend to be overlooked, but some of them are wicked, and a stunned tank could mean a wipe (note: the new group cure still has some issues, like a timer and frequent failure, so this isn't always possible).

Threat
Threat refers to the bad guy's attention. Ideally, the tank will offer the most threat, and keep the monster's attention. However, heal spells generate threat. You'll notice this if you heal someone who's training (think tank leading the group - running for all he's worth - through bucketloads of bad guys. Choo choo), because suddenly the whole parade will desert the tank and start attacking you. Squish. Look for spells that decrease threat (De-aggro spells for plate healers are generally AoE stun spells). Fire it off the second you catch unwanted attention (multiple mobs and adds, especially, as an experienced tank can pull off a single mob), or you'll be too busy healing for your life. Remember, the healer dies, everybody dies. No one wants the healer tanking!

Spot heals (There is probably a better term out there, but this will do the job)
Oh, they're flashy. They heal instantly for a good amount with less casting time. And they will save your squishies. They'll save the tank, too - if he's layered up in reactives. It takes a lot to damage a tank; if he starts dropping, spot heals will keep you very busy, not do the job, and he'll die.

Reactive
For us, a reactive is a timed heal spell that triggers a certain number of times before expiring. Reactives generate threat (see above) the entire time they are active, so if the group pulls an add, that mob will usually run straight to the healer. Reactives are a group healer's best friends. The group reactive soaks up AoE, buys reaction time for sinking squishies, and adds an extra layer of healing goodness to the tank. Cast it every time, and keep it going - it'll save the party again and again. During combat, individual reactives need to be on the tank at all times. Throw one out as a lifeline to anyone who catches aggro, and then spot-heal.

Pre-Ward
To 'pre-ward' means to cast active heal spells prior to combat. This both cushions the blow (the group and tank regain health constantly with reactives - the tank twice as fast, since he's got the individual reactive AND group reactive at work on him), and leaves the healer ready to either debuff immediately, or lend a heal if the mob hits like a truck. This is a very effective strategy, for the above mentioned reasons; however, it must be avoided in certain situations, if the healer intends to live through the experience. First, determine whether or not the tank is experienced and comfortable with a group. If he/she is experienced, and has shown that they can effortlessly pull aggro off the healer, and has indicated that they are fine with this, pre-warding works like a charm. If not, give it up unless you enjoy the high cost of armor repair. Secondly, if your party fixes a greedy eye upon multiple bad guys (a multiple, linked group, as opposed to a single mob), don't even consider pre-warding. That healer aggro will pull every one of them to you, and you'll get to see how fast you can die. Squish! Or, for plate: crunch, squish! (Note: some healers will never pre-ward - that is their decision, and a decision that every healer has to make for him/herself.)

The backup healer
Ok, there are 2 healers in the group. The tank is the primary concern of the main healer. Removing DoTs, rezzing the dead and keeping squishies (and everyone else) alive is the backup healer's job. So if that warlock or ranger starts dropping, he/she's on it - the main healer stays focused on the tank, and everyone lives. Loot for all. Lend tank heals as needed, of course - letting the tank die helps no one. Keep up those group reactives, indulge in a little dps fun, but don't forget that backup healing is necessary and important for the group to be able to take out that big mob. Not everyone understands the backup role, or defines it differently, so if you're the main healer, be prepared to cooperate and fill in gaps. Ask for help if you need it. (Note: for Templars and Inquisitors, all of our spells stack except for the individual reactive.)

Other Healers
Shaman are famous for their wards, which absorb a certain amount of damage. Druids are known for regeneratives, which increase health over time. Clerics shine with our triggered reactives, which heal every time the target is hit. In a raid, the Main Tank group may have 1 of each kind of healer, although it is more common to have a Cleric (Templar for Sanctuary) and Shaman (Defiler, usually), for the benefit of our buffs. Keep in mind that this is a simplification, and that a healer of any class can be a great healer.

Respectfully Submitted (and written) by Kardinal

Wow Kard, i think i you covered pretty much every point of reference needed not only for those wondering what they are supposed to do in the cleric department, but also all healers in general. well done.

Probably the one thing that I would add would be, in the Cleric department, would be the use of the Soothe spell. This spell is received roughly around level 10, and allows the cleric to reduce the awareness of a target mob. This basically means that it reduces the aggro range of the target mob down to about right in front of his face. This spell becomes extremely useful when soloing, or going through an instance that has two, un-grouped mobs next to each other. The spell allows the tank to pull one of the gaurds, without pulling the other. So whether its making a mob un-aggro so you can harvest a node, or so that you don't wipe on ^^^ door gaurds, skills with the soothe spell is a welcome addition to any cleric's arsenal.

Oh, and a little aside to Templars. probably two of the things that Templars are famous for is Sanctuary, which you attain at level 55, which makes the group immune to all hindering status ailments, probably the best time to use this is at the beginning of any named fight you come across; and your hammer pet, which you gain at level 65, and an upgraded version at level 75. The main thing that you can use your hammer pet to do is basically pull any mob you can target. it will go across zones. This is especially useful in raid zones like the Laboratory of Lord Vyem, aka Labs. It allows you to stand at a safe distance, and let the mob come to you.