NBI Week Four: Learning Is Fun

I haven’t said or done too much in regards to the New Blog Initiative, despite my thoughts that it was a great idea.  However, I did decide to take part in Battlechicken‘s challenge for this week, which is all about research and discovering something new.  Coincidentally, I’d recently spoken to my guild leader Yuush about focusing more on being a Holy Paladin rather than a Prot Pally at 85. As this is my first Paladin to get past level 16, I’ve learned that I love tanking with Saintvache.  I always had a Holy OS, but that doesn’t mean I’ve ever used it.  I have healers if I want to heal.  Saintvache just rounds everything up and watches it fall.  But that doesn’t mean I’m against the notion.  Quite the contrary.

I’m more than happy to take on the role of a Holy Paladin, save for one minor detail.  That would be not having the foggiest clue about healing as a Paladin.  Not stats, not spells, not glyphs…sweet fuggle.  My first thought in reading some of the spells I’ve got (aside from those that I had nearby for saving my tank butt because of unpredictable pugging), there’s some similarities to other healing.  I also know Spirit, Int, Haste will matter to some degree.  Looking at MMO Melting Pot I learn I’m not far off:

1. Intellect
2. Haste
3. Crit
4. Mastery

Spirit isn’t on the list because it’s priority fluctuates based on your mana and mana management.  Again, with a couple of other healers (though only one at 85), this doesn’t surprise me too terribly.  It’s pretty much the healing foundation.

So now what?  Sweet, there’s a link to Kurn’s guide aka Holy-How-To.  First thing Kurn looks at is talents.  Let me just say in terms of explaining a talent tree, this is about as good as it gets in my opinion.  Basically presented like a stop light, right?  Green is go, red is stop/avoid, and yellow is proceed with caution.  In game terms it comes down to options that vary depending on your build.  There’s also an awesome explanation of the talents and why you do or don’t want them.

So, let’s take a look at Saintvache’s tree and how I made out on my own.  Well, from the gate I’ve gone with 32 points and Kurn only mentions 31.  Without any research I also seemed to recognize the talents that were useless and still hit the major ones.  Go me!  I didn’t take Crusade in the Retribution tree due to not reading it close enough and thus not understanding it’s usefulness.  I’ll be respec’ing to tighten up my ability, at which point I’ll correct this oversight.

Of course, I’m nowhere near geared or glyphed for Healing though.  Heck, I don’t even think I’ve got Saintvache all his tanking glyphs (quick Armory check and sure enough, missing a Prime and all minor).  I have managed to put together some gear that would do for now, but come 85 I’ll obviously need to get better.

Looking at spells that Paladins use, I’m optimistic they’ll have a few less than a Priest.  I find as a Priest I have a tonne of spells.  It’s not as bad as it sounds, as I have my core ones and then a plethora of situational ones (Fear Ward, Shackle Undead, Flash Heal).  Still, a less cluttered UI would be nice.  Oh, what’s that?  Kurn tells me Paladins have 25 abilities.  Excuse me while I cry in the corner…wait!  Look at this!  A complete run down of all those abilities and when to use them, including specific bosses.  Well that’s explanatory.  Let me just say the first time I heal with Myth, if it goes even close to well, I think they need to send flowers to Kurn as a thank you.

It seems as though the one thing I’ll have to get used to as a Paladin healer over the other classes, is Holy Power.  I’ve come to understand it pretty good while tanking, so it won’t be too much of an adjustment.  That will come more in when to use it (and with which of the two healing spells) as well as how best to generate it while healing.

However, I’m not about to take for granted it’s as simple as that, and I certainly recognize more opinions are better than just one.  I would’ve hit Paladin Schmaladin for some help, but unfortunately it’s days are long gone.  Fortunately, a writer who joined the site late in its existence is my son’s godfather, so he’ll certainly be able to help me out.  I also have my good friend Magik, who has a Prot/Holy Paladin in Claws of Nature.  He’s pretty good at both roles, so having both him and the godfather to talk things through verbally will help.  Then, much like back in the days of learning how best to Priest heal, it will come down to trial and error, and familiarity.

With any luck, I’ll get the hang of it just as I have with my Shaman thus far.  It’s just the matter of testing my theory and abilities once I fix things talent/glyph/action bar wise.  Hopefully there won’t be more than one or two wipes in the process!

Can we heal it? YES WE CAN….I think.