- Making Healing Great Again! - 

Before I start I need to explain some things. I have played healbots in almost any and all rpg group play games and mmorpgs over the last 20 years. The classes I have most experiance with are Priest and Druid. I belive these shara alot of things but with a diffrent way of applying their heals. 

All of this means that I like many others here have seen the upsides and downsides of sertain spell dessitions from devs of diffrent games.

As a foundation, Im coming at this from the point of veiw of priests but also with druids in mind.

I am coming at this with the idea in mind that Priests that invoke the power of Gods and/or Holy creatures have a strong inclination towards protection. 

Druids being protectors and channelers of nature having a strong inclination for regeneration and healing over time. 

To make my case and to help getting my points across I have made a loose foundation of heals and helpfull spells that both classes share. Making it simpler to build, balance and explain each class and thier skills/specialisations.

        - Spamming and non Immersive gameplay - 

Like many healers like myself might have noticed, applying HoTs(Healing over time) and Protection(shields) are the least engaging way of playing a class ever. Shields are just trown out and spammed all over the place and HoTs are either trown out to those who have lost small amounts of hp or a folowup spell to another heal. 

Its about as fun as poking my own face while reciting a Shakesperian Tradgedy.

So how could devs go at this and make healing more immersive and intresting for healers?

Channeling! ..or a reimagening of channel to be precises.

One thing I need to clear at the get go. I think shields and hots added to bigger heals should be something you can specc into. This is not about removing those things but making pure shield/hot spells more intresting.

To explain all of this we have to first agree on some basic diffrances between diffrent types of spells and how to apply rules to them. How they all have pros and cons.

        - Movement, Cooldowns and Manacost -

Lets start with Minor, Major and Core heals(A list of example spells will come later): 

The pros of these are simple. They spend mana after the spell is cast giving it a 100% mana => healing with the ability to cancel if the healing is not needed. Being a usefull tool to conserve mana. The con being you are completly rooted while casting meaning you have to be aware of the surrounding and your possition.

        - Now what about channeling, why would this solve anything? -

Unlike casted heals it wont HINDER your movement and root you to the spot but it will LIMIT it instead. Meaning you can still move but limiting it to a walking pace, this mostly to not make channeling very overpowered in both dungeons and especially in pvp. So whats some cons in relation to casting heals? Simple really, mana is cast before the channeling starts, mening if you dont plan ahead and have to cancel the channeling in favor of faster movement or a bigger heal thats mana lost. Meaning you have to use some foresight and engage with your surrounds. This would make protection and healing over time more engaging and not mindless spamming and an afterthought.

        - Last but not least is instantly cast spells. Do they not have a place? -

Yes they do, but we dont want instant casts to make you into a spamm machine and mindless guessing where and when to us it. Instant spells should come with some foresight and be a meaningfull dessition. 

A good place to use it is with Signature Support skills. Large abilities with large manacost, long cooldowns(around 2 or 3 min?) that can make or break an encounter.

        - "Now thats alot of talking, where are your examples?" -

Now we are at the point where I have to acculy demonstrate some basic heals and show thier function. A couple of things of note before I jump into it. Healing should be at maximum spell distance(Around 30meters I would guess?). Hopefully close enough to make things more fun and not turn us into sniper healers that can just heal from across the map.

I have built all of these off a very simplistic system that I hope will showcase my points clearly for those reading, they have no fancy name but only explain what they do. The basic spells I use to build healers are: Minor Heal, Core Heal, Major Heal and a Signature support skill. A large spell that sets your healing class apart from other.Note that this is heals and protection only with only example numbers added. No ress, clense or specialisation improvement of any kind. These things should be a seperate discussion. Note that druids are rearly discussed yet, that should also be its own seperate discussion.

This is a basic healset for most healers where you have 3 choises. This is a good base for any healer.

==========================================

Core Healing ability.

Restore: 140 Health

Range: 30

Cast Time: 2 seconds

==========================================

Minor Healing ability.

Restores: 110 Health

Range: 30

Cast Time: 1.5 seconds

==========================================

Major Healing ability.

Restore: 180 Health

Range: 30

Cast Time: 2 seconds

==========================================

As an example of how a shield could work. It could be a flat decrease of incoming damage or even a raising number to make it more powerfull the longer you channel:

==========================================

Shield ability.

 - Flat Mitigation: 40% damage. 

 - Raising Mitigation: 30%, increasing 5% every second, max 70%

Range: 20

Cooldown: 12 seconds

Channel Time: 8 seconds

Decrease movement speed by 50% while channeling

==========================================

To create a Healing over time example, I would Image this costing as much as a Lesser heal while healing around the same amount as a Core heal? Or somewhere in between? This might be more suited as a druid skill so while priests defend, druid restore. Maybe?

==========================================

Healing over time ability.

Restores: 140 Health

Range: 30

Channel Time: 3-5 seconds?

Decrease movement speed by 50% while channeling

==========================================

And as the big spell that sets priests apart from the other you could add a spell that restores both hp and power recource:

==========================================

Signature Support ability.

Restore: 150 Health & Mana to you and nearby allies.

AoE: 30

Cooldown: 180 seconds

Cast Time: Instant

==========================================

So this is a simple version of what I mean. I hope future healers see this and add to it, we have the ability to make healing to more than just playing whack a mole and spamming. Like I said in the begining. having heals that heal and apply Hots or minor shields is not out of the question and can be by default or even specced in later. Who knows.

We can make healing into something intresting and engaging! WE CAN MAKE HEALING GREAT AGAIN!

Notice; I edited this somewhat after posting. To be up to spead make sure you have seen the latest edit. Sorry about that.

Crose87 wrote:

        - Making Healing Great Again! - 

Before I start I need to explain some things. I have played healbots in almost any and all rpg group play games and mmorpgs over the last 20 years. The classes I have most experiance with are Priest and Druid. I belive these shara alot of things but with a diffrent way of applying their heals. 

All of this means that I like many others here have seen the upsides and downsides of sertain spell dessitions from devs of diffrent games.

As a foundation, Im coming at this from the point of veiw of priests but also with druids in mind.

I am coming at this with the idea in mind that Priests that invoke the power of Gods and/or Holy creatures have a strong inclination towards protection. 

Druids being protectors and channelers of nature having a strong inclination for regeneration and healing over time. 

To make my case and to help getting my points across I have made a loose foundation of heals and helpfull spells that both classes share. Making it simpler to build, balance and explain each class and thier skills/specialisations.

        - Spamming and non Immersive gameplay - 

Like many healers like myself might have noticed, applying HoTs(Healing over time) and Protection(shields) are the least engaging way of playing a class ever. Shields are just trown out and spammed all over the place and HoTs are either trown out to those who have lost small amounts of hp or a folowup spell to another heal. 

Its about as fun as poking my own face while reciting a Shakesperian Tradgedy.

So how could devs go at this and make healing more immersive and intresting for healers?

Channeling! ..or a reimagening of channel to be precises.

One thing I need to clear at the get go. I think shields and hots added to bigger heals should be something you can specc into. This is not about removing those things but making pure shield/hot spells more intresting.

To explain all of this we have to first agree on some basic diffrances between diffrent types of spells and how to apply rules to them. How they all have pros and cons.

        - Movement, Cooldowns and Manacost -

Lets start with Minor, Major and Core heals(A list of example spells will come later): 

The pros of these are simple. They spend mana after the spell is cast giving it a 100% mana => healing with the ability to cancel if the healing is not needed. Being a usefull tool to conserve mana. The con being you are completly rooted while casting meaning you have to be aware of the surrounding and your possition.

        - Now what about channeling, why would this solve anything? -

Unlike casted heals it wont HINDER your movement and root you to the spot but it will LIMIT it instead. Meaning you can still move but limiting it to a walking pace, this mostly to not make channeling very overpowered in both dungeons and especially in pvp. So whats some cons in relation to casting heals? Simple really, mana is cast before the channeling starts, mening if you dont plan ahead and have to cancel the channeling in favor of faster movement or a bigger heal thats mana lost. Meaning you have to use some foresight and engage with your surrounds. This would make protection and healing over time more engaging and not mindless spamming and an afterthought.

        - Last but not least is instantly cast spells. Do they not have a place? -

Yes they do, but we dont want instant casts to make you into a spamm machine and mindless guessing where and when to us it. Instant spells should come with some foresight and be a meaningfull dessition. 

A good place to use it is with Signature Support skills. Large abilities with large manacost, long cooldowns(around 2 or 3 min?) that can make or break an encounter.

        - "Now thats alot of talking, where are your examples?" -

Now we are at the point where I have to acculy demonstrate some basic heals and show thier function. A couple of things of note before I jump into it. Healing should be at maximum spell distance(Around 30meters I would guess?). Hopefully close enough to make things more fun and not turn us into sniper healers that can just heal from across the map.

I have built all of these off a very simplistic system that I hope will showcase my points clearly for those reading, they have no fancy name but only explain what they do. The basic spells I use to build healers are: Minor Heal, Core Heal, Major Heal and a Signature support skill. A large spell that sets your healing class apart from other.Note that this is heals and protection only with only example numbers added. No ress, clense or specialisation improvement of any kind. These things should be a seperate discussion. Note that druids are rearly discussed yet, that should also be its own seperate discussion.

This is a basic healset for most healers where you have 3 choises. This is a good base for any healer.

==========================================

Core Healing ability.

Restore: 140 Health

Range: 30

Cast Time: 2 seconds

==========================================

Minor Healing ability.

Restores: 110 Health

Range: 30

Cast Time: 1.5 seconds

==========================================

Major Healing ability.

Restore: 180 Health

Range: 30

Cast Time: 2 seconds

==========================================

As an example of how a shield could work. It could be a flat decrease of incoming damage or even a raising number to make it more powerfull the longer you channel:

==========================================

Shield ability.

 - Flat Mitigation: 40% damage. 

 - Raising Mitigation: 30%, increasing 5% every second, max 70%

Range: 20

Cooldown: 12 seconds

Channel Time: 8 seconds

Decrease movement speed by 50% while channeling

==========================================

To create a Healing over time example, I would Image this costing as much as a Lesser heal while healing around the same amount as a Core heal? Or somewhere in between? This might be more suited as a druid skill so while priests defend, druid restore. Maybe?

==========================================

Healing over time ability.

Restores: 140 Health

Range: 30

Channel Time: 3-5 seconds?

Decrease movement speed by 50% while channeling

==========================================

And as the big spell that sets priests apart from the other you could add a spell that restores both hp and power recource:

==========================================

Signature Support ability.

Restore: 150 Health & Mana to you and nearby allies.

AoE: 30

Cooldown: 180 seconds

Cast Time: Instant

==========================================

So this is a simple version of what I mean. I hope future healers see this and add to it, we have the ability to make healing to more than just playing whack a mole and spamming. Like I said in the begining. having heals that heal and apply Hots or minor shields is not out of the question and can be by default or even specced in later. Who knows.

We can make healing into something intresting and engaging! WE CAN MAKE HEALING GREAT AGAIN!

Notice; I edited this somewhat after posting. To be up to spead make sure you have seen the latest edit. Sorry about that.

I totally agree with you, I hate just mindless spamming, I think there's where class design can make the difference, also I like the channeled with movement speed penalization idea, I think the rock, paper, scissors principle is fundamental to keep the balance in someway, you are going to have a great healing skill? Ok, but it will cost you that much. 

I fell in love with healers in TESO, most of it because of the action combat system, you use heavy attacks to get resources back, and as healer they drain really fast , but they started ruining all 🤣 getting back to the point, some simple mechanics like the ones you are suggesting can make a big difference.

I like the shields idea also and I will suggest, please don't make shields scale with users armor, it can be disastrous on PvP👀 I abused of them in TESO and I felt very dirty 🤣

Joshet wrote:

I totally agree with you, I hate just mindless spamming, I think there's where class design can make the difference, also I like the channeled with movement speed penalization idea, I think the rock, paper, scissors principle is fundamental to keep the balance in someway, you are going to have a great healing skill? Ok, but it will cost you that much. 

I fell in love with healers in TESO, most of it because of the action combat system, you use heavy attacks to get resources back, and as healer they drain really fast , but they started ruining all 🤣 getting back to the point, some simple mechanics like the ones you are suggesting can make a big difference.

I like the shields idea also and I will suggest, please don't make shields scale with users armor, it can be disastrous on PvP👀 I abused of them in TESO and I felt very dirty 🤣

Rock paper scizzor is a good way to describe it. Every type of skill comes with pros and cons.

And about shield. I mean % of the damage recieved. It can also be a basenumber + whatever spell power or stats you have on your armor(the healer) but no, it would be a bad idea to add % to the tanks armor who already have a % mitigation because the heavy armor.

Well I think that a system of religions as in tabletop RPGs, it would be interesting if it were possible for the priest to choose between the religions of the game, this would only change his appearance and his armor, thus maintaining the appearance of the priest in the old tradition, and also allowing Nova, it could even have some quests involving a dispute between the various churches that could be in the game.

Galius wrote:

Well I think that a system of religions as in tabletop RPGs, it would be interesting if it were possible for the priest to choose between the religions of the game, this would only change his appearance and his armor, thus maintaining the appearance of the priest in the old tradition, and also allowing Nova, it could even have some quests involving a dispute between the various churches that could be in the game.

This sound nice. Also I hope paladins and priests have a close relationship. 

Paladins are essentially to priests what crusaders where to preachers and scholars after all