Tips For A New Healer?

[kaizer989]

I think one of the most important things is pre-casting. To be more proactive than reactive is what keeps you out of hairy situations. For example, the tank may be 85-90% but I am still casting a heal. If there is no damage that is dealt in that ~2 second period, then I move my character and interrupt the spell. If there is damage dealt you let the spell cast.

This makes it look like you have instant heals. Don't wait until damage is done to heal.

Also, if you aggro mobs, don't run away from the tank, which seems to be a natural instinct. What I do is stay still, or I will run to the tank, just out of the way of current mobs, so he can basically see that there is a separate mob on me.

[EinherjarLucian]

Also, if you aggro mobs, don't run away from the tank, which seems to be a natural instinct.

This is hugely important and applies to DDs as well as healers! Arguably it's even more important for the DDs for the following reason: If a DD gets aggro and starts running or kiting the mob, he's likely to be no longer generating hate. If he's running so erratically that the tank can't peel the mob off, then the healing aggro generated by the healer will, which is bad news for everyone.

Another bit of advice: Be careful on the opening seconds of a pull. Inexperienced tanks might leave a few aggro'd mobs unclaimed. If this happens and you (or your pet if you're an SCH) throw a heal, you claim the unclaimed mob(s) and they become your new best friends. This is also bad news.