WHM learning SCH, any advice?

[Layla-chan]

So I just had my relic for SCH and I'm ilvl71 now due to my gear from my main, an ilvl80 WHM. I got a SCH mainly because I want to be more flexible as a healer and be what I need to be in raids, although I really still love being a WHM (I get the lulz at how Haukke Manor HM seems to be WP again as I am helping in DPS so much again using Holy spams).

However, I can't seem to "get" SCH healing. I am noticeably better with healing as a WHM than as a SCH. I am basically using the different types of SCH heals as I would Stoneskin if it had a shorter casting time, keeping them up for HP shields whenever the party is going to get a mob and keeping them up asap during the fight. However in spite of this I keep on using my Aetherflow charge from Lustrate keeping my party alive during dungies.


So now I'm here asking those with both WHM and SCH characters specific advice on how to adapt to SCH healing when coming from WHM. I am thinking some of the things in my mindset I as a WHM could be detrimental to my healing as a SCH.

[nocks]

It helps to manually control your faery's Embrace ability by putting them in Obey then Heel mode. This allows you to heal two targets at once (separate timers) and double-up on your regular heals. Also, the general strategy is to use Adlo while someone is taking damage, then to follow it up with a Physick if they're still hurt. You may want to use Embrace each time you use either heal, if the target needs all of your attention.

Two Adlos in a row sometimes leads to the shields overwriting each other, which is a waste. But still, Adlo is not really like Stoneskin, and shouldn't be used that way. Adlo is great when someone is actively taking damage, while they're still getting hit, or if you think they may get hit soon. The shield buys you time to get their health up, so you're not constantly fighting against the incoming damage. Also, if you crit with Adlo, you get *double the shield* which can be substantial.

So it's Adlo / Physick / Adlo / Physick, but if someone seriously needs health, replace the Physick with a Lustrate.

It's okay to burn through Lustrates; you get 3 every minute. If Aetherflow is up and you still have a charge or three, then burn them by using your Energy Drain ability and pop Aetherflow again. You're just wasting potential MP if you have Aetherflow available but you're sitting on a few charges. You can only have 3 charges at once, so there's no reason to try to save them. You should use 3 every minute, regardless.

Succor, Sacred Ground and Fey Covenant are all good when you know group damage is approaching, which requires you to know the fight. You can't spam Succor to heal your group, though, it doesn't work like Medica because it's too weak and inefficient. You're better off doing single target healing to bring a group back up, though Succor can buy you a little time. Succor only has a heal potency of 150, so if you're trying to heal someone to full with it and they're not taking damage (the shield will overwrite each cast) then it's going to take all your mana and 5-6 casts to top them off.

Keep a macro for a Rouse/Whispering Dawn combo, maybe even Rouse/Fey Covenant/Whispering Dawn for a huge Regen (mine ticks for about 380 for 15 seconds) every minute and a half. Save that for when you know the damage is coming, and pair it with a few Succors, and you can survive just about anything.

[Sanguisio]

Fairy placement is key tbh, make sure she is in range of everyone so she can heal as necessary.

SCHs heal pre-emptively, you can afford to slightly over heal, simply because half of what you heal is put as a shield, and you very rarely need to worry about aggro.
When healing tanks, place your fairy so she is close to tank that way she should turret heal him, and you can aldo and physick as necessary. I have a macro which sounds when aetherflow is ready, make sure you use it when necessary. Max mp? but down a soil to ease healing load, in dps mode and max mp, energy drain or bane.

As a SCH you should never just be standing there like you would be as a WHM, you should always be busy.

[Swear_Bear]

I agree that fairy placement very important. Just be ready to re-Place and Heel when the situation calls for it. I like to use Selene for her offensive buffs on trash, then Eos for bosses. However, I have no problems using Eos full time if I notice hate-management issues.

Personally, I don't do mouse-overs. Instead, I click on names in the Party Members section on the upper left to target. I like to keep my embrace hotkey separate from adlo/phys so that I can heal a 2nd player if my first heal can top off the tank. It's mainly because I use a "Fey Illumination/Rouse > Whispering Dawn" macro. And to my understanding, macros can interrupt macros that are already in progress. I know people like to attach embrace to their adlo/phys macros, and there's nothing wrong with that. I know it works because that's how my friend does it, and he's had no problems; it's just my preference.

Also, I like to keep at least 1 charge of Aetherflow up for an emergency Lustrate. Sometimes people eat that aoe because of server lag, lack of attention, whatever. As a WHM, you already know you can't hold yourself responsible when party members arent dodging those. Otherwise, typical Drain or Sacred Soil (and Succor if it procs) before renewing your charges.