Benediction Friction

[Viviza]

What techniques do you use to avoid this?

You basically have to accept that if you're using benediction as a panic heal, that there's a good chance it will not work. By the time you notice, target, and cast, it may be too late, even if the server hasn't quite killed the player yet.

Outside healing tanks in cleric stance, I like to consider benediction an 'undo mistake' button. If I notice someone screw up a mechanic and they're about to eat a second (perhaps unavoidable) mechanic after, it's fairly easy to time benediction between the two. This also makes you look really good.

[VanilleFang]

I've actually only have had this happen like twice... And I use Bene all the time. I always use Bene early.

[Seryl199]

With Benediction, I typically get the best results when I'm planning to use it. In a speed run, I can DPS and squeeze out a Benediction when the tank is around 1k-1.5k HP, and it will usually top off the tank while their HP dips into triple digits. Using it as an emergency heal is a little trickier, since you are less likely to get the full value from the heal, and you'll probably waste a second targeting, especially if you're in panic mode, making it even more likely for your target to die as you try to land your heal. Even so, Benediction is the only skill that can save someone at the brink of death, and I'd rather see it on cooldown and wasted than to leave it unused. It's a risk you have to take. If you know a tank buster is coming up in a raid situation, Benediction is great for topping off the tank while your partner healer is asleep at the wheel, and you're busy spot/raid healing or otherwise.

"Benediction Friction" is relatively common, but as you play with it more, you'll learn the slight delay and experience it less and less.

[Spoekes]

The healing on yourself only happens if you are too late in casting bene.

For the most pressing issue of your tank dying while the animation goes, there is, sadly, no way of avoiding it and <t> macro won't help it.

[416to305]

For me I find Benediction is most helpful for those times where you see the tank take a hit in HP, you do maybe Cure, which brings back a bit but while casting that they take more damage, where they are going down faster than you can possibly heal due to them maybe pulling too much or having too much aggro etc, where you just know they are basically going to die in a moment. When they are at like 20% then I use it, where I know that probably trying one more Cure or Cure II wouldn't hit them in time as they probably only have a couple seconds left to live. Versus just using it when their HP is low. I was always worried people would get mad saying I'm wasting it but most times it's hardly ever needed, or definitely isn't needed more than once, so using it has helped me a few times just to get them back to 100% while the situation is brought under control.

[spelley]

I've noticed (mostly from Mr Happy's videos) that planning on using Benediction while you squeeze out DPS seems to be the best plan. Holy spam, watch HP, when it gets to a certain amount pop Benne, keep healing. Also seen him use it immediately after a mechanic so that the tank doesn't get crit/dragon breathed/mechanic'd to death immediately after.

[pandabearcat]

It even happens in games like WoW with Lay on Hands - even though that stuff isn't animation based and has a much more rapid state check.

Like others have said, best bet is to make sure you use it early - esp with animation delay, and definitely macro it to <t> and/or <mo> only. Turn off self targetting too.

[VanilleFang]

and definitely macro it to <t> and/or <mo> only. Turn off self targetting too.

I don't do this and I have no problems. And I use Bene a lot.

[pandabearcat]

While spamming? Its a recipe for disaster, better remove all moving parts.

[zandervont]

but in serious tone, i use it more as a "tank cd" than "ohshitwtf".