Quote:
Originally Posted by Troxx
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Wave of healing being capped at 220/target is not a very good heal. Situationally useful, but not efficient.
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True. It's hard to make it mana-efficient and in a lot of groups that opportunity won't present itself. However, in the majority of those same groups, mana is continuously streaming in from multiple sources. Depending on CC resists and how fast group member hp is dropping, other heals can be inferior given their cast time--a split second too late and the blue spell particles just highlight that reality and the group member's corpse. If LoH is on cooldown or the dying are out of its range, there really isn't a better option afaik other than a SoulFire (or Celestial Cleansing when available).
Wave of Healing is best for "oh shit" moments that initially don't seem shitty enough to warrant using Lay on Hands or SF charges. Personally, I prefer to wait and see how things develop in camp before blowing my LoH, especially in groups with multiple forms of healing, heals that usually are enough, if not more than enough, even when chain pulling. But with the Druid/Shaman casting Greater or Superior Heal, I often wondered, why do the same as a Paladin (unless time is not an issue)? More diversity with heals and other spells in general helps out a ton. The Bard hymns. The Shaman torpors. The Necromancer patches. And then the Cleric finishes CH. Without those other, weaker heals, the dying player usually still has a few ways to buy themselves time, but not a great deal of time. So any mana lost is worth it if the xp continues, more so if the heal keeps a caster alive since they would be oom after rez.
Wave of Healing's faster cast also means not leaving oneself as open to being interrupted by the current target's attacks. Used sparingly, it can keep a dying member alive for a few more hits until better heals finally land, while topping off the rest of the party. Sometimes I have such an overabundance of mana regen that I look for moments when all or even as few as three members have at least a bubble of red missing from their bar. It's a good way to break up the autopilot mode that can set in when grouped with quality players that know the ins and outs of the zone and their class.
Once Celestial Cleansing is memorized, there are fewer reasons to keep Wave of Healing loaded in place of another spell. But even then, it's still good for places like Halls of Testing, to keep DPS from getting below the low hp aggro threshold, or Kael arena when everyone suddenly gets turned on at the end of a fight.
Agreed though, the spell could/should be better overall, but the same goes for most hybrid spells and abilities. However, finding their worth and making due with what's available can be fun, even when it's frustrating.