AM the undisputed worst healer: A discussion

[Cimba]

A notch is correct using 1.2s cast on move BEs (or EVs, TF when up) and fully using your mechanic you get 1.5s group heals and free up Need for AP tactics.

Not much is needed before it becomes OP especially since you can move and cast BE and HE (0.6s) without AP issues indefinitely

I just tested it on the dummies: Doenst work unfortunately (with Vanquisher proc). You still need to weave in AP drain to make it work without AP tactics. With AP Drain you can also just spam groups heals which is in sum 0.2 sec faster.
The only thing you could gain is some mobility for which you pay with the uncertainty that your target breaks LOS or you step on a stone and your spell is canceled. For your argument it would be better to create an AP cheap non target spell that moves you one stack in the other direction.

Aside from that: You dont need AP tactics anyway. I havent played with them since I got SOV.

[Nekkma]

If I were dev for the day...

1. Define a role

Spoiler:

• WP/DOK: Entry level healer with few buttons to press to get overproportional amounts of healing. Incrediblity forgiving in terms of positioning.
• RP/Zealot: A few more buttons to press but in a pinch you got flash heal to save the day. Uncontested in terms of group utility. Less forgiving in terms of positioning but incredible panic button every 3 min.
• AM/Shaman
  Current role: You better know your **** otherwise you are terrible. If you do, you may break even with other healers.
  Target role: You better know your ****. If you do, you outperform the other healers.

2. Fix the mechanic

Spoiler:

Don't fix things that aren't broken. Current problem for heal AMs is that they cant generate force points outside of EOV while mainting any sort of heal output.
Possible Solution: Return Balance Essence to the experimental version of ages past. This means adding a base healing value and some disrupt strike through. Its basically the version still shown in the career builder https://builder.returnofreckoning.com/career/archmage

3. Swap around abilities

Spoiler:

Path of Isha
Energy of Vaul --> 13 Isha: EOV is the defining healing ability of the class. Having it in another tree just means that there is a large power spike upon acquiring SOV gear while everyone else just kinda sucks.
Funnel Essence --> 5 Isha: Decent spell. Could also go on 9 Isha but I figure Marshes of Madness probably shouldnt sit in 5 Isha.
Magical Infusion --> Core: Alright spell. Moves to Core because space is needed in Isha tree.

Path of Vaul
Law of Gold --> 13 Vaul: Zealot stagger is also 13 point. The silence is a bit worse maybe modify it further
Drain Magic --> 9 Vaul: This will probably piss off the DPS AM. Logic: You need to chose between MoM and AP drain if you play DPS. And best AP drain in the game as core ability? Seriously?
Transfer Magic --> 11 Vaul: Change AOE drain to group AP feed. IMO Excellent idea. Credit to Zumos

Spoiler:

AM has 3 major problems:
- Very reliant on Whispering Winds from SM
- Squishiest Healer in the game
- Does not give AP to group

That said the healing potential of AM is very high, especially with Whispering Winds up. I definitely think some tactics could be designed which would sacrifice healing (AM has some pretty good healing tactics) for either survivability or some way to give the group AP.

An example could be to add a 5s speed proc of 25% to Walk Between Worlds tactic. Or change Drain Magic tactic to drain 92 AP from one target to your whole group.

4. Make stuff useful

Spoiler:

• Apotheosis: Isha's Encouragement should fire on cleanse done by Apotheosis. Its something every new AM tries out anyway only to be inevitably let down because it doesnt work. However, when both tactics are slotted the cleanse should not be affected by cooldown decreasing abilities. Otherwise you will have virtually immortal dps + tank trains running around with 6 groups hots up. All the time. Especially in city.
• Desperation: Add additional hp levels with benefits: Suggestion below 75 % --> 10 % more heal. Below 50 % --> 15 %.
• Golden Aura (7 Point Vaul): Change effect to remove hard CC effects (Stagger, Silence, KD, disarm) upon applying the shield. Maybe also remove snares. Not sure.
• Primatic Shield: Adjust base values and scaling to KOTBS/Chosen aura. Make the effect linger for 5 - 10 seconds after being shattered or add 'charges' so its requires multiple shatters to remove.

5. Whats supposed to happen

Spoiler:

• Access to the class mechanic should lead to quicker cast times on large heals making direct cast time reductions redundant. Enable better performance in burst healing situations if properly played.
• The tree adjustments should smooth the power spike upon acquiring SOV while still adding benefit because the tactics in Path of Vaul are, in my opinion, still valuable.
• AP feed and an improved resistance buff may open up auras for kotbs and tactics for RP. This adds a bit of redundancy where previously was very little. This in itselt probably wont increase build diversity but it could be a first step.
• Group hot with Apotheosis should bring AM up on the healing scoreboards. Should be closely monitored.

6. Not adressed

Spoiler:

• Even with these changes the AM cannot compete with RP in terms of raw group utility. Heal blessing, armor proc, AP feed, selection of buffs, stagger etc. As a trade off the AM should be a bit better at healing when it really matters. Not sure if its worth it though
• All your buffs/heals are enchantments while WP/RP do blessings. Competent opponents will remove them constantly (in small scale) and there is very little you can do about. Also by applying enchantment you open up the blessings of WP/RP to the respective shatters and thus making everyone worse. No easy solution I can think of. Reclassfying buffs to enchantment and heals to blessing could work but would be a rather large adjustment in the database.
• Surviability: I think this is a learn to play issue since I typically dont experience it.

Alot of interesting and good suggestions. However, I don’t agree that survivability is a l2p issue. Rvr is chaotic and there will always be situations that you cannot predict or plan for. In such situations, having better survivability will always be an asset. If I roam in a duo or trio with my shaman and get jumped by 2 WHs i survive 9 times out of 10. On my (granted worse geared) AM, getting jumped by 2 WEs mean death 9 times out of 10. When I survive it is because I have evertything off cd. It is worth noting that AM deal alot better with a groupmember getting jumped tho. With better gear for sure these numbers will go up but I doubt it will be as good as other healers. The AM has excellent, or at least good, survivability in smaller fights when you don’t get surprised and can prekite and detaunt before kd.

[Ysaran]

2. Just tested balance essence on a training construct in full heal sov. It deals 200 damage and heals for 300 --> on guarded targets you are talking about 150 heal. Not sure if it is also affected by healdebuffs. Thats about the damage of a single proc. We need a bit more than just a 'notch'. I made a post about the lifetape dot here. viewtopic.php?f=15&t=42670&p=455154#p455154 .

A notch is correct imho.... Why? using 1.2s cast on move BEs (or EVs, TF when up) and fully using your mechanic you get 1.5s group heals and free up Need for AP tactics.

Not much is needed before it becomes OP especially since you can move and cast BE and HE (0.6s) without AP issues indefinitely

I get your point, but AM main problem is that going from 5|0 to 0|5 requires 10 gcd. 10gdc where you healing output is basicly zero, outside of EOV (that requires CD decreaser, coordination and yada yada). AM need either a rework of mechanics that make faster switching, or increase the performance of lifetap ability. Alwasy aiming at making more swift switching, and not increasin significatively his healing output.
Also, AP tactic isn't really required. In any propre set up Kotbs/IB and Rune/WP will feed you enough AP, with Drain on top of that you should always be ok.

[Nosun]

Worst in terms of healing numbers but having a couple of AMs in a wb simply for the instant rez, puddle and debuffing while kind of being the back up healers is never a bad thing.

[Cimba]

Alot of interesting and good suggestions. However, I don’t agree that survivability is a l2p issue. Rvr is chaotic and there will always be situations that you cannot predict or plan for. In such situations, having better survivability will always be an asset. If I roam in a duo or trio with my shaman and get jumped by 2 WHs i survive 9 times out of 10. On my (granted worse geared) AM, getting jumped by 2 WEs mean death 9 times out of 10. When I survive it is because I have evertything off cd. It is worth noting that AM deal alot better with a groupmember getting jumped tho. With better gear for sure these numbers will go up but I doubt it will be as good as other healers. The AM has excellent, or at least good, survivability in smaller fights when you don’t get surprised and can prekite and detaunt before kd.

Shaman and RP have of course better tactics in the situations you described. Auto detaunt can safe your butt there. Same goes for KD reduction on RP. Zealot is as **** as you are during in the kd. WP/DoK generally have larger health pools so that helps.
Run between Worlds is better in other situations. I just dont believe that AM per se needs a survivability upgrade.

PS: WE is just a lot better than WH

[Nekkma]

Alot of interesting and good suggestions. However, I don’t agree that survivability is a l2p issue. Rvr is chaotic and there will always be situations that you cannot predict or plan for. In such situations, having better survivability will always be an asset. If I roam in a duo or trio with my shaman and get jumped by 2 WHs i survive 9 times out of 10. On my (granted worse geared) AM, getting jumped by 2 WEs mean death 9 times out of 10. When I survive it is because I have evertything off cd. It is worth noting that AM deal alot better with a groupmember getting jumped tho. With better gear for sure these numbers will go up but I doubt it will be as good as other healers. The AM has excellent, or at least good, survivability in smaller fights when you don’t get surprised and can prekite and detaunt before kd.

Shaman and RP have of course better tactics in the situations you described. Auto detaunt can safe your butt there. Same goes for KD reduction on RP. Zealot is as **** as you are during in the kd. WP/DoK generally have larger health pools so that helps.
Run between Worlds is better in other situations. I just dont believe that AM per se needs a survivability upgrade.

PS: WE is just a lot better than WH

Zealot got flash heal. I’m typically not dead when out of kd but AM has to rely on castable heals and hot ticks in such a situation.

I just don’t see a good way to balance the AM for the general player without increasing survivability or considerably increas healing output (which would be broken in good hands). Great players already perform well on AM and thus I think it is more important to balance for the average player. AM survivability is imo what limits most.

[Cimba]

Zealot got flash heal. I’m typically not dead when out of kd but AM has to rely on castable heals and hot ticks in such a situation.

I just don’t see a good way to balance the AM for the general player without increasing survivability or considerably increas healing output (which would be broken in good hands). Great players already perform well on AM and thus I think it is more important to balance for the average player. AM survivability is imo what limits most.

Great players perform well on any class. The problem is that they would perform even better on any other class than AM. Except under some special circumstances.

I dont understand why AM needs to balanced for the general player. The average player already has two pretty easy healer classes per realm to play. Whats kind of missing is a healer that can play a bit more on the edge. And actually get something worthwhile out of it.

Edit: I mean if you want you could also imagine to change Golden Aura to somehting like: After shield is removed the target gains 25% movement speed for 5 sec. Which would basically be an on demand speed buff for a focus target every 20 sec.

[Nekkma]

Yes, I somewhat agree but I would actually prefer to adjust other healers first. Primarily tone down dok/wp given how easy they are to play effectively.

To some extent I do not agree with you role description. I would put:
Dok/wp - grouphealer
Zeal/rp - mix
Sha/am - single target

Risk/reward is not really a role as ideally everything should be based on this.

[teiloh]

There are plenty of rage-like mechanics no need to dumb down AM, Shmy one

Personally I think the mechanic itself is the best of all classes

(Yep dok shatters as well my point is both blessings and enchantments are shattered my bad)

You don't necessarily have to dumb it down, just make more choices available.

[Bozzax]

A notch is correct using 1.2s cast on move BEs (or EVs, TF when up) and fully using your mechanic you get 1.5s group heals and free up Need for AP tactics.

Not much is needed before it becomes OP especially since you can move and cast BE and HE (0.6s) without AP issues indefinitely

I just tested it on the dummies: Doenst work unfortunately (with Vanquisher proc). You still need to weave in AP drain to make it work without AP tactics. With AP Drain you can also just spam groups heals which is in sum 0.2 sec faster.
The only thing you could gain is some mobility for which you pay with the uncertainty that your target breaks LOS or you step on a stone and your spell is canceled. For your argument it would be better to create an AP cheap non target spell that moves you one stack in the other direction.

Aside from that: You dont need AP tactics anyway. I havent played with them since I got SOV.

I don’t either and I split sets there is no need if you play the mechanic. Like I said a small buff to the ST lifetap would be most wcome

Ofc you can just spam group heals but how fun is that