Last night I did something on my priest I rarely get to do.
I healed.
I healed not for a random group of keyboard turning, face rolling, fire standing idiots, but for a group of guildies that were having fun. Wether we wiped or not (preferably not) the whole group stayed upbeat and cheerful, even joking around as we rebuffed.
There was no finger pointing at all. Discussion about what we could do differently, yes. Bitching, no. (or at least was done with the mic off if it happened.)
It was the first time in a while that I remembered why I actually enjoy healing.
The only thing I did not like was seeing people go down faster than I could keep up.
Was the fact that we were running TOC (normal) with two of our DPS not yet 80 a factor?
Possibly, but it is a 75+ instance. It should be doable, particularly with an 80 healer and tank.
I got to thinking this morning (sitting in a quiet office drinking coffee waiting for something to break will do that to you.) I got to thinking how I could improve myself to make runs more smooth for those whose lives are in my hands. I thought of two things I can work on.
Experience is one. I am rusty, and it showed last night. More than once I had to think about what heal to throw. That kind of thing used to just happen. I would be watching the health bars and would just be hitting the right buttons at the right time. That was missing a bit last night, although I started getting the rhythm back by the end of the second run.
The folks I ran with (did I mention they were awesome yet?) told me I did fine… but I know better. Like anything else a person doesn’t do frequently I was just a bit slow. I was a half step behind playing catch-up.
The only thing I can do about that is heal more often. Practice is the only cure for being rusty.
The second thing I can do some work on is my gear. Most of my healing set is crafted stuff I picked up when I hit 80, along with a few odds and ends I got from Naxx pugs and heroics. Lots and lots of shiny new loot has been added to the game since then. So I sat down this morning and worked up a shopping list of sorts.
Gear I could get without running a raid instance that would be an improvement over my existing kit. I found that with a very few exceptions there is gear out there that will make my job a lot easier.
Now, being the list loving blogger that I am I decided to convert the chicken scratch in a tattered old notebook into a post. Now here is how I chose what I was putting down.
Everything listed in order of preference
Anything that has a duplicate the badge cost of something listed as better will be excluded
Everything has to be available through Crafting, Vendors, Questing, Badges, or 5 player instances.
The numbers in front of everything is more a note to me than anything else, it is the difference between what I am using now and the item in question. All figured using the Wowhead default setting for a holy specced healing priest.
The few places where I had no real upgrade outside raiding I went ahead and listed a few similar items to what I have that would fit the list. I know some folks might use this as reference. I also included what I am using in every slot at the moment.
See something I am overlooking? By all means let me know.
Back:
0.85 Cloak of Kea Feathers (Valor – 25)
0.09 Whispcloak (Tailoring BOE)
Currently wearing Kurisu’s Indiscision (TOC heroic)
Chest:
3.51 Valens Robe of Triumph (Triumph – 75)
3.10 Royal Moonshroud Robe (Tailoring BOE)
1.99 Valens Robe of Conquest (Triumph – 50)
0.70 Embrace of Madness (TOC heroic)
Currently wearing Robes of Mutation (Naxx)
Feet:
Currently wearing Serene Echoes (Naxx drop)
-0.05 Saviors Slippers (Tailoring BOE)
-0.22 Slippers of the Holy Light (Valor – 40)
Rings:
2.50 Etched Loop of the Kirin Tor (vendor, but a bit expensive)
1.51 Renewel of Life (Valor – 25)
1.39 Band of Channeled Magic (Valor – 25)
Currently rearing 1.02 Wicked Witches Band (Headless Horseman)
Currently wearing 0.00 The Horsemans Seal (Headless Horseman)
Hands:
2.78 Valens Gloves of Triumph (Triumph – 45)
1.68 Valens Gloves of Conquest (Triumph – 30)
1.55 Touch of the Occult (Conquest – 28)
Currently wearing Spellweave Gloves (tailoring BOE)
Head:
5.59 Helm of Clouded Sight (Triumph – 75)
4.01 Valens Cowl of Conquest (Triumph – 50)
1.39 Gaze of the Unknown (TOC heroic)
0.88 Elder Headpeice (An’kahet heroic)
Currently wearing Deadly Gladiators Mooncloth Hood (I had the honor to spare, and no luck with drops)
Legs:
4.82 Valens Leggings of Triumph (Triumph – 75)
3.35 Valens Leggings of Conquest (Triumph – 50)
2.75 Legwraps of the Master Conjurer (Conquest 39)
Currently wearing Cyanigosa’s Leggings (Violet Hold heroic)
Weapon:
4.06 Mariel’s Sorrow (TOC heroic)
3.07 Spectral Kris (TOC heroic)
0.96 Warmace of Unrequited Love (Nexus heroic)
0.82 Dagger of Lunar Purity (TOC Heroic)
Currently using Titansteel Guardian (Blacksmithing BOE)
Neck:
2.25 Frozen Tear of Elune (Conquest – 19)
1.70 Symbol of Redemption (TOC heroic)
Currently using Titanium Spellshock Necklace (Jewelcrafting BOE)
Off hand:
Currently using Urn of Lost Memories (Naxx)
-0.11 Faces of Doom (Inscription BOE)
Ranged:
0.17 Wand of An’kahet (An’kahet heroic)
Currently using Rod of the Fallen Monarch (Azjol-Nerub heroic)
Shoulder:
2.56 Valens Shoulderpade of Triumph (Triumph – 45)
1.51 Valens Shoulderpade of Conquest (Triumph – 30)
Currently using Valorus Shoulderpads of Faith (Naxx)
Trinkets:
1.56 Talisman of Resurgance (Triumph – 50)
0.20 Je’tze’s Bell (BOE world drop)
0.12 Darkmoon card Greatness – (Quest – Darkmoon Faire)
0.00 Currently using Darkmoon card Illusion (Quest-Darkmoon Faire)
-0. 07 Egg of Mortal Esscence (Heroisim – 40)
-0.11 Tears of the Vanquished (TOC normal)
Currently using Mender of the Coming Dawn (Quest reward)
Waist:
2.30 Sash of Potent Incantations (Conquest – 28)
1.57 Cord of the White Dawn (Tailoring BOE)
0.45 The Confessors Binding (TOC normal)
Currently using Sash of Jordan (BOE world drop, oddly enough it actually dropped for me while leveling)
Wrist:
1.72 Royal Moonshroud Bracers (Tailoring BOE)
1.14 Bejeweled Wizards Bracers (Tailoring BOE)
Currently using Bindings of Yearning (Naxx)
Filed under: World of Warcraft | Tagged: Gear, guide, raiding | 3 Comments »