Why do not people play healers?

[Ryl]

It seems like an amazing class from the skill list! Why don’t people play healers?

[Lexi]

It has an extremely narrow PK potential, and most veteran players enjoy getting into a scuffle.

[Ryl]

People still play Heralds and Merchants, though. I think that is similar in the narrow potential you had mentioned to me. 

Is there something otherwise outdated in the class? 

[Lexi]

It's not easy to get the affects from resurrecting people (they get some sweet bonuses for doing that), whereas in the past you could just hang out for a few hours and people would be dying left and right.

Also, you no longer regain lost lives from PK deaths, which is sort of a bummer (the major boon of actually accepting a resurrection, now it just calms you for a while).

If you're doing mostly a RP character, then healers are amazing. It's hard to find a class that's more deeply entrenched into the good align sphere of rp.

[Ryl]

I've seen many complaints about paladins on the forum, made recently. It is a wonder this hasn't been looked at. I've never seen a class that can raise the dead before.

['tarako]

Healers are easily the best class for learning the game. Impossibly hard to kill, incredibly surviveable, but pk restricted unless you're fighting vamps lichen and undead (i personally think this should also include demons). That pk restriction often leads to boredom.

[f0xx]

21 minutes ago, 'tarako said:

...boredom.

 

[Imoutgoodbye]

I didn't know Healers were allowed to PK algae...

[Aidon]

I played alot of healers throughout 2.0 and early 3.0, and I really enjoyed it. The class has an amazing RP angle that's fun to explore. What lead to me stopping was there was a very militant enforcement of the anti-pk rules by some IMMs in a non-consistent way and I could never figure out the rules. I got align outcast on one healer (a herald healer) because I was helping people hunt and someone attacked the group, and I did a dispel magic rescue (turn off autoassist then dispel, causes blows to redirect at you), and killed them. I was told that I should've fled rather than kill because a healer should never take life. I had before that thought that I could defend myself if attacked, but apparently not. I got align outcast on a different healer (Knight) for summoning someone out of winter and not attacking them because I was told that was considered aggression. It was also at one point suggested to me that Aelleor, my Tribunal Healer, didn't get elder because they put a higher standard on healers because they are so long lived. 

I just said to hell with it and rolled Patreus, dwarf cleric, and got to RP however I wanted with 95% of the survivability and didn't have people constantly all over me. 

Healers have also been toned SIGNIFICANTLY over the years. Divine retribution is their core damage skill and was cut in half. Heal in combat lag was also doubled. I haven't rolled one since those changes but hearing about them makes me think a good cleric might actually be alot stronger now. 

[Ulmusdorn]

8 minutes ago, Aidon said:

I played alot of healers throughout 2.0 and early 3.0, and I really enjoyed it. The class has an amazing RP angle that's fun to explore. What lead to me stopping was there was a very militant enforcement of the anti-pk rules by some IMMs in a non-consistent way and I could never figure out the rules. I got align outcast on one healer (a herald healer) because I was helping people hunt and someone attacked the group, and I did a dispel magic rescue (turn off autoassist then dispel, causes blows to redirect at you), and killed them. I was told that I should've fled rather than kill because a healer should never take life. I had before that thought that I could defend myself if attacked, but apparently not. I got align outcast on a different healer (Knight) for summoning someone out of winter and not attacking them because I was told that was considered aggression. 

 

Rules is Rules.

[aaa]

I mean, remember when you had to choose between protective shield and divine retribution? They've seen a fair few changes but overall I think they're better now. 

Only thing I wish they had back was the ability to gate to people directly. My healer justice would gate to people, look at the sky and send the enforcers. 

[Aidon]

1 minute ago, Ulmusdorn said:

 

Rules is Rules.

But the rules aren't really written down anywhere so it makes it very frustrating to not know where the lines are. I did not expect either action to be against the rules and was told afterwards it was. I just found it really frustrating and so have chosen not to play the class anymore, its just alot simpler. I have similar thoughts on Sigils. My favorite subcabal rp-wise, but the rules are just so hard to know and its a minefield. 

[Twinblades713]

That's why it's easier to say screw healers and play an evil. The first rule is THERE ARE NO RULES.

[Fool_Hardy]

I play healers.

😆

Fun in PK. Yeah your not allowed to chase. So what. You do not have to chase. You are allowed to defend yourself. 

It actually takes an element of manipulation to win in pk with a healer. Most playets will not press the healer until they think he is on the ropes. But its a treacherous dance, heal lagging yourself near the bottom of your heath pool.

Generally speaking I avoid Outcast even though I fight. Certain exceptions not withstanding. I.e. Scorevale and Enzekriel's friendship.

 

[Celerity]

Everything a healer can do, a good cleric does better. From survivability to PVE to PVP. All without the silly PK/RP restrictions.

[Lexi]

In terms of PvE, Herald is easily the best choice. Pick whatever class you like (though more defenses is better), and you can probably go anywhere and kill anything.

[mya]

15 hours ago, Ryl said:

I've seen many complaints about paladins on the forum, made recently. It is a wonder this hasn't been looked at.

By no means are Paladins broken. Slightly underpowered, yes. Needing some minor Tweeks, or some fresh air. But you could as a newbie play one and survive well vs most people.

[Trick]

They are just very, very boring. Every fight is the same.

['tarako]

If your goal is to learn the game and the equipment, the. A healer is an amazing character to do it with. They are also fun when people are playing undeads, and vamps. The right divine intervention and you will absolutely destroy undead. You're also almost impossible to kill, you have to really mess up in order to die, but the aggression restrictions are just too much for the majority of players to bother dealing with.

[Fool_Hardy]

19 hours ago, Celerity said:

Everything a healer can do, a good cleric does better. From survivability to PVE to PVP. All without the silly PK/RP restrictions.

Translation.

Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you.... 

Love ya @Celerity.@Celerity.

Except resurrection.

✌

[Tantangel]

A few things could revive Healers as a whole. Like reverting resurrection back to the way it was in the first place, letting Healers also raise Evils by making them Neutral only, and add in DI for the Neutral only religions that don't have them because it wasn't needed before. Revert many of the drawbacks imposed upon them and  make them strictly no PK and limited to rares/unique items, and then make 1 resurrection give the full +50 hitgain and such until they die. Or keep them as is and make it so they can still kill, but with the guidelines they already have. If they limit rares, make them able to use 10 rare items or 5 unique items or a combination of either where 1 unique basically equals 2 rares?

I honestly enjoyed them back in the day and thought people never utilized their full potential for the most part, but I believe only 1 player other than myself really ever capitalized on the whole "walking fortress" aspect Viri said they were if played right. They still have a lot of potential, but honestly a Druid is far more fun to play than a Healer and even a Berserker is more fun than a Healer in terms of survival. I can't solo the Offices as a Druid or a Healer though without other factors at least, but it's pretty easy as a Berserker if you're wanting to do thing alone and live.

[Ryl]

Thank you all for your replies. I am learning more about them now, and have made a poll in ideas based on your suggestions.