Returning part-time player: role choice & avoiding waiting times for grouped content?

[Jollytime]

Hi folks. Returning player with a bit of a conundrum:

I've been playing on and off since Vanilla. My "off" time has mostly been due to real life stuff (living in an area with high latency, work etc). Fast forward to today and I'm married with kids, so I have much less game time, but the WoW "itch" doesn't go away.

Once at 110, I'll be doing some content with a guild when schedules match up, but there'll obviously be a lot of random groups as well (M+, WQ, N/HC raids etc). To cut down on waiting times, would healer be the right way to go? My thinking is to focus on a resto druid, since I'm hoping that:

a) They'll be in relatively high demand for groups
b) More "forgiving" way to learn content and tactics (compared to tanking)

Otherwise, if there's a way I could get to do content as a DPS without too much waiting time and just loitering around Dalaran waiting to get into a group...I'm all ears!

[potis]

There is a massive lack of healers overall as always.

Especially now that M+ affixes are changed to be more healer oriented some weeks.

If you expect it to be less forgiving and "easier to learn" you are in for a big surprise.

[Jollytime]

If you expect it to be less forgiving and "easier to learn" you are in for a big surprise.

Fair point. Not expecting it to be a walk in the park, but from previous expansions healing was easier to get back into. Especially compared to tanking, where the demands are high and people are very quick to judge you.

[potis]

Fair point. Not expecting it to be a walk in the park, but from previous expansions healing was easier to get back into. Especially compared to tanking, where the demands are high and people are very quick to judge you.

You misunderstood me i think.

Healing is so much more important this expansion than any other before, and Blizzard decisions with M+ affixes made it even worst.

Its not about a walk in the park, its the literal cancer you can get as a healer with pugs this expansion compared to previous ones.

But if you enjoy the challenge, go for it.

Queue wise, healer, everything else, even tanks takes forever.

[TheSerialSniper]

While healing seems harder now then it used to be, it is not. Due to an increased amount of avoidable damage. It is much harder to heal bads up that fail mechanics then it ever has been, and there is a huge importance to EVERYONE not just the healer to help the group stay alive by using their abilities to help keep them selves alive and others if they can. If you knew how to heal before, you will do just fine now. The job is NOT harder then what it used to be, just healers are more LIMITED now compared to what they used to be in their ability to keep their group alive as some of the responsibility has shifted to the group as a whole and not just reliant on the person playing the role of the healer.

[Irian]

If you want to watch paste eaters stand in fire, not use defensives and then scream and votekick you for not being able to outheal their stupidity then go healer.

If you want fast queues and the ability to carry an entire group go tank.

I hate to say it but that's the state of healing in Legion. They've designed it in such a way this expansion that you won't be able to keep up with the health loss of players who constantly stand in shit. If you intend on pugging then I strongly advise you play tank if you want fast queues, because if you are a competent tank player you are essentially your own healer.

[papajohn4]

In my opinion play a dps spec. You need to do so much in the world (unlock flying, world quests for ap/resources/rep, complete suramar) that you will not mind waiting a bit in que. I just returned too and after almost a month now there wasnt a time i had nothing to do while waiting for the que..

[Niwes]

While healing seems harder now then it used to be, it is not. Due to an increased amount of avoidable damage. It is much harder to heal bads up that fail mechanics then it ever has been, and there is a huge importance to EVERYONE not just the healer to help the group stay alive by using their abilities to help keep them selves alive and others if they can. If you knew how to heal before, you will do just fine now. The job is NOT harder then what it used to be, just healers are more LIMITED now compared to what they used to be in their ability to keep their group alive as some of the responsibility has shifted to the group as a whole and not just reliant on the person playing the role of the healer.

exactly this.

the feel that healing is getting tougher, is just that all ppl always make healers responsive for EVERY death. this xpac is designed that a healer CANT keep stupids alive when they dont move, or dont help others mechanic-wise. but since most ppl are too stupid to realize, or just dont see whats happening in a heavy action fight, everyone blames the healer for not keeping peeps alive.

thats the whole thing. healing is the same. community is the same (blame the heal) but content dont allow healer to compensate as much as in earlier xpacs.

but that shouldnt prevent you from playing heal, since all have the same problem. and since they wont kick you anyway, cause regardless how much a stupid pug raid believes it is your fault, they still dont kick you, bc they need you, instead of waiting another 10mins for a heal. and there are also ppl out there that can differentiate that. not all pugs are full of retards.

so, i would say go with resto. its a very fun spec, and a tiny bit overpowered spec/class (druid in general) in Legion. resto is also very useful in pugs, cause of hots profit from unstructured raiding. a disc priest i.e. isnt that fine in pugs, because disc is relying on structured raidin and "what comes next" planing ahead.

so, you cant really go wrong with resto. you have just to ignore 10% more stupid comments in pugs, IF ppl dont realize its not the healers fault, bc of a slightly more unforgiving design of this xpac.

have fun with your resto (you will) and wb in WoW!

[Jollytime]

Its not about a walk in the park, its the literal cancer you can get as a healer with pugs this expansion compared to previous ones.

The job is NOT harder then what it used to be, just healers are more LIMITED now compared to what they used to be in their ability to keep their group alive as some of the responsibility has shifted to the group as a whole and not just reliant on the person playing the role of the healer.

Thanks guys, I misunderstood before. Since I haven't set foot in M+ yet, I wasn't aware of how WoW now "rewards" healing with a fair bit of challenge attached to it. Does this apply mostly to M+ or is it a general design philosophy of Legion content in general?

[potis]

Thanks guys, I misunderstood before. Since I haven't set foot in M+ yet, I wasn't aware of how WoW now "rewards" healing with a fair bit of challenge attached to it. Does this apply mostly to M+ or is it a general design philosophy of Legion content in general?

Most M+ affixes, raids are as always as they were, dodge shit, stay alive by the passive aoe healing.

But M+ has certain affixes where the healer can carry the group or not, and by that unless they DPS are 100% retarded.

Its not just healing, its general stuff, like knowing when to pop that CD or when to life grip your tank, etc etc.

My point is consider some M+ Affixes like a raid phase at a certain boss when you know its 100% up to the healers and cooldown management, but 10-20 times more often cause it happens after/meanwhile every pack in the M+.

Not all affixes are like that, but gives you a general idea how hard healing can get.

TDLR. A good healer that knows what to do when can carry the group compared to previous expansion because it can reach levels, at higher M+ that you simply have to do it.

[Jollytime]

Most M+ affixes, raids are as always as they were, dodge shit, stay alive by the passive aoe healing.

But M+ has certain affixes where the healer can carry the group or not, and by that unless they DPS are 100% retarded.

Its not just healing, its general stuff, like knowing when to pop that CD or when to life grip your tank, etc etc.

My point is consider some M+ Affixes like a raid phase at a certain boss when you know its 100% up to the healers and cooldown management, but 10-20 times more often cause it happens after/meanwhile every pack in the M+.

Not all affixes are like that, but gives you a general idea how hard healing can get.

TDLR. A good healer that knows what to do when can carry the group compared to previous expansion because it can reach levels, at higher M+ that you simply have to do it.

You're awesome for explaining all of this!

[Sylv_]

Don't bother coming back, seriously.

[Jollytime]

Don't bother coming back, seriously.

....aaaand the warm, fuzzy feeling I got from previous replies is gone

[Sylv_]

....aaaand the warm, fuzzy feeling I got from previous replies is gone

Sorry to ruin it for you.
This expansion is just an endless, nearly unrewarding grind. If you get lucky, like my cousin did, you'll have a great time. If you're unlucky, like the vast majority, you're gonna have a bad time.

I'm not trying to ruin your time, I'm just trying to save you from wasting a bunch of time that could be better spent else where.

[Jollytime]

I'm not trying to ruin your time, I'm just trying to save you from wasting a bunch of time that could be better spent else where.

Did my wife get to you? Are you being coerced into saying this?

[Temp name]

If you go healer, just be aware that you WILL be blamed for everything. Even if it's not your fault.

[Sylv_]

Did my wife get to you? Are you being coerced into saying this?

No. It's the god honest truth.
If you're coming back, I suggest stay for a month or two just to see the content. You should come back for 7.3 and whip through everything and just enjoy Argus.

[Deleted]

If you go healer, just be aware that you WILL be blamed for everything. Even if it's not your fault.

I have to agree with this unfortunately.

My wow time is limited also and the range of reasons for me apparently being the spawn of Satan as a holy pally has covered, but not limited to, the following comments:

1. Dispelling too much
2. Not dispelling enough
3. Not stunning enough
4. Stunning too much
5. STOP DPSING AND HEAL (when no one is dying)
6. WHY ARE YOU NOT DPSING WHEN PEOPLE ARE ALIVE
7. Well my guildie can heal through that and he's not even mythic
8. ONLY HEAL ME, THE OTHERS CAN MITIGATE IT
9. Why didn’t you tell me not to stand there?
10. How was I supposed to know I would die if I did that
11. You don't need that, you are a healer (I CHANGED MY LOOT PREFERENCE FOR ME, NOT YOU!)

I chuckle at a lot of them, but it can be frustrating.

It comes down to preference, when I tank, the wait lines are sill longish, DPS understandably is the longest, but I always return to healing.

Fast queue times/bonus loot > Being the reason something goes wrong.

[Darsithis]

We can't pick for you. We don't allow help me choose my class/spec/role/faction/gender/race/boost threads here