Wanting to Heal at 110 - Whats the best way to level?

[Factoral]

I am finally thinking of going a healer, and Paladin is my choice (love dat hammer)

However, I am not sure leveling as holy would be the easiest thing in the world. I was going to go Retribution for that.

So my question is, what would be the best way to do it? I'm unsure how it would work with leveling my Artifact weapon etc.

[Yurimeta]

I leveled up as Prot the whole way and it was infinitely easier than some of the Holy experiences I had heard about. You probably won't die using either spec, but I found that I killed things much quicker as Prot. Haven't tried out Ret yet, but I would assume that it is a bit less survivable than the other two specs.

Running int and pulled 6+ mobs as prot made quests go by super fast.

As for the Artifact leveling. You can put 13 Traits into your "leveling" spec if it isn't holy and save the rest to dump into your Main spec artifact just by swapping over to that spec once you get the artifact at lvl 102.

[Factoral]

I leveled up as Prot the whole way and it was infinitely easier than some of the Holy experiences I had heard about. You probably won't die using either spec, but I found that I killed things much quicker as Prot. Haven't tried out Ret yet, but I would assume that it is a bit less survivable than the other two specs.

Running int and pulled 6+ mobs as prot made quests go by super fast.

As for the Artifact leveling. You can put 13 Traits into your "leveling" spec if it isn't holy and save the rest to dump into your Main spec artifact just by swapping over to that spec once you get the artifact at lvl 102.

What level will your artifact be at that point then? Because on my main my Artifact is level 15 and I'm level 110. I don't really want to put so many traits onto it if it means I'm behind at 110.

[Yurimeta]

What level will your artifact be at that point then? Because on my main my Artifact is level 15 and I'm level 110. I don't really want to put so many traits onto it if it means I'm behind at 110.

Do you mean ilvl or just trait lvl? If you put 13 "points" into your off spec artifact it only costs you a total of 6500 AP and at the 14th trait the it jumps up to costing you 6840 for that 14th trait so it's not really worth it for an off spec. Realistically that 6500 ap is a drop in the bucket for what you'll be getting later.

If you mean ilvl then your Artifact ilvl is determined by the relics you put into it not the traits.

[Factoral]

Do you mean ilvl or just trait lvl? If you put 13 "points" into your off spec artifact it only costs you a total of 6500 AP and at the 14th trait the it jumps up to costing you 6840 for that 14th trait so it's not really worth it for an off spec. Realistically that 6500 ap is a drop in the bucket for what you'll be getting later.

If you mean ilvl then your Artifact ilvl is determined by the relics you put into it not the traits.

After putting the 13 points into my offspec, do I just continue leveling in the offpsec, but use my AP on the main spec? Or do I switch to my main spec and start leveling that?

[Yurimeta]

After putting the 13 points into my offspec, do I just continue leveling in the offpsec, but use my AP on the main spec? Or do I switch to my main spec and start leveling that?

Yes continue leveling in your offspec and whenever you get an item that will give you AP. Just swap to your main spec, apply the item, then swap back to your Off spec and continue on your way. You don't have to swap for each AP item that drops either. You can wait until you have a bunch of them in your bag and then swap to apply them all at once.

So short story. Get your Off spec Artifact weapon first, level up to level 102 while putting 13 traits into that Artifact. Get your Main spec artifact at level 102 when the quest is available in your class hall. Continue leveling as your off spec while doing what I stated above with the AP items.

[Factoral]

Yes continue leveling in your offspec and whenever you get an item that will give you AP. Just swap to your main spec, apply the item, then swap back to your Off spec and continue on your way. You don't have to swap for each AP item that drops either. You can wait until you have a bunch of them in your bag and then swap to apply them all at once.

So short story. Get your Off spec Artifact weapon first, level up to level 102 while putting 13 traits into that Artifact. Get your Main spec artifact at level 102 when the quest is available in your class hall. Continue leveling as your off spec while doing what I stated above with the AP items.

Thanks for helping an Idiot out

[Yurimeta]

Thanks for helping an Idiot out

No problem. I was wondering the same things before Legion launched. Just be sure to plan out your Artifact leveling path beforehand, or find one of the guides on here that shows the "optimal" way for PVE / PVP etc, because you DO NOT want to respec your artifact. It just wastes AP.

[fangless]

I leveled up as Ret, and set my loot spec to Holy. The gear is mostly the same, and won't really make much difference as you level.

[kestrel]

I leveled as holy and it was pretty easy and didn't feel slower than leveling as a DPS spec.

[Zodd]

Seriously - if you are planning on playing as Holy, no prob.

But, save your sanity: Put 13 points into your Prot weapon - get Bulwark of Order and then +2 in Scatter the Shadows. Later on put that up to +3 when you are at like +25,000 per trait in Holy and that 6,800 doesn't seem like a big deal in Prot any longer.

Get good relics and put them into the weap. Relics are fairly common, don't need to buy them. Just set loot spec to Prot for bosses that can drop Iron/Arcane relics - done. I'm biased toward Scatter the Shadows as a relic trait.

If I'm in a group - I'm Holy if I can help it.

When I'm by myself, I'm Prot and I love it. You simply won't be able to do the things as Holy that you can as Prot.

[Tragopan]

I am having a similar issue, though I am now at level 110 and have been playing as Holy this whole time. Soloing feels really slow still, but at least it is safe.

I got my Ret weapon thinking I'd be better off doing world quests/soloing in Ret spec.. but not only am I so squishy that I die nearly every time I get more than one enemy, I do less DPS than I do while in Holy spec!

So I have a few questions..

1) Is it worth it for me to bother putting AP into Ret in order to solo/World Quest better, or should I just stay in Holy (Or is Prot a better option?)

2) For other healers.. is it always best to level as a different spec and after 13 trait points put everything into your healing weapon.. or are you just better off leveling as the healer spec?

3) Is there ever a point in gear/AP spent where you're better off just soloing/World Questing in your healer spec?

Thanks!

[Raakel]

I'm more and more enjoying prot for solo questing so this might be an alternative for you.

WQ: "Kill 12*X, 3*Y, 1*Z"

As Holy you do one by one, as ret you collect up to three and as prot you collect 15 and the 1 left afterwards....

[Tragopan]

I'm more and more enjoying prot for solo questing so this might be an alternative for you.

WQ: "Kill 12*X, 3*Y, 1*Z"

As Holy you do one by one, as ret you collect up to three and as prot you collect 15 and the 1 left afterwards....

Fair enough! Will there be a point where I'm just better off soloing as the heal spec though? Seeing as we gain increased damage % for each trait point spent.

[Raakel]

I guess so... but only because you should play what you enjoy most. Holy already feels like a melee if you want. I wouldn't mind the 1-2 minutes difference it takes to complete the task.

[Magicmooch]

I leveled as Prot and stay Prot for world quests and things and just save my artifact power for my Holy weapon. Prot lets you literally pull entire areas and come out of it fine. Prot is really the only way to go for leveling if you want to A) Not worry about dying, ever and B ) being able to quickly do big pulls and kill stuff relatively fast.