SoO 10 man - number of healers

[Aleks0410]

Did I miss this thread? I'm desperately trying to find info on how many healers to bring for SoO fights. There're tons of guides for SoO but people rarely mention anything about healer composition. I wish there were more discussions about how many healers to bring. I guess it'll come once we hit path day but I just hate bringing 3 healers to a fight only to find out 2 hours later that it's mush easier to kill it with 2 healers

I haven't tested anything (except some Proving Grounds) on the PTR - anyone got useful insight on this?

Thanks in advance!

[ItachiZaku]

2 and a hybrid. A good elemental shaman or boomie was usually what my buddies guild was doing (even a shadow priest that's Sym'd with Tranq is an option).

If struggling, they can spec flip fully.

[Blackmist]

Just take 3, and get one to swap to caster DPS spec if needed.

Even in full healing gear and no reforging, you can pull off middling DPS.

[Deleted]

For immerseus at least (cos we all know the first boss is really important right? Won't see the ones after if he doesnt die xD) if you can bring 3 healers I don't see why not. Or to stock up on hybrids. Its a unique fight in that dps actually become less important as the fight goes on (as he loses corruption the tank and spank phases become shorter as he loses hp, theres also less dps adds to kill and more healing adds about). Beyond that I imagine the standard rules apply, if you have rocking healers can two heal it, if you have above average two healing with hybrids available for cds, if they're undergeared then three heal it. Also depends on your dps as well, are they putting out enough that you can afford to have another healer? Personally I like to three heal stuff, mainly beause my raid group has two raid days and as people learn the fight they take a lot of unnecessary damage. We typically drop to two healing most fights after the first kill.

[Inthislzon]

Go with 2 full healers or 3 healers 2 of them being disc/mw (pure atonement / pure fistweaver). I doubt there's any normal boss that requires 3 healers

[Madisyn]

Our plan is to go in with 2 set healers for most fights. Immerseus gave us an issue 2 healing, but we managed to get him down during the ptr testing (we are very fortunate to have 3 hybrids in our 10 man group - boomie, spriest, and shaman) which they did help with healing as much as they possibly could for that specific fight.

If I remember correctly, the other fights, we didn't have too much of an issue 2 healing them with very little help from our hybrids. It's always a good idea to make sure you have a 3rd healer ready to go just in case. We geared all 3 of our hybrids for a healing spec just so we had an extra healer if one was needed.

[Hyve]

I personally (as a Healer) always preferred to try 2-healing an encounter, before giving it a shot with three. Healing can at points be very boring when there isn't a challenge to it, and typically it is DPS that'll hold back any progression, so having more DPS is always a better setup in my view.

[Nobleshield]

I personally (as a Healer) always preferred to try 2-healing an encounter, before giving it a shot with three. Healing can at points be very boring when there isn't a challenge to it, and typically it is DPS that'll hold back any progression, so having more DPS is always a better setup in my view.

As a tank/semi-RL this is my philosophy as well. Always try to 2 heal and go 3 if you are having trouble or for some fights with a lot of raid damage.

[braeldiil]

As a tank/semi-RL this is my philosophy as well. Always try to 2 heal and go 3 if you are having trouble or for some fights with a lot of raid damage.

We always go the other way - start out 3-healing to get a handle on the mechanics of the fight. It's simply faster to learn the fight with the buffer of a ton of extra healing. Once we get comfortable with the fight, we'll drop to two heals and see how that goes. Sometimes it works, sometimes three heals feels better. We'll make the call and work on the kill.

[Nobleshield]

We always go the other way - start out 3-healing to get a handle on the mechanics of the fight. It's simply faster to learn the fight with the buffer of a ton of extra healing. Once we get comfortable with the fight, we'll drop to two heals and see how that goes. Sometimes it works, sometimes three heals feels better. We'll make the call and work on the kill.

Can see this point too. I prefer the opposite only because my team gets complacent with 3 healing and never wants to drop to 2 because "We've already killed the boss, I don't want to risk a wipe by trying out 2 heals, let's just 3 heal it and kill it". We 3-healed every single boss in ToT normal because nobody was willing to chance a wipe by trying 2 healers instead.

[Ichifails]

As a tank/semi-RL this is my philosophy as well. Always try to 2 heal and go 3 if you are having trouble or for some fights with a lot of raid damage.

I remember you... you are the guy that said his GM/RL didn't want to 2-heal Normal ToT fights... Hopefully this time around you'll make the raid group.
For normal I'd say 2-heal most of them with some help during high damage from hybrids. Having a 3rd healer available or with decent DPS gear just doing DPS and switching to healing for the occasional fight.

- - - Updated - - -

We always go the other way - start out 3-healing to get a handle on the mechanics of the fight. It's simply faster to learn the fight with the buffer of a ton of extra healing. Once we get comfortable with the fight, we'll drop to two heals and see how that goes. Sometimes it works, sometimes three heals feels better. We'll make the call and work on the kill.

I'd say it's a bad idea. When going from 3 to 2 healers, people will not expect so much damage and will die, will stay in stuff that they were safe before. Not pushing people makes them lazy. They need to feel like they will die each second, with each move. If they don't, they will get lazy. If they cave, they are raiding at a too high level for them.

[RuneeBH]

I'm not a fan of going with 3 then dropping to 2. If you can clear it all with 3, then just kill the shit with 3 and move on, it's not like you get extra loot for 2 healing. Do what is easier. Unless you're going for ranks, etc., there is no reason to drop to less healers if you've already done it with that amount.

[Nobleshield]

I remember you... you are the guy that said his GM/RL didn't want to 2-heal Normal ToT fights... Hopefully this time around you'll make the raid group.
For normal I'd say 2-heal most of them with some help during high damage from hybrids. Having a 3rd healer available or with decent DPS gear just doing DPS and switching to healing for the occasional fight.

Hopefully, although we "worked things out" so who knows. I think I got him to let me handle the strategy/logistics though since I actively read up on fights and analyze WoL, but he's more assertive (read: louder) when it comes to calling things out.

I'm not a fan of going with 3 then dropping to 2. If you can clear it all with 3, then just kill the shit with 3 and move on, it's not like you get extra loot for 2 healing. Do what is easier. Unless you're going for ranks, etc., there is no reason to drop to less healers if you've already done it with that amount.

I always thought that the reason you 2 heal is to push people; your DPS have to be aware of avoidable mechanics since there isn't extra healing, and your healers have to be more on the ball. While you can 3 heal the normal fights, I'm pretty sure that some (most?) of the heroic bosses are too tight with the enrage/DPS check to 3-heal them, so by starting off 2-healing you are preparing for heroics.

[Inthislzon]

I'm not a fan of going with 3 then dropping to 2. If you can clear it all with 3, then just kill the shit with 3 and move on, it's not like you get extra loot for 2 healing. Do what is easier. Unless you're going for ranks, etc., there is no reason to drop to less healers if you've already done it with that amount.

Heroics.

If you are used to 3-heal normal megaera there's no chance you are 3-healing heroic megaera to put an example, and you usually can't get a 4th healer.

There is no boss on normal that requires 3 healers, and 3 healing them will teach your healers to slack, as there is people to cover for them.

[Aleks0410]

Guys, I appriciate all the answers but I know the basics of how 2 vs 3 healing works I was more looking for info on SoO specifically. I should have been more clear.

Anyone who's been on the PTR got any info on the early bosses? (10 man)

Thanks again

[Inthislzon]

2 heal everything. If you can't deal with a particular boss add a third healer.

Everything will be 2-healable by skilled healers as long as DPS don't mess up too much. There's no clearer answer than that as normals usually have no DPS checks.

[Deleted]

Most of the encounters seem to be 2 healable, a couple looks like you need 3 just because of mechanics.
Spoils of pandaria is probably the only one where you are supposed to always go with just 2 healer because the raid is split.