In my last post, I wrote a bit about an offhealer build I was going to try out in our Naxx10 runs. Tonight marked the guild's first Kel'Thuzad downing and Naxx clear (/cheer!), so I can finally report on how it worked out along the way.
The Results
WWS parses seemed to show I was able to do ~1000 DPS or so while in combat, but that's a far cry from the ~2600+ I'm able to do as full Elemental. Kind of a dud there. :P
The healing output was noticeably weaker too, and I did run into some mana issues. Probably the biggest issue though was the lack of Riptide, our only instant heal and HoT. Fights like Heigan, Grobbulus and KT almost require it in a Shaman's healing arsenal.
(Full disclosure, I went back to full Resto from Grobbulus onward, as I didn't want to mess around on my guild's dime, so to speak). :)
The Verdict
So it seems that an offhealer build in a 10-man setting is probably limited to "first-half" Naxx, where your guild is just getting their feet wet with the first two wings and you're a little light on DPS output.
Or perhaps if your guild dramatically outgears the content (or in a 25-person setting) there would be more room experimental hybrid builds, but for getting Naxx on farm status and learning the fights, I recommend sticking with full Resto and just carry a DPS set with lots of +hit if you want to pew pew on trash. :)
Now when are dual specs arriving?!?!
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3 comments:
Heh. I actually was quite sure you would have some issues with this. While a hybrid spec does a lot ok, it doesn’t do everything very well. Sure it may be ok with 2 other strong healers and 5 good DPS. But looking at those smaller numbers certainly has an impact not only on the raid, but how one perceives their own contribution. More so the latter will have the most impact, since no one in a Chiv raid is going to say that Exe isn’t pulling his weight.
Besides, you would likely be severely challenged healing a heroic in a hybrid spec and your DPS would certainly be subpar. Yeah I am speaking as a Paladin healer which used to have and probably continues to have issues healing heroics with a hybrid spec. However, there really should not be a reason to restrict yourself in this manner.
As I had noticed in my short time as a pure DPS spec… the difference between 1500 and 2500DPS can be very small. The littlest detail can really hold you back.
I would offer this. When our normal raiders are geared enough to start considering 2 healers in a 10 man run then the off healer could be pure spec with a heal set.
Besides, as you alluded, dual specs should effectively end consideration of a hybrid spec anyway.
Yep I shoulda caveat'ed that this experiment was only for raid utility, NOT for healing heroics. Urk. Can't imagine the horror that would be without Earth Shield, Riptide and better Earthliving. :)
And Nature's Guardian for those "oh noes teh mobs iz on meh" moments.
I offheal successfully on every raid as enhance shaman. I do 2600-3600 dps (dependant on the fight) and if we have issues on a particular fight I put on healing gear, and without changing spec hit 2250 HB, about 200mp5 while casting and 20k mana pool in half blue gear on the healing set. The lack of talents hurts and puts me at the bottom of the healing meters, but meters don't account for saving someone at the last second before they die because the other 2 healers were overwhelmed.
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