Almost noob resto druid looking for help

[Pocimas 0]

Hi guys,

I need some pro help to learn to heal properly with my druid.

I started to play 3 months ago and I've tried to follow build, tips, place proper hots but I always get a very low efficiency index in raid logs with my guild (and with other people).

My ilvl is currently 906, I have two legendaries, and my artifact is at max level. I do have two other legendaries in my bags: Prydaz and Xoni's. Below are my current stats:

https://worldofwarcraft.com/es-es/character/dun-modr/elpocimas

Here are a couple of logs of this week raids:

ToS nm (only 5 bosses): https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/DWz34VPQ9aHtXp6C

Another ToS nm (except KJ): https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/dXFnKbqAk43cahxr

I think my HPS are rather lacking in comparison to other healers, even though I am not that far away gear-wise. It's so frustrating to see 11-20% of efficiency :(

I'd appreciate any constructive opinion you have and thanks in advance.

Regards

[natasftw 0]

I took a look at a couple of your encounters.  On some, you're showing ~75% based on ilevel.  The one I'll focus on is Hermanas de la Luna.  For that one, you were closer to 36%.

The first thing that sticks out to me is your Cenarion Ward (Resguardo de Cenarius).  On a 5 minute fight, with a 30sec cd, you'd expect to see 9-10 casts of this.  The log shows 3.  This is one spot where you've taken a talent but aren't really using it.  You want to get this out as much as you can.

Another similar point is Lifebloom.  At a 15sec cd, we'd expect to see that cast ~20 times.  We get 14.  That's listing at 79.22% uptime.  It should be a goal to keep this at 100%.

I see one cast of Esencia de G'Hanir.  That's something that will provide an incredible boost to your HoTs if used well.  The cast came at 1:07 into the fight.  If I look at healing at 1:07, it remained pretty flat.  That made me take a look at the total damage taken at 1:07 and there wasn't that much.  It would have given you a lot more at ~0:50 or 1:50.  Timing this will do quite a bit for your efficiency.

The last thing that seems somewhat obvious is Floracion.  With 8 casts, that means you had a maximum uptime of 4:00, or close to that 80% again.  While it may have been your top overall heal, you lost a lot from it.  Looking at it providing 15mil heals with only 80% uptime, an estimate of the lost healing is 3.75mil (that's assuming a random distribution of when it wasn't out.  It could be more or less depending on how much damage was taking place when it wasn't out).  While not a HUGE thing, that would have increased your HPS by 12,500.

This is my first expansion healing so I've spent a bit of time looking through my logs trying to find places for improvement.  When I started playing druid, it was an interesting dynamic to me.  My other healers were very reactive.  See damage.  Heal damage.  But, that's not how you can play a druid and excel.  Druids are very proactive.  You need to know the fight and understand when damage will come.  You need to prepare for this.  When you're getting close to the absorbs on everyone, start spamming out rejuv to everyone.  When the absorbs hit, cast Esencia de G'Hanir to get that rolling faster.  Look at using the talent to extend the HoTs if needed.  Know when you'll NEED tranquility and try to weave usage in 3min prior to get the maximum benefit from it.  Keep Lifebloom and Cenarion Ward on the tank on cd (Sometimes I cheat and move Lifebloom to another target taking a lot of damage.  But, if they'll be done taking damage in a few seconds, you really lose a lot of the benefit here.)  Mastery has me making a point to keep both tanks with as many HoTs as I can at all times so I can benefit when I need to spot heal on them.  The 2set from NH is still very powerful. 

[Pocimas 0]

Thanks a lot for your analysis, natasftw.

In the last days I realize that druids are a class more complicated (for healing) than I'd figured. I've analyzed my logs and those of other healers in my guild and discovered, as you saw, that my heals are more powerful if I can prevent damage before it's done.

However, I notice my heals are still very low. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I realize HPS doesn't really matter that much, but I'm consistently below 60-70% according to my logs.

I don't know how much stat priority matters but I try to balance all stats (I have approx. 20/22% on Crit., Haste and Mastery, and 3/4% on Vers.). I don't know how much this is affecting me because my gear is pretty high ilvl. I use 4 T20 pieces and have almost 50k int.

As far as how I heal, I usually put rejuvenation on as many people that are taking damage as possible while still being able to keep hots up on tank. I have rejuvenation and lifebloom on a tank always, and most of the time use regrowth as well because of clearcasting. When there is moderate raid wide damage, or when at least half the raid is at 50% or less I usually cast wildgrowth. I will then use flourish cooldown and g'hanir if I need them to make this heal really long and stronger. I use tranquility for emergencies or when my RL indicates. I use swiftmend a bit more since I have the T20 proc, and try to combine with Efflorscence.

Recent raid log for ToS nm: https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/31cDZYaypQnkwgAG

I put a comparison with antoher druid with better log:

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/compare/31cDZYaypQnkwgAG/8BpvMqZ9n7xY4NFa#fight=9,12&source=17,Aviell&type=healing

I see that the healing from Rejuv, for example, are much powerful than mine. Why is this so? Am I casting too often? Are my stats unbalanced?

Any help is appreciated.

Edited August 24, 2017 by elpocimas

[Pocimas 0]

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[Neema 0]

Hi, I'm not an expert. But I feel I've improved my healing over the past few months and thought I would share with you what I have done, specifically, to change things around.

Personally I think that there's no "cookie cutter" build for healing. Using sites such as this one as a baseline and then adapt it to fit your playstyle. 

Anyways, when the fight starts I usually blanket Rejuvenation - keeping up Lifebloom on the maintank. When I know there's big damage incoming I have two options, if people are very grouped up it's best to drop a Efflorescence and then Swiftmend. If people are spread out, I use Wild Growth + Flourish + Essence of G'hanir (if needed). And if there's even heavier damage incoming I use both. Basically what I'm saying and what others have told me is to use Wild Growth/Efflorescence+Swiftmend as a reaction to damage, and Rejuvenation as a proactive healing thing. I use Tranq only when called for as well. And when tanks drop low, I use Ironbark.

Also I use three addons I couldn't do without:

- Grid2: For raidframes with customization https://pastebin.com/h4PGjwME is my UI.

The bottom bar is rejuv counter, the top bar is germination counter.
 

- Clique: Awesome mouse based healing.
Left-click: Rejuv
Right-click: Lifebloom
Shift Left: Swiftmend
Shift Right: Regrowth
Alt Left: Ironbark
Alt Right: Rebirth

Then I have Q for Wild Growth and E for Displacer Beast as well as Num 1 for Efflorescence and Num 2 for Tranq

- Weak Auras 2: Helps you remember to cast stuff

For example when your Effloresence runs out, you can make WA2 make a sound or show something on your UI or whatever you want.

---

I've had a look at your logs and compared it to a run I did a few weeks back. I do have higher ilvl than you, but still. If you're using the Germination talent, you should blanket more - if you don't want to, then go for Spring Blossoms for a more passive talent. Also if you can try to get/use Prydaz, Aman'Thul's Wisdom and/or Velen's trinket. Those would really improve your healing. Aman'Thul's made wonders to my healing - because of those extra 3 ticks of rejuvenation (was 5) it gives me a lot more time to blanket - it also saves mana (as you don't have to cast rejuvenation that often).

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/compare/31cDZYaypQnkwgAG/XQbRJNgLD8HmtkFC#type=healing&source=17,9

 

 

[Pocimas 0]

Thanks Neema. Your comments have been really useful.

However I doubt about the efficiency of Rejuvs when I compare my logs with other resto druids. Sometimes my Avg Cast is 350/400k, while in best combats the Avg Cast raise to 550/600k.

How to read those numbers? I try to blanket people with Rejuvs before damage is coming in order to make my Wild Groth/Efflorescence/Regrowths or whatever other spell more powerful, but I don't know if this procedure is correct. Am I overhealing if I cast too many Rejuvs?

See a couple of logs of ToS hc:

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/x1pz7FR6f3vmkNLP#fight=2

https://www.warcraftlogs.com/reports/fxJGdH47mv1V3hag

I think that with my ilvl the hps should be higher, but I cannot realize where is the problem… I try to follow the common guidelines I've seen on videos and guides: cast LB on tanks, maintain Efflo whenever possible, Rejuvs to prevent dmg, WG (+ Flourish + Essence) when several people are taking dmg…

However, in many times I can't overcome 50% efficiency. I don't know if I should play more "preventive"; i.e., trying to react to damage, instead of cast Rejuvs to prevent dmg and overheal.

Any tips would be appreaciate. Thanks a lot.

[Neema 0]

Technically you are overhealing by casting rejuvs, but this is because it's the way druids heal. We use proactive healing to have something on the people before the damage starts. Thus creating loads of overhealing.

Also I would take out Regrowth of the rotation, and only cast it when Lifebloom procs, as it is too mana intensive. Especially if you don't have a ret pally that can give you BoW.

It seems you are doing it right, you just need to align your timings better I think. Such as reacting to raid damage before the damage happens by knowing the abilities of the bosses that do raid damage. For example, start casting Wild Growth before the AoE damage actually hits, to hit that window where everyone is low.

I do think one of the reasons why your hps isn't higher is because of the healer composition of your raid group as well. Like monks and druids are competing for the same things to heal. I notice that when our Windwalker monk, is swapping to Mistweaving in some fights that my hps drops. This is not a bad thing though, it just means that someone will be overhealing more.

[Pocimas 0]

2 hours ago, Neema said:

Technically you are overhealing by casting rejuvs, but this is because it's the way druids heal. We use proactive healing to have something on the people before the damage starts. Thus creating loads of overhealing.

Also I would take out Regrowth of the rotation, and only cast it when Lifebloom procs, as it is too mana intensive. Especially if you don't have a ret pally that can give you BoW.

It seems you are doing it right, you just need to align your timings better I think. Such as reacting to raid damage before the damage happens by knowing the abilities of the bosses that do raid damage. For example, start casting Wild Growth before the AoE damage actually hits, to hit that window where everyone is low.

I do think one of the reasons why your hps isn't higher is because of the healer composition of your raid group as well. Like monks and druids are competing for the same things to heal. I notice that when our Windwalker monk, is swapping to Mistweaving in some fights that my hps drops. This is not a bad thing though, it just means that someone will be overhealing more.

Thanks a lot (again) Neema.

I'm trying to impove my playstiling and healing, and receiving valious feedback is wonderful.

I know I must "plan" the combats in order to manage incoming damage; as a druid, with so many hots, is the best (maybe only) way to be accurate as a healer. 

Actually I just cast Regrowths when LB proc allows it. And I'll try to time better Wild Growth also.

I was mainly worried about the efficiency of Rejuvs: not only because of the overhealing, but also because the impact in other spells when Master: Harmony comes in play.

Anyway, I'll try to follow your tips, plan my raids and practice, practice, practice… a lot!

Thank you very much.

[Neema 0]

Druids need to cast rejuvs to proactively heal - I would leave spot healing/reaction healing to other classes that excel at these things, such as holy paladins.

The mastery does not come into play so much for raid healing, mostly because you don't have time to build up many HoT stacks on each target. My stats are currently at 25%/25%/16%/12% - where 16% is mastery - which is sufficient for my way of healing. I find it far more important to have at least 25% haste before going into other stats. Haste has a lot of good applications, but mainly it lowers the GCD - which means more frequent rejuv casts.

And you're welcome. :-)

[pawwz4208 0]

All good information that is helpful. From what I read you are using the T20 4 piece, if you are still using that I would suggest taking the level 15 talent prosperity and the level 90 talent Spring Blossoms for raid healing as these will raise your throughput on Efflorescence. Swiftmend will increase the healing output 200%. Flourish will help with the Pre hots by extending their times on anticipated damage. Remember as a druid we are focused on overall raid health in increments and anticipating damage received. As stated above, let your stronger spot heal class burst heal big hits. Just my opinion, good luck!