Life Staff AoE Healing Over Time PvE Build for New World

The Area of Effect (AoE) Healing Over Time Build for PVE is commonly used for lower level mutators and more relaxed PvE content. It trades off burst damage mitigation for constant and more passive healing. It then opens up the opportunity to do more damage to enemies and increase the overall speed of an expedition run. In more difficult content, healers will want to take abilities like Divine Embrace, but this build can certainly still be an effective healing option for the most difficult content--it just may be more difficult. In all, the build is more beginner friendly due to the lack of targeted healing options and need to think about damage spikes on your allies. It is primarily a point and click playstyle that is great for getting through content quickly. It is best paired with Refreshing Evasion, but in PvE Refreshing is just as good since there is more of an opportunity to utilize Revitalize and Refreshing Move consistently.

In PvE you will be using healing over time so that you can swap to your Void Gauntlet more often and deal damage in order to push content faster. Also, note that you should not take Sacred Protection because it increases threat generation and you do not need the healing increase. You can also take Mending Touch instead of Enchanted Justice.

• Sacred Ground — Can be freely placed on the ground to heal large "clumps" of players where the highest concentration of players are located. It is best to preemptively place it to counter enemy AoE damage and crowd control. It also amplifies the healing received of any player in the zone through Anointed.
• Orb of Protection — Projectile that is aimed at friendly players and provides a small burst of healing with long healing over time effects and a 10% fortify to reduce damage taken. Aim this on the most concentrated "clumps" of players to provide a long-duration heal over time to large groups. The more players with the heal will increase the amount of times you will receive Mending Protection.
• Beacon — Projectile that is aimed and will stick to the first player or surface it touches. This can be used on the ground when large damage is occurring, but it is best placed on front-line melee players so that the healing area continues to move to the action.

In all PvE settings it is best to use the additional healing, damage, and utility of the Void Gauntlet.

This is the best option for speedrun attempts in M10 expeditions. It will allow you to pair it with a healing over time build and maximize your ability to contribute damage.

100 Constitution will be your baseline for trying to speed push. You should play with 150 Intelligence and at least 250 Focus. Any extra points are up to you.

Slot	Perks	Gem	Weight	Attribute	Source
Life Staff	Blessed Keen Beacon Refreshing	Cut Pristine Diamond	-	Focus	*Mutated Starstone or Crafted/BoE
Void Gauntlet	Bane Keen Petrifying Scream or Vicious	Cut Pristine Diamond	-	Focus	Crafted/BoE
Helmet	Ward Protection Perk Refreshing Any Viable Third Perk	Elemental Damage Reduction Gem (Mutator Specific)	Light	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE or TH***
Gloves	Ward Protection Perk Refreshing Any Viable Third Perk	Cut Pristine Opal	Light	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Chest	Ward Protection Perk Refreshing Any Viable Third Perk	Elemental Damage Reduction Gem (Mutator Specific)	Medium/Light***	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Pants	Ward Protection Perk Shirking Energy Refreshing	Elemental Damage Reduction Gem (Mutator Specific)	Light	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Boots	Ward Protection Perk Refreshing Any Viable Third Perk	Elemental Damage Reduction Gem (Mutator Specific)	Medium/Light***	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Amulet	Health Divine Mutation Specific Protection Perk***	Elemental Damage Reduction Gem (Mutator Specific)	-	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Ring	Sacred Hearty Refreshing	Elemental Damage Reduction Gem (Mutator Specific)	-	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE
Earring	Refreshing Toast Healthy Toast Refreshing	Elemental Damage Reduction Gem (Mutator Specific)	-	Focus or Constitution	Crafted/BoE

*: Staff of the Befouled Temple is a best in slot drop from any version of Mutated Starstone Barrows or it can be crafted with Materia. Otherwise you can use Will of the Ancients

**: Ability perks can go anywhere that you are able to fit them. It can be viable to fit Mending Protection and Fortifying Sacred Ground.

***: Mutators rotate elemental types, it is best to use gems that specifically reduce that elemental type, like Cut Pristine Ruby.

Overall with PVE gearing, this is the ideal loadout of perks for a best in slot healing build. Healing is one of the easiest roles to gear for in high level mutators, but more difficult to play at times. If you simply use almost all sagacious pieces, stack elemental aversion, completely fill your gear with opals, and slot your neck for protection. You should have a high amount of defensiveness with a 200 Constitution setup.

• Refreshing — Reduces max cooldowns by 2.9% per stack
• Refreshing Evasion — Reduces active cooldowns by 0.74% after exiting the dodging animation

(See the FAQ for more detailed information) In this type of build healers generally use Refreshing Evasion for PvP. This is because it is more difficult to land light attacks on enemies. In PvE, you have one static target that you can hit consistently. By stacking Refreshing instead, you can use the same gear for and PvE build, and have it apply to your Void Gauntlet abilities as well.

For more specific information on optimizing your gems and consumables, please refer to our dedicated Gems and Consumables guide.

Stalwart Heartrune of Stoneform is the most defensive and useful option a healer has. It allows you to freely break out of crowd control effects, become immune to stagger, and obtain defensive buffs.

If you wish to deal more damage you can use Brutal Heartrune of Grasping Vines or Brutal Heartrune of Detonate.

Your Heartrune will be used similarly in PvP and PvE scenarios. As such, please refer to the Heartrune section of our Life Staff guide for tips on how it can be used most effectively.

The theoretical healing rotation for this build is as follows:

• Stack Intensify x3 (be careful, do not do this completely to 3 stacks if you team takes damage and needs healing. You can stack it after damage is managed).
• Dodge to receive Bend Light
• Cast Orb of Protection to obtain the Mending Protection buff, fortify, and apply healing over time.
• Cast Sacred Ground to increase the target's healing received through Anointed.
• Cast Beacon to provide additional AoE healing coverage.
• Swap to Void Gauntlet and use all abilities. Continue dealing damage with Void Blade.
• Use all healing cooldowns and swap back to Void Gauntlet.
• Repeat

When using the Life Staff in PvP and PvE there are many similar nuances to a healer's mechanics and gameplay decisions. To learn more about how you can improve your gameplay, use certain secondary weapons, or additional information on specific abilities, please refer to the gameplay section of the Life Staff guide.

For more information on the most frequently asked Life Staff questions please refer to the FAQ section of the Life Staff guide for answers on PvP and PvE topics!