I have played both on live and now the blessing that is RoR, and I would like to discuss a pressing issue for the Grace/Sacrifice trees in the role of a Melee Healer, survivability.
The Issue:
To engage in melee combat with the currently accessible gear, and provide the on melee hit heals/buffs needed to perform in a hybrid role, we are unable to sustain ourselves without a dedicated healer and guard. This reliance breaks the meta of 2+2+2. Where tanks need to be able to swap their guard at will and healers play loose with pre-hots.
Ideally we should be able to fill either the healer or tank role as a front line melee.
I defend that the sustained damage as Grace/Sacrifice is on par with other melee and our lack of burst, cc and a proper heal debuff is balanced.
I defend that the healing generated by Divine Assault and Sigmar's Radiance is balanced, while Sigmar's Shield is lacking.
But, a dead healer provides no heals.
I defend that we are higher priority kill targets than any other melee class for three reasons:
- A DoK/WP badge when making quick assist calls means “healer”, means kill immediately.
- We are easy targets being in melee.
- Limited number of non-tank melee, a very specific reason which is separate but highlights reason 3.
- We are medium to low defense.
- Sorc/BW can efficiently cleave from us.
- AM/Shaman can life tap off us.
Desired Goal:
- Increase survivability without impacting Salvation or Wrath.
- Allow for solutions to be implemented easily.
- Reward sustained engagement.
In order to achieve point one, I have tied my main suggestions to three core tactics.
I believe Sigmar's Shield needs to be addressed and at least one other suggested improvement made in order to meet this goal.
Priority One – Impact Low – scaling issue (SS)
- Sigmar’s Shield
Currently 133(ish) hp heal per proc during 7sec duration.- Problem: Heal amount needs to at the least be in line with a healing hand tick or prayer of devotion.
~300 per proc at 600 strength. - Solution: Add scaling where either strength or will are used, whichever is highest.
Additionally, remove 20% penalty for Divine Fury and Fanaticism.
Testing will be needed to confirm RF/SE consumption is balanced.
- Problem: Heal amount needs to at the least be in line with a healing hand tick or prayer of devotion.
Add sustainability via existing Tactic
- Divine Warding
Divine Warding is an amazing tactic for book warrior priests, it provides safety from cleave and dots (fluff). This is an important safeguard that many squishy two-hand tanks see, their health never dips from fluff so they are not perceived as a good swap target.
- Problem: Divine Warding does not currently proc on any grace ability.
- Solution: 25% chance per target affected by Sigmar's Radiance.
50% chance per tick of Divine Assault.
Divine Warding retains its willpower based scaling and will not refresh itself from these abilities.
- Leading the Prayer
Reward the player for engagement with increased proc chances of Prayer of Devotion on ability use.
- Problem: Procs from Leading the Prayer are unreliable and greatly depend upon group make-up for a return over Prayer of Absolution.
- Solution: Leading the Prayer may now also proc on the players attacks:
50% chance on successful Sigmar's Radiance or tick of Divine Assault.
Improve Quality of Life, survivability and reduce selfish targeting.
- Grace of Sigmar
- Problem: Grace/Sacrifice has many options to buff and heal a defensive target, but most often these abilities are needed to improve the survivability of the caster themselves.
- Solution: Grace of Sigmar now causes Sigmar’s shield, Sigmar’s Vision, Sigmar’s Fist and Divine assault to affect the caster as well as the defensive target.