As the Dragonflight patch 10.2 unfolds, raid healing dynamics come to the forefront once again. It’s essential to recognize the ever-changing nature of this aspect of the game. Each raid tier presents unique challenges, requiring healers to reassess their capabilities based on the current circumstances. While healing throughput remains crucial, other factors such as utility and damage become prominent in specific raids. For example, in Amirdrassil, mana conservation becomes a significant concern, a departure from its previous lack of importance.
In addition to healing prowess, factors like raid-wide damage reduction, cooldown strength, healing mobility, and raw healing per second (HPS) play crucial roles in the context of Amirdrassil.
In the Dragonflight realm, raid buffs play a significant role in Mythic progression. The presence or absence of essential buffs like Mystic Touch, Devotion Aura, Retribution Aura, Power Word: Fortitude, or Mark of the Wild can significantly impact raid dynamics. Moreover, the effectiveness of these buffs depends on the healer and tank specs within the same class. For instance, a Holy Paladin’s effectiveness may decrease if a raid frequently relies on a Retribution Paladin for buffs. Our tier list aims to consider such intricacies.
Understanding the Tiers:
S: These specs represent exceptional choices and are likely to be prominently featured in top compositions, providing invaluable kits. Having two copies of these specs is more common than not.
A: Falling slightly short of the top tier, these specs are still excellent choices, with one healer from this tier expected in most top raid setups.
B: While solid, these specs may lack in damage, damage reduction effects, or throughput compared to higher tiers. Nevertheless, they contribute significantly to raid success.
C: No healers fall into this tier, indicating a relative absence of weaknesses that hinder effective utilization.
D: Reserved for specs facing survivability issues, entry into this tier requires exceptional skill from the player or strategic compromises to overcome challenges.
F: Reserved for specs with glaring weaknesses requiring immediate developer attention, it’s rare to see healers in this tier in most raid compositions.
In the Amirdrassil raid, S Tier healer specializations dominate, with at least one healer from this tier expected for most encounters. It’s rare for a raid to thrive without any representation from this tier.
Patch 10.2 has brought significant changes to the Discipline Priest, making it a favored choice for many top guilds.
One notable aspect contributing to Discipline’s resurgence is its unmatched passive damage output. Among healers, Discipline boasts the highest level of passive damage, with abilities like Penance and Smite serving as formidable assets. Additionally, the flexibility to talent into additional damage options without sacrificing healing throughput further enhances its appeal. Power Infusion, paired with Twins of the Sun Priestess, provides a passive boost to raid performance, solidifying Discipline’s position as a powerhouse.
However, it’s not solely about damage—Discipline excels in healing throughput, particularly through its “ramps.” The significant ramps facilitated by Evangelism have been a highlight throughout the expansion, now complemented by the efficacy of Power Word: Radiance in providing smaller yet impactful healing surges. Furthermore, its versatility in addressing various damage patterns, whether through the 30-second burst of Mindbender or the rapid healing cycles with Shadowfiend, underscores its adaptability.
In essence, Discipline emerges as a well-rounded healer, seamlessly blending potent healing throughput with formidable passive damage—a combination that cements its status as a top contender in the healing landscape of Amirdrassil.
The Amirdrassil Raid presents a variety of challenges, and within it, A Tier healer specializations stand out as reliable choices. It’s common to find at least one healer from this tier in many of the top raid compositions.
Despite facing one of its most challenging phases in years, the Holy Paladin maintains its place in the A Tier. Its resilience is attributed to the powerful combination of Aura Mastery and Devotion Aura, along with the scarcity of alternatives for multiple Paladins in raid setups. The passive damage reduction offered by the Holy Paladin remains a cornerstone attribute that cannot be overlooked.
The journey of the Holy Paladin through patch 10.1.5 has been tumultuous, marked by significant reworks followed by weeks of relentless nerfs. These changes have notably reduced the effectiveness of its spenders, relegating them to secondary roles behind Flash of Light and Holy Shock in many situations. While once praised for its damage-dealing abilities in 5-man content during patch 10.1.5, the Holy Paladin now struggles with extensive nerfs across various aspects of its damage output. Despite the reliable performance of its passive damage option, Blessing of Summer, it falls behind other healers in damage output. Moreover, concerns persist about its ability to quickly restore players’ health bars outside of cooldown usage, especially in raids with pervasive rot damage.
Although a single Holy Paladin remains a staple inclusion in raid compositions, there’s no denying that the spec is currently at a low point. Yet, in the face of adversity, the Holy Paladin demonstrates adaptability and resilience, embodying endurance in challenging situations.
In the ever-changing environment of Amirdrassil, Mistweaver Monks emerge as strong contenders, bolstered by recent buffs that enhance their passive damage capabilities. Their healing throughput per second (HPS) shines in patch 10.2, showcasing their unparalleled healing abilities.
However, a shadow of concern looms over Mistweaver Monks—mana management. Like many other healers in patch 10.2, Mistweavers struggle with conserving mana, though they have some control through abilities like Mana Tea. Despite this challenge, Mistweavers possess powerful HPS cooldowns, with Invoke Yu’lon, the Jade Serpent, being a standout asset, albeit at a mana cost. Their raw HPS throughput rivals that of Restoration Shamans, and their ability to spot heal and tend to debuffed targets further solidifies their position.
Mistweavers also offer strategic advantages in raid compositions. The coveted Mystic Touch originates from Mistweaver abilities, making them essential for raid-wide success. With Mistweavers being the primary source of Mystic Touch in Amirdrassil, it’s common to see them securing consistent raid slots in top compositions. Additionally, their utility extends beyond healing, with abilities like Close to Heart and Generous Pour enhancing raid resilience and survivability, especially when in close proximity to the Mistweaver.
In essence, the Mistweaver Monk represents versatility and strategic prowess, embodying balance amidst the chaos of Amirdrassil’s trials.
Throughout the turbulent 10.2 PTR cycle, Restoration Shaman players have grappled with uncertainties about the spec’s playstyle. Despite this, Restoration Shamans continue to exhibit formidable healing throughput capabilities. Encounters like Volcoross and Tindral Sageswift provide ample opportunities for Restoration Shamans to showcase their skills, especially in scenarios where group stacking is prevalent. In these situations, they excel at maintaining group health levels, ensuring the sustained vitality of their allies. Centered around the strategic use of Riptide and targeted healing, Restoration Shamans adeptly maneuver the battlefield, promptly attending to allies under direct threat. While this playstyle found prominence in encounters like Aberrus, its prevalence may experience slight shifts in the diverse landscape of Amirdrassil.
However, similar to Preservation Evokers, Restoration Shamans face a significant drawback—the absence of a raid buff compelling their inclusion. This limitation reduces the potential raid slots available to Restoration Shamans compared to specs with raid buffs. Nevertheless, we maintain that Restoration Shamans possess the potential for excellence, particularly in the hands of skilled players who effectively leverage their strengths.
In essence, Restoration Shamans exemplify resilience in the face of uncertainty, utilizing their healing prowess to overcome challenges and emerge victorious amidst the chaos of battle.
Do not be afraid to choose healers from B tier. Top mythic raids still using this classes for most bosses. They are slightly behind the A-tier healers beacause of various reasons, but still viable to complete the entire raid without any problems.
In the realm of the Amirdrassil Raid, the Preservation Evoker holds a steady position in the B Tier. While not reaching the top tiers, Preservation Evokers provide a reliable foundation, offering commendable healing capabilities and valuable cooldowns that support the raid team. However, they fall short in matching the damage output, damage reduction effects, or exceptional throughput of higher-tier healers.
At the start of patch 10.2, Preservation Evokers emerged as leaders in throughput healing. The return of Mana Pools, though limited, signaled a new era, with the Source of Magic buff providing hope for fellow healers. Additionally, the powerful raid cooldowns Rewind and Dream Flight demonstrated their utility and strategic value. Despite their healing prowess, Preservation Evokers also possess significant damage potential, second only to Disc priests, without compromising their primary role. However, challenges arise in encounters like Larodar, Keeper of the Flame, where the need to attend to NPCs presents significant obstacles.
Despite their strengths, Preservation Evokers face challenges in the raid buff landscape. Ranking slightly below Restoration Shamans and Mistweavers in throughput and second only to Restoration Shamans in DPS, Preservation Evokers encounter a dilemma. The demand for raid buffs, especially Devotion Aura and Mystic Touch, complicates their inclusion in raid compositions, requiring a delicate balancing act that may limit their presence in many groups.
In essence, Preservation Evokers embody resilience in the face of adversity, providing a stable foundation for raid teams to thrive while grappling with the challenges of dynamic raid composition.
Among healing specializations, Restoration Druids present a nuanced presence in the tier hierarchy. While they may be perceived as less favorable in terms of throughput healing, Restoration Druids face challenges exacerbated by nerfs to passive damage from Nature’s Vigil. Additionally, adjustments to the Convoke the Spirits + Flourish ramp dynamics have shifted Restoration Druid’s prominence compared to its stature in patch 10.1. Despite these challenges, buffs to base spells and improved synergy between Incarnation: Tree of Life and the 10.2 tier set add depth to Restoration Druid’s strategic options. However, longer cooldowns on healing windows pose additional hurdles, potentially reducing its competitive edge against contenders like Preservation Evokers and Disc Priests.
Despite uncertainties, Restoration Druids find strategic utility in Mark of the Wild—a potential game-changer in the meta. While Balance Druids may emerge as likely candidates to provide this buff, slotting a Restoration Druid remains a viable alternative. Despite facing adversity, Restoration Druids remain steadfast healers, navigating the healer’s role with finesse. For those who master the powers of a Restoration Druid, the path forward is not one of surrender but an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the spec and its unique intricacies.
In essence, Restoration Druids exemplify adaptability and resilience in the face of shifting dynamics, embodying versatility within the healer’s realm.
Once a formidable force in patch 10.1, Holy Priest now faces the aftermath of significant nerfs, particularly to Symbol of Hope. The reduction of cooldown reduction from 60 seconds to 30 seconds, along with substantial nerfs to Holy Word: Salvation’s cooldown reduction, has diminished Holy Priest’s once dominant presence. The rise of Discipline as a powerhouse only exacerbates Holy’s situation, pushing it to the sidelines of the meta.
However, amidst the challenges, there are glimpses of hope. Holy Fire’s passive damage, when combined with Power Infusion, grants Holy Priest commendable damage-dealing capabilities, though at the cost of forgoing other damage globals. Additionally, Holy Priest’s versatility is evident in its ability to spec into Discipline for specific encounters, enhancing its strategic utility. The Mana return on Symbol of Hope further highlights Holy Priest’s potential effectiveness in certain encounters this patch.
In essence, while Holy Priest may be overshadowed by its Discipline counterpart, its inherent versatility and strategic potential ensure its relevance in select encounters, offering a beacon of hope amidst the shifting dynamics of battle.
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