Healer

Healers are one of the basic roles available in DCUO. This role generally focuses on keeping the team alive by healing other group members and preventing damage with group shields. Healers have the ability to heal and buff their team mates with high levels of restoration and power. All healing powers specialize in different healing methods and it is therefore preferred that Raids and Operations have two different healing powers. The symbol that represents a healer is a Heart.

In PVP Healers have a disadvantage against Controllers and DPS but have an advantage to Ice, Rage, Earth and Fire Tanks.

=Healing Role=

In order to acquire the Healing Role, you must select either Nature, Sorcery, Electricity or Celestial as your power set. Once you reach level 10, you will automatically acquire the Healing Role. In the Healing role (and your natural form) all damage you cause is penalized by 25%. All Health restoration and damage prevention effects you trigger are increased by 65%.

All bonuses from Weapon Skill Trees stack, regardless of what weapon type is currently equipped. Starting at level 10, a player is allowed to spend skill points in multiple weapon skill trees.

=Stats= In order of importance for stats are:
 * 1) Restoration
 * 2) Critical Healing Chance
 * 3) Critical Healing Magnitude
 * 4) Health
 * 5) Dominance

Restoration
Restoration increases Healing, Health regeneration and Shield damage prevention. 4 points of Restoration increase base healing by 1%. Healer Shields prevent damage equal to 125% Restoration in Healer role.

Critical Healing Chance
The chance to perform a critical heal. Base Critical Healing Chance is 5%. Critical Healing Chance is reduced by 50% in PVP.

Critical Healing Magnitude
Increases the amount of health restored with a critical heal. Base Critical Healing Magnitude is 25%. Critical Healing Magnitude is reduced by 50% before the 25% Base amount in PVP.

Health
The amount of damage a player can take in a battle before being knocked out. Higher Health allows a player to withstand additional attacks. Health regenerates slowly out of combat.

Dominance
Dominance primarily affects Control Effects but it also increases Healing. 4 points of Dominance increase base healing by 1%.

=Powers=



Nature Healing
See Also: List of Nature Powers

Nature has five powers that release Pheromones in Healer role in addition to the primary Heal produced by each of those powers. Bloom, Cross Pollination and Savage Growth have individual Pheromone stacks while Harvest and Metabolism share a stack. Harvest and Blossom will produce a large Burst heal based on the number of existing Pheromone stacks. Blossom removes the existing Pheromones.

A Nature Healing Stacker attempts to maintain multiple Pheromone stacks to provide small Heals Over Time along with the primary Heal of each individual power. A Nature Healing Burster typically uses two Pheromone producing powers to setup Blossom for a larger Burst Heal.

A Nature Healing Supporter typically provides group stat boosts with Hive Mind and Carnage.

Flora
Specializing in Flora grants +5% critical attack damage and +2% critical healing chance.
 * Blossom : Restores Health to yourself and the most injured group member. If Pheromones exist, it will remove Pheromones and produce a large heal based on the number of existing Pheromone stacks.
 * Cross Pollination : Wave effect that Heals up to 4 nearby allies that then may echo Heal up to 8 allies near the originally affected allies. Also establishes 39 small Pheromone Healing ticks.
 * Savage Growth : Produces 4 Medium Healing ticks to nearby allies and establishes 39 small Pheromone Healing ticks.
 * Harvest : Restores Health to group members based on the number of existing Pheromone stacks. Also establishes 39 small Pheromone Healing ticks. Shares a Pheromone stack with Metabolism.
 * Bloom : Produces a large Heal to group members after a cast time and establishes 39 small Pheromone Healing ticks.

Fauna
Specializing in Fauna grants +1% critical attack chance and +5% critical healing magnitude.
 * Metabolism : Produces 5 Medium Healing ticks to group members and establishes 39 small Pheromone Healing ticks. Shares a Pheromone stack with Harvest.
 * Swarm Shield : Shield that Prevents Damage up to 125% of your Restoration for yourself and the three most injured group members.
 * Regeneration : 50% Supercharge that regenerates Health and Power over time for group members.
 * Hive Mind : Provides +270 Restoration and +270 Might to yourself and three group members.
 * Carnage : Provides a 45% Precision increase and 10% Critical Chance to yourself and three group members.
 * Insectoid Form : Flying Shapechange form that provides +3% Critical Healing Chance and +5% Critical Healing Effect.
 * Roar : Provides 3 Medium Healing ticks to allies within the cone.



Sorcery Healing
See Also: List of Sorcery Powers

Sorcery has several powers that only restore Health in the Healer role including Circle of Destiny, Soul Well, Shard of Life, Soul Siphon, Transmutation and Summon Watcher. Bad Karma inflicted in Healer role from Condemn, Karmic Backlash, Shard of Life, Soul Siphon and Weapon of Destiny cause enemy attacks to heal their targets. Rejuvenate, Invocation of Renewal, Soul Siphon and Vengeance grant a Golden Soul Aura which adds +10% Critical Healing Chance.

Destiny
Specializing in Destiny grants +5% critical attack damage and +5% critical healing magnitude.
 * Circle of Protection : Produces up to 15 medium Healing ticks to allies that pass through the field.
 * Rejuvenate : Restores Health to yourself and the most injured group member. Grants Golden Soul Aura.
 * Invocation of Renewal : Produces 10 small healing ticks followed by a large burst heal. Group members under 35% health are healed quicker. Grants Golden Soul Aura.
 * Soul Siphon : Restores Health to yourself and nearby allies. Grants Golden Soul Aura.
 * Arbiter of Destiny : 50% Supercharge transformation that provides unlimited power to cast active powers.

Summoning
Specializing in Summoning grants +1% critical attack chance and +2% critical healing chance.
 * Boon of Souls : Shield that Prevents Damage up to 125% of your Restoration for yourself and the three most injured group members.
 * Soul Well : Produces 29 small Healing ticks that affect allies within the field. Produces a large Heal to allies when enemies within the field are defeated.
 * Ritualistic Word : Restores Health to yourself and 3 group members. Restores Power over Time to a summoned Watcher.
 * Summon Watcher : Pet that restores Health to group members.
 * Shard of Life : Produces 10 Healing ticks to allies near your target.
 * Transmutation : Heals allies near your target.
 * Transcendence : 50% Supercharge that regenerates Health and Power over time for group members.



Electricity Healing
See Also: List of Electricity Powers

Bio-Capacitor and Invigorate place an emergency Healing charge on group members that activates if Health falls below 35% within 2 minutes. Electrogenesis applies an Aura to the caster and one ally that provides Heals to other nearby allies while the Aura is active. Electroburst will heal allies only if nearby opponents are Electrified. Tesla Ball and Wired are useful to Electrify multiple opponents which increases the Heal produced by Electroburst. Galvanize and Electroburst produce small Healing ticks over time after the main heal affect.

Voltage
Specializing in Voltage grants +1% critical attack chance and +2% critical healing chance.
 * Bioelectric Surge : Restores Health to yourself and the most injured group member.
 * Electrogenesis : Creates an Aura on the caster and one ally that provides Heals to other nearby allies.
 * Ionic Drain : Produces 8 small healing ticks followed by a large burst heal.
 * Electroburst : Heals allies if nearby opponents are Electrified. Healing amount is based on the number of Electrified opponents. Produces small Healing ticks over time.
 * Arc Lightning : Bolt that may jump to and heal multiple allies. Useful as a Tank Heal.
 * Group Transducer : 50% Supercharge Shield that Prevents Damage up to 125% of your Restoration for yourself and 7 group members and Heals whenever struck by an opponent.
 * Wired: Electrifies Weapon attacks and adds +10% Critical Attack Chance for yourself and three group members. Useful to set up Electroburst for a Heal.

Amperage
Specializing in Amperage grants +5% critical attack damage and +5% critical healing magnitude.
 * Bio-Capacitor : Restores Health to yourself and the most injured group member. Places an emergency Healing charge on yourself and 3 group members that activates if Health falls below 35% within 2 minutes.
 * Galvanize : Wave effect that Heals up to 4 nearby allies that then may echo Heal up to 8 allies near the originally affected allies. Produces small Healing ticks over time.
 * Invigorate : Restores Health and Power over time to you and your allies and protects against control effects. Places an emergency Healing charge on yourself and 7 group members that activates if Health falls below 35% within 2.5 minutes.



Celestial Healing
See Also: List of Celestial Powers 

Some Celestial powers can combo into another power to provide healing without additional power cost. Cleansed Malediction and Corrupted Benediction will heal allies based on the damage dealt. Cleansed Curse and Cleansed Death Mark will heal group members when targets are knocked out. Cleansed Blight and Corrupted Admonish are group heals that increase different Critical Healing stats. Divine Light, Cleansed Wither and Retribution Purify opponents causing attacks to heal their targets. Corrupted Divine Light will cause opponents to spread Purification to other nearby enemies.

Blessed
Specializing in this tree grants +5% critical attack damage and +2% critical healing chance.
 * Blessing : Shield that Prevents Damage up to 125% of your Restoration for yourself and the three most injured group members.
 * Guardian's Light : Restores Health to you and seven group members.
 * Admonish : Restores Health to yourself and three group members.
 * Combos into Cleansed Blight which restores Health Over Time to three group members and increases Critical Healing Chance by 5%
 * Renew : Restores Health to yourself and the most injured group member.
 * Combos into Cleansed Curse that Heals when your target is knocked out.
 * Divine Light : Creates glyphs that Heal allies and Purifies enemies.
 * Combos into Cleansed Death Mark  that Heals when your targets are knocked out.
 * Wrath of the Presence : Combos into Cleansed Consume Soul which restores Health to allies.
 * Consecrated Ground : 50% Supercharge that Prevents most Damage while in the area of effect.
 * Sacrifice : 50% Supercharge that provides Health, Power and Damage Prevention to allies while Taunting nearby enemies to attack you with additional Healing Over Time if you are knocked out.

Cursed
Specializing in this tree grants +1% critical attack chance and +5% critical healing magnitude.
 * Consume Soul : Restores Health Over Time to nearby allies.
 * Blight : Increases Critical Healing Chance by 5%.
 * Combos into Corrupted Admonish which restores Health to you and three nearby group members and increases Critical Healing Magnitude by 5%.
 * Curse : Combos into Corrupted Renew that Heals you and the most injured group member.
 * Death Mark : Combos into Corrupted Divine Light that creates glyphs that Heal allies and cause enemies to spread Purification.
 * Cursed Idol : 25% Supercharge Totem that Heals nearby allies and damages enemies.
 * Life Drain : 35% Supercharge that damages enemies while restoring Health to group members.
 * Malediction : Combos into Benediction granting extra critical attack chance and damage percentages for 12 seconds. Wilst the combo is active, damage done to an enemy will also come back as health healing you and your group members.

Iconic Powers
Passive Iconic Powers unlock at Level 22 and are useful to boost Stats.

The following Iconic Innate Powers are beneficial to Healers:
 * Empathic Healing: +3% Critical Healing Chance
 * Miracle Worker: +10% Critical Healing Magnitude

Equipment Mods
Placing Equipment Mods in slots can boost stats and improve performance. Color Mods should match a socket color to gain bonus affinity stats. White Equipment Mods require the Home Turf DLC.

Buffs
Some healing powers can buff the group.

Single Target Burst Heals
This ability heals yourself and your most injured group member. All healing powers have this ability. It is mainly used if one member in the group has low health or in emergency situations.
 * Blossom : Nature : Flora
 * Renew : Celestial : Blessed
 * Bioelectric Surge : Electricity : Voltage
 * Rejuvenate : Sorcery : Destiny

Power Management
Most abilities actively require Power in order to use them. All alone, you will likely have enough power to use at most 6-7 skills before you empty out. If you don't have an ability to heal, you can always use a Restoration barrel. They are often found around bosses for just this reason. In order to acquire more Power there are 3 options:

Drinking Soda
This costs cash but it allows you to regain a significant amount of power in short order. It is a great option in emergencies.

Group with a Controller
Controllers have innate abilities that will restore power to you or to your group. They won't give you infinite power, but it should be more than enough to keep full if the group is paying attention.

Build your Combo Hit Meter
The higher your Combo Hit Meter, the faster you will regenerate Power. Dual Pistol's Full Auto, Bow's Flurry Shot, Staff's Martial Flowers and Hand Blaster's Pulse Beam are easy to use attacks that quickly build up the meter.

An experienced player could easily rake up over 140 hits per minute (reasonable estimate given mistakes) with Pulse Beam; however, its main disadvantage is the tedious clicking (two quick right clicks then a right hold, with an accurate timing, otherwise the Pulse Beam would become a Charged Blast).

Another viable weapon is the Staff, with the Martial Flowers move. It has a simple click pattern that is easy to recover even at the event of a misclick, and 150 hits per minute is not difficult to achieve. Its main disadvantage is that Martial Flowers is a melee move.

Dual Pistol's Full Auto actually has a relatively low hit rate, at around 90 hits per minute, but it is the easiest to do, simply right click hold for 20 consecutive hits; remember to restart it before the current barrage runs out to further build the combo meter.

Strategy
Healers should always watch their teammates health bars. When a teammates health falls below 75%, it's time to heal them. A healer should always keep their teammates health over 75% because certain enemies can do major burst damage. Healers need to stay at the back of the group because they are the weakest of the 4 roles. The general strategy of this is that Healers should be at the back, Controllers should be next, DPS should be the second closest to the enemy and Tanks should be the closest and taking the enemies attacks. It is also said that a healer should move around or jump alot in a hard Raid or Alert so the enemy loses interest and misses them.

Leveling a Healer
You have two main options when leveling, either solo or group play. A healer can solo play easily as a DPS with some healing skills, though you will need to respec once you approach level 30, in order to re-distribute your skills. Up until that respec, select any abilities you wish and the weapon style you enjoy the most.

Real group play doesn't start until level 9 and your first alert. Waiting until level 10 and acquiring your healer role is a better option. At this point, you will level solely in Alerts until level 30 and having a plan for your skills will save you a respec later on in levels. This will mean point hoarding until you reach the appropriate level to spend them and a lack of DPS ability. This can hinder you during the time you are waiting to enter an instance but is quite manageable. Once in the group play, make sure you are in the Healer stance (default T button to switch).

PvP play is another option that is available to level. It requires a more defensive play style and situational awareness. You never want to be alone, so you will find yourself typically following 1-2 other players around on the map. Staying close to melee range means you are a less vulnerable target.

Nature Strategy
It is preferable if the player is always in Insectoid Form due to it granting extra Critical healing chance and magnitude percentages unless you need to deal more damage or the player is over geared for the mission. Blossom is your basic heal to top a single target. Cross Pollination is best used when the group is close together; too spread out and you lose a lot of healing power. Metabolism is a good group heal that should be used frequently, when you have over 80% power. Hive Mind should be used in conjunction with another group skill, such as Metabolism to quickly heal the group or Regeneration (requires 50% Supercharge) to quickly boost everyone's health and power.

Electricity Strategy
This healer power focuses on burst heals. Electric healers are power hungry but their burst heals are worth it. A very huge benefit of this power is its safety net ability. This ability ( Bio-Capacitor) should remain active all the time. If the electric healer is struggling to keep the group alive the safety net will automatically heal the team member if their health falls below 35%. The safety net ability has a 2 minute time span but it can be used as a single target burst heal so the ability can remain active all the time. Electric healers only have one buff, but an advantage of this power is that it is the fastest power to heal due to it specializing in burst healing.

Sorcery Strategy
The main issue here is ensuring you have Golden Soul Aura active instead of Red Soul Aura. That 10% bonus to critical healing chance is very good and Red Soul Aura only affects 1 skill. Rejuvenate is the basic heal to top off members. Circle of Destiny should always be used when the group is going to be standing still for more than 10 seconds and on every boss. Be sure to be standing in range as well to get the healing effects. Invocation of Renewal takes a while to cast and is best used when the entire group is in range of you. Arbiter of Destiny is a Super Charge and allows you to spam your healing spells for a short period. The Summoned Watcher heals for good amounts but is fragile. Summon Soul Well combined with Circle of Destiny gives out a ton of healing for little power but requires everyone to be in range. Ritualistic Word is a new ability that arrived in a patch after GU34 and heals 3 group members and also provides health and power over time to the Watcher. Sorcery healers are in a sense Controllers for pets and NPC's due to the ability Offering. This ability does not heal but provides a shield on the players pet and provides power over time to it and NPC's. Boon of Souls is a group shielding and puts a shield on the player and four allies. Shard of life forms a crystal that falls from the sky landing on the enemy and healing near by allies over time. Due to Sorcery having allot of healing abilities, there are many possible loadouts.

Celestial Strategy
Celestial healers are classified as aggressive healers (Also known as Battle Healers) due to their abilty to do more damage with combos and use more offence in battle. Unlike other healers Celestial healers have a greater advantage in damage in both PvP and PvE missions and it is sometimes prefered in PvP that these healers remain in the middle of the battle rather than out like the other 3 healing powers. Even though this healing power does better and more damage, this does not make it the best healing power. This class specializes in healing over time like nature. Celestial healers should always make sure their healing ticks are active. Admonish + (Combo) and Consume Soul are the best for healing over time. These two abilities have around a 5 second time span, so players should activate these abilities every 5 seconds to remain accurate and not wasting power. Celestial also has burst heals but these are mainly activated in emergency situations. The shield ability Blessing should remain activated all the time since this helps the player and 3 other team mates. Celestial healers have a choice of 3 different damage buffs, (Benediction, Malediction + (Combo) and Anoint). These buffs are preferably used in Alerts, Duos, Challenges and PvP but are not recommended for Hard Raids unless there are two healers.

Group Target Heals
These work very similar to single target heals. Rarely will you hit everyone that is in range due to line of sight, so it's best if the group is aware that they need to stick close together and not roll away when in dire need of a heal.

Gallery
Also see
 * Healer Weapon
 * Healer Costume
 * Healer Item