Best Single Defensive Skill for Healer?

After a bit of playtime, I have finally settled on a build for my restoration rit that works really well in the arenas. However, I would like to tweak it just slightly...


Right now, my entire skill bar, bar a single slot, is devoted to rit healing skills. The single other slot is currently occupied by the elite ele skill, Mist Form. I have found out that relying on my team to protect me in RAs is a risky proposition at best...seems like half the people you get grouped with have tunnel vision and are oblivious to anything thats not right in front of their eyes. If they aren't healers, they certainly don't pay any attention to my dropping health bar.

Mist Form works great for what it is. It usually deters warriors, dervs, and sins from trying to spike me. Most seem to give up after 10 secs of not being able to hit me...and I don't think they realize I can't keep it going all the time, even maxed out.

That being said, there is always a sin out there who somehow interrupts my cast, and then proceeds to destroy me while my team happily continues what they are doing....and then complains when they aren't getting heals.



Sooo.....what defensive skill should I bring, preferably NOT elite, as I would like to take an elite rit skill. I would prefer it to be a single skill, but I'll consider a 2-skill combo if it can be executed quickly - none of this 3-second hex crap.


I've tried run speed boosts, and various shadow steps (the one that lets you jump to spirits has some merit with my build)....I've tried non-elite ele skills like Armor of Mist, or Kinetic Armor (too mana greedy in that I have to keep casting to keep it working).


Any suggestions??

Weapon of Warding, Return, Weapon of Shadow, Blind was Mingson, Hex Breaker (for SP 'sins) - really, you want to run some anti-physical, as you can generally out heal spell damage.

Weapon of shadow definetly

Dark escape/return or frenzied defence/protective spirit ad infinitum.

Thanks for the suggestions!


I've tried all the teleport type skill like Return and Dark Escape. Sometimes they are great, others (like when theres no teleport-target in range, or they are right next to you) not so great. I like the spirit teleport simply because I can set up my own escape point. But, too many times I have teleported to an ally, only to have an enemy near him instantly finish me off.


Weapon of Shadow sounds promising. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I can keep it going very long. 10 secs of blind hex on a 20 sec recast....Ugh. Why not just bring blinding flash?? It's more expensive, but at least I can recast it before it wears off. Weapon does affect more than one target though. Hmmm.... Gotta think about this one.


Blind was Mingson isn't an option - I already have an 'item' spell in this build.

Frenzied defense. Again, another meh skill to me, without some kind of combo. 75% chance to block, but double damage?? 1/4 damage * 2 times as much damage = essentially 50% damage reduction. May be great with protective spirit, but thats another slot. Course it also probably screws up sin combos...


Any other ideas for a 1-slot defense??

for ra rit, i tend to like a combination of hex breaker (for the annoying mesmers) and weapon of warding (for all the physical). if you could only take one thoug i'd take warding

you probably already have something like mend body and soul for conditions so your good to go

Shield Bash + disciplined stance is pure leetness if you know how to kite, but either one on it's own is great also. Shield bash does take some knowledge of weapon swapping to get optimal mods while still using shield bash effectively shough.

Return + dark escape play similar functions. Return is especially fun if you know how to kite training warriors away from your team. If you kite them an aggro bubble away, return back in, kite away in the opposite direction while they deal with cripple (remember your crippling mod), return will easily be recharged again.

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