Hello, because I love healing rits and restoration seems like the only thing worth playing I'd like some comments on the build I run:
Rit/monk
atts: 12+1+3 Restoration magic
9 Spawning power
rest in protection prayers
weapon: a staff with +15 energy, +30 health and maybe HSR?
Skills
Spirit Transfer
Soothing Memories
Remove Hex
Spirit Light Weapon
Protective Spirit
Protective Was Kaolei/Pure Was Mi Ling
Wielders' Remedy
Life
Useage
Spirit transfer is your spike heal, I use it because I love the skill and it's spammeable but energy heavy
Soothing memories is your primary heal, I use it because it's cheap and spammeable
Remove hex, this one is obvious, I use it because it's the best I could find in the Monk skill line, it cheap and fast recharging
Spirit Light Weapon, I love this elite because it's spammeable and non-regenerating so it stacks with for example SoR.
Protective spirit, I like this skill but I'm not sure if it is ok for a rit to use it, maybe too energy-heavy? must have a high spec?
Pure Was Mi Ling is great for conditions, but normally you should run Prot Was because the armorbonus is great and the party heal works.
Wielders remedy, assumign you'll be spamming SLW you can clear tons of conditions with this spell, it's cheap and efffective
Life, I simply like having a spirit around, this one's cheap, gives a great party heal and I don't like the other spirits, maybe recuperation is better?
Final note
Well I hope people can advise me what to use and what's good/bad about this build, remember though:
It's important to not always point out the flaws but also the good things, it gives a friendlier comment.
P.S, Is it good bringing more than one ' -Was-' ?
My Rit healer
Pericles
Oso Minar
First, I don't think it's worth it to bring more than one item spell (except in some places for PvP...I'll often bring Generous was Tsungrai and Blind was Mingson to AB, for instance). Under normal circumstances, I'll try to keep Protective was Kaolai in my hands unless I absolutely need to drop it. The recharge is less than the duration, so I can keep it in my hands indefinitely. I'll only drop it if the situation is too crazy (read: Hard Mode) or if I run out of energy (read: also Hard Mode). I've lately had some nice experiences with Pure was Mi Ling, though.
---
Continuing on the Hard Mode shtick, I'm slightly less interested in Spirit Light Weapon than I was a few months ago. I find that SLW simply can't keep up with the spiking potential of the harder monsters in the game, especially if your lone spirit isn't up. It's fantastic for Normal Mode, don't get me wrong. I used it a boatload, and still do when I'm helping guildies get through quests and the like. But for Hard Mode, I think you'll have to step up the healing ability a little more. Instant heals are going to win out when monsters hit as hard as they can.
To that extent, I like the fact that Spirit Transfer is on your bar. As long as you can keep track of your one spirit and ensure that it's far enough away to not be targetted, you'll have a great healing spell at your disposal.
Soothing Memories is okay, I guess. I guess I'm not as much in favor of its 1-second cast and relatively weak healing power, but it'll get the job done well and provide a nice energy boost should you need to use Spirit Transfer.
More often then not I'll use either [skill]Spirit Light[/skill] or [skill]Mend Body and Soul[/skill], and sometimes both on the same bar. I like Spirit Light's strength of heal, and Mend Body & Soul's (slightly) decreased cast time of 3/4sec combined with the condition heal just appeal to me more. All are viable healing spells though, and it's to you to use what you're comfortable with.
---
I haven't said much about which weapon spell I'd bring because I don't think any Restoration weapon spells are really worth bringing when the going gets rough, save maybe [skill]Resilient Weapon[/skill] for hex-heavy areas. Because of that, I can't say much for Wielder's Remedy. I'd rather rely on Mend Body & Soul for spot-condition removal and Pure was Mi Ling for group removal. With SLW, though, it's a pretty good thought, and makes SLW that much better.
---
My kingdom for a Ritualist hex removal spell! Jeepers, it bugs me to no end that there isn't a single removal spell in our entire line. Remove Hex is standard and works well enough, but there are a couple other options. [skill]Reverse Hex[/skill] may cost more, but its damage reduction on the next hit is a pretty nice addition, and roughly equals another heal you'd have to make anyway. Cure Hex (Eye of the North) is appealing to me, although you have to use it more like a standard heal (much like Mend Body and Soul, but for Hexes). If going the Mesmer route, [skill]Revealed Hex[/skill]/[skill]Inspired Hex[/skill] are always fun for a few laughs and decent energy gain. Not particularly fantastic, even though it's useful to see what enemies are using (so you can decide whether you have to keep removing hexes or just heal the damage).
---
I'm torn on Protective Spirit. On one hand, it's great for harder areas, but on the other, that 10e cost can really ramp up quick, especially if you're carrying an item and denying yourself the energy from your weapons. If you can handle the energy, I'd go for it. You can slap 10 points in Protection Prayers and be just fine, it just shortens the duration a little bit.
---
Now, you might take a look at my suggestions and realize I haven't given my opinion as to what elite you should run (if you haven't been utterly confused and put off by my Wall of Text
). Well, you have a few options at your disposal. I like to stick points into Channeling and use [skill]Offering of Spirit[/skill]. The energy gain is fantastic and necessary during prolonged fights, especially if it's a particularly hard-hitting group. If you're constantly spamming off spells, you're going to need something to maintain your energy other than just good judgement, and OoS fits the bill nicely for me, especially because it still gives you the energy even if your spirit goes down or you're without an item.
Other good elites (in my opinion) include [skill]Divert Hexes[/skill] or [skill]Expel Hexes[/skill]. We all know Ritualists are weak when it comes to removing hexes, so a powerful removal spell such as these might be exactly what we need. If you're not using your elite slot for something else, it might as well be used to make up for our class's weak spot.
---
I also feel that a Rez spell is necessary. Call me old-school. [skill]Flesh of My Flesh[/skill] works fine for us Restoration types. [skill]Death Pact Signet[/skill] is an option better left to Channelers; if they die using it, that's somewhat okay, but if a healer goes down the whole party is in jeopardy. I only like Death Pact Signet because the death incurred doesn't give you Death Penalty...only nice for party-wipes.
---
Okay, skills aside! As far as your overall build goes, I think it's pretty solid for an easier area. You have a couple heal spells, a couple options for condition removal, an option for hex removal, and a couple party-heals. Too much use of Spirit Transfer and Protective Spirit might land you out of energy, though, but if you're decent with management you should be okay.
If you get to harder areas, however, you might find yourself falling behind in effectiveness. I think the first spells to go should either be Remove Hex (just let other characters remove them, it's too much of a pain for us), Wielder's Remedy (as Mend Body and Soul will also clear a condition), or perhaps Spirit Light Weapon (for reasons stated). In their places, I'd put either Spirit Light or Mend Body and Soul, just so you can have an extra heal ready when you need it.
Having only two healing spells (not counting the regenerative SLW) on your bar might mean that you're sitting around waiting for cooldowns while those red bars are falling. I feel safer with three or even four spells all cooling down at different times, especially when the fur really starts flying.
---
However, your bar definitely looks good enough to get you through! Don't be afraid to tweak it around and play with different options, though. It's got a great foundation, but there's always room for improvement. Keep in mind the playstyle YOU'RE comfortable with, though, and make sure you integrate it into your skillbar.
(Note: I'm a pretty opinionated dude, so if any of my comments above seem rude or mean, they were made in the best of intentions! There hasn't been a good Restoration topic in a while, I liked the bar you came up with. Always fun to see what other people are using!)
---
Continuing on the Hard Mode shtick, I'm slightly less interested in Spirit Light Weapon than I was a few months ago. I find that SLW simply can't keep up with the spiking potential of the harder monsters in the game, especially if your lone spirit isn't up. It's fantastic for Normal Mode, don't get me wrong. I used it a boatload, and still do when I'm helping guildies get through quests and the like. But for Hard Mode, I think you'll have to step up the healing ability a little more. Instant heals are going to win out when monsters hit as hard as they can.
To that extent, I like the fact that Spirit Transfer is on your bar. As long as you can keep track of your one spirit and ensure that it's far enough away to not be targetted, you'll have a great healing spell at your disposal.
Soothing Memories is okay, I guess. I guess I'm not as much in favor of its 1-second cast and relatively weak healing power, but it'll get the job done well and provide a nice energy boost should you need to use Spirit Transfer.
More often then not I'll use either [skill]Spirit Light[/skill] or [skill]Mend Body and Soul[/skill], and sometimes both on the same bar. I like Spirit Light's strength of heal, and Mend Body & Soul's (slightly) decreased cast time of 3/4sec combined with the condition heal just appeal to me more. All are viable healing spells though, and it's to you to use what you're comfortable with.
---
I haven't said much about which weapon spell I'd bring because I don't think any Restoration weapon spells are really worth bringing when the going gets rough, save maybe [skill]Resilient Weapon[/skill] for hex-heavy areas. Because of that, I can't say much for Wielder's Remedy. I'd rather rely on Mend Body & Soul for spot-condition removal and Pure was Mi Ling for group removal. With SLW, though, it's a pretty good thought, and makes SLW that much better.
---
My kingdom for a Ritualist hex removal spell! Jeepers, it bugs me to no end that there isn't a single removal spell in our entire line. Remove Hex is standard and works well enough, but there are a couple other options. [skill]Reverse Hex[/skill] may cost more, but its damage reduction on the next hit is a pretty nice addition, and roughly equals another heal you'd have to make anyway. Cure Hex (Eye of the North) is appealing to me, although you have to use it more like a standard heal (much like Mend Body and Soul, but for Hexes). If going the Mesmer route, [skill]Revealed Hex[/skill]/[skill]Inspired Hex[/skill] are always fun for a few laughs and decent energy gain. Not particularly fantastic, even though it's useful to see what enemies are using (so you can decide whether you have to keep removing hexes or just heal the damage).
---
I'm torn on Protective Spirit. On one hand, it's great for harder areas, but on the other, that 10e cost can really ramp up quick, especially if you're carrying an item and denying yourself the energy from your weapons. If you can handle the energy, I'd go for it. You can slap 10 points in Protection Prayers and be just fine, it just shortens the duration a little bit.
---
Now, you might take a look at my suggestions and realize I haven't given my opinion as to what elite you should run (if you haven't been utterly confused and put off by my Wall of Text
). Well, you have a few options at your disposal. I like to stick points into Channeling and use [skill]Offering of Spirit[/skill]. The energy gain is fantastic and necessary during prolonged fights, especially if it's a particularly hard-hitting group. If you're constantly spamming off spells, you're going to need something to maintain your energy other than just good judgement, and OoS fits the bill nicely for me, especially because it still gives you the energy even if your spirit goes down or you're without an item. Other good elites (in my opinion) include [skill]Divert Hexes[/skill] or [skill]Expel Hexes[/skill]. We all know Ritualists are weak when it comes to removing hexes, so a powerful removal spell such as these might be exactly what we need. If you're not using your elite slot for something else, it might as well be used to make up for our class's weak spot.
---
I also feel that a Rez spell is necessary. Call me old-school. [skill]Flesh of My Flesh[/skill] works fine for us Restoration types. [skill]Death Pact Signet[/skill] is an option better left to Channelers; if they die using it, that's somewhat okay, but if a healer goes down the whole party is in jeopardy. I only like Death Pact Signet because the death incurred doesn't give you Death Penalty...only nice for party-wipes.
---
Okay, skills aside! As far as your overall build goes, I think it's pretty solid for an easier area. You have a couple heal spells, a couple options for condition removal, an option for hex removal, and a couple party-heals. Too much use of Spirit Transfer and Protective Spirit might land you out of energy, though, but if you're decent with management you should be okay.
If you get to harder areas, however, you might find yourself falling behind in effectiveness. I think the first spells to go should either be Remove Hex (just let other characters remove them, it's too much of a pain for us), Wielder's Remedy (as Mend Body and Soul will also clear a condition), or perhaps Spirit Light Weapon (for reasons stated). In their places, I'd put either Spirit Light or Mend Body and Soul, just so you can have an extra heal ready when you need it.
Having only two healing spells (not counting the regenerative SLW) on your bar might mean that you're sitting around waiting for cooldowns while those red bars are falling. I feel safer with three or even four spells all cooling down at different times, especially when the fur really starts flying.
---
However, your bar definitely looks good enough to get you through! Don't be afraid to tweak it around and play with different options, though. It's got a great foundation, but there's always room for improvement. Keep in mind the playstyle YOU'RE comfortable with, though, and make sure you integrate it into your skillbar.
(Note: I'm a pretty opinionated dude, so if any of my comments above seem rude or mean, they were made in the best of intentions! There hasn't been a good Restoration topic in a while, I liked the bar you came up with. Always fun to see what other people are using!)