Syrana decided to go and tag me for an interview. Honestly, how could I refuse a request from such an entertaining lass? And then, to top that off, Aureilie goes and tags me too. I definitely can’t become absent-minded and not post when two wonderful people have gone and tagged me.

Apparently the rules are to answer the questions (in character), add a question, and tag others to repeat. Here we go:

1. What is your name, and where did it come from?
   I am called Byaghro, named so for the gracefulness I have been told I exhibit in my feline form. It is said that the Dreamer, Ysera, would affectionately call me such as my skills developed at a young age.
2. How old are you, and what is your birthday?
   Quite young still by elven standards, though unfortunately we do not measure time in the same way you do. According to humans I would be… thirty-ish I believe.
3. Are you in love, and with whom?
   Are we not always in a constant state of emotional turmoil? Love to one, hate to another…
4. What is your favorite mount, and why?
   Unless absolutely necessary I prefer my travel forms over mounts. Much, much more comfortable.
5. Do you prefer a certian type of Azerothonian meal, and where do you get it from? Take out, or dine in?
   The assorted fish of Northrend are quite tasty actually, and quite appealing even to my various tastes.
6. You know those giant mushrooms in Zangarmarsh? What is your theory on how they came to be, and why they are so huge?
   You do realize the… larger inhabitants of that area do excrete quite a lot of matter, right?
7. If you saw the Lich King walking towards you, what would you do?
   *scowling* Let us continue on to less vile topics. Suffice to say, Arthas will not be an issue much longer.
8. Be honest, how many times have you used the Grizzly Hills outhouse without any real reason?
   *sigh* I despise that place. It was quite hilarious to be passing through and barricading a foul smelling orc in the contraption though.
9. Would you steal ice cream from a Human child?
   And what would be the point?
10. (Byaghro’s addition) Why is it, do you think, that the Kirin Tor attempt to hide the fact that they are obviously addicted to substances?

I’m supposed to tag some people here… hrm… how about people who find it interesting self-tag themselves for this one? Leave a message in the comments if you do, and I’ll add the links to this post!

Queklain took it upon himself, with absolutely no potential mention on my part in the BA chat of no one else having done so, of tagging me to post in the currently running trend started by Maiara’s post here.

Ok… that isn’t completely true… I did let it slip that I didn’t think I had been tagged yet. That’s beside the point though!

The challenge is simple: look in the sixth sub-folder in your screenshots folder, choose the sixth image, and post and tell a little bit about it. Since I have no subfolders (yes, my screenshots folder is huge and disorganized, unlike most of my other folders) I’m going to do this slightly differently.

First, the sixth screenshot (click to enlarge):

This one wasn’t really too long ago. It was post-Wrath, and after I tweaked my UI to its (mostly) current state. I’m pretty certain this was one of those runs for rep for Branwenn, but to be honest I have no clue what we were in there for if that was not it.

Second, since it was supposed to be the sixth subfolder and the sixth image, is image number thirty-six in my screenshots directory:

This one is also, obviously, post-Wrath. This was taken during yet another Vault of Archavon server crash, which is kind of nice for a blogger in a lot of ways (hey, it let me take a lot of screenshots while casting!). On the downside, this was one of those that took almost forty-five minutes for the game to finally kick me out so I could actually do something productive.

Third, the sixth row over, sixth screenshot down:

Well this one definitely shows how my UI was set up once upon a time. This was a Magtheridon kill from when I was working on getting the Champion of the Naaru title I believe. My memory is a bit fuzzy on exactly when I was trying to get that particular title, but once I got it I did not change from displaying that title until I got my Guardian of Cenarius title, so the simple fact that I’m displaying Private still in the screenshot makes me pretty certain this one was from that time.

Finally, one that I noticed while perusing old screenshots:

I used to randomly PVP a lot. I haven’t really done so since Wrath, but looking at this screenshot reminded me of one of those really, really enjoyable moments. This was an all-time record for me on total healing done in a battleground (this was in Warsong Gulch, just in case it isn’t obvious).

So now I’m supposed to tag six people. I have no idea who has or has not been tagged, but how about Aureilie, Davlin, the guys whose blog is titled way too closely to mine, the wonderful Lady Jess, Trizophenie (and because I want to point out this post), and Sideshow & Syrana.

Phaelia over at Resto4Life has a post up (link) that summarily explains why utilizing the Tree of Life form is a no-brainer. Honestly, I would never recommend being a restoration druid without taking the Improved Tree of Life talents either, but I’m setting my opinion aside for a moment to address healing without the “wilted broccoli” look:

It is possible, albeit much more difficult, to be an effective healer without using the Tree of Life form.

Section One: Talent Build – HoT Based Healing Wowhead Link (28/0/43) – HT Based Healing Wowhead Link (28/0/43)

These talents are not optional for healing without Tree of LIfe form (the other talents in the build above may be applied differently if one is so inclined):

• (5/5) Genesis
• (3/3) Moonglow
• (2/2) Nature’s Majesty
• (1/1) Nature’s Splendor
• (3/3) Lunar Guidance
• (3/3) Dreamstate
• (5/5) Naturalist
• (3/3) Intensity
• (1/1) Omen of Clarity
• (5/5) Tranquil Spirit
• (3/3) Improved Rejuvenation
• (1/1) Nature’s Swiftness
• (5/5) Gift of Nature
• (5/5) Improved Regrowth
• (3/3) Living Spirit
• (1/1) Swiftmend
• (5/5) Empowered Rejuvenation

In looking over these talents two primary themes should be quite evident: mana conservation and increased healing power. Without the reduction in healing cost provided by the Tree of Life form mana conservation will be much more important, just as the lack of the increase in healing power from spirit means increasing spell power through gear, gem, and enchant choices will be a very close second.

The only difference in the two builds above is the migration of two points from Empowered Rejuvenation to Empowered Touch in order to boost the healing of Healing Touch by an additional forty percent.

Section Two: Overall Healing Approach

Aside from the lack of any AoE healing (Tranquility is a great spell, but it is not going to be able to fill the hole Wild Growth fills. With this build / style go ahead and accept that there is no AoE Healing potential), the approach is basically the same as any other resto druid. The main differences lie in the need to really, really be mindful of mana consumption and regeneration and the need to really stack as much intellect and spirit as possible to boost mana regeneration and spell power.

Emphasis: I do not, in any way, recommend this build for raiding. Repeat, I do not recommend this build for raiding. Ever. Under any circumstances.

Keep the above statement in mind now, as the following is pretty much contradictory: this could be a viable build for all of the current content in the hands of a capable player.

Leveraging a combination of increased mana regeneration from Living Spirit + Dreamstate, reducing mana cost of as many heals as possible through talents, and increasing spell power with Lunar Guidance actually makes a solid combination for healing. This becomes even more pronounced as gear levels change, and allows quite a bit of flexibility in gem and enchant choices as one becomes more comfortable healing in this manner.

Section Three: Miscellaneous Notes

• I highly recommend Tree of Life + (3/3) Improved Tree of Life if you want to play a restoration druid.
• With enough spell power and mana regeneration any talent spec can work, technically. Just because it can work does not mean it should be done. Remember that there is a reason one typically sees restoration druids in tree form.
• Using the above talent specs, you could heal any heroic currently in the game in caster form as long as the tank is adequately geared and can keep you from being one- or two-shot.
• One of the main concerns with attempting this scenario is survivability. There is a very good reason why Improved Tree of LIfe grants an armor bonus also.
• Did I happen to mention I highly recommend Tree of Life + (3/3) Improved Tree of Life if you want to play a restoration druid.

Conclusion

Yes, healing without tree form is possible. Yes, a person can be effective without tree form. It is not, however, the most efficient or most effective method of healing as a druid, and certainly not something I would recommend.

Derevka over at Tales of a Priest decided to ask every healer one question: Why do YOU heal?.

The question is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting to see responses to. I have seen good healers and horrible healers, and most of the time the ones who do not do so well are healing because they feel forced to do so (for whatever the reason).

Before I go off on a tangential rant, let me get back to the focus of this post: why do I choose to heal?

• I’m good at it.
• I know I’m directly responsible for our success or failure, just like the tank(s). (And I’m not really a fan of tanking personally. DPS I don’t mind, but tanking I just don’t enjoy as much.)
• People tend to not notice just how much effort goes into healing. Maybe it is the “strong, silent type” kind of thing, but I don’t mind not being in a spotlight. Let the tank(s) get the glory, I know how hard it was to make it through the fight.

It really all comes down to the same answer from good healers (and I don’t mean people who manage to get the job done relatively easily, I mean GOOD healers… I’ll get to that in a moment though), and I couldn’t say it any better than Phaelia of Resto4Life in Derevka’s Post.

So, my question to you becomes something different: What makes a GOOD healer?

A good healer…

• … enjoys healing.
• … understands that sometimes you can’t save everyone.
• … is calm and collected under pressure, even if on the inside they’re screaming and wanting to run away and hide in a corner, tears streaming… and trembling, violently.
• … knows, at the end of the day, they’ve contributed to the success of the group. A GOOD healer knows they couldn’t have done anything more, but they still try to find ways to do so.
• … is a GOOD player (see here).

And now I pose the question to you: what, to you, makes a GOOD healer?

There is an interesting discussion that seems to be building momentum (I caught wind of it in Saresa’s post entitled In Response To Vonya: 10s VS 25s!, which is a response to the post 10 vs 25 : Ego Rattles Some Cages by The Egotistical Priest) regarding the way the “heroic” and “regular” raids are perceived by people.

Difficulty?

Personally, I know I can slack off in a 25-man raid without there being any negative effect on the run as a whole. There is a certain comfort level associated with knowing there are backups available, and that as long as enough people stay alive things will be fine. In a 10-man I have to bring my best game with me, because I’m personally carrying much more weight than in the corresponding 25-man version. Does this make the content any more or less difficult? No. All it means is that the abilities of those involved impact the raid much more directly than they would in the “heroic” version

Management?

This seems to be the point that many seem to make, but even this I have to disagree with. Is coordinating 25 people more difficult than 10? No, not really. It seems more daunting, but let’s be honest: if you run with 10 people or 25 it doesn’t matter, a PUG is a PUG and running with guildies is running with guildies. Either you have a group that stays on task and keeps focus or you don’t, period. There is no difference at all between the two here, because the same issues will arise in both depending on group composition.

Viability?

The thought from some is that the variation in the two, and hence the greater reward in the 25-mans, is in order to facilitate their survival. While I can agree with the premise of the argument, let’s look at it slightly differently: if Blizzard has to do something to ensure that 25-man raids continue, then are 25-man raids worth keeping?

Let’s be completely clear, I prefer the dynamic of 10-man raids because I have to be better in those than I do in the 25-man versions. To me that means I have to bring more to the table, and as a result have to be a better player. If I’m stupid and die because I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings there aren’t two or three other healers available to pick up the slack. Just like in 5-mans, it is much more noticeable when someone is not pulling their weight.

I also, however, enjoy having 24 other people working with me to beat an encounter. It isn’t about a difference in difficulty, or a difference in loot, it’s about camaraderie and teamwork. It’s about that screenshot at the end, where 25 people show that they pulled together to get the job done.

Conclusion

5s, 10s, 25s… they all present their own sets of challenges. Raids are designed (supposedly) to be more difficult than dungeons, but any raid is no more or less difficult than it’s larger or smaller counterpart. The people make the difference in both. If you think I’m a worse player because of my choice in raids you really should turn off your computer and go outside. Look at the world, look at the choices people make day to day. Is one person better than another because they choose to do a particular job in a larger organization than another? Because they choose to live in a larger city than another? Because they live in a larger house than another?

Jaramon over at Deathcoil.org has a post up entitled Good players versus GOOD Players that prompted me to think more about how I define a “good” player and what it actually means, as well as a second thought that I’ll share later in this post:

What is it that I expect out of someone to consider them a good player?

Let’s start with some basic thoughts that come to mind:

A “good” player should…

• … understand common group etiquette.
• … know enough about their class to understand what their role is and be able to fulfill said role in a satisfactory¹ manner.
• … be courteous.
• … be mindful of their surroundings and the other people in the group.

What then, after those thoughts, makes a GOOD player?

GOOD players are the ones that make you stop and pay attention to the name. The ones you recognize again later. The ones who did something to stand out from the crowd in a positive way.

To avoid confusion, let’s think of “good” players as average players, and GOOD players as above average players (average, in this case, being the standard set forth above). One might notice an above average player because of their willingness to do whatever is asked without grumbling, or because of their ability to actually handle threat, or perhaps even something as simple as providing humor after the thirteenth consecutive wipe…

The point is, an average player is typically going to do what they are asked to do, and at least do it well enough to skate by. Above average players will try to go above and beyond what they are called upon to do.

These thoughts vary a little depending upon content, which is where the second item (… know enough about their class to understand what their role is and be able to fulfill said role in a satisfactory¹ manner) comes from:

For a general guideline, satisfactory in 5-man content is quite different from satisfactory in a raid environment. Where one person is above average for dungeons they may fall into the average category for raid content, or even vice versa. Perhaps this is just the nature of raiding, wherein the expectation of someone reaching that content means they have to bring more to the table than others. I know that I, personally, hold a different set of expectations for raiders than I do the general player.

With that in mind, what truly makes an all-around, above average player?

• Focus and attention, and experienced at playing their class. I normally consider an above average player to be a person who pushes the envelope, doing what they can to maximize their contribution to the objective at hand.
• Above average players will have their own consumables normally, and know enough about the fights to adapt to the group’s composition and strategy.
• And perhaps most importantly, an above average player will have a very specific type of attitude. They’ll be able to accept suggestions without getting defensive. They’ll make suggestions when the group is stuck on an objective. Realistically, they’ll simply be courteous and supportive.

This is an interesting thought process to undertake, especially because we generally do not tend to objectively step back and analyze ourselves using the same generalized standards we apply to others.

What do you think, are you an above average player?