No, we don't "need a healer!"

OK, I know this issue has been done to death... but c'mon people, you don't need a "healer" (if such a thing even exists in CoX) to have an effective team. I've been playing here for a while now, and this myth is still plaguing my playtime.

Last night, sent out a "((Level 10 blaster, looking for a team))" broadcast, and accepted an invite a second or two later. What I didn't think to check was the name of the invitee. It was the same fellow who'd been spamming a "need a healer" on his broadcast team call. I thought I'd give it a go anyway, as time was limited.

We gathered (the six of us that were in the team) and waited at the entrance to the mission (radio mission). After the leader had us wait an additional five to ten minutes, repeatedly spamming his "need a healer", I finally broke down.

Me: "Newsflash mate, we don't need a healer."
Me: "A "healer" would be handy, but hardly necessary."
Leader: "Hey newsboy, we do. Trust me, we'll all die without one."
Me: "OK, who's ready to go, lets get in there."

The team followed me in to the mission (a blend of scrappers and blasters with a tank) and we proceeded to demolish three missions in a row. Dings were heard everywhere. We did have a couple of folks faceplant, but that was mostly due to really bad playing (party got split and the two groups tried to take on large spawns... bad idea) and fun was had throughout the land.

When I left after the third mission, I got three tells, all of which thanked me for telling the leader we didn't need a healer, and asking to friend me.

I also got a tell from the leader, smugly noting the faceplants and telling me none of them would have happened if we'd had a "healer"...

I had to log off before I gave him a piece of my mind (and there is very little of it left after all the pieces I have handed out previously!) but I couldn't believe this is still prevalent in this game.

Where does this myth come from, that you "need" certain things in order to play? And why is it always a "healer" that people are looking for? I assume that means an Empath defender or controller, but why is that seen as so great? For the record, I have a Ill/Emp at level 40, and an Emp/NRG in the late 30s, so I do know the sets can be helpful.... but they are not the be all and end all of this bloody game!

Grrr.... taking deep and meditative breaths now....

This misconception comes from all the stock MMORPGs where you need a tank, a healer, and DPS to have any chance of doing anything in a team.

Buffs are by far better than heals in CoX anyway.

Maybe that's it. This is pretty much the only MMORPG I have played (except for NWN and EVE) so maybe I just lack the experience to understand this need in other games...

I am going to count myself as lucky then.

My two most used lines with regards to "healers":

"Empathy has nine powers. Only three heal."

"I would rather prevent damage than heal it."

<CTRL-click...casts Healing Aura on auto for this thread.>


THWAAAANNNNNGGGGGG.

I did last night. Bloody useless random Pain Dom MMs. He did have Rez though, which is was awfully proud of (and 3 of the heals which he never used. Rezzes happened instantly though).


Of course you don't need a healer much in the game. You do need someone to be actually using their primary and secondary and not just sticking everything on Aggressive and doing bugger all else though.


*deep breath*


Ok, I'm good now.

Farm looking for 4 healers and 4 stone tanks.

I come from playing a long line of MMOs where you did NEED a healer to succeed in team based activities, so I can see where people are coming from... only they can't seem to see the difference in CoX vs [insert MMO here].

As has been said, buffs/debuffs make a much bigger difference in this game than in most others. Also, individual characters have far more self survival tools at their disposal than in other games.

I mean, if my DM/Regen scrapper -NEEDS- a heal, chances are:
a) I did something stupid... hey, I'm a scrapper, you know you do it too!
b) We bit off more than we can chew. (see "a")
c) We have a poor group make up for the task at hand. (It happens)
d) It is a very tough encounter. (TF AV fights/GMs, etc)

Now, in situations "c" and "d", yes, a "healer" is a good thing to have. That said, someone who is just healing as if they were playing a priest in WoW, is failing to fully grasp their character's abilities... unless the team is really, really bad.

All told though, I can see the frustration some have with all the "we need a healer" cries, but at the same time I think a lot of the "anti-healer" vitriol is unfounded. Healing, like any other aspect of the game, makes things go smoother.

Yesterday was the first time I ran with a Empathy Defender/Controller in a loooooooooooooooooong time, and it was on a ITF. I have no problem if people want to play Emps, but while running some missions in Steel Canyon on Freedom, I couldn't help but snicker when I saw a team advertising they needed a healer for a Positron TF.

Like others in this thread have said, healers are very necessary in other MMOs.

In most of these rant threads about how healers are not necessary I see the ignorance goes both ways. The newer player to Co* that comes from one of these healer needed MMOs decides to make a healer to help teams with the best of intentions. I say this because in other MMOs the DPS are considered lazy and easy, while the healers have the difficult job of having to pay attention to health bars 24/7.

To be honest, in my opinion, I wish that heals were a tad bit more needed. I enjoy having to use my quick twitch reflexes to heal the team like I do in other MMOs. Which is why I like to play my empath on terrible teams. My empath on a good team feels useless. But I know most people will disagree here, making healers more needed is not where this game should be going. Annnyway.

The only thing you can do is try to convince them that healers aren't needed, or in this case prove it to them. His comment at the end of the team just sounds like a jab made to protect his ego about spouting off about needing a healer and then realizing he didn't.

<thwaaannnngggg>