Warning: MMORPG Post Ahead.
Playing a healer in an MMORPG is an exercise in masochism. It's probably why I do it, and why I'm so good at it. The job of keeping players alive while they try to show off to their friends is hard work. It takes reflexes (of the pointing and clicking kind), and an intimate knowledge of what your character can and can not do. Often it's thankless. The healer is the first person who gets blamed when people die (clearly, we weren't doing our job if the tank get hits for 10k health and dies before we can cast a heal), and the last to get credit when things go right (it's all thanks to the awesome job of the tank who stood there clicking his Taunt button for 5 minutes). This explains why you often will not find healers readily available in MMORPGs (or at least many good ones). Very few people have the psycoligical makeup to take on that kind of responsibility for that kind of abuse. Those of us that are out there like to stick with people we know can challenge us without wasting our time, or heaping on the abuse without the rewards of victory. It also helps if they know our safe words, like "Help! Don't let the healer die!" You'd be surprised how many players will ignore something as obvious as that. and go on doing what they're doing. This is considered bad play, and will result in never seeing that healer in your party again.
The rewards, though, are pretty sweet. Healers are a rare class, so they have a high value. The good ones quickly earn a reputation, and never have trouble finding parties. Every raiding guild needs healers, and even when the main slots are filled backups and alternates are always in demand. There is no reason for a good healer to not be pimped out in raid-loot and high end gear.
I've been a raid healer for well about 2 years now, and although I've never gotten used to being yelled at for things I have no control over (although I have learned to expect it), I've definitely learned to enjoy the challenge. The ability to help people reach victory, sometimes in spite of their own stupidity, is a big ego booster. Although there is more glory and more action in being one of the damage or tank classes, I'm pretty happy with my place in the MMORPG world as a raid healer. I plan to do it for a while longer.
Playing a healer in an MMORPG is an exercise in masochism. It's probably why I do it, and why I'm so good at it. The job of keeping players alive while they try to show off to their friends is hard work. It takes reflexes (of the pointing and clicking kind), and an intimate knowledge of what your character can and can not do. Often it's thankless. The healer is the first person who gets blamed when people die (clearly, we weren't doing our job if the tank get hits for 10k health and dies before we can cast a heal), and the last to get credit when things go right (it's all thanks to the awesome job of the tank who stood there clicking his Taunt button for 5 minutes). This explains why you often will not find healers readily available in MMORPGs (or at least many good ones). Very few people have the psycoligical makeup to take on that kind of responsibility for that kind of abuse. Those of us that are out there like to stick with people we know can challenge us without wasting our time, or heaping on the abuse without the rewards of victory. It also helps if they know our safe words, like "Help! Don't let the healer die!" You'd be surprised how many players will ignore something as obvious as that. and go on doing what they're doing. This is considered bad play, and will result in never seeing that healer in your party again.
The rewards, though, are pretty sweet. Healers are a rare class, so they have a high value. The good ones quickly earn a reputation, and never have trouble finding parties. Every raiding guild needs healers, and even when the main slots are filled backups and alternates are always in demand. There is no reason for a good healer to not be pimped out in raid-loot and high end gear.
I've been a raid healer for well about 2 years now, and although I've never gotten used to being yelled at for things I have no control over (although I have learned to expect it), I've definitely learned to enjoy the challenge. The ability to help people reach victory, sometimes in spite of their own stupidity, is a big ego booster. Although there is more glory and more action in being one of the damage or tank classes, I'm pretty happy with my place in the MMORPG world as a raid healer. I plan to do it for a while longer.
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