A guide on how to (not)be a jerk WP

The image has not been tampered with, I swear!

These days I run in PuGs most of my time. My guild has moved on to other games and I’m reluctant to join another guild. Simply because I can’t take the hassle of finding one that fits me, applying and getting to know their rules and members. Yes, I’m a loner by choice. Maybe I’ll find a guild later when I long for organised play. Most of the time I am playing my WP, which is dumb and counter intuitive you’ll say, with WP being the most group based healer. I say so what? I like the WP, go away you troll. Err…

If you read the title, you’ll see that this is a guide. Not a very informative one, but still. I’ll show you how to be a jerk WP. Why would you even want to be a jerk? WAR is a team game, right? Well unless you have a team with which you run in a good premade group, you will struggle with getting renown points at a steady rate. Which is why you will be forced to spend more time at lower renown ranks. The result will be nerdrage. But if you follow my guide, I guarantee at least a 30% increase in renown gains (or you get your err… time back?). I’ve tried many playstyles and having a higher RR Runepriest gives some idea on how to maximise my renown point gain in order get over the cannon fodder stage (over RR50). WPs are quite good at leeching renown, contrary to the impression they give. But you’ll need to become a jerk in the process. As in, the opposite of a team player. Is it worth it? Decide for yourself.

I’ll also show you the other side, tips on how to adjust your playstyle to be an asset to your group in a PuG enviroment. Note that I usually do not play the “jerk” way. I did play with that spec for about 5 renown ranks, but now I feel that I’m over the bad part of the renown leveling experience having reached RR50 last night and being 20% away from 51.

How to read this guide: First you need to be literate. Hmm, check. Then you need to decide what are you going for. Do you want more of those delicious purple numbers or do you want to make friends and be praised for being a good healer and a team player? You don’t give a crap for either? Go for renown, trust me. Once a tard stays a tard. Um sorry, need to up my medicine dose… Once you decide, you just need to read the text in the corresponding colour. Purple text gets you more renown. Blue text gets you more… everything else.

Gear: Try to balance survivability stats with willpower. Annihilator with wounds talismans is a good start. Wear all 5 parts for the +2 to Salvation tree. Try to buy one of them blue tri-stat cloaks off the AH with willpower, wounds, and toughness or initiative ideally. Same with blue repairable jewelry (relic, ancient), with other 2 slots taking either wounds/initiative/toughness green vendor bought renown jewelry. Grab any heal crit you can get (shoulder talisman, jewelry). The goal is to make you hard to kill while maintaining some healing power, because if you don’t have a reliable healer behind you and a tank that knows how to keep the heat off you, you’ll want to invest into survivability.

For renown training either go toughness or willpower in first tier (5 ranks) and willpower/initiative in second.

Spec: Full Salvation, which means 15 points. Picking up Martyr’s Blessing is mandatory, Divine Light is recommended and the rest whatever you want. Putting the rest of the points in Grace and getting Sigmar’s Vision works good, but you’ll need to get used to using it when you get a melee on you before detaunting and facing them all the time.

Grace up to Sigmar’s Grace is recommended, with rest in Salvation and picking up Divine Light and Pious Restoration. If you have some extra mastery points take either (or both) Refreshing Radiance or Cleansing Power.

Tactics, Morales: Slot Discipline, Intimidating Repent, Exalted Defenses and either Fueled Fury or Shield of Faith (depending on if you want more survivability or are running out of RF). If you picked up Refreshing Radiance or Cleansing Power slot those in the fourth slot, even sacrifice Exalted Defenses if you want to be more of a utility/support bot.

Divine Favor as M1. You won’t be using M2, get Penance for M3 and use it on large groups of enemies for more renown or Divine Protection if you are lacking survivability.

If you have a melee heavy group use Divine Replenishment as M2 otherwise use Focused Mind for uninterrupted TotD casting and CC immunity. Divine Protection for M3.

Playstyle:

• Never group. If in a scenario leave the group. If in ORvR follow larger groups around. Try to anticipate where the big clashes will be.
• HoT everything in sight with Healing Hand. HoT priority should be Bright Wizards>Slayers>tanks>other MDPS>other RDPS>healers. People taking damage should have a priority over those that are not. If you see a guarded BW run into a group of destro, he’s your man.
• Use Divine Aid on people who are taking heavier damage (Healing Hand should be on them of course) and keep reapplying it every 5 sec on as many as you can.
• Abuse Martyr’s Blessing. Run into groups of damaged order and use it. Smite will get your RF back. This spell isn’t called renown leech for nothing and will be your bread and butter.
• Lastly, don’t get yourself killed. Your health > everyone else’s. If you are under too much fire detaunt and heal yourself or run away.
• In ORvR leech every drop of renown you can. Don’t ever leave a BO that is about to be capped to defend another BO, since defenses might fail and you get no renown at all. Surely, a lone WP can’t do much to help, right? Double takes are your best friends and getting renown for all BOs/Keeps at the zone lock the equivalent of a YOU WIN screen.

• Get in a group. Your healing and buffing is party wide. You are the best counter to AoE bombing.
• Touch of the Divine is your bread and butter. Use Pious Restoration only to pre-HoT or when the group is not taking large amounts of damage. Save Divine Light for emergency situations.
• Pre-HoT targets that you know will get focused with Healing Hand .
  
• Get Squared or a similar addon so you can track your whole scenario’s/warband’s health. Keep your group up first and foremost, but keep Healing Hand on anyone taking damage outside your group, resorting to Divine Aid every 5 sec if he’s going down. If you can find a target in melee range and can spare the time/RF use Divine Assault after the above two spells. It’s added healing and a last resort to try to heal someone out of your group (certainly better than Divine Aid spam)
  
• Try to get Exalted Defenses to proc. If you see a puddle of Magus or Sorceress crap and have enough health, jump into it. If a lone Squig Herder is attacking you detaunt and stay in line of sight. You are bound to dodge some attacks. The point is to try to get attacked, but not killed in order to avoid an attack and proc 20% more healing. It’s a fine line to walk and takes practice. And luck.
  
• Resurrect people. Healers take priority. Do not resurrect if you are under attack since you probably won’t be able to heal the target before it dies again. Resurrect on safe spots not in AoE. After battles always have a look on the ground and rez people not in your groups. The jerks will be very grateful.
• Try to get players to balance groups in scenarios. An equal distribution of healers with a WP+AM/RP per group being the best set up.
• If you are in an ORvR warband that is doing things wrong, try to gently steer them in the right direction. If they are willing to let you, take the lead. If they are not, find another warband or start your own.
• Remember, zone lock takes priority over BO takes.

That’s that. If you have anything to dispute, fire away. I ain’t afraid of no heathens!