Healing and You!

Healing is a lot less complicated than tanking but it doesn't mean it's easy either. We walk a delicate line in keeping people alive and not pulling aggro. Healers gain threat for doing damage just like everyone else (+2 for every point of damage done), but healing threat is a little different. Healers get only 0.5 threat for every 1 point of health healed. You do NOT get threat for overhealing. Only for health that you actually heal.

Starting the Fight
DO NOT HEAL AT THE START OF THE FIGHT. Not even a HoT especially if there are multiple mobs. That's just asking for trouble. If you put on a HoT on a tank just before they pull, you'll be the one getting aggro because most tanks (warriors for example) do a bloodrage like ability that trades health for rage. Your HoT will tick and get you a bunch of threat before the tank has even reached the mob(s). Always wait a few seconds after the tank has engaged before you start healing. The ONLY exceptions to this rule is when aggro doesn't matter (i.e.Shade of Aran) or when you're confident in your tank's ability to hold onto the mob. Generally speaking, some Heroics will require you to start healing fast and furiously right away. Or in the Curator fight you'll need to start healing fairly quickly after the tank engages because the tank will be taking a lot of damage.

During the Fight
Your healing target priority will always be: tank, you, CC, dps, pets. You always want to keep the tank alive even if it means ignoring a dps class in order to do it. This situation shouldn't happen alot but it does happen. You are your next priority. Sometimes healers get so wrapped up in keeping everyone else alive they forget to look out for their own health. You have to stay alive as much as the tank does. Whoever is crowd control also needs to stay alive to, well, control the crowd. DPS is important as well but they are down on the totem pole. Pets are last UNLESS they are suppose to tank something. When pets tank, treat them like a tank. You need to heal them.

Ending the Fight
At the end of the fight, give everyone a HoT or a heal if they need it then sit to drink immediately if you need it. You can loot after your mana is full.

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I won't talk about all the specific healing classes because I don't know all the healing classes but I will talk about priests and the spells they should be using.

Greater Heal
The single most important spell in your arsenal. This is a big heal, slower but bigger. It also is more mana efficient when used correctly. Know about how much health your fellow group members have and know how much your greater heal will heal for then plan your heals accordingly. For example. If the tank is constantly being hit for 3k and your greater heal will heal him for 4.5k. You know you will probably need to use Greater Heal for most of the fight.

Prayer of Mending
This is the only 'threat free' heal that you have. It heals for little less than a flash heal would but it doesn't generate threat for you unless it processes on you. It will generate threat for whoever it is healing so use wisely on dps/healers. It's a good spell to cast on your tank at the start of the fight to give the tank that extra couple seconds to build threat before you start healing. It is also nice when there are two tanks. If the tanks stand near each other, the Mending tends to bounce between them and none of it's charges are 'wasted'.

Renew
Renew is the only HoT you have but it's a powerful one. If your Greater Heal will heal for 4.5k you can bet your Renew will be ticking for 600+. This does generate threat but it's threat over time and it's a useful thing to maintain on your tank at all times. It is also useful to cast when covering that sporatic damage that the dps sometimes takes. However, in fights like Attumen or Aran, you need to heal people up to full quickly, renew just won't cut it.

Flash Heal
In some cases, faster healing is needed and Greater Heal can be too slow. Other times, a Greater Heal would be a waste because the target is not down enough health to justify it (like clothies). Flash is not as mana efficient as a Greater and generally you don't use Flash Heals on tanks (except fights like the Valets before Moroes). Flash heals I usually conserve to use on DPS or on myself. They allow me to heal someone else quickly then get back to the tank.

Blinding Heal
I rarely use this spell but I know people who swear by it. It heals you for a small amount (think PoM) and it heals your target for a moderate amount (think flash heal). It can be useful when you're taking a beating or need to heal yourself and the tank equally badly.

Power Word: Shield
Will absorb some damage but not all kinds of damage (i.e. doesn't work on Sacrificed targets in the Illhoof fight). Unless requested (or if you know the tank is gonna get hammered) DO NOT CAST THIS ON A TANK BEFORE A FIGHT! This prevents their rage/threat generation. If you cast it at the start of the fight (ie after the pull) you will pull aggro as it's threat is similar to a greater heal, except it's instant. That being said, this spell can be useful in ways like PoM where it can buy you that extra second or two before you have to start healing. I always use a shield and PoM on the tank just before he pulls Curator because aggro is touchy at the start of the fight and I need to give the tank time to get aggro before healing. Shield can also be a life saver for classes other than tanks, buying you that extra time to get a heal off.

Prayer of Healing
Emergency High Aggro Group Heal spell. It will pull aggro if you spam it or use it at the start of the fight. It is like casting a flash heal on everyone in your party all at the same time. That's a LOT of threat. It also eats a lot of mana. Use wisely.

Circle of Healing
Not all priests will have this spell as it is the 41pt talent. It is exactly like Prayer of Healing except costs a little more mana, heals for a little less, is an instant cast and can be cast on parties other than your own. Again, use wisely.