Easiest to pick up??

[Pouches]

I know this is sort of a loaded question, but I am venturing to ask it anyway.

I am not the most skilled player there is, at any video game, not just WoW, but I have my mind set on becoming a better player, as either a tank-class or a healer. So, my question is, for a lesser skilled person, which of each of the tanking and healing classes would be easier to pick up for basically a noob player? (Which of the classes have an easier learning curve?)

My ultimate goal is strictly 5-mans (normal/heroic) as I play late on my server when there aren't many on and I mostly have to PuG groups when I get them. Needless to say I don't have much experience with grouping due to the late schedule and limited playtime...

[semiiramiis]

I know this is sort of a loaded question, but I am venturing to ask it anyway.

I am not the most skilled player there is, at any video game, not just WoW, but I have my mind set on becoming a better player, as either a tank-class or a healer. So, my question is, for a lesser skilled person, which of each of the tanking and healing classes would be easier to pick up for basically a noob player? (Which of the classes have an easier learning curve?)

My ultimate goal is strictly 5-mans (normal/heroic) as I play late on my server when there aren't many on and I mostly have to PuG groups when I get them. Needless to say I don't have much experience with grouping due to the late schedule and limited playtime...

As a player who has made it on strictly desire and stubborness, I know where you're coming from. I'm going to suggest right off the bat that you not consider a tanking class until you grasp the game mechanics a little more. Tanks are not the easiest idea around, and require a good bit of knowhow to effectively manage. They also tend to lead the group, and if you don't really know the fights or the instance geography (my true weak point) they're possibly not for you yet.

I'll suggest any of the hybrid healer classes...paladin, druid or shaman. They combine high survivability and strong leveling with end game group desirability and strong heals. Paladins and druids can also manage to become tanking classes as well, so you'd cover your bases.

[Khabs]

It's going to take practice to learn any class and play it well. I would also recommend a druid or paladin so that you have the option of healing or tanking. At level 40 you can dual spec and switch easily between the two roles. I'm on the east coast as well. Which server do you play on?

[Pouches]

I am on Argent Dawn.

Maybe I should better re-phrase my question. I am not totally new at the game (have a couple 70s chars), but I am completely new at tanking and healing. So, I am curious as to which of each of the types have the easiest learning curve.....least amount of button clicking, ease of spell/skill usage, etc. That make any sense?

[mesonm]

I am on Argent Dawn.

Maybe I should better re-phrase my question. I am not totally new at the game (have a couple 70s chars), but I am completely new at tanking and healing. So, I am curious as to which of each of the types have the easiest learning curve.....least amount of button clicking, ease of spell/skill usage, etc. That make any sense?

IMO, be a tank...It is much less stressful than healing, in my opinion.

[Mtal]

IMO, be a tank...It is much less stressful than healing, in my opinion.


That's true, one person dies and the healer hears it. Maybe a druid, they have a few tank moves, not too many buttons to use. I have a low pally, i like to make him a tank, but actually not sure what moves i have to use to be one. Oh one know, a good warrior tank is awsome. Lately I had a chance to do some instances with some good ones and they really seem to dominate. Not sure bout dk's, they seemed to get nerfed from what I read as tanks.

As healers, maybe stay away from a druid. Oh there awsome, but it seems like with there heal over time spells, it might be tricky.

Well I have a few classes myself. I too want to give the tank/healing a try since I mostly play dps.

[Selvaria]

I know this has been said time and time again, but don't rely on the opinions of other people to decide which character you should play. I have done this around six times now, and it gets tiresome - not to mention annoying when you realize you've leveled yet another character you don't actually want to play.

When it comes to deciding between tank or healer, which sounds more appealing - being right in the heart of the action, swinging your sword like your life depends on it; or standing back, keeping a watchful eye on the status of your party members?

By all means, roll a hybrid class first - Druid or Paladin, as others before me have advised, - so you can try your hand at both. See which one feels right for you, and then experiment with the different classes that can fulfil the role you want to play. After dabbling around with all of the healing classes in-game, I have finally settled on Shaman.

I hope this helped!

[surodat]

Here's what I think.

Pally Healing is the most straightforward.

Druid Tanking is the most straightforward.

[Maticus]

IMO, be a tank...It is much less stressful than healing, in my opinion.

Really?! I tried tanking on my Warrior back in TBC, I was awful. As the primary tanker back then, a Warrior should've been easypie, but I found it very hard and very stressful. Same goes for when I occasionally off-tank even now.

On the other hand, healing on my Pala is simplicity itself. With a good mod like Healbot (http://wowui.incgamers.com/?p=mod&m=3374), you just literally have to stand there and click the screen with no worries except your mana, which is rarely a problem.

Maybe it's just me though ^ ^

[Ritsuko]

Pally tanking is terribly easy right now. And, they're easy to heal on. AND, they do great dps if you find out you don't want to do either. Also very easy and fun to level.

But like another said. YOU have to try and see what you like best. All heals and tanks are very very different.

[neptuneajax]

In my oppinion be a healer. It is SO much easier to get a away with being a subpar healer than being a sub par tank. Plus less absolute requirements; ie: 540 def for tanking is a MUST but healers can range between spell power and haste rating as they prefer. Also being a bull**** good healer earns you respect and trust, where being a bull**** good tank requires SOO much skill and extraneous knowledge about game mechanics, dungeon layouts etc. If all else fails roll a druid and dual spec for both

[mrzerath]

i'd say for a tanking class a paladin is easiest.. thats my opinion though.

Im not sure about healers, i havent played a healer yet. But ive thinkg Driuds are the best for it.

[mesonm]

i havent played a healer yet. But ive thinkg Driuds are the best for it.

Shaman, IMO

[elsegundo]

I am on Argent Dawn.

Maybe I should better re-phrase my question. I am not totally new at the game (have a couple 70s chars), but I am completely new at tanking and healing. So, I am curious as to which of each of the types have the easiest learning curve.....least amount of button clicking, ease of spell/skill usage, etc. That make any sense?

paladin.



for healing, you have two basic healing spells with several oh-shhh buttons.

you can tank as a pally with one button and leave the other buttons there for those oh-shhh moments where you have to taunt, bubble or whatevers.
for the 1button tanking, just incorporate a /castrandom macro with consecrate, holy shield, hammer of the righteous and judgement of light/wis/whatever into one button. bordom for hours and possibly a worn out button and a calloused finger. good luck!

[Tikki]

Ok, firstly, as it's been said, in the end you have to pick what you like, and what you're going to want to play...with that said, if I were to do it all over again I would pick a pally.

As a warrior tank, I envy the pally tank that can just aoe aggro 4 mobs constantly...I can honestly say that if I could change into a pally, I would. They're tanking seems to be sooo much easier than a warrior. Not to mention, LEARNING how to tank is easier on a pally than a warrior.

With a warrior you need to contantly generating threat on each mob, which when you have aoe crazed dps, requires you to constantly tab between mobs. A pally's ability to aoe tank minimizes this, and to be honest, I've heard quite a few raids wanting pally tanks rather than warriors...

Additionally, I also would love to have a pally because they can heal, and healers are in major demand. Not to mention that ret pallys are great dps'ers and are awesome at PvP.

Personally, I find a pally is the most useable class there is. They're great tanks, great healers, and great dps'ers. You really can't go wrong.

Druids are amazing healers, but I find moonkin a bit annoying for DPS, simply because they always seem to be lacking mana. I honestly haven't met a lot of druid tanks, but, they certainly have benefits over warriors and pallys.

If I had to choose between a druid and a pally, I would pick pally.

And the others are correct. Healing is often a less intense job. Tanking is SOOOOOO dependent on gear that you can have the skills, and still not be able to handle a raid simply because you don't have the gear. On the same hand, you can have the gear, but if you don't have the skills, you won't make it either. A good tank needs to have both great gear, experience and skills...otherwise people will see right through out.

Healers tend to be able to pass on by quite well with minimal gear requirements and skills. I'm not saying anyone can be a good healer, because I know some AWESOME healers, and it's because they have mad skills, but it's healers to gain experience in larger raids and improve your skills that way...where a warrior is expected to be skills and experience when entering the raid.

I'm not a great player...i've never had good gaming skills, but I think I pass as a tank. It takes practice but it's worth it!

I think if you're not sure, you may want to roll a hybrid class. Especially if you're thinking you may want to do both. It is up to you, and what you think you'd enjoy. Just remember that a class doesn't get really good until about 30-40...and with my warrior, I didn't really find prot exciting until 60+.

You might also want to check out the stats on your server and see if tanks or healers are needed more than the other...this will almost ensure your a raid spot once you get up there!

Good luck!

[Amra]

On the other hand, healing on my Pala is simplicity itself. With a good mod like Healbot (http://wowui.incgamers.com/?p=mod&m=3374), you just literally have to stand there and click the screen with no worries except your mana, which is rarely a problem.

Maybe it's just me though ^ ^
It's not just you. While my tank experience is quite limited, I do agree healing is fun and can be a challenge from time to time.

Major props for Healbot too! It rocks.

hmm.... maybe have to try a healing pally sometime...

[Twoflower]

tanking became the easiest task around since the Wrath AoE tank craze.

Healing is quite easy still.

Surprisingly, doing good damage ( i mean realy good damage, say 5k DPS or more ) is the hardest job nowadays.

[Wintrow]

Concurring here.

As a tank you can't over-threat. If it targettable and in combat you want it focused on you. As a healer you heal everyone you can, if you pull aggro it's because the healed one was too early in taking damage or the tank was too slow in building threat.

As a dps it's often bloody hard to be consistently doing the dps that pushes the tank's threat management along with doing it on the RIGHT target at the right time. If you're too slow the healer goes OOM or the tank goes splat. Nuke too hard and you pull aggro making your death 99% certain and that of the rest of the party/raid VERY hard to avoid.

Not saying that tanking or healing is peanuts (god knows I've tanked some light raiding in TBC and I had my hands full) of course.