Ranking The Best Healers in BfA
In the Light, we are one...
Tanks blame the DPS, DPS blames the Tanks whilst healers stand, shaking their heads at both whilst they mass ress for 30th wipe of the night.
A noble, thankless task; healers are the lifelines of every raid, dungeon, battleground, and arena. And in each, the role changes dramatically.
And no, bandage warriors is NOT a spec.
Healing is love or hate. And for me? I love it.
I’ve been a healer main since Vanilla only switching to Tank for Legion. And healing is a different game style where you have to think on your feet and depending on your class, be proactive or reactive.
Six specs to choose from, some are dominating across the various fields of play. But others are about as useful in mending wounds as a wet tissue.
This guide will hopefully make you consider a re-roll or a respec and dare to give healing a go!
Sit back, put your feet up, and bask in the glory (or console yourself) in knowing where your favorite healer class ranks!
And never, never blame the healer. Ever.
6. Restoration Shaman
Who knew making it rain would be so beneficial?
The original owners of Bloodlust/Heroism, for years they have been consistent and strong healers across the platform.
But as Blizzard shifts other specs up the rankings, Shammies have been left at the bottom of the pile.
It seems unfair because in other patches they weren’t great… but a further nerf smackdown makes them even less desirable.
Mana conservation is a tough one for resto shammies and sustainable healing just doesn’t quite match up when compared to other healing classes.
Ascendance used to be so powerful for Shamans, but with BfA this is lost far too quickly and can’t keep up with others.
Totem choices provide a nice, AoE healing, so are a good choice for raids.
Their mastery is, however, a nice feature and works well in m+. With the more ouchies people take, the higher you heal. So when you are the solo healer and there’s heavy damage, this will help bucket loads.
What Makes Restoration Shaman a Good Healer
- Great AoE healing potential
- Heroism/Bloodlust
- Self-survivability
- Decent single-target healing
- Strong mastery ability
How to build Restoration Shaman: https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/us/frostmourne/Kooz%C3%ADe
5. Holy Priest
The shinier, the better!
This is heartbreaking, to have to admit that Holy Priests belong nearer the bottom of the pile.
I main a Holy Priest through BfA and I strongly believe they are the most undervalued and underrated healer of the pack. But I might be a little biased.
Absolutely dominate in raids, they are one of the best healers for never going out of mana and Holy Word: Salvation is a powerhouse emergency heal. It has a hefty cooldown, that is shortened through Flash Heal and Holy Word: Serenity. It is a must-have for raiders.
But that’s sort of where it ends for the HPriest.
They’re reactive healers, which makes them not as viable for m+ when you’re on a time crunch.
PvP talents are great, with Greater Heal being a huge heal with minimal mana cost. Holy Word: Serenity gets an extra charge so in PvP and RP-PvP (that’s a thing), you can endure where other healers fail.
Most of their heals are a stand and cast mechanism. When you’re running after an eager tank, stopping to throw medicinal sparkles is hard to do.
And this applies to PvP too, when you can be so easily interrupted and holy locked; rendering you utterly useless.
Please, Blizzard, make Holy Priest great again. Please.
What Makes Holy Priest a Good Healer
- Strong spread healing
- Strongest emergency heal abilities
- Efficient mana conservation
- Versatile healing abilities
How to build Holy Priest: https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/us/area-52/eilistrae
4. Mistweaver Monk
Enjoy the serene tranquility of Chi healing
Fast-moving, versatile and able to fight in niche roles, Mistweavers are always a strong choice.
The way they choose to build their talents decides which sub-class they fill within that.
Choosing tank-healing builds is known affectionately as Tankysitting. Supporting the entire raid with healing through damage output is known as Fistweaving. Interesting choice of names but there we are.
They have outstanding single-target healing and as the only healer often in melee range, it means a lot of range mechanics in fights are ignored. Mistweavers can continue to heal and do damage and not have to worry about healing themselves!
However, if you don’t select talents right, be expected to throw your mana down the drains as you spam abilities to keep up.
Tiger’s Lust, Ring of Peace are fantastic utility abilities that can stop raid and dungeon groups from being overwhelmed.
They have a lot more in their arsenals than other healers, and that’s why they get a mid-way point.
What they don’t give out in big numbers, they make up in utility.
What Makes Mistweaver Monk a Good Healer
- Strong single target healing
- Various play styles
- Situational healing
- Great utility
- Strong self-healing and defensives
How to build Mistweaver Monk: https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/us/frostmourne/Bluesquared
3. Holy Paladin
Divine and Righteous, the savior of Tanks.
When you think of Tank Healing, you’ll go to one place first: Holy Paladins.
This hasn’t changed with BfA, still known for their spot healing and able to save Tanks from certain death with their incredible clutch heals.
Every player who has tanked or found themselves near death have felt the breath of relief when they are saved by the stalwart Lay on Hands.
Paladins have been innovative with different builds and the most popular build is the Glimmer of Light build. The purpose of this is to get the absolute maximum value out of the Azerite power of Glimmer of Light.
Taking this spec increases raw heals per second which “standard” paladins were struggling to hit. But it is an entirely different playstyle and needs a little finesse to practice it.
It’s heavily dependant on having 3 stacks of the Glimmer of Light power though. You don’t have that, leave it be.
Required to be smart with their positioning, due to their mastery: Lightbringer, Holy Pallys move between melee and ranged clumps.
Despite not having great mobility, their versatile healing means they are often picked for raids or dungeons. Their immunities and defensives keep them as an asset in PvP.
What Makes Holy Paladin a Good Healer
- Specialist in single target or tank healing
- Great defensive abilities
- Can provide decent damage
- The utility provided through blessings
How to build Holy Paladin: https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/us/tichondrius/evelinari
2. Discipline Priest
The Powerhouse of Power Words
An overhaul for the unique Discipline Priest, they are a completely different play style compared to other healers. With changes made following an abysmal show in Legion, Disc Priests are back and taking no prisoners.
The use of Atonement with Evangelism lets the Disc Priest heal friends whilst causing substantial damage to their enemies. Their DPS output is pretty nice, considering their primary function is to be a healer.
Not completely stepping away from tradition, shields, and absorptions make up their bread and butter, with punchy AoE bursts on very short cooldowns.
Difficult to master and mistakes are more punishing than other healers, they favor working proactively. Being reactive and working in hindsight is not their thing.
Well received across all end-content and leveling, Disc Priests can fit themselves into just about every single team.
You want a strong AoE healer? Bring a Disc priest. You want a healer with decent mobility? Bring a Disc Priest.
You see what I’m saying? Bring a Discipline priest.
What Makes Discipline Priest a Good Healer
- Heavy burst healing with short cooldowns
- Strong AoE healing
- Sturdy absorption spells
- Decent damage output
- Able to cast spells on the move
How to build Discipline Priest: https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/us/tichondrius/powerwrdfeet
1. Restoration Druid
Maintaining the balance of Life in all your raids.
I remember playing a Resto Druid from Vanilla up to Cataclysm. They were so much fun and could heal raids without breaking a sweat.
Across raids, dungeons, battleground, and arena, Resto Druids is a class you’ll see in a majority. You’ll be more surprised if you don’t see one!
Super effective for keeping up a healthy stream of healing with nice burst procs from Swiftmend. They are an asset when you are dealing with mechanics that place raid-wide debuffs as Rejuvenate and Regrowth will tick along nicely.
If this wasn’t enough to entice you, consider their strong AoE in Wild Growth, Efflorescence and Tranquility. Not to mention the power combo of HoTs and Wild Growth with the finishing move of Flourish.
Cenarion Ward is the strongest defensive for tanks, which makes them a huge contender for tank healing.
Able to shift forms to move around, healing on the run plus utilities such as the divine Rebirth, means they will always be the creme de la creme of healers.
They aren’t as strong when they are not ready for heavy damage, as HoTs require a little time to tick before the effect is felt.
And that’s the only fault I can find: mess up your cooldowns, your spot healing will be ruined.
I could continue to fangirl over the absolute powerhouse of Resto Druids, but you have to experience them for yourself.
Just remember to pick your jaw up off the ground when you’re done.
What Makes Restoration Druid a Good Healer
- Best tanking cooldown in the game
- Strong survivability
- Strong healing, even when moving
- High impact emergency cooldowns
- Fantastic raid utility abilities
How to build Restoration Druid: https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/us/frostmourne/ninjaristic
So have I managed to convince you to drop your yellow numbers of damage in exchange for green numbers of glorious healing?
Spare a thought, the next time you are in a dungeon or raid or a battleground, for the healers that keep you going when the chips seem all but down. Without them, you face more repair bills than you can afford. The unsung heroes of your teams, the pacifists amongst you.
Give your healers a /hug from me: One healer to the next.
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