Curse

Sun Fired Blank · Dec 13, 2007, 01:24 AM // 01:24

I figured I would ask yet another question; sorry to do so! This one is mostly pointed for the monks in TA: Word of Healing or Zealous Benediction? A lot of the players that I've asked are somewhat torn about this question. They raise these points, usually:

- ZB is only energy efficient if you hit the 50% mark. If you don't, your health to energy ratio is a meager 20.2 per energy. WoH, on the other hand, remains somewhat practical at 30.2 per 5 energy.
- Most PP skills remain practical at 10 or 11; you get a fairly minimal advantage for 14 prot versus 10 or 11, and lot of prot is often burned away or circumvented with relative ease anyways.
- ZB usually requires another questionable red bars up, which is usually Gift of Health, which is less energy efficient than Word of Healing, or Signet of Devotion, which is horrendously slow.

- ZB is optimally the more energy efficient heal. For example, WoH at L14 HP (122 + 94), L9 DF (29) is 245 Health for 5 energy, or 49 health per energy. Zealous Benediction at L14 PP (170), L10 DF (32) is 202 health for 3 energy, or 67.33 health per energy.
- ZB is tied to protection prayers enchantments, which despite their vulnerability, are still the best way to mitigate damage; anything you can do which can prevent a health bar tug of war is generally desirable.
- WoH is one of the few efficient skills in healing prayers that also has an unconditional clause and good recharge. Most other options are even more sub par than Signet of Devotion or a spec for Gift, which makes you even more reliant on your elite for healing than ever before; one of the few options, Signet of Rejuvenation, is a bit slow to recharge.

I'm r3 glad (almost r4), I've played with both, and I'm not particularly inclined to say that I'm keen on either; the current environment is tremendously hostile to monking, and in my experience, it seems that no matter what you do, the monk bar always ends up short, and I don't really think there's really a right or even a good way to play a monk bar in TA at this point, more so now than even ever before.

Teh [prefession]-zorz · Dec 13, 2007, 02:23 AM // 02:23

I usually go ZB, since i hate the healing skills and i dont hybrid.

Popo · Dec 13, 2007, 03:00 AM // 03:00

WoH is superior to ZB. Reasoning:

Slightly faster recharge (one second less)
Bigger heal under 50% (which is when ZB is usually used)
More spammable/all purpose (ZB cost too much energy for this)

I cannot think of a time where I would have run out of energy on a WoH build where my ZB build would have been still going strong so the reduced by 2 cost under ideal conditions doesn't sway me at all. In fact, I can honestly say WoH can be more energy efficient especially under circumstances where interrupts are a problem.

ZB does allow more points into protection prayers but, as said before, the small prots work nearly identical either way.

TheOneMephisto · Dec 13, 2007, 04:09 AM // 04:09

It's pretty much up to personal preference. As said, they each have their own significant strengths.

WoH is much more versatile generally and the ability to use it at 5 energy is pretty strong. However, some of those prot prayers really do get a nice boost with 3-4 points, especially spirit bond. Also, it isn't totally necessary to have another heal on a ZB bar if you're going with dismiss, as often times it can double as a small heal after small protting.

I personally prefer WoH as a skill, just because I feel a lot stronger with it than ZB, however, ZB has a lot more freedom with attributes, and especially when I'm speccing into another line for defense or something, that useful. And mending touch is leetsauce at 14 prot.

Kaelyn the Dove · Dec 13, 2007, 04:12 AM // 04:12

In RA/TA, I prefer zb.

Divine Slaya · Dec 13, 2007, 04:56 AM // 04:56

I run both. I don't necessarily believe one is better than the other, they just both work better under different team builds.

I believe ZB is a better elite to run when monking in a balanced team which consists of casters because it is better at supporting a team as a whole. WoH on the other hand, works better when monking in a team of physical characters because I don't necessarily have to watch them as often for heals and prots. I can throw vigorous spirit on the entire team and worry about avoiding damage myself.

WoH is not any better than ZB with energy management. People tend to point out that it heals for more and costs less energy, but if you are healing people with ZB and not getting the energy bonus from the skill, you are using it improperly.

Rampager · Dec 13, 2007, 06:11 AM // 06:11

I would use ZB if i were the only healer, still yet to get used to WoH but i plan to try it in time, i see it would be better used in teams with a secondary healer.

But yeah i would say ZB only if you are confident with hitting under 50% every time, if not your going to run low very quickly.

Div · Dec 13, 2007, 09:46 AM // 09:46

I go WoH over ZB all the time.

moko · Dec 13, 2007, 02:17 PM // 14:17

i'm still sticking with ZB. people are forgetting how to prot properly; ever noticed how fast teams die at ANY given time when WoH is down? plus i really love the few extra seconds to power my prots more. besides, it leaves me with good leftover points for stances.

bungusmaximus · Dec 13, 2007, 02:32 PM // 14:32

Same here, the rare moments that I monk I still go for ZB, need some in wilderness survival for natural stride. And what mokone said makes perfect sense, most monks (including me because I'm a baed monk) use either ZB as WoH as their main tool for survival because they can't pre-prot worth sh!t. When my ZB gets diverted I'm screwed because I'm not good enough at using the prot enchantments.

(I don't post this because I need advice at monking btw. I can live with the fact that I'm a bad monk)

LifesRestorer · Dec 13, 2007, 04:07 PM // 16:07

i go with ZB cause i like to spec 9 tactics for a shield, so i only have to spec 3 atts instead of 4.

the only thing i can say about WoH being superior to ZB in any way is, that if you play a Pblock mes you're RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOed as a ZB while as a WoH you can still do a significant amount of healing even after Pblock interruption.

bungusmaximus · Dec 13, 2007, 05:39 PM // 17:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifesRestorer

i go with ZB cause i like to spec 9 tactics for a shield, so i only have to spec 3 atts instead of 4.

the only thing i can say about WoH being superior to ZB in any way is, that if you play a Pblock mes you're RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOed as a ZB while as a WoH you can still do a significant amount of healing even after Pblock interruption.

If Pblock gets your guardian you're just as screwed imho, but you have a point.

Lord Natural · Dec 14, 2007, 04:03 AM // 04:03

From playing ranger, it's a lot easier to fold a WoH monk than a ZB right now. WoH'ers tend to get spam happy, and they don't have gift as a fallback. Land a couple of d shots and it's usually time for a wipe. Not that disabling ZB is any less dangerous to a team, but it seems a lot of WoH monks have grown completely dependant on it. Playing ZB the goal was to try and minimize the need to even use it, rather than elite spamming. Anyway, a good monk will be careful, but a lot of bad ones are content to press woh every 3 seconds and watch red bars go up.

Melody Cross · Dec 14, 2007, 04:26 AM // 04:26

Depends on whats in there. ZB draw monks have superior condition removal but weakness to disruption and energy denial. WoH monks are less susceptible to edenial, heartier against personal disruption, but more fragile as a team cleaner.

If you're facing lots of blindots and dazed spammers, take the ZB. If you're faced with magebanes and mesmers, I prefer WoH.

Of course, since this is TA we're talking about here, you shouldn't face ANY of it alone.

GGs

LuckyGiant · Dec 14, 2007, 06:03 AM // 06:03

Probably depends on your bar

ZB for me easily

Reasoning:
Mend touch
Draw Conditions
Prot Spirit (extremely efficient at 28secs stop squishy beatdown, dervs etc etc)
Guardian (8.4 secs is very hot in TA

)
Rof (for me rof becomes effective antispike in TA due to lack of spike dmg, negating 80dmg while healing for 80)

Stupid Shizno · Dec 14, 2007, 06:53 AM // 06:53

ill always go zb over woh....unless somehow zb gets the shame nerf bat.

Tamuril elansar · Dec 14, 2007, 07:06 AM // 07:06

i take ZB over WoH just because i like using ZB.

RoF · Dec 14, 2007, 07:56 AM // 07:56

ZB, why? cuz 7 second gaurdian is leet.

Div · Dec 14, 2007, 09:20 AM // 09:20

WoH is good when prots get pblocked :x

That is all.

urania · Dec 14, 2007, 01:38 PM // 13:38

the choice depends on the build and one's preferences.