You like your UI, you’ve figured out what type of healing style to use, but how do you know what to do next? Lucky (I think) for you, the following is a list of (indisputable… sort of) guidelines that every Restoration Druid should hold dear:

1. It is never the healer’s fault. Ever. Unless the healer is a shaman.
2. Revisit rule number one. Repeat it. Memorize it. Never forget it.
3. Always use the spell with the best graphic. In the case of Druids this is Wild Growth. This allows you to always stop and admire the swirl of glowing leaves as you constantly spam one spell until out of mana.
4. Never bring consumables. If for some reason you go out of mana or do not have strong enough heals it is not your fault. Refer back to rule number one.
5. Constantly remind the party or raid how much better you are than the rest of them, except the tank. Remember to cite the “DPS is a dime a dozen” mantra occasionally.
6. Never, ever use Swiftmend, especially in conjunction with the Glyph of Swiftmend. This is obviously overpowered, and should only be used to save yourself. Remember, of course, to always keep Rejuvenation up on yourself just in case.
7. Berate anyone around you for not asking for heals. Obviously they should call out when they need healing so that you do not have to watch any health bars, ever. Healing is complicated, and you cannot be burdened with paying attention to your surroundings.
8. At the first sign of trouble, even if it is only an unexpected single pull, run. You should never have to repair, otherwise your tank and DPS are not doing their job properly.
9. Never heal a shaman. Obviously they are expected to be able to heal themselves under any circumstances, as well as however many other people Chain Heal hits nowadays. As a matter of fact, try to have the shaman mind-controlled and have a warlock DoT them up as much as possible.
10. See the list below for the real rulebook. If I see any of these happen I’ll let you die every time!

    UPDATE/EDIT: Except, of course, the rules pertaining to Shaman.

Now that I’ve probably started a war with some Shaman, it’s time to bring you to the real Healing Rulebook. This is a list of items that every healer should know, and hopefully follow. This goes along with, and in many cases repeats, the Healing Etiquette post I’ve already done, but more from the healer’s standpoint than that of the other party members.

1. Always be prepared. There is no excuse for any healer to not at least have a couple of mana potions on hand, and at least some type of buff food. Sometimes this little bit will make all the difference between a smooth run and a wipe.
2. Never complain about healing. If you do not want to heal then respec, or reroll. If you are playing a healer it is your job to heal, plain and simple.
3. Tell people what they need to do if you are having trouble healing everyone. DPS has gotten relatively sloppy over the course of The Burning Crusade. EVERYONE should have first aid leveled and at least a couple of health potions, and be prepared to heal themselves in a pinch.
4. If you cannot heal everyone don’t stress out. It is acceptable to let someone die for the sake of the group. It is never fun to do so, but sometimes it has to happen. The tank should have your highest priority, followed by the highest DPSer if possible.
5. Remember to use all of the tools available to you. Even Nourish can be very useful under certain circumstances.
6. Do not, ever, refrain from using a heal with a cooldown out of fear it may be needed soon. Swiftmend is an excellent example. The cooldown is short, and it can very easily save a wipe. Use it as often as needed.
7. The only bad healer is the one who does not accept criticism, or try to learn more about their class. Everyone starts out in some variation of bad or mediocre. It takes practice and learning, and a willingness to try different techniques. Give it time.
8. Never rely on running instances and raids with only the same group of people all the time. Running with different people on occasion will sharpen your skills and let you see where you (or your running mates) may need to improve.
9. Have fun. If you aren’t having fun there is no reason to continue to play, and this is a game that provides plenty of ways to have fun. Try something else. A different class, a different spec. Sometimes a quick break from the norm is all that is needed to remind you how much fun something really is, or how much you miss it when you aren’t doing it.
10. Refer people to the Healing Etiquette post I already made, or the number of excellent variations out there on other blogs. Sometimes the annoying part of healing isn’t within your control, and we need to make sure to spread the word about what people should and should not do to their healers.

---

The final installment of this series will be coming soon, which will focus on tips and tricks for Druids to maximize their potential. It will primarily focus on what I’ve learned over my time as a Restoration Druid, as well as things I have picked up from seeing how other classes heal.