Well, our Hate raid is just a couple of days away, so I thought I'd post a guide based on my experiences. This stuff pretty much applies to all large scale raids....not just Hate. This will be a working document. I'll update it as I think of other things. I hope you find it useful.
First, let's cover the basics of being able to participate effectively.
1) Turn on the server filter to block servers side messages. I'll briefly explain what this does. When you turn off stuff like other people's hits, the server still sends them to you....your client just doesn't show them. The server filter prevents these messages from even being sent to your client.
2) Turn off spell effects.
3) Turn off unnecessary chat channels like guild (although in our case we may want this on).
4) Turn off PC names. You wont be targeting people visually. This takes some getting used to, but it actually removes alot of clutter so you to see better anyway, and it helps reduce your lag.
5) Crank down the clipping plane. Hate is like a dungeon...not a large open outdoor zone. You dont need to see very far anyway.
6) Dont speak in shout. That is reserved for raid leaders. Also, keep the OOC chatter to a minimum.
Okay....now for a list of do's and dont's for clerics on large raids.
1) Make a /assist hotkey. A generic /assist hotkey is not good enough. Your hotkey must contain the main tank's name.
2) Make hotkeys for your healing spells that include at least a groupsay message that indicates who you're healing. For large scale raids, my healing hotkeys contain say and groupsay messages so healers outside my group can see who I'm healing.
3) Get used to assist healing. This means you assist mob the raid party is attacking and heal his target if necessary. You can do this by setting up a generic /assist command. You would hit your /assist hotkey (from #2 above), then your generic /assist hotkey. Some clerics dont like people healing their party members, but I can assure you, the people you save will thank you for it.
4) Get used to using the /target command. This is another extremely useful method for healing people. Many times a chanter (or other caster) will OOC for a heal and this is simply the fastest way to target them. I routinely "make the rounds" using the /target command to see if people need heals. In particular I frequently check on enchanters.
5) Try to stand up when pulls come in. You'll be less likely to get aggroed.
6) Always watch the channels for instructions. Someone may be OOCing for a heal or you may be given the camp instruction. In cases of large wipeouts, we will always try to camp some clerics to perform rezzes. If we fail, the only other alternative is to rebreak (which in the case of Hate could cost us thousands of plat) or start summoning corpses.
7) Keep divine aura loaded, but not gate. There will be times when you're getting pummelled and you need to give the chanters time to mez. Gating is not an option.
Stay away from the action. As always, clerics should be behind the melees and out of harm's way (until they get aggro from healing, anyway *grin*).
9) Make a "Help! %t is attacking me!" hotkey. Its use is self explanatory, I think. This lets people know that you're under attack so they can heal, mez, taunt, etc.
10) The different heals are very situational. Typically, I keep 5 (yes, FIVE) heals loaded. Some of you may not have 5 good ones yet. I usually have Complete Heal, Divine Light, Celestial Healing, Remedy, and Word of Healing (group) loaded. CH uses alot of mana and takes a long time to cast. Its used mostly on big tanks (warriors) with lots of hit points. Divine Light is a fairly quick 800 point heal good for lighter tanks and casters who have taken significant damage. Celestial Healing is a heal over time. This is a "fire and forget" spell that you cast on melees at the beginning of fights, allowing you to concentrate on keeping other people alive. I would not recommend using Celestial Healing on casters during fights. They take damage too fast for it to be effective. Remedy is excellent because its a very fast 400 point heal. I use this mostly on casters who are taking damage very fast...time is of the essence. Word of Healing is a group spell and is extremely mana efficient if many of your party members are wounded. It's particularly good against mobs with AE spells. The bottom line is, know your spells and when to use them.
11) Bring plenty of peridots for symbols. You'll get reimbursed after the raid.
12) As always, follow directions.
Now for some Hate specific stuff
1) There's some undead in Hate, and if you're in the right group, you may find yourself with an opportunity to nuke. But as always, your primary role is defensive.
2) Spite Golems, Clerics of Innoruuk, and Ashenbone Drakes are VERY difficult to hit with spells. Dont bother.
3) Clerics of Innoruuk (naturally) can heal. Stun them.
4) We'll be doing a "portal break" and spending a fair bit of time in that area. Stay inside the arch.
5) Stay away from the walls. Mobs can aggro through them!
Copied from the Original guild library, originally posted by Calaeryn
