Add-ons: What works and won't bork my computer? If you're a Healer - are they a "must have"?

Add-ons - I have used them only sparingly in other games and haven't used them since I left WOW. I haven't had virus protection on my computer in over 3 years and have never had an issue since I only go to sites that already have technology beyond me - I never download anything or open any attachments in e-mails - I had more problems with my virus ware than I did from any viruses. However...

My understanding is that if you play a healer - they are a must? I'm not sure if this is true or not - if it is - then I guess I might need to try an add-on since I just started a WP - I have been in small groups and but I can see BO's, orvr, and keep sieges might be greater challenges. If I need the add-on then I have to check it out and and hope it is a reputable - virus free, site. Or - I ditch the healer.

Any advice that anyone can give....since we have some awesome healers in the guild - would be appreciated.

Thanks.

First, I don't see anything being a "must-have" in Warhammer so far. So if you're comfortable playing as you are then I say stick with that :) Here's my "must-haves" Squared for seeing the groups and healthbars in one compact location. To use this you will also need to install Libslash http://war.curse.com/downloads/war-addons/details/squared.aspx http://war.curse.com/downloads/war-addons/details/libslash.aspx ISHealbot is the third mod I run that allows me to actually cast on the squared grid, so 90% of the time my mouse doesn't have to move from that area of the screen. This saves an amazing amount of time on deciding who to heal and getting to them. http://war.curse.com/downloads/war-addons/details/ishealbot.aspx

I found this one today also while I was doing some research into healing mods on my lunchbreak. I really hate the way you don't auto-dismount in this game - to ride up to a battle and have to spend time looking for the icon to click is such a waste of time. The other day Twilah had so many buffs I actually had to cancel a few just to be able to click on the mount icon. This mod is supposed to auto dismount you whenever you perform an action. I'll try it out in T2 RVR tonight: http://war.curse.com/downloads/war-addons/details/dismount.aspx

Okay, so after all my research today I think I am switching to Healgrid tonight >< for two main reasons. First, it combines Squared and ISHealbot functionality into one package (so one add-on to maintain instead of two). Second, the mouse over commands can be formatted for left and right click on your mouse (ISHealbot would only format left clicks + modifiers and therefore I was only able to bind 4 spells). Very exciting!!! Well,if you're a nerd like me it is... http://war.curse.com/downloads/war-addons/details/heal-grid.aspx

Forgot to add, if you go with Healgrid you still need to download Libslash. A lot of the add ons in Warhammer require this library (like ACE in WOW).

I don't use any mods. I just move the location and config of the warband display to a location that makes sense. I also turned up the opacity so that the wb screen is darker and stands out more. I don't use the mouse healbot mod as I have more than 2 heals. All my heals are hotkey'd and easy to hit. I think I heal okay, so I guess you really don't "need" the mods. Try them, if you like them, cool, if not, del the folders. The 2 that Twilah listed are the most used from the research that I did. I didnt like squared all that much tho.

State of the Realm is awesome. It gives me a heads up to troop movements. I can tell BO's being taken in areas that im not in. It's critical to planning our raid nights. Thanks Galosef for the tip on that one. Its like Objective Tracker on meth. Warboard is also a very nice mod that simplifies the EXP/Guild EXP / Renown / Inf bars into one bar accross the top. It has several key plugins including Warboard_Clock and Warboard_Location which are both very useful. I personally also use Notepad so i can jot down player names as they contact me for the waiting list or if i really don't want to recruit them i put a not as to why to remind myself what an ass they were It's usable on all your characters using the same log so its not character dependent. Nice for us alt addicts. Lastly I use PURE, its kinda funky at times but having health bars over people's heads is nice as well as being able to see the health of the doors. Very critical for my raid nights. All of these are available on curse.com.

I run a lot of addons but for a healer I highly recommend squared. I have every player in my warband in a little 2x4.5 box between my combat log and chat log right under my characters feet, colorcoded according to class type RDPS, Healer, MDPS, Tank, along with symbols further defining the character class. It makes it very easy to target anyone for quick healing. I also recommend using CoolDownTimer and PulseIcons so that you have an eye out for your cooldown spells. It flashes a LARGE icon up, letting me know when my ability has come off of cooldown and is ready for use, along with a big flashy text on your screen (this is pulse - it also updates you for a melee character on things such as Parry or Block so you can use your abilities that require those as triggers). The cooldown bars give you a timer on all cooldowns currently running. Really you don't NEED any addons or mods, but life is SO much easier with Squared when you are in the middle of a heavy combat situation and really don't have time to let your eyes stray from immediate surroudings. It allows for resizing, texturing, fill direction, AP percentage, color changes based on player health and all sorts of other goodies (tank starts fading yellow/red - heal em! that bw just went from full to 1/4 health? RUN AWAY ITS A WITCHELF) Autodismount is a blessing for riding up, targeting someone (friendly or enemy) and spamming whatever abilities you normally would and allowing you to bypass that whole r-click to dismiss buff, or using the Summon Horse again to pop off of it. TargetRings is also nice, but that's really getting overboard if you are a minimalist. Most of the things found on Curse are safe, and if you are worried about them you can actually read the source code. There's a few of us in the guild that can dive into it and give you a heads up on any out of place, or potentially harmful code. I've found nothing even remotely malicious there, so you should be safe with the addons found on Curse. Good luck with the healer!

I had some great Mods in WoW. The Auction house mod was great for properly pricing your items. I had a great mapping mod too. HOWEVER, every time there was a patch, you had to check to see which mods had updates, some crashed your game... yada yada yada. After a while it got to be more trouble than it was worth. So now I'm like Keelok, I don't use any mods. With hots I spam heal in advance. Seems to work fine for everyone except Bright Wizards! *cough* :) I would like the auto-dismount thing though.

I pvp lots so Dammaz Kron is a must have. For my AM I use it to see who to avoid. I used squared + hovercast on my AM, and my heals went for 25k to 100k+ in T2 SCs, most healers get x3 or better results than without, so imho its a must have. Autodismount is a nice one to have as well. Depending on character I also have different class specific stuff loaded.

dang - so much info.....I started playing games with Pong and Outlaw - and have always been a minimalist. I just don't know why the healthbars of the warband don't show up. I've also been thinking - that maybe as much as I want to be a healer - it may not be for me - and that's o.k. - that's why my healer's not in the guild - she might get deleted. I'm a much better BW or Eng than anything. We all have our niches in life - and in games.... Thanks for the info and I'll check it out - but I may just start a new BW to run with the slayers.... anyway...gone for the weekend - at least until Sunday....have a RenFaire to go to Sat. and tomorrow spending with the sone - he needs some home cooking and I plan on going to Watchmen before I go to his house.....

Wow, awesome feeback Galosef and it looks like I'm on the right track. I ended up sticking with squared because I like the class coloring/icons and I need to know who my tanks are at all times. I saw Targetings yesterday and considered it, if for no other reason then for rezzes. I finally customized my UI yesterday for a minimalist point of view, but TargetRings might be a "must have." Unless I'm standing on someone in a battle I have a very hard time finding them for rez.

I love Renaissance Festivals. Which one are you going to? I was the soap maker for the Texas Ranaissance Festival for a few years. I had a nice shop called the Queen's Perfumery.

Went to the AZ one in Phoenix - they have a permanent place with permanent structures set up and it runs for almost 2 months on Friday, Sat., & Sun. - it gets bigger every year. I have a great time there and luckily my son, grandsons - love it, too. We have a great time together. Picked up some more weapons to hang on my wall - I just thank those that watch over me that my kids don't think mom"s crazy for hanging weapons on her walls.... :)

Ah if your kids are anything like mine, they'll think you're cool because of it! And you are... so there!

First you have to know that my daughter is in her 30's and she's explaining this to another 30 yr. old. Last year when we were at the RenFaire one of my daughters friends, whom had gone with us, asked her why her mom hung knives and swords on her walls - she turned to them and said - "Well, not everyone is into oil paintings or tapestries" I could only hug her and smile.....

ohh - and maybe all this info will help others - I've decided a healer just isn't for me...I suck at it...and that is o.k.