Preservation Evoker Healing Simulations — The War Within Pre-Patch

Simulation programs, such as Raidbots, are incredibly useful programs for World of Warcraft players. They can suggest to you what talents to use, what gear you have is best for you, or what stats you should prioritize.

Does this work for Healers? The short answer is no. Simulations work for DPS players because the simulations use what is called an "Action Priority List" (APL). he programs take the settings you give them regarding your character, how many targets you have, how long the fight lasts, how much movement you are required to do, among other things, and execute the APL perfectly. The result will be your simulated DPS.

Healing, however, is never simply executing a priority list perfectly. Therefore, the way that DPS use simulations simply does not work for healers. But healers still have the same questions as DPS players do about stat weights, talents, and gear. So how do healers find the answers to these questions? We use two primary tools: QuestionablyEpic and Combat Logs.

QuestionablyEpic is a website founded by one the best healer theorycrafters around: Voulk. You can use this website to compare gear to find the best combination of what to wear and use. The website will even tell you what item to pick from your weekly vault based on what is the biggest upgrade. On top of that, you can even get a list of what content you should do for the biggest gear upgrades. All it requires is a SimC string and one of your combat logs. If you are having trouble using this website and all of its features, QuestionablyEpic has a video explaining how to use it which you can watch here. If you still require additional help or have questions, you can always visit the QE Live Discord.

Combat Logs are a recording of all actions in a dungeon or raid which are then formatted in an easy to read way. Websites such as Warcraft Logs serve as a directory where you can upload your own logs, or examine those of other players. You can use logs of yourself, or others of your class and specialization, to help improve your play.

WoW Analyzer is an exceptionally powerful and easy to use tool for analyzing a combat log. Even if you are inexperienced with combat logs, WoW Analyzer will quickly provide a wide variety of suggestions to improve your play, including stat weights.