Healers are often sought after in World of Warcraft, both in the Retail and Classic versions of the game. Both have great lineups, but choosing which healer class to pick can be a tough decision to make.
Choosing a healer will ultimately come down to the gameplay and preference of each individual player. Each healer class has its own playstyle and characteristics that greatly vary. They can be split into classes in the thick of the action, while others will stay back to keep an eye out for everyone. Some classes are easier to get the hang of than others, so here is a ranking of the easiest healers to play.
Related: Best Classes for Solo Play in Hardcore Classic WoW
Healers to Play in World of Warcraft Classic
WoW Classic only has four healer classes to choose from, with a couple being Alliance of Horde specific. For example, Paladins are only available for the Alliance, and Shamans are only available for the Horde. Choosing what class to play can be a bit tricky because the limitations on availability have a bigger impact than WoW Retail. Here are our recommendations for the easiest healers if the Alliance vs Horde rivalry does not matter.
Priest
Priests are the main healing class of WoW Classic. They have the best single-target healing and AoE healing in the game and bring a great amount of utility to any group. However, they require some serious mana management and are very squishy regarding physical damage. They are usually stuck in one place when casting, making them super vulnerable. Priests can be great for buffing the party as well, but they are the worst for dealing with any kind of damage. Priests are the best healers but require the most management.
Shaman
Shamans are a great healing class but shine best as support due to their powerful totems that buff the party. They can do wide-spread party heals like Chain Heal, which players would benefit most during raids and any other co-op playstyles. However, these guys are super vulnerable, especially when focused. Players will need to make sure that they can avoid taking a hit when playing a Shaman.
Paladin
Paladins are healing tanks, which makes them the most sturdy of the healer classes in WoW classic. Their plate armor combined with their powerful heals, blessings, and auras make the formidable combo. While they don’t have bigger healing spells, they do have great single-target healing and are the most mana-efficient. They have the most survivability out of the healers but they are the slowest and limited in what they can do if a player chooses a healer build.
Healers to Play in World of Warcraft Retail
The healer classes that appear in World of Warcraft Retail are mostly the same for World of Warcraft Classic except for a few additions. WoW, Retail also offers a bit more freedom in what race can be a specific class and which side, Alliance or Horde, has access to each class, making it much easier to explore the different classes if a player is particular to a race or side.
The biggest difference between WoW Classic healers and WoW Retail healers is the gameplay mechanics that have evolved over the years. Both versions of WoW have the same easiest healers: Shamans, Priests, and Paladins. How they work in each one is a bit different. WoW Retail also has a couple of new classes that can be added to the healer list.
Druid
Druids in WoW Retail work differently than in WoW Classic, making them much easier to play as healers in the newer version. Druids are largely limited in WoW Classic. While the abilities share the same names, how players use them is the difference. For a healer build, players will need to make a Restoration Druid. Druid healers are best for healing over time and have abilities that create synergetic effects that will benefit the team. They can also remove any magical effects with Nature’s Cure.
Monk
Monks are a newer addition to WoW and are not available in WoW Classic. While they are not the first class you would think of when choosing a healer, they do have the capability to become one of the most mobile healers available. Specifically, Mistweaver Monks are the build for a healer. They can heal as well as deal decent amounts of damage as a DPS and are fun to play as they have unique ways of healing. They are similar to Druids in terms of difficulty but are rewarding to play once mastered.
Evoker
Evoker is the newest class added to WoW Retail with the release of Dragonflight. Evoker is only available for the Dracthyr Race. To make a healer, players will need to build a Preservation Evoker, which is the healing specialization version of the class. The way they heal is unique, as they use time manipulation to heal wounds. They can increase the amount of healing that is applied to players as well as resurrect any fallen players after combat is finished.
