Leveling up as solo healer (life staff weapon)

[Roach]

Hello.
I would love to play as a healer in order to group up and be usefull in end game. I'm a solo player tho, so leveling up I'd have to be self efficient. Is it possible and enjoyable to progress solo with a life staff?
+ as I don't have any expierience with the game, are healers needed there?

[cro]

In the prior beta both staves were horrible at doing damage but you get 2 weapons that you can switch between so you dont have to rely on 1. I used the hand axe and the life staff. I know things have changed but I dont know how much. It doesnt take much to level up any of the weapons so it doesnt take long to level all the weapons enough to make them useful. You dont have to rely completely on 1.

[Roach]

Okay. What if I level a damage dealing weapon and put points in attributes that will make it stronger - then I won't be able to max the attribute for life stuff, is that right?

[Ephtu]

Originally posted by Karawan:

Okay. What if I level a damage dealing weapon and put points in attributes that will make it stronger - then I won't be able to max the attribute for life stuff, is that right?

That sounds correct. I don't believe you can max out more than one attribute.

There are a bunch of weapon guides on youtube that recommend different builds/weapons to pair, etc. The fire staff is supposedly looking quite strong, but I think your above comment is accurate. You'd have to split points into a couple of attributes and look for a balance that feels good. According to this (https://newworldfans.com/db/category/weapon-abilities/life-magic), the life staff only uses focus. I would assume that more focus would increase its damage, as well as healing (I guess it does damage??)

Other options:
1) Spec into something that is more damage focused for questing and leveling, then respec when you're doing pvp, expeditions, etc... having not played at all, I'm not sure how reasonable the cost is for this (I believe it costs gold to respec attributes and azoth to respec weapons??)

2) Join a Company, then you don't have to roll solo :)

[VNero]

For a pure healer (pure focus) there's a gem that you can slot into your secondary weapon and it will make it so that it scales off focus, not at the same pace as with that weapon's primary stat, but it will make it useful, so there's no need to branch out your stats. Now if you ask me about the name of that gem, I won't be able to tell since I only heard about it in a couple videos.

[Ephtu]

Ahh, that's an interesting mechanic... I knew they were doing gems, but hadn't read up on it too much. That makes a lot of sense, since they have one that increases (or decreases) threat