Title. I'm playing Sith Sorc healer spec, and don't know if it's ideal to be using DPS companion role or tank companion role, considering tank companion takes threat off me while I'm healing.

The ugly truth is that it's best to roll as a DPS and bring a healer companion. Then reconfigure as a healer after you've levelled.

However, if you want to practice your healing while leveling ... well, you've come up against the main problem. My personal favorite (the few times I've tried to level as a healer) was to use a "melee" DPS so the DPS sort of tanks a bit as well. For a Sorcerer, they would be Ashara or Khem Val.

Edited May 20, 2020 by JediQuaker

Go with a DPS companion, I've levelled all 3 heal classes that way.

 

Unfortunately you'll find yourself dps'ing more than healing for the regular content, or it will take forever to clear trash. If you want to learn how to heal as you level, do the heroics for planets while you're still on-level for them. Send the dps to attack first, and they'll get most of the initial aggro.

 

You WILL get some aggro, but that's part of being a healer. You need to learn your defenses, cc abilities, and to be able to heal yourself and other targets while being under fire.

 

By max level you can take a dps companion into the easier veteran flashpoints and try solo'ing them. I don't recommend doing vet flashpoints to learn to heal unless you have friends that will help you. Players in pugs are addicted to hitting the kolto's and you won't really learn what you can do under pressure the way you can by solo'ing them with a companion.

Players in pugs are addicted to hitting the kolto's and you won't really learn what you can do under pressure the way you can by solo'ing them with a companion.

I partially disagree. The presence of koltos, which you can use too, can somewhat help in your practice as a healer - that is, they take some of the pressure off you.

If you are worried about joining Group Finder as a healer, you can join Veteran mode FPs as a DPS, but be configured as heal, instead. The rest of the group is not apt to complain about a lack of DPS and are usually grateful for any healing.

I use DPS. Rarely do I put my comps on tanks.

You will still dps with your comp once you get used to stuff as it's quicker. lol Especially if you level a comp up substantially.

I always used a DPS when I level a healer.

If you have a low Presence stat on your character (Presence gives your companions a boost to all stats, so they tank/DPS/heal better the more Presence you have), then I would suggest initially setting your companion to tank. They will have more health and more threat generation, so you can focus primarily on healing them to practice the rotation.

Once you are comfortable with the basic healing rotation, set them to DPS. They will do more damage so the fights will be shorter, but NPC mobs will be more inclined to ignore the companion and come after you, so you now have the added complication of having to be more reactive to the situation instead of simply spamming a healing rotation

I disagree with all of the above with the exception of the part about Presence. Get your companion influence and presence up as high as you can as quick as you can for a better survival rate when using a companion. The higher level your companion is, the more effective it will be at ANY role. High level tanking companions have a multitarget grapple, and healing companions don't miss a cleanse.

 

When playing as a healer, I suggest putting your companion on Tank. Send your companion in first to grab agro then start killing off the easiest mobs first. Use your heals if you have to but don't just go straight heals, you'll be there all day. I suggest this because you will quickly generate more agro than your DPS companion when you are a healer, even if you aren't healing. When using a tanking companion, you can effectively mitigate this healing agro down and survive your encounters.

It depends on the situation. Normally I ha e mine on dps cause it's faster, but if the mobs are tough it could be better to set your comp on tank. Edited June 4, 2020 by JYthelifesaver

I'd recommend leveling dps. BUT if you are staunch on leveling a healer, pick DPS on easy fights and maybe switch your companion to a tank on harder fights.

Think it also depends on your companion. Some comps are better at some things than others. Some comps are really bad for holding aoe agro, so there isn't any point to making them try to tank. Need to look at their skill sets and see if they have a flare ability or a aoe scream to hold aoe agro. As others have said trying to level as heals will make things take longer than they should, but its up to you.