Hey fellow adventurers!
I’m new to World of Warcraft, and I’m really excited to get started. However, I’m facing a unique challenge: I have a visual impairment, and I’m trying to figure out which class might be better suited for me to get into. Specifically, I’m debating whether it would be easier to play a healer or a DPS (damage dealer) class. I’ve been reading up on both roles, but I’m hoping to hear from anyone who might have experience with WoW while dealing with a disability, or from anyone who has helpful insight.
A Few Key Points About My Visual Impairment:
- I have trouble distinguishing certain colors and sometimes struggle with smaller text or details on the screen.
- I do have access to some accessibility options in-game (like UI scaling, colorblind modes, etc.), but I’m not sure how well each class would work with these settings.
My Thoughts on Healer vs DPS:
- Healer:
- Pro: Healing seems like it could be a bit more forgiving for someone with visual challenges because you’re typically focusing on the health bars of your team, which might be easier to track, especially with proper addons or UI customization.
- Con: On the flip side, healing can be very fast-paced and requires you to keep an eye on multiple things at once (not just health bars, but buffs/debuffs, positioning, etc.). I’m worried that the complexity might make it harder to keep track of everything in a hectic raid or dungeon environment.
- DPS:
- Pro: DPS seems like it might be a bit simpler in some ways since you’re mostly focusing on your own abilities, your target, and the environment around you. Many DPS classes don’t require quite as much multitasking as healing does, so it might be easier to manage.
- Con: However, DPS can still get complicated, especially for certain classes that have a lot of abilities or a complex rotation. Depending on the class, I might find it tough to keep up with everything I need to do in the heat of combat.
My Questions for You:
- Do you think it would be easier to start with a healer or DPS if I have a visual impairment?
- Are there specific classes or builds you would recommend for someone like me? (I’m open to any advice, whether it’s related to accessibility, easier rotations, or just personal experience.)
- Any UI addons or settings you would recommend to help with visibility and keeping track of important information?
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar situation or has tips on which role would be more manageable. Thanks so much for your help!
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DPS has less targets to worry about, is less stressful to start off.
If you get itchy fingers seeing health bars drop then maybe try healing, but you have much more to watch for as a healer than a DPS.
I’m a healer.
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I play both roles, mainly healers, and I have played tank, and would say that DPS is by far the easier role. You can even do one-button rotation now. Not so for healers, who have to watch health bars, dispel, interrupt, CC the mobs, and watch your own positioning. Any time you have a moment to not be healing you better be doing damage. You cannot do one-button rotation for healers.
An important add-on for any role is called “GTFO”. It will play an obnoxious sound if you are standing in something bad.
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Also consider they just released the single button assistant, so you could essentially play whatever. Just try your best to memorize your rotation
Whatever dps, it doesn’t do healing.
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No doubt a DPS, preferably a BM hunter because they’re extremely simply to at the very least be decent at, they’re ranged so you can ignore more mechanics, and they’ve got instant casts so you won’t have any cast bars to focus at.
DPS in general can also make fantastic use from the single-button assistant in most m+ keys, delves, and raids (I assume you won’t be mythic raiding or pushing rather high m+ keys).
As for your UI I’d focus on de-cluttering your screen.
- Quaazi has a great youtube video for it that you can use (search Quaazi graphics on youtube and you’ll find it).
- You can also disable combat text with Leatrix addon (maybe you can do this withon the base UI too by now, I ain’t sure).
- DBM (Deadly boss mods addon) also has a lot of vocal cues for what to do at certain boss mechanics which may help you, although you may want to customize it some to remove texts and timers.
- If you want to go even further in your set-up, you can download Plater (addon that lets you customize nameplates) and import a plater profile that color codes important mobs, caster, non-important mobs, mobs with special abilities etc. It’s most likely overkill, but if you want I can send you a plater profile that’s made for this season, but needs updating for s3.
DPS or Heal?
- I’d concur with DPS on this one.
Spec to choose?
- Fair few good options, I think BM Hunter or Demonology Warlock is good. Like peeps have said One button rotation makes a lot more classes accessible. The guide for Demonology Warlock at: https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/demonology-warlock-pve-dps-easy-mode honestly makes it super simple. There’s only 1 rule is that you’re extending your Dreadstalkers with your Tyrant. Otherwise it’s spend burn your soul shards.
I am not sure of any UI optimisations for visibility. I have my monitor zoomed in also but I don’t have the same visual ailment so my advice wouldn’t be useful for that question.
If it helps any in my own experience I’m taking a step back from group content and I’ve found Guardian druid to be both fun and easy in solo content. There’s a lot of gameplay in farming for the forms/slowly getting strong. Not too many buttons and you can take a hit.
Dps and it’s not close. It’s so one sided that I can’t even think of a contrived scenario where the answer would ever be healer.
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What level of content? Healing is very twitch reaction based in a lot of cases in moderately high m+ and above, but us very chill most of the time in lower and queued content. Healers still have to do the dance that dps do as well, its not like they get a free pass, most of the time
New, and visual acuity issues? Beast Master Hunter. Your pets do most of the work for you, and gives you plenty of time to swap targets. Healing is WAY too stressful to start out with and see everyone who needs healing, curses removed, cleaning poison, etc.
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As someone who is both legally blind and blue-yellow colourblind, I always had an easier time playing as a healer, oddly enough. I guess it might be due to growing up playing the role of a healer in my family’s party but dunno. For solo stuff, i just go with Tanks that can heal (Paladin and Monk) since I won’t have to worry about dying as much if I miss something.