Herald vs Lightsmith for Hpal

PVP Arenas
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for the current hpal mains, just wondering how much better Lightsmith really is compared to Herald [e.g., if you could rate each on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest]?

I think I recall Bubblebuddy mentioning that Herald is only just as good or potentially better when playing into rot comps if you can spam holy lights or something to that nature, but wondering if there is a bit more to it than that [e.g., are there just some comps where herald is objectively bad?]; [e.g., is Lightsmith just better because it contributes more damage and/or healing?].

I see that the majority of the top hpals in shuffle are playing Lightsmith, but is it really significantly better overall?

The main reason I ask is because I received a lot of trash talk along the way [e.g., throughout at least a handful of lobbies in the 2200-2350 mmr range], sometimes even before the first round would start (but usually after a lost round or two), along the lines of “you’re griefing by playing herald”, “this hpal is herald for some reason, absolute trash”, “why are u herald, u trolling?”, etc.

Since the trash talk was mostly after losing a round or two, just wondering if it was fair to consider me to be trolling or griefing by playing herald [e.g., perhaps in some comps it would be considered trolling or griefing?], or if this trash talk was more likely a case of people being salty after a loss and looking for the easiest external factor they could blame the loss on?

Anyway, idk, herald feels pretty solid to me overall and to the extent that I don’t feel like it’s griefing or trolling to play it against any comp (imo of course), but definitely curious to know from the current hpal mains if this is actually the case.

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lightsmith counters spread pressure better by nature of holy bulwark

herald is more for direct healing

the pick between each hero tree is dependent on what style of wings you’re looking to use. some comps you’ll need more direct and instant healing, so longwings-herald’s on demand healing is better

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(post deleted by author)

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A lot better if you are good at the lightsmith rotation and weapon management. herald probably a 7 and lightsmith is a 10.

I think only vs assa rogue where your team can spread out and you can abuse cleanse the weak to make it so they have no poisons all game. Into rot comps like feral sp or sp aff lightsmith is still better. The light of dawn tech if you are tracking when you have it makes it really easy to recover from rot pressure.

not really. But lightsmith is especially op into sub rogue so not playing it in that matchup would be troll.

yeah but only if you are good at managing/playing around/positioning with weapons. Well time weapon procs and good position allow your team to straight up greed major defensive cooldowns and give you the opportunity to top them by healing yourself and ignoring any mortal strike effects.

Here is an example where I am off all CC drs and enemy rogue is dancing and boomy has rootbeam ready for follow up and would probably get ice block if I was playing herald of the sun:

https://www.twitch.tv/bubblebuddywow/clip/SquareBrainyJaguarPeanutButterJellyTime-selzzn90Czql1gfU

Because I was playing weapon we did not have to use a single cooldown. Also in solo shuffle bubble becomes 5x more OP with weapon proc since it wont take your hp away during the weapon proc and just full heal your teammate during a deep damp burst window without you having to pair any other cooldowns on top of your bubble.

its not. Herald is not bad but learning lightsmith is very worth it.

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You know I was just playing Bubble. No idea why your post is hidden now though lol. I’ll delete mine, I see now this has gone too far. :pensive:

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Maybe this is anectodal and I’m only like a 2.3k xp hpal, but as lightsmith I feel like I can rotate forever and never really run out of CDs, as herald it feels like I just run out of steam after a certain point. Maybe HoTS is better at recovering, but if you’re proactive, LS just feels like a brick wall (idk if that makes sense)

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It’s almost always this.

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Thanks, yeah style-wise I’m definitely a herald andy :slight_smile:

Thanks for the very detailed reply.

For the massive lack of skill/experience I currently have with Lightsmith (e.g., tried it maybe for a session or two, then went back to Herald) on top of not really enjoying the playstyle of it (which is perhaps largely just due to being bad with it), seems like I probably was playing the best build I could be at the time in those shuffle lobbies [e.g., playing herald decently well likely being better than playing lightsmith poorly].

I don’t really recall the particular comps of those lobbies where I got called trash or a troll/griefer, but I’ll definitely have to look into learning/getting better with lightsmith, especially when it can save cds like that when played well.

This is about what I suspected, with the gap being shifted for me due to having no meaningful xp as lightsmith.

Thanks, yeah that makes sense, and I’m not far from that, just crossed 2.4k today with my stubborn insistence to remain herald (on top of me not being able to play lightsmith well enough for that mmr). I can see how lightsmith allows for ease in having things to rotate through. As herald, I’ve kind of gotten used to getting my 2nd wind from the awakening judgment that gives wings [e.g., feeling that if I make it to the point I can use that as a cd, then I’m more or less on the road to winning if I don’t make any big mistakes].

I kind of lucked out and in a 2350ish mmr lobby I 6-0 Hozito on his disc somehow. He had gear but maybe he was rusty or maybe herald hpal was actually op for that lobby due to cleanse the weak talent (e.g., small map with spriest, ret, unholy dk, ele shaman iirc), so my mmr was juiced up enough afterwards that a follow-up 2-4 and 4-2 got me across the finish line :slight_smile:

Yeah I imagined that it was at least in part this, though due to how often I was receiving the remarks, including b4 a first round at least once, I suspected that there was probably some truth to the remarks, granted that truth also assumes I would be able to play lightsmith at the level required for it to be better.

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This was informative, thanks y’all.

I Q random/epic BGs and choose heals/dps whatever needed, which means i am always heals.

I end up Herald too.

Anway, very good info, ty!

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