The Restoration Magic attribute reflects a Ritualist's skill when healing and protecting targets. This is not a primary attribute and may be used by secondary ritualists.
Guild Wars Description
No inherent effect. Many Ritualist skills, especially those related to healing, life stealing and defense, become more effective with higher Restoration Magic.
General Description
Restoration Magic is a requirement for meeting some wands' and staves' max damage.
The Restoration Magic attribute increases the healing power and defense duration through Restoration Magic skills.
Although seemingly identical to Healing Prayers, Restoratin Magic has several important differences and nuances that must be taken into consideration: ones that are both inherent to Ritualists themselves, and to the line in particular.
First, Restoration healing is significantly more efficient than Healing Prayers, in terms of energy spent per life gained. Compare, for instance, Orison of Healing to Mend Body and Soul. There are two main reasons for the disparity in efficiency. First, a Ritualist does not benefit from the bonus of Divine Favor that a monk does. Second, most Restoration heals are both slightly situational and slightly slower to recharge than their Monk counterparts.
Because Ritualists do not have Divine Favor, their "utility" skills cannot be used for heals in the same way Monk skills can. However, this also means that Restoration can be used as a single line, and that Restoration heals can be more easily used by secondary Ritualists. Recently, this has been the case with Necromancer / Ritualists.
The Ritualist primary attribute, Spawning Power, does not particularly affect Restoration Magic directly, since it has few spirits. However, Spawning Power features many useful skills that provide energy management and boons to Ritualists holding ashes or casting Weapon Spells. An elite like Attuned Was Songkai can give a Restoration Ritualist an infinite supply of constant healing (note that if Attuned Was Songkai is equipped one may consider bringing Empowerment as well to counter the loss of health and energy bonuses on weapons), while a skill like Spirit to Flesh can generate huge amounts of spike party-wide restoration.
The situationality of Restoration skills is what balances them, to some extent. The majority of the line's heals require a spirit, a weapon spell, or an Item Spell in order to perform their best. Although seemingly a hinderance, this merely requires the forethought to create a Restoration build with a large amount of synergy. A Ritualist who focuses on one or two of these requisites will be rewarded with gigantic heals, great energy management, bonus effects, and more. Consider that choosing to create a Ritualist build that always holds ashes will give you access to gigantic self heals, almost or completely free small heals, bonus armor, and increased maximum life.
The main downside to Retoration as compared to Monks, is that Ritualists lack strong damage prevention skills in the Restoration Magic attribute and have no hex removal skills. Although a Ritualist can certainly run protection through Communing, he/she can also utilise spells like Resilient Weapon and Weapon of Warding to mitigate damage. Additionally, some Restoration skills like Vengeful Weapon have the side effect of damaging enemies.
Overall, Restoration Magic is a strong, extremely efficient line of heals, with some support skills. These aspects make it an excellent source of healing for a primary or secondary Ritualist, allowing him or her to operate even with extremely low energy, or while the entire party is under significant pressure.
Associated skills
Restoration Magic will enhance these listed skills restoration magic skills.