Turn cloth into recovery
Every class benefits from First Aid. Bandages turn cloth into health without mana or a potion cooldown. Use the recovery between pulls instead of waiting for natural regeneration.
Use the window
Below 80% HP after a fight, bandage. The eight-second channel wins against waiting for natural regeneration.
Break line of sight around a wall, let the mob run, then channel. Do not bandage with the target inside five yards.
Frost Nova and Freezing Trap create a direct bandage window. Hamstring or Fear need enough distance first.
Train with the character
Rank-one Linen Bandages heal 66 over six seconds. Heavy Wool Bandages heal 301 over seven seconds. Keep Apprentice 1–75 capped before 25, train Journeyman after 75 skill, Expert after 150 skill and level 20, and Artisan after 225 skill and the level-35 Triage quest. Keep the bandage rank close to the character level.
Carry the antidote
Stranglethorn Naga, Tanaris Hyenas, and Razorfen Quilboar can leave poison ticking after the fight. Carry five or more anti-venom vials from an Alchemist or vendor and remove the debuff before the next pull.
Keep the pile stocked
Loot humanoids. Their level tracks the cloth tier you need for the next bandage rank.
Buy a stack of cloth when you are five levels behind. Keeping the old bandage rank costs more recovery time.
Carry two stacks of bandages. Twenty cover roughly 30 minutes of questing. Bring more for caves and dungeons.
Who benefits
Warrior, Rogue, and Hunter use bandages often because another heal may not be available. Druid, Shaman, Paladin, and Priest use the channel to save mana for the next pull. Mage and Warlock use bandages to recover health without spending mana.
Use the bandage
A missed bandage leaves less health for the next pull. Take the recovery window when it is available.