The "To DPS" vs "Not DPS" Debate

[spelley]

I am not a healer myself (though I plan to use one) I feel like a healer should focus on healing with the *goal* being to become comfortable enough to DPS *when it is appropriate*. Part of learning a multi-discipline/capability class is learning to use every tool at your disposal (when appropriate). I feel a healer who only heals even when DPSing would be easy/safe should strive to become comfortable enough to do as that is the ideal. At the end of the day though, if the *Healer* is keeping everyone *healed*, they are doing at LEAST an "satisfactory" job as befits their role.

[Lilysparkle]

A healer must exercise personal judgement, yes. And there are plenty of reasons not to DPS at a given moment - the need to regenerate mp, threat, anticipation of incoming damage, and so on.

But at no point did I say that healers should start DPSing at inappropriate times...

The original assertion by the original poster was to discredit the notion that "You are a bad healer if all you do is heal". So my point is, if ALL you do is heal, then there will be times when you could opt to DPS, with no downside, and you are choosing not to. If you're not playing your class to the best of your ability, you are reducing the utility of the group. Tanks and dps also have abilities they could simply ignore while still doing their core function. Is a healer special in this regard, that they are above critique? I would argue that no such lofty position exists. It is a team effort and everyone has a role to play.

I agree. This is actually applicable. I've seen BLM who never use Lethargy or Apocatastasis. I've seen DRG who don't Leg Sweep or don't use Feint. BRDs who rarely use Blunt Arrow, or SMN not using Eye for an Eye. No they don't have to, but these are abilities that are present in their skillset (not even cross-classed), and I find it a shame when they're not being used, as it rounds out their role and gives some utility to classes that usually just beat up the enemy. ;x You could easily remake this thread on the DPS forum and title it "To Support" vs "Not Support" debate. It's the same principle, but sure slightly less prominent for the reason Ghishlain stated; healers are the only class that can effectively dip their toes into both roles (reliably), at max level at least.

[PenutButter]

Nope, you are a bad healer if ALL you do is heal. Yes, there are situations where it's better if you just focus on heal, such as high end fights that you aren't comfortable with or high end fights where you feel its not worth the risk to add a few extra damage that probably won't matter. Unless you're min/maxing, its okay to ignore dps in these situations. However, there ARE high end contents where you should DPS, such as some phases in T4 (when it was still high-end). Knowing when you should and when you shouldn't is what separates the "good" healers.

In low end stuff though, such as 4 man dungeons, if you are not DPSing, then I'm sorry but you are bad/mediocre healer. Its like a DPS who is not using most of his abilities.

And yes, there are definitely definitely many situations where the extra damage from the healer matters, such as the Demon Wall or killing the last boss of Brayflox before big bomb.

[Spoekes]

For most if not all 4 man content, I would fall asleep if I were not able to do some damage on situations I would else just stand there idle, waiting for some1 to get hit...

Personally, I cannot unterstand healers who are standing still for 15 sec or more, doing nothing if noone takes damage.
This is not the safe way, it's just plain lazy, and not good, even if you finish the dungeon without any deaths.

Still i would not call it bad, rather something in the middle of bad and good playstyle.

[Richiealvian]

I DPS when i feel like it, and most 4 man I can go through the entire dungeon without throwing a single heal. (I'm serious! Try it! I tested it on purpose and the tank never went below 40%, it was an OK tank though)
But when I'm lazy and tired, I stand there, throwing adloqs while I read a manga or something.

[ManaKeKz]

I do pretty much the same. As a decently geared Scholar you can spend almost the entire dungeon in Cleric Stance with Selene healing the tank. If there is more heat incoming, Rouse, Lustrate and E4E (among others) are usually enough to keep the tank up even without dropping C-Stance. If you're using Eos, you barely have to do anything other than managing her cool downs.
Sometimes though, mostly when tired etc, I just cba to go full dps mode and sit back healing.

[Ghishlain]

Updated OP to express my thoughts a bit more clearly based on discussion in the thread.

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In low end stuff though, such as 4 man dungeons, if you are not DPSing, then I'm sorry but you are bad/mediocre healer. Its like a DPS who is not using most of his abilities.

I don't agree with this fully. DPS who aren't using their offensive abilities are not maximizing their DPS and therefore hampering the progression of the party. Their role is to DPS, if they aren't making strides to maximize said DPS, they're hampering the party.

HOWEVER, the argument can be made that healer DPSing as a healer reduces the amount of healing required because of the fact the faster a mob dies, the less healing needs to be done (thus, by inverse, increasing their healing potential INDIRECTLY). However, there is no real way to measure this in a concise way (though I know it is measurable - calling all math geeks on the OF). I will leave this point at that.

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And yes, there are definitely definitely many situations where the extra damage from the healer matters, such as the Demon Wall or killing the last boss of Brayflox before big bomb.

I quote myself in response:

Fights are tuned to a certain ilvl. If your DPS is of that ilvl, your party should be able to overcome all mechanics associated with that fight WITHOUT your assistance in this regard. If you are forced to DPS as a healer to help "push a fight forward", the fault lies squarely on your lackluster DPS.

[ManaKeKz]

Updated OP to express my thoughts a bit more clearly based on discussion in the thread.

I agree with your definitions. A healer that can keep the party alive no matter what comes is never a bad healer in my book. Depending on the content though (some people seem to refer to 4 man / farmable content here), JUST keeping the party alive would result in immense idle times where you could've been doing dps instead. That issue stems from outgearing content (that might've been pretty easy to begin with) though. If anything, not dealing damage in those scenarios makes you a lazy or perhaps sub-par player, not a bad healer.

[Ghishlain]

I agree with your definitions. A healer that can keep the party alive no matter what comes is never a bad healer in my book. Depending on the content though (some people seem to refer to 4 man / farmable content here), JUST keeping the party alive would result in immense idle times where you could've been doing dps instead. That issue stems from outgearing content (that might've been pretty easy to begin with) though. If anything, not dealing damage in those scenarios makes you a lazy or perhaps sub-par player, not a bad healer.

I agree, I am not content with myself unless I am playing my class at its fullest. However, this isn't for everyone (though how they don't get bored standing around all day when overgeared out the ying yang, I dunno!), but it also of my opinion that people should be continuing to improve themselves. The most direct way to do this as a healer is to make use of your toolkit to its fullest.

[Yahavage]

Pop quiz it!
Is your party dying?
No: you can dps.
Yes: you might need to not dps. Until they stop dying. Then you can dps!