In more casual content it just doesn't matter. It's plenty viable, it does solid personal DPS, what's the issue?
It's issues are really only in progression content right at the pointy end. Outside of that it's perfectly fine.
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As a WHM main I echo the concerns in this thread, but I think we need to wait until the media embargo is lifted later this week and we get reports from people who have actually played the adjusted healers. If the flower-thingy is a speed buff as people are suggesting, it might mean WMH becomes even better at dps between heals - that could be our 'utility'.
Still holding final judgement until we get more detail, but yeah it looks like it's time to start learning SCH / AST.
Also, is it just me, or is there essentially no real choice in cross role abilities for healers (and WHM in particular), what with having to 'take back' basic utilities like Protect, Esuna, Cleric Stance (because unless something has drastically changed the meta is still going to be DPS, DPS, and more DPS), Swift Cast, and Shroud of Saints?
PS. And Stone IV, really? Is that really the best they could come up with... /sigh
PPS. And if Cleric Stance is now no longer required for Healer DPS, does that mean Healers are now offically expected to contribute to DPS?
That's the problem, unless something drastic has happened with MP refresh for all healers, we're instantly forced to take Shroud back and fall further behind on MP management compared to the other 2. Unless the Lilly's have a MP utility tied to them too. But I have to agree, it just feels like we're forced to take back abilities we lost while everyone else has something to gain.
The Live Letter really turned everything upside down, hopefully once the info starts flowing we get our answers and hopefully things are not as bad as it seems.... (hopefully)
That's one of the main reasons I'm annoyed about these changes. We are going to need to take Protect, Esuna, Shroud of Saints and Divine Seal. That's four slots already we need just to do our job again. We can debate that Swiftcast is really needed but if we are getting speed buff then we might avoid this. And due to the DPS first nature of the game Cleric Stance will be needed and with that all five slots are taken. The rest of the stuff we are unlikely to see if we wanna be taken seriously in content :/
You won't always need Esuna.
Which FF game was Whm not a pure healer? please tell me I want to know.
You don't get to be a pure healer and have utility, that's not how balance works.
You get crappy healing and lots of utility or you get good healing and crappy utility, pick one.