As a healer how do you help under geared tanks?

First check the way he plays, if he's facing the monsters he's gathering (because of the parry/block/dodge factor) and check if he's poping his defensive CDs when needed. Check he's using his tank skills (Defiance/Shield Oath <if it applies>). Also, low DPS requires longer tanking times, try to buff your tank and help the DPS. Ask him to mark mobs, so DPS can easily kill monsters before the tank takes much damage or you run out of MP. Might sound elitist, but also check his gear and give him some advice on it. Being a low level dungeon, doesn't mean that your gear should be -15 levels (or more) outdated.

I play healer as well, and I had issues with ungeared tanks, but since I play tank as well, I start with basic advices based on his play style as I mentioned. Then I move to gear. Sometimes you can expect a negative answer from them. Can't help it I guess. I rarely run out of MP because I play SCH, but yes, those are my two cents.


Edit: And what Elurra said. It might be hard if you have SCH and no BLMs in your party. But if you do, help him with that and tell both the DPS and tank to not attack those targets.

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Originally Posted by Elurra

Sleeping mobs is a huge help in lower level dungeons. Sleep 2 out of 3 mobs and you just reduced the damage your tank is taking by 2/3. Pretty awesome damage mitigation right there. :)

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Heres the problem as a thm and whm I mark and sleep 2 out 3 mobs. 1 of 3 things always happen 1 dps ignores what mob the tank is attacking, 2 dps is using some aoe, 3 tank use aoe. So, I giving up on sleep/repose in low level dungeons and roll on sch let the fairy heal and I just dps.

I think Brayflox is probably the first real gear check for tanks... Some just can't take the hits even if they're managing their CDs and so on... stoneskin/adlo can help a little bit but you're playing a very precarious game. As others have mentioned, having a good THM/BLM but as others have noted, your whole party has to be on the same page and that's a lot to ask from PUGs...

Basically... like Haukke HM with low-end DPS... sometimes there's just nothing you can do.

When I had to leave a Brayflox, though, I tried to explain as gently as possible that the mobs hit really hard there and, while they're doing the right things skill and technique wise, they just need to update their gear a bit so they can take hits from those mobs... (Or if it's the reverse, then try to be constructive about skill use instead...)

Thank you for all your feedback. This is really helpful. I haven't tried playing a tank and don't exactly know what their obstacles are, so I didn't want to go and tell the tank what to do and how to gear. Since I am clueless.

But this gives me a better understanding what my expectations should be and how to handle it.

I typically cease dpsing in these cases and focus my heals 100% on them, and sleep mobs or have a blm do that. It kills my mp fast but there is no way around it. Most of the time the tank isn't really aware of the importance of gear so at the end I nicely advise them to update their gear.

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Originally Posted by Foo01

... don't exactly know what their obstacles are, so I didn't want to go and tell the tank what to do and how to gear.

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Just /c them, and see if they're using fairly current gear or not (and are there any empty slots? And, dungeons drops (green) are often good for 10+ levels, though more recent is always better...). Try not to come off as rude/hateful like so many pugs do... just, politely as you can, let them know this is a harder dungeon and they'll have a much better time if they update their gear a bit, fill out the slots, and so on. It doesn't help with the current run, unfortunately... but the few times I had to do it they responded positively.^^ You might get someone that won't take any feedback, but... as always, there's a limit to what you can do...

Brayflox story mode is actually hard for healers if the tank isn't levelsynced
As a level 50 white mage I have had to do my best to keep the party alive in that dungeon.
I don't mind it though, it makes that one dungeon one of my favourite to do when level synced

If it presents a problem, I leave the duty so the tank has the ability to get some more gear.

I tank, for real though! Once the get hit so hard and I have to heal spam.... I become the tank and stay so until they pull them off or kill them off.

It is a feel the situation as you go honestly. Sometimes I get a rhythm with the tank and others I just deal. :cool:

Remember that PLD don't have access to Shield Oath yet but WAR can use Defiance, so Brayflox's Longstop is just one of those instances where WAR have greater mitigation than PLD. This might be the cause of the disparity you see (can't rule out gear of course). PLDs are going to be taking a lot more damage than WARs and have more difficulty holding enmity.