Self targeted healing by default... why?

why do healing actions self target the healer by default when they have nothing else targeted? why can this not be disabled.

I'm not talking about with <t> <tt> or <mo> macros either. I just don't want benefic, cure, or physick to cure me when I have nothing else targeted. Or just a simple explanation of why they behave like this.

Umm...I find the question a bit odd, but who should the spell heal when there is no target selected?

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Originally Posted by Eloah

Umm...I find the question a bit odd, but who should the spell heal when there is no target selected?

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no one? /10char

So just waste mp and 2 sec off casting time?

I suppose I should expound on why I'm curious. My question has more to do about how "Cure" <t> functions in macros.

"Cure" <t> will still cure yourself with nothing else targeted. Which honestly doesn't make sense. It seems like it's just falling back on the un-macroed default of curing self. Which honestly doesn't make sense either.

Why should the spell default to curing yourself? Nobody really thinks to question that because it's the norm. But they can't give a viable answer other than, why shouldn't it? Something like that could/should be toggled.

It's not just me wondering this; there's a few inquiries on Google and in the forums as well. It just complicates some macros.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...g-to-self-heal
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...Auto-heal-self
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/67805...8473868?page=1
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/67805...eborn/68473868

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Originally Posted by Powe

So just waste mp and 2 sec off casting time?

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I'm not sure I understand what you're implying.

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Originally Posted by Powe

So just waste mp and 2 sec off casting time?

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It'd most likely act with attack spells. If nothing is targeted, it won't do anything. Why would they program it to 'waste MP'?


Anyways... there are macros that you can make that will target a party member and then heal them. I know some people in my FC (Blms) that use their apoc-a-whatever-elemental-buff it's called so they can target the MT before using the buff, and then go right back to attacking an enemy.

The best way I could probably explain this is that healing spells are similar to some buff abilities and AoE skills, no target is needed because no target is necessary. Single target healing spells just need a "default" target and that's you. Shadowflare, Miasma 2, Burning Arrow, Flash, Circle of Scorn, Holy, Blizzard 2, Freeze, Elixir Field, Arm of the Destroyer, Doton, Death Blossom, Decimate, Unleash, and Salted Earth, none of these have targets either and some require either MP or TP to use too.

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Originally Posted by Doho

Why should the spell default to curing yourself? Nobody really thinks to question that because it's the norm. But they can't give a viable answer other than, why shouldn't it? Something like that could/should be toggled.

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I'm all for more things being toggleable. I like that it auto-targets me when I have no target. Why? Because controller. Its already a little fumbly trying to target party members with a controller, and if I need to quickly target myself, then I can just tap the Circle button a few time and suddenly I have no target and I can heal myself with ease, rather that try to slide up or down the party list to target myself on the party list to heal myself.

I kind of agree tbh. I don't see why it can't error out instead of defaulting to the healer's own character. It is pretty annoying to be in a tight spot and throwing out heals left and right while watching the tank's hp just plummet, only to realize that something had caused you to de-target the tank and you were wasting mp healing yourself all along. Healer's not my main though so I suppose I would be a lot more used to the targeting if I played it more regularly.

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Originally Posted by Doho

"Cure" <t> will still cure yourself with nothing else targeted.

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/ac "Cure" <t> works differently from unmacroed "Cure" or /ac "Cure". /ac "Cure" <t> doesn't cure yourself when you target no one. It only shows an error message; "<t>" is not a valid target name. But it cures yourself when you target enemies.

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Originally Posted by Mikoko_Miko

/ac "Cure" <t> works differently from unmacroed "Cure" or /ac "Cure". /ac "Cure" <t> doesn't cure yourself when you target no one. It only shows an error message; "<t>" is not a valid target name. But it cures yourself when you target enemies.

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true, yes. it's the latter part of that the "curing yourself when you target enemies" that bugs me. I have particular macro that I was trying out that would fail occasionally because of that.