Patch 7.4 changes for healers

Today the patch 7.4 is being put into production. At patch notes, the changes went a little beyond the usual 5 potency gain on DoT.

The changes were:

White Mage:

• Glare 3: +10 potency
• Afflatus Misery: +40 potency
• Plenary Indulgence: Confessions now reduces incoming damage by 10%

Astrologian

• Collective Unconscious: Its mit is buffed to 10% and lasts 10 seconds. Not sure if they changed how this ability works.

Scholar and Sage

• The usual 5 potency buff on DoT.

White Mages also start with Lilly filled now.

Did anyone say double blood lily opener? Hell yeah

I kinda expect that to be a common opener, though it might be safer to hold onto those depending on the fight.

Most parties start buffs on the 2nd~3rd ish GCD so I'd imagine one lily will probably often be used within the buff window, in which case that one would be best spent on the opening raidwide most fights have, along with the updated Plenary Indulgence.

Obviously it will still be the better option to keep at least 1 Misery under each 2m reopeners. However there is almost 0 downside to dumping everything upfront in first minute when one or combination of 3 things already happening prior to this anyway:

1. WHM drops Asylum or Lilybell to compensate their lack of lilies in first minute;
2. Depending on fight timeline, WHM may push back their Assize for a bit, and/or;
3. Their co-healer and WAR/PLD covers the bulk of required HPS that early, and it's incredibly easy to execute. Add PCT and SMN into the mix if the party happens to bring one, too.

Why do they like to throw overheals at full HP targets designs... lol.

Honestly, there has never been a fight where you need those 3 heals at the start, just blow em on the blood lily and get 2 of them under raid buffs. If there is something big near the start, and most savage raids will open with an aoe, then the healers have more than enough tools to handle them without those gcd's.

since the blood lily can't be charged if it's in full bloom wouldn't it be better to blast misery first thing, spend lilies before raid buffs kick in and use the second misery during raid buffs?

Trying to fit two Miseries in raid buffs doesn't seem really worth it since the lilies spent for the second one won't be a gain unless it CritDHs.

I was imagining we'd open with something like
Misery > Rapture > Rapture > (raid buffs) Dia > GlareIV > GlareIV > GlareIV > Rapture > Misery

The 10% damage reduction on Plenary is the standout feature to me. These forums have been begging for that change since the skill was originally implemented. WHM has been suffering for a party mitigation ever since Stoneskin 2 was removed and that couldn't even be used in combat when it did exist. Having our only mitigation tied to a 2 minute cool down was always awful. This is a bare minimum change to make WHM useful. I can't wait to see how it influences the level 70 ultimates.

that 10% on plenary is crazy good :D

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Originally Posted by Carighan

White Mages also start with Lilly filled now.

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This is literally one of the biggest change they've done to the job since Stormblood launch. And it's a good change.

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Originally Posted by CaptainLagbeard

This is literally one of the biggest change they've done to the job since Stormblood launch. And it's a good change.

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I’d say plenary is a good change but the lily’s aren’t and plenary is more like a “it doesn’t fit WHM but shield healers are so much better it’s kinda needed”

Starting with 3 Lily’s to immediately burn them for misery just feels like pointless overheal for a system that barely works

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Originally Posted by Supersnow845

Starting with 3 Lily’s to immediately burn them for misery just feels like pointless overheal for a system that barely works

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I mean that's how you use Lilys anyways? You want to always have a blood lily ready for burst, and quick, do you use 3 GCDs of lilies for a second blood lily in the opening burst? Without looking it up on Balance! :D

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Originally Posted by Carighan

I mean that's how you use Lilys anyways? You want to always have a blood lily ready for burst, and quick, do you use 3 GCDs of lilies for a second blood lily in the opening burst? Without looking it up on Balance! :D

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Depends on hindsight, if the Misery Crits or DHits then yes, otherwise it's better to have just used 4 Glare3's and rolled Crit/DH chance 4 times each. A single Crit/DHit Glare out of the 4, puts the 4 Glares ahead of 3 Lilies+Misery, if the Misery dies not Crit or DHit. You can't know ahead of time if the Misery will Crit or not, though, so it's a moot point

It's presumably quite dependent on party comp, ie if you have a SCH and DRG, your chances of getting a Crit Misery are a lot higher so you'd try for it. Though I can also see 'try for it regardless and if you don't get it, reset until you do' being a thing