Healers: Leading the party. Anybody else?

[Spoko]

I never try to lead - im to lazy to do marking and controling what tanks are pulling and what stuff should be cced. I only assist on boss fights which i already know. First i ask if ppl know any proper tactics - if not i try to give them general view of the fight. Sometimes when adds must die pronto - i inform group that they just spawned. It's for my own comfort.
So far i havent faced trash that would wipe my groups, even if mobs are aggroed by my heals i can keep my self up or sleep them and there is always helpfull shroud of saints.

[BrainWoodstock]

If the tank knowes what he has to do, i let him handle everything, if he is just a brick i take controll.

[Fiosha_Maureiba]

This is one of the reasons I didn't start as tank. People have these beliefs that the tank should lead / tactical briefing / call the adds / mark the targets / call the AoEs. But this doesn't have to be true.

Tank expectation to strike the first blow, defend party, positioning, and survive, but leadership is not one of them.

The healer gets to survey the entire battle, seeing where folks are taking damage, where enemies / adds are coming from (usually cause we're worried about them the most), and get to see who isn't avoiding the avoidables, who has what ailment, etc. The lives of their party typically in their hands, versus maybe a DPS role that may be focused on their meter, or the tank, just making sure he's holding enmity and keeping healer synergy.

But that doesn't stop the DPS or tank roles from paying attention to the same things. But it seems to affect the healer more, especially when folks start blaming the healer for the party's deaths. (And perhaps it's that pressure of setting party expectation, which may end up as guiding/tutorial mode).

I think anyone can guide/mark/tactical briefing. Like I says, I don't expect this from the tank anymore, but I realize many folks may have this expectation should I play a tank. If one plays with "randoms", you won't get a good chance to party up again, but if you find folks from the same server, you can build a Ore reliable investment.

[Kalagg]

This is one of the reasons I didn't start as tank. People have these beliefs that the tank should lead / tactical briefing / call the adds / mark the targets / call the AoEs. But this doesn't have to be true.
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Exactly.

Alright! So, for time immemorial in MMO's, it's been a thing. The tank leads and lets everyone else in the party know how they want things done. Problem in this game in particular, is that the tanks absolutely suck balls.
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I think you are referring to one specific MMO and WoW took the absolutely wrong approach to this.

The tank is important but the healer is the group.

I have no idea where this the tank is in charge bs came about, but as has been stated elsewhere the person paying the most attention to everything is the healer, always has been and always will be.

For those all important tanks, you are a meat shield. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Linkan]

Maybe because we have quickier queues we get to do it more often than dps?

And been all the way in the back gives us a better view of the battlefield?

Well, I've lead twice so far, but only explainned it before fight and people managed to follow it, but again, I'm only lvl 27.

[FinagleABagel]

Tank should always lead the party. Healer should always direct the DPS.

[Fiosha_Maureiba]

Tank should always lead the party. Healer should always direct the DPS.

Gonna bite the bait if serious. I disagree. The individual with the most experience with the content AND is a tolerant open-minded guide should lead. New tank shouldn't have to read the strategy guide / watch videos before going into content. He should be able to learn it without people placing their laziness and burdens on him.

[Kusumura]

I think you are referring to one specific MMO and WoW took the absolutely wrong approach to this.
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I have no idea where this the tank is in charge bs came about, but as has been stated elsewhere the person paying the most attention to everything is the healer, always has been and always will be.

Yes. The healer's attention is divided between everything. And no, it's not just WoW. SWTOR, Silkroad Online, SW:G, Allods Online, rah rah rah. The tank leads because the tank is the first man in, which gives him control over how things are going to play out.

[Kusumura]

The individual with the most experience with the content AND is a tolerant open-minded guide should lead... -snip- people placing their laziness and burdens on him.

True that it should be the individual with the most experience, false with it being about laziness and burdens. As I said above, the tank is the first man in. He's got control over all the mobs in a fight. Granted, FFXIV might have dropped the ball a little with the tank's ability to keep aggro, but the point is still valid.

The healer does not have control of a fight. Yes, the healer is in a prime position to notice everything that's going on - but that's information for themselves. I can't tell you how many times a tank has nearly or has actually died because I've had to start typing out the party's current status and actions. Which is why the healer should not be the leader. The DPS are all.. mindless, so that cancels them out, too. Guess who's left?

[Warlyx]

as Ranged dps i dont mind calling things , healers have already a hard job as its , having to watch the game and the UI (health bars + debuffs) is more than enough , if healers have to lead on top of that :X