White Mage: You should DPS and here's why.

[LenusBorvo]

If you want to clear content faster you should always DPS. If you are a good healer, you should basically be open to DPS all of the time.

You can choose to simply heal, but that makes you a very average healer and you simply won't be taken for speed runs or later content. Your choice. Feel free to pick an inferior strategy, but acknowledge that it is, in fact, inferior.

It's funny that you label a good healer as someone that is open to DPS. However most of you all are neglecting the fact that the only time a healer has to dps is when the following scenarios are met.
1) The tank and you both outgear the instance.
2) The instance is speed runable
3) Your in a pre-made group and your buddies know what you are doing
4) That you don't completely overgear the tank and take on massive aggro from Divine seal + regen + spamming holy during the AOE sessions within WP.


However in Duty Finder explicitly, it is generally not a good idea to even try. And on fights like Titan, where the average WHM will OOM as the stomps become heavier and heavier. So, other the to shave a few mins off of dungeons you have on farm a healer should never really dps, or they would of made us all dps specs with off healing abilties.

The only "job" that WHM or SCH have that were given to them by the developers were to heal others, this is also shown that the majority of bosses in this game do not REQUIRE a healer to dps at all to beat.

I DPS just fine in my groups where I know nothing is coming, but between you, Varok, and Whippet all of you get off your judgmental high horse and stick with your own groups because no one here wants to be in a party where they are bogart into doing anything by pure bullies out to toot their own horn.

[Brises]

I think the healer/dd strategy should always be based on the group you are in, and the difficulty of the instance. On typical trash mobs, I am never in danger of running out of mp unless there is something wrong with the group, so yes I "could" dd if it was useful. Bosses, I generally wouldn't unless the party has a strategy that specifically calls for it. Even if there are times when damage is minimal, that can change in a hurry, and I don't want to be caught with not enough mp to keep up with healing. The other factor is, contribution in this thread not withstanding, a majority of parties out there do not expect a healer to dd, and some will bitch a healer out for doing so.

I go with whatever the party agrees on, and makes the run smooth. But what it all comes down to is, a healer has the option to dd, but the healer must never fail to heal when needed.

[Zanika]

Lol ya im done with you. Ive been praised many times for my healing/dps capabilities, I know exactly what Im doing. And Ive completed all of endgame except turn 5 so ya...

Everything I say is literally going right over your little head and you refuse to see my logic. SS + Cure is never more efficient than regen + cure + dps, you don't know what you're talking about Zanika and it's as simple as that. But hey, keep using SS and being average, I apparently can't do anything to change your mind on it.

I look forward to your next BS post where you try to convince me SS is worth using on trash pulls in a dungeon. Please keep going, its amusing me now.

Whippet seems to be the only person with a clue in the last few pages of this thread, thankful for that. At least you're not all Derps.

I can say something very similar to you. Also, everyone note how this comment came right after this one:

Some tanks get really nervous if you're not constantly healing them. I asked one what was up, and he told me that he gets a lot of healers that are so focused on DPS that they don't cast any heals in a timely manner (or they forget they're in Cleric Stance or whatnot) and he ends up dying.

Even better, you still ignore this post (too late to reply now):

Most tanks oppreate better under lower stress. Divine Seal + Regen at the start could overheal and take aggro back if the tank has lag. Also, while Divine Seal + Regen almost guarentes 100% health when used so early, the same can't be said for a normal Regen. To me, that can actually be misleading, and if noticed, the tank will wonder if the sudden change is somehow his fault.

Instead, renew Stoneskin after it breaks (usually 4-7 hits in mobs and every 4 hits with bosses) and follow up with Regen (if the tanks HP drops to 80%). From there just rinse and repeat.
It may seem like it costs more MP at first, but it'll reduce overhealing, allow more time to do whatever you want, give Regen a head start, and as the mob numbers begin dwindle, you won't have to use either spell as often. And since his health is just going up, instead of bouncing around everywhere (I've tanked under such conditions. It's unsetleing), It'll help reduce the tanks stress level.

There is a catch though. If Stoneskin only lasts 2 hits, the tank may be undergeared and renewing it would be a waste of time and MP. That's when Divine Seal + Regen would be the prefered method.

But that's fine. You say you're done, so I'll just leave it at that.

[Raminax]

It's sad how a helpful PSA turned into pages of bile and hatred being spewed.

Keep on being classy, ye overgeared people who have forgotten you once were noobs.

[Seezur_Undies]

DPSing WHMs...

DO i agree with you....sorta and heres why.

I do alot of WP runs, mostly through DF, and alot of those groups are fresh 50s that seen a shiny new instance they need to check out. Do i DPS, only when i feel like wiping the team (which btw is never) or when i forget i have my +1 on and pull everything off the new 50 tank with a single cure
I do run WP with FC mates that are geared and can handle the damage there and yes, then i will DPS because i know the 6 seconds it takes me to cleric stance, cast and cleric stance no one dies.

I have two macros i use when running heals that i think work well for me and may you:

/ac "Cleric Stance" <me>
/wait 2
/ac "Aero II" <tt>
/wait 3
/ac "Thunder" <tt>
/wait 2
/ac "Cleric Stance" <me>

I use the <tt> here so i can keep the tank marked, and only attack what they are and not worry about pulling anything i dont want to.

Thinking of cutting that one in to two macros, but havent decided yet, and then this one when i get swarmed, ie new dps sees that sparkly trapped chest before the first boss

/ac "Cleric Stance" <me>
/ac "Holy" <me>
/ac "Cleric Stance: <me>

Now to tell some that chose a class that heals that they have to DPS is just wrong. they have the option to DPS, but they should not be obligated to. If they stand around and complain they are bored and they didn't DPS, maybe they should find a set up that helps them, like me, i had an issue with forgetting to get out of CS, so i made the macro (not that it always -CS but its 99% effective) but that is just me and how i play the game, I picked a heals class cause i want to heal, if i wanted to DD, i'd be a BLM

[Tanaya]

It's sad how a helpful PSA turned into pages of bile and hatred being spewed.

Bound to happen in OF.

And I'm not sure how the topic came up, but I've explicitly stated I would advise against DPSing in Coil. You don't even have the accuracy for the bosses.

[PSxpert2011]

I want to see a WHM dps in a party someday... whm dps on Ifrit (hard mode).

Go ahead, do it!

Drop on your knees...

Point a gun/knife to your head...

Shoot/ Stab yourself in the head and save us the grief :/

[FinagleABagel]

To the naysayers....I've been DPS'ing as a scholar since the mid 30's. You don't need to be overgeared. I also do not use macros, nor will I ever use them.

I also said earlier in this thread that I do not do much DPS'ing in Coil. That should be obvious.

[Garnatian]

Why is this thread still alive?

You should DPS in any content that is trivial enough.

There is no discussion to be had.

[Tanaya]

I want to see a WHM dps in a party someday... whm dps on Ifrit (hard mode).

Done it before. No one died because Ifrit is not hard.