The "To DPS" vs "Not DPS" Debate

[Everdark]

So Summmoners don't ressurect people
DPS casters dont use virus or apothasistitis whatevermagiky, or eye for an eye
Monks / Bards dont use mantra, mana song, or anything like that
ect ect

Because that doesn't help them dps right?

Bads who cannot see outside there role to the maximum of the potential of there class for the group will always be bad.

most DPS actually do exactly this, especially in DF. The only time DPS put in the effort to be "good" is with statics

[sheldorAFK]

I am not new to MMOs but I am new to playing a healer. I've never wanted to have that much responsibility before. If DPS is lackluster you can get better gear or tune-up your rotation. If healing isn't up to snuff the entire party could wipe. For some reason though upon joining FFxiv the first class I began to level was conjurer and I've really been enjoying it. Yet, whenever this argument comes up I begin to have questions.

I PUG almost exclusively. I've never been told my healing sucks. I've never been told I should be DPSing. Sometimes I have to work my butt off just to keep the tank alive. Sometimes I have time to use my target of target macros to do a little damage or lay down dots. But when I read someone saying 'in 4 man content' if a healer is 'only healing' they are 'bad' I have to wonder do they mean the level 50 overgeared folk or those who are on level for the dungeon as well? (I don't have a 50 yet so am still going into some of these dungeons for the first time.)

[ManaKeKz]

Mostly just overgeared 50s. The new hard mode dungeons have an item level req of 55 iirc, but you see plenty folk running them with 90+. Such a difference is enough to make healing a walk in the park, as mentioned earlier a Scholar pet can completely solo heal most of the 4 man hard modes [if the scholar outgears the content this much].

In leveling content, there are few opportunities to dps as a healer and it really depends on your party a lot. I don't think anyone is debating healer dps in a dungeon where your ilvl is even below the dungeon level, if that's what you're worried about ;-)

[Spoekes]

Mostly just overgeared 50s.
*snip*
In leveling content, there are few opportunities to dps as a healer and it really depends on your party a lot. I don't think anyone is debating healer dps in a dungeon where your ilvl is even below the dungeon level, if that's what you're worried about ;-)

I understood we are debating this in general.
This thread is about that you as a healer get a feeling for when you have some breathing time where you can weave in some DPS in Cleric Stance.

No matter of level there are a lot of opportunities where you can do the Cleric-Dance (10 Sek DPS, some Heals, 10 Sek DPS)

Everything better than standing around idle (if mana allows)

[ManaKeKz]

Indeed it is, but I feel that during leveling content there are so few opportunities that it's barely worth splitting hair over. Idling is never good, but with so few chances do do any damage a healer in say Stone Vigil not dealing damage is completely fine, while an ilvl 90 healer in any of the current lvl 50 4 mans not doing so is probably 50% or more idle (assuming single group pulls on both dungeons for the sake of discussion).
So in my opinion that's only an issue with higher level content, low levels [for people actually at an item level they would have while leveling] the difference is almost never noticeable to begin with.

Edit for clarification: I completely agree that if the situation arises where you notice that you don't need to heal for at least a couple seconds and your mp is stable enough to allow it, you should always pop cleric and drop your dots, no matter what content or gear level. That is a pretty high return on damage for the time/mp spent on it. However, the debate seemed to be a bit more about "healers not doing any damage ever" vs "healers that exploit those opportunities to help the party". Just saying that I believe it matters little to none in low level content while it can make a pretty huge difference in 50s.

[Spoekes]

You are right it will not make or break anything most of the time.
A Warrior/Dragoon not stunning attacks but running out wont make or break too, but if he stunned the melee may have been able to proceed DPSing and do it a little faster.
A BRD does not have to use Foes Requiem ever for him self, but mobs will go down faster if a caster is present and he does.

I think we can agree on it beeing situational and not game breaking, and that not DPSing does not make you a bad healer, but you should be working on that!

[SilvaMisty]

As a new player I've learned to dps a bit. Not comfortable with dancing with healer stance yet. Though I'll get there and have a habit of over healing. Though I feel once I play enough, I'll become better in judgement.

[Kabooa]

This is pretty simple.

If there's room to deal damage, you probably overgear the content substantially, and it doesn't matter in either case.

If you -must- deal damage, your DPS fellas are underperforming.

There. Done. Party's alive and healthy? You're doing fine.

Have room to deal damage? Yay. Good for you.

[SeraviEdalborez]

The biggest fallacy in this "debate", and I use that word loosely, is the perception that your DPS isn't "required" and that your party's "real" DPS are terrible if it IS required. There is a similar topic over in the tank forums where other like-minded people are saying tank DPS isn't "required".

Ok. So it isn't required. But let me ask: why should a fight tuned to be beaten in 5 minutes be beaten in 5 minutes? Why not 4 minutes? Or 3? It's not a matter of overgearing content; you can do this from Sastasha right up to Aurum Vale. In AF gear, in Darklight, whatever. Your DPS can be performing just fine and you can help clear faster. And then be doing whatever else you want to be doing.

[lxSch]

The way i see this debate is the binary world comprehension by young people.
There are particular cases when healer dps is required, and cases when it is not. Sometimes healer dps can be useful, sometimes it is hurting the team, sometimes it does not matter.
Many people ask the question if healer should or should not dps. Can this question grasp all the situations it is meant to solve? Thus the person's comprehension is wrong and question cannot be answered.
I see a belief among new healers that they need to dps to become better whm/sch, then of course it causes deaths and they start to hate dpsing. Just remember you are playing the game for own enjoyment and do not have to do anything you don't want. Feel free to experiment and do not be afraid of fails. Learning tanks receive a much worse attitude and still keep playing.