Why isn't there a shortage of healers?

[Cynfael]

Well DUH! Of course healing is easy when you're playing with friends/your static/your FC/your etc. It's when you start using the DF that tests your ability as a healer.

I think the perception that healing is easy comes more from extremely casual play where no one is in a hurry and the duty itself puts no particular pressure on any role. This, and many healers I've encountered in the game, even SCHs, are terrified of DPSing and will literally stand around waiting to heal (or worse, spam heals over the slightest boo-boos). In this context the role looks pretty damned easy.

Contrast fights where the healers are predicting and prepping for tank busters, squeezing in off-DPS as much as they can, using tools like the fairy and Regen to top off DPS who handle mechanics, and generally overseeing the entire arena...and the picture is a little different.

Personally I find playing DPS to be relaxing by comparison. Once you know the fight and have your rotations and CD timing more or less planned out, it's mostly a matter of maintaining some spatial awareness and watching for your turn to handle mechanics. The rest of the time it's just keeping your rotation/priority system going, and the ability to do that with everything else going on is largely what separates the good DPS from the rest.