The Bottom Feeders: Moves You Never Use and Why (Ver. 2)

[technole]

WHM Stoneskin Pre-3.0 was good for a lot of things, and often times necessary. Today, the 10% version for the cost of a Cure II it's pretty much on the low-end of efficiency now. Mainly for covering weaknesses, or if you have an extra GCD to spare. WHM is mostly out of the mitigation business in-exchange for many instant heals and allowing AST to fit in the fold.

[Februs]

WHM Stoneskin Pre-3.0 was good for a lot of things, and often times necessary. Today, the 10% version for the cost of a Cure II it's pretty much on the low-end of efficiency now. Mainly for covering weaknesses, or if you have an extra GCD to spare. WHM is mostly out of the mitigation business in-exchange for many instant heals and allowing AST to fit in the fold.

For Whm's, yes. This is true. However, I still think Stone Skin is a very useful ability. It just happens to see more use from Pld's than it does from healers, at the moment.

Pld's can use Stone Skin to maintain their god awful Tp draw, but the main utility of the move is in how it allows the Pld to work with the healer. They can self-buff for Tank Busters, AoE's, or Cleaves instead of the healer. Self-buffing allows them to plan their defensive CD's more efficiently, because they know when they'll have Stone Skin instead of being at the mercy of the healer. They can also conserve defensive CD's for the same reason. As off-tank, a Pld can save the healer Mp by buffing the MT with Stone skin. They can also save squishier Dps from taking unnecessary damage, or save the life of a player who stands in too much stupid, without having the healer spend additional time and Mp.

Stone skin also balances well with Clemency. Depending on how scripted the fight is, a Pld can plan their Stone Skin's or Clemency's to completely free up the healer from healing one player (usually the Pld). A Pld who takes full utility of Stone Skin and Clemency often requires no action from the healer at all, giving them more time to Dps or heal someone else.

There's no doubt that Stone Skin took a huge (and extremely unnecessary) nerf after 3.0 for Whm's, but it's definitely a useful skill. It's even still useful for the healers, it's just that they see more use out of it when they're not the one actually casting it. Though, even healers can use it to extend their Dps time in Trials, Raids and dungeons if they plan it well. It's a commonly employed tactic during tight Dps checks in which it might be necessary for the healer to chip in, especially if they pair it with a Scholar's mitigation buffs.