Can I get some advice for playing White Mage?

[ToasterMan]

Well I started the game out as a White Mage, after which I played Black Mage and I switched over to that for rest of 2.0. Post expansion, I'm not enjoying Black Mage as much as I used too and I've been trying to think of another job to use. I gave White Mage another shot and I'm really enjoying it. I like the stance dancing with cleric. I'm still at level 53 and I was wondering if you guys had any advice on being the most efficient at healing as possible. I want to see if I can start raiding again with a new group if I get good enough.

[KorraBelle]

HoTs are your best friend. Regen and med 2 cover for a lot of damage. Plus you'll have all your ogcd heals as well. Tetragrammaton and Benediction are usual as panic heals. Depending on the static you end up in you may find yourself being more on the dps side of things or you may find yourself on the learn how to mechanics side while learnino where and when to heal.

[KDSilver]

As Korra said, HoTs are very powerful.
Also you'll have to learn to evaluate the damages your tank and the party will take.

If the dps are not taking anymore damages after a strong aoe for like 20s, HoT will do the job and MedII will be enough. You won't have to waste mana at healing every single damages.
Also precasting your spell is a huge help (if the party take a double strong aoe or the tank a tank buster). It'll allow you to feel like the party is safier and even stance dancing,throwing at least some DoTs.

Stoneskin before huge damages on the tank helps if you have the time to.
Watch your mana and use Shroud of Saint at 80%, then whenever it'll be up.

Don't keep Divine Seal as a panic button.It's a short CD and it'll save your mana.
Don't hesitate to swiftcast a MedII or a Med if the party as to be full life quickly.

If your co-healer is a scholar or if there's a summoner in your team : let him raise first.He has a better way to get some mana back than you as a Whm.

[loreleidiangelo]

I'd argue that in a Savage raid setting, the SMN should never be expected to raise over an actual healer, but other than that a lot of what KD said is spot-on. Shroud is bested used early, and often, and while you want to save Divine Seal in some situations it has a ridiculously short CD so you should be using it a lot more than I see most pug WHMs using it. Note that it doesn't affect moves like Asylum, Assize, and Tetragrammaton, so bear that in mind before using it.

I'd also point out that while Cure III has SOME situational use, in most cases a Medica will suffice. I only dump Cure III before a boss ultimate IF everyone is stacked AND I have the half-MP proc for it. (So basically, once a year.)

Regen is a better alternative to Cure II if a non-main tank stands in avoidable damage and there's no major incoming damage rolling in immediately. This relies on knowing the content, though, so if you're uncertain it's better to get them topped off right away (Tetra is your friend here!).

Benediction has a slight delay, so if there's even a doubt that someone will die without it, use it. Nothing more frustrating than blowing your Bene CD on yourself because the target died due to it's silly delay.

Presence of Mind seems to be better suited for DPS than actual healing, though I'd sometimes use it on Raise if both healers had Swiftcast down. Mostly you'll use it to churn out quick Stone IIIs and Holies, though ware your MP while doing this!

Your untraited WHM Virus is best used on adds or trash mobs with hard-hitting physical moves. Spamming it on bosses more often than not will frustrate your SCHs/SMNs who are trying to save theirs for heavy group/wide magic damage.

All I can really think of that hasn't been said already.

[_slowpoke_]

Tetragrammaton and Benediction are usual as panic heals.

Please do not get into the bad habit of treating Tetra and Bene as panic heals, emergency buttons, or whatever. Especially Tetra should be used aggressively and proactively, it's a free Cure II once per minute that also saves you a GCD. This is key to high-level MP management, and also true for Benediction. It's a completely wasted CD if you just sit on it for an entire fight. Unless your group's strategy requires it for a specific part of a fight (such as a DRK taking a tankbuster in Living Dead), try to find tactical ways to use Benediction in every fight if you have it up at that part to save MP, and gain more Cleric uptime. There're many fights where you can ignore healing a tank for extended amounts of time or even entire phases if you have Benediction up, don't be afraid to make use of this if the opportunity presents itself.

I'd also point out that while Cure III has SOME situational use, in most cases a Medica will suffice. I only dump Cure III before a boss ultimate IF everyone is stacked AND I have the half-MP proc for it. (So basically, once a year.)

Cure III is actually more MP efficient than Medica if you're not producing a lot of overheal¹, and it can often save you a GCD to boot. There's a lot more situations for using Cure III than most people seem to realize, and it can really positively impact both your MP solvency as well as your Cleric uptime.

¹ Cure III is 0.327 potency/MP, while Medica is 0.269, and that is with the 20% chance of a half-cost Medica already calculated in. Medica breaks even with Cure III at a bit under 18% overheal for the latter.

[loreleidiangelo]

Well, the overheal is specifically what I was referencing. For a lot of AOE damage it's potency is overkill, especially in two-healer content where your other healer is also AOE healing the incoming damage.

[Nekotee]

I'd argue that in a Savage raid setting, the SMN should never be expected to raise over an actual healer, but other than that a lot of what KD said is spot-on. Shroud is bested used early, and often, and while you want to save Divine Seal in some situations it has a ridiculously short CD so you should be using it a lot more than I see most pug WHMs using it. Note that it doesn't affect moves like Asylum, Assize, and Tetragrammaton, so bear that in mind before using it.

I'd also point out that while Cure III has SOME situational use, in most cases a Medica will suffice. I only dump Cure III before a boss ultimate IF everyone is stacked AND I have the half-MP proc for it. (So basically, once a year.)

I should disagree on two point
A heal should always expect the summoner to raise a target because he is the least one to finish oom in mana (except if he dumbly spam ruin 3 in order to the basic "muuuuh deeeeeeps" mode)

But in raid he might come second depending of the fight and if the off healer is available but it's always better to let the smn raise because he can and it will kill him

Second point
If you rarely use cure 3 then there is something wrong
The range of cure 3 is insane and so goes the potency

Basicly every raid wide aoe can be nullified

In niddhogg if you're in his hitbox your cure 3 heal everyone during his cry or akh morn
In the chrysalis i will let every dps die if they do not pack under my cure 3 against quake
In almost every dungeon cure 3 is better than medica

Honestly i rarely use medica because it's damn too weak but good range
Which is a bad argument because people should never be spread or only for a short time

[Judge_Xero]

Just want to echo "precasting".

Being able to time your heals to land exactly when damage goes out is such a great healer advantage. (And visually looks amazing when it appears a tank buster did 0 damage)

It's nice you've already played a DPS because as a healer you want to think like a DPS.
Example: How can I use my skills to create a DPS window. That way of thinking will give you more focus on class efficiency.

[gehrtalert]

Everyone seems to be on point here. Watch over healing, as it can create agro problems which causes a mess of other problems.
Stoneskin is always awesome before any kind of pull.
Bene and Tetra are not "panic heals". They're awesome to use as panic heals, especially Bene, but they can be used whenever you feel like usin them. I can't speak for Savage content but I imagine they hold more value there.
HoTs and DoTs... Always.
Stance Dance... Always.
Swiftcast+Raise is awesome.... Always
Use your cooldowns. They do amazing thing when they actually get used.

Most of all thought, your job as a White Mage is ALOT easier if you know the content your running. Get to know what heals are needed when and when you can Stance Dance and it's actually a really fun job to play.

[Fevelle]

The only tip I wished I had read when I was beginning is "Use you cooldowns, they're not panic buttons" - time your Divine Seal, use Shroud early so you won't run dry of MP, use PoM whenever you feel like there is need for it (be it DPSing or healing). With time you will learn and see that everytime you need them they will be out of CD (save for a few OMGWE'REWIPING exceptions).