As a healer, is it my job to DPS? A new perspective.

[Cynfael]

I found this little gem in the General Discussion area. Quoting its entirety so as not to remove context:

I got reported because I didn't do damage, as a healer.

I've been healing a9-12 normal regularly and the number one cause of wipes is the other healer does damage and puts all the healer pressure on me.

I do not dps as a healer. It is a choice I make.

Now I was doing a guildhest on an alt because i'm really bored with this game anyway and some dark knight goes and tells me to dps. I took it less than well and I told him off. Then he went off to tell me I was getting reported and proceeded to kill the stupid turtle.

I am not having a good day.

The big take-away for me here is that this player admits right out that not doing DPS as a healer is something they choose. This is the kind of selfishness of which I've been critical in this thread. It's not "I'm not comfortable yet/I'm new/I didn't know the fight," it's "I don't want to (and everyone else can go to hell)."

Did they get harassed and reported for not helping with DPS? Arguable since we don't have the logs, but it sounds like a party member took exception to them being useless in a duty that requires virtually no healing, which encouraged the OP to become sassy, and the slap fight ensued from there.

TL;DR: This, ladies and gentlemen, is an example of how to be the kind of healer that is frequently called out in this thread as a bad influence and a detriment to their parties.

[VanilleFang]

I actually went and looked at the thread. Some good tips, and some not so good tips, can be found there.

As for that post specifically? I have no patience for people like that. Freaking out because someone asks you to dps? That goes beyond deciding not to do something.

Someone asking is not the same as someone telling.

[Melondra]

The offensive abilities you get aren't just for soloing. That's my opinion on the matter tbh.

Wrong actually. The reasons why healers have DP capabilitys is to be able to solo content like other jobs can. There primary function is to keep the party alive,and if they feel they have the nessary skill they can throw some DPS in to it. But they are not required to. As a Alpha Tester this is how those healing jobs were designed. Players should not be harassed for not DPSing in the healing depart-ment. If they have the skill to do it thens that's great,but they are not required to.

[AmeliaVerves]

bull*** group

I agree, this was an stupid situation and I am sorry you had to discover something like this. Ofc your missing damage was not the reason for wiping in this scenario.

But I find it hard to understand, why you come from: "There was a single group that kicked me, because I was not dpsing and acted really mean." to "The community puts too much pressure on healers and dpsing healers should not be found in general."
I mean, one group =/= the community.

Maybe you should try to find yourself a static instead of going with changing groups? If you find it hard/need more time to learn fights and feel comfortable with mechanics and stance dancing that is totally fine and I am 100% sure there are people out there, who will gladly have you in their group. ^^
But you also have to see that not all people are nice and patient and there are some d***heads out there, who will always tell others off to compensate their own lack of whatever. :/

[VanilleFang]

Wrong actually. The reasons why healers have DP capabilitys is to be able to solo content like other jobs can. There primary function is to keep the party alive,and if they feel they have the nessary skill they can throw some DPS in to it. But they are not required to. As a Alpha Tester this is how those healing jobs were designed. Players should not be harassed for not DPSing in the healing depart-ment. If they have the skill to do it thens that's great,but they are not required to.

So every other job can't get away with just standing atound, but the healers can? That seems a little unfair and a bit imbalanced.

[Feyona]

Scholar is a healer yet its being treated as an extra dps, dps that dont dps fine, you can kick or ban or shun whatever . That, in my opinion, is not acceptable for a healer as they have much better healing potential, than they have dps. Using my full healing potential though is not allowed. Theres something not quite 'right' with this. In favour always of the dps god. Yet quotes seen clearly state content is clearable without healer dps. If most people saw healer dps as a bonus rather than a necessity then maybe scholars could reach their full potential as healers. Just seems to be such a fixed mindset here of what everyone should be doing. Maybe someone somewhere can have a different way of looking at things, or doing things.

[Melondra]

So every other job can't get away with just standing atound, but the healers can? That seems a little unfair and a bit imbalanced.

Healer don't just stand around,they must follow mechanics just like anyone else. But there primary goal is to keep your party alive. The current sytem in the duty finder is set up so you have the reqired DPS to complte the objective already,unless premaid.

[Feyona]

But I find it hard to understand, why you come from: "There was a single group that kicked me, because I was not dpsing and acted really mean." to "The community puts too much pressure on healers and dpsing healers should not be found in general."
I mean, one group =/= the community.

Maybe you should try to find yourself a static instead of going with changing groups? If you find it hard/need more time to learn fights and feel comfortable with mechanics and stance dancing that is totally fine and I am 100% sure there are people out there, who will gladly have you in their group. ^^
But you also have to see that not all people are nice and patient and there are some d***heads out there, who will always tell others off to compensate their own lack of whatever. :/

Yes see how that looks. General consesus, I am talking about, or general expectation. Not just of one group but potentially the community as a whole .

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Wrong actually. The reasons why healers have DP capabilitys is to be able to solo content like other jobs can. There primary function is to keep the party alive,and if they feel they have the nessary skill they can throw some DPS in to it. But they are not required to. As a Alpha Tester this is how those healing jobs were designed. Players should not be harassed for not DPSing in the healing depart-ment. If they have the skill to do it thens that's great,but they are not required to.

That is blatantly false. Holy and Gravity are two of the strongest aoes in the entire game. In fact, due to their range, they will out-damage actual DPS jobs. You do not give these kinds of abilities to jobs if you aren't expecting them to deal damage in parties. The MSQ never challenges players in such a way you'd need more than Stone I-II-III. Healer DPS isn't required in harder content because it unfairly pressures on the raid as a whole. Gordias is a prime example of even hardcore raiders cringing. They don't want fights where DPS jobs (and Tanks to a lesser extent) cannot reach the DPS checks without healers. Nonetheless, Savage is community driven. You will find statics in very short supply if you aren't willing to DPS. It isn't elitism to require everyone pull their weight.

[VanilleFang]

Healer don't just stand around,they must follow mechanics just like anyone else. But there primary goal is to keep your party alive. The current sytem in the duty finder is set up so you have the reqired DPS to complte the objective already,unless premaid.

Let me reword that.

When I said "stand around" I meant not properly using their GCD or MP to keep active. If you ignore your damage spells in most group content there is no way you won't be wasting GCDs with nothing or needless healing. I wasn't being literal. Phrasal verbs and all that.

And I'm curious. Did anyone during Alpha actually say that CNJ/WHM were designed with the intention of healing with every GCD?