Why you love playing healer

[Crushnight]

it all came down to preference i started a smn leveled pld to finish story in 2.0 neither style or role felt right for me then i tried sch since cnj was 15 anyway fell in love with needing to balance out looking at party for debuffs/hp, pet management and dpsing it kept my mind engaged more, then ast came out and with it feeling more responsive than sch made me switch fast shame took awhile to get to be a decent OH

[Valmaxian]

In the immortal words of Mass Effect's best character:

"Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong."

I teared up at this, not gonna lie.

[Cozum]

I've just always played heals in every MMO that had the option. This game is a little different though. In all honesty I was a little dissuaded when I found out that I was expected to DPS in addition to healing, but over the past monthish I've been trying to acclimate to that role. Thinking about that though, healers are really busy in this game, so when things end up working out just perfectly it's immensely satisfying.

That being said, stance dancing is hard! I'm not a master at a lot of the dungeons so I'm not sure when to expect AoE's and heavy hits on the tank and usually getting my timing wrong. That and I just started micromanaging Eos/Selene and trying to keep an eye on that is a huge difference to anything I've ever done in an MMO before.

[Atoli]

Because I don't trust others to pull it off. Simple as that

Horrible tank that loses aggro, uses no cooldowns and stands in everything? Whatever, I don't need to take his place to keep us alive, I just heal more.
Everything takes years to die because dps don't know that the pointy end should be used to stab the opponent? Whatever, I just have to heal for a longer time.

But if someone else is healing and sucks at it, we are...just dead. Nothing I can do about it as tank or dps. So I just do it myself.


(That said, I started out as a healer in pretty much any MMO I ever played, originally back in 2005 still with a pure heart because I wanted to be of help and save people and make their lives easier and all that..)

[Parawill]

Fast queues, adrenaline rushes when things go south & basically to ensure that 99.99% of all duty finder content does not result in a vote abandon. #Toottoot

[Holy-chan]

I tend to selflessly care for others, and put their needs above my own.

My sole aspiration is not to be the best healer to ever play the game, but to be a better healer than I was yesterday.

I have yet to do relevant raids. I admit, I am a bit intimidated, but I know the time will come because I always like to put my abilities to the test as I get more experience

You appear to be a very nice person. I sorta wish we were on the same server so I could send you a "Hello. Have a nice day!" out of nowhere.


Personally, I used to main white mage. I started playing FF14 in January 2014. I mained white mage starting April 2014 to around November 2014, where I found my real passion (monk). But, I still co-mained white mage all the way to Heavensward. In Heavensward, I mained white mage for the two or so months I played within, before I stopped playing the game around August of 2015. When I started playing again in November 2015, I co-mained white mage again, but eventually, monk just became my true main, and white mage became more of a secondary class that I only play on occasion, usually in lower content (i.e. level 50 roulette when accompanying a free company member).

I never really mained healer classes in MMORPGs before, but I certainly do enjoy helping others. At the beginning, I was too stressed out to play conjurer in dungeons, and I had zero faith in myself whatsoever to heal in dungeons after Haukke Manor. I ended up levelling to 50 through FATEs alone. That is where I enjoyed playing it the most, because in FATEs, I could help and assist other players benevolently. Without it being my given task within a duty. Over time, I became more confident in my ability to switch between healing and offense (through doing so with other people in FATEs, even if not partied with them). Once I was level 50, I attempted to try regular content again, and did a run of Sastasha. That went well. Then I did other dungeons in increasing order, and that went well too. I became increasingly confident as a white mage, from the experience I had gained fighting baddies and helping people in FATEs, until I realized that I was actually doing just fine in dungeons. I ended up dumping my bard (my first main) eventually, as I grew more confident as a white mage.

One thing that I really enjoyed in level 50 dungeons at the time (when it was the max level) was simply the Holy spam. In fact, I still enjoy that when I get to do those. I enjoyed participating in the DPS with the team, while having to manage my MP carefully. Alas, I had my share of accidents where I pushed one single Holy too many and healed the tank too late, or ran out of MP shortly afterwards when needing to heal. I felt completely discouraged everytime that happened. I apologize profusely everytime that happens (and it still happens today), but I feel that it is never enough.

Later, I realized that I unfortunately was not ready for bigger things. I enjoy things that can be done casually, but I have social difficulties, and I cannot bring myself to do more intense things that require social organization. Endgame raids. That. I just cannot do that. So I never did. I always was a bit disappointed. I knew that I probably would have much difficulty learning those properly, because I am a slow learner, and I don't have the social aspects needed, either.

When monk became my main, I never looked back. I don't know why. Perhaps because player participation in FATEs is mostly inexistant nowadays? This is where it all started for me, after all. When I play white mage now, the most enjoyable factor is the Holy spam. As such, level 50 dungeons are fun for me still (especially Qarn HM because the first two bosses involve it too! ). I also enjoy the other AoE, Aero III. Therefore, I love The Vault!

Come to think of it, I think it's the combination of managing the team's survivability, as well as DPSing, that I enjoyed. It is a very active role in that sense!

My apologies for the messy, inconsistent mishmash of text. I edited out a whole paragraph about Titan, too...

[Nixxe]

Sparkles. Sparkles everywhere.

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

Because the healer is the only role that prolongs ones suffering. Unless one dies instantly, you'd heal them up to proper condition. Just to submit them to more and more abuse. Over and over and over again and again and again and again. Continuous maiming and mauling thanks to the art of healing. Only death is their salvation and despair their liber- I mean, ahem

To support and aid the party, obviously

[Gemina]

Snip..

No misunderstanding. Trust me, I'm with you about frowning upon healers who prioritize DPS over heals. I make the mistake as well of casting one Holy too many, and getting us all killed. But like you, I always immediately own up to it and apologize to my group. It's ironic actually, as I have attempted to be a loud voice on these forums with supporting heals over DPS, yet I am still guilty of DPSing too much xD

Several posters have stated that they heal because they can't rely on the player base to do it. This saddens me. Not because of their reasoning, but rather because their experiences have led them to that conclusion. I hope that they still get a rewarding experience from it, and still find enjoyment in the role.

[Gemina]

Snip ...

Thank you so much for the kind words! And for such an elaborate post of your experiences in the game. No need to apologize for that at all Perhaps someday, we will be fortunate enough to get grouped in a 50 roulette, and there is also cross server party finder if you are on the same DC I have yet to use it though.

The 50 dungeons are some of my favorite instances to do right now, and I was blown away by the Tam-Tara Deepcroft storyline. Qarn HM, Brayflox HM, and The Lost City of Amdapor are also dungeons I constantly run because I enjoy them, and teaching the mechanics to new players. EVERYONE learns to use the doors against Diabolos if there is a new player in the party with me. If anyone runs ahead before I can explain, they can enjoy the void.

I have to admit, I love the Holy spam too, but it is more about having all of my abilities through 50 available, and I am really excited to start using my HW abilities in group instances. Just like you, I had difficulty conforming to the current healer meta. But when I took a couple of steps back, I realized that there is just no way in most cases a group can get through an instance without heals, and the healer to cast them. Whether it is 10% of the time, or 90% of the time, the heals are needed, and so are we. So much rides on our shoulders, and the appreciation we mostly get for also adding DPS to it is enjoyable and fulfilling.

I share the same social anxieties and time constraints you do, and I do not know if I ever will be able to participate in endgame raids due to what is involved with the hardest of the hard. I know I am capable of learning the mechanics, but the biggest anxiety with them comes from the unknown. And do to my own social limitations, it is difficult for me to reach out to other players and ask for help. And it is so rare for the opportunities to fall in your lap. If it doesn't happen, I still do find great enjoyment in casual content, and I put a lot of game time into my DoH and DoL.

I am happy to hear that you found your true calling in MNK, and I bet you are super excited about the next expansion focusing on your job. With DRG as the predecessor, it is great to see DPS jobs get love as healers and tanks or usually the ones in the spotlight in-game.