Is DPS'ing as a Healer Vote Kickable?

[Vhailor]

If a healer decides to DPS in their downtime, while keeping the group alive, a legitimate reason to vote kick someone? Asking, since word on the streets says that we're allowed to vote kick people for differentiating playstyles.

It's not a morally legitimate reason, but as others have pointed out, SE's guidelines are (intentionally) vague, so it's not really an action someone can get into trouble for. I do suspect, though, that vote-kicking more frequently targets healers who twiddle their thumbs for half a dungeon because they are loath to cast any offensive magicks.

Better not get in a group with me then. I am there not heal and keep people alive not dps. I do not dps on my healers, if I want to dps then I will go on a dps job.

There is no requirement to dps as a healer, our job is to keep everyone alive so they can do their job.

This is just lazy. If you have downtime and MP to spare, then cast some offensive magic. Otherwise, you're simply giving healers a bad name.

My opinion is that healers should heal and thats it. none of this dps nonsense. You are a healer, why are you dpsing but thats just my opinion on the matter. (que the 'healers should dps as well remarks")

This Debate is a big one and is on going, on one side ppl say healers should dps, the other they shouldnt. unfortunately one side likes to attack the other *cough "heals should dps" side*

It's important to distinguish between 'ideal MMO design' and what is currently present in FFXIV. I think healing should be intensive enough that it's a full-time job, but that's not how FFXIV is designed. The average dungeon run doesn't require anything close to a healer's full attention (obviously there are exceptions, which healers should adapt to), and healer damage doesn't strain the ability of a tank to hold hate. Given these facts, saying "healers should only heal" in the context of FFXIV is patently absurd.

This isn't a 'debate' between two competing philosophies with equally valid positions. It's a divide between a group of players who remember that they're playing FFXIV, and a group of players who want to ignore that fact and cling to principle.

Dont get discouraged by the shaming. You're right to do as you do. As long as the party is alive, and the DPS doesn't need to use their own healing cause they're dying in a corner, keep at it. Seriously, don't let us die ;_;

This isn't helping matters. There's a difference between not letting DPS die (i.e. focusing as much on healing as need be, up to 100% of the time if your gear / skill / party requires it) and taking a hard-line position to never DD. I've had some groups as a White Mage where the DD and tank can largely go through a regular pull without more than a Regen spell or two thrown their way; are you seriously going to support a healer who looks at that situation and says 'awesome, I get to watch Netflix while running the dungeon'?

The poster you quoted should absolutely be shamed. Trying to cram every situation into a rigid philosophy (one that, coincidentally, gives them a giant free pass for lazy dungeon running) practically begs for such an outcome.

[Alistaire]

It's important to distinguish between 'ideal MMO design' and what is currently present in FFXIV. I think healing should be intensive enough that it's a full-time job, but that's not how FFXIV is designed.

This needs to be emphasized so much.

When you refuse to dps as a healer in this game you are being willfully ignorant of how this game is designed.