My issues with PvP

[Cer_Elys]

Atrayl, while you do make some valid points -- healers are a very centralising force in this game's pvp, no matter low or high level -- I would like to stress a few consequences that have to be taken into consideration. It is easy for non-healers to forget that playing a healer role in pvp gives you as such an extremely large responsibility to carry, while at the same time there are not many more things in this game more grueling than having to defend your team against a group of competent dps and tanks who are out to murder you. I heavily recommend you to try healing in pvp for yourself. Directly nerfing healing output in a way that you proposed would mean that the balance regarding "rewards vs. effort" of playing a healer in ffxiv pvp would risk being destroyed. It's currently a high effort/high reward thing.

Now, if you argue that the existence of such a centralising force is bad for game balance: as has been posted in this thread SE simply had to work with the current mmo trinity of dps/tank/healer as a base. Healers in pve are crucial as the sole members of their parties to compensate for outgoing raid damage. While again, I feel that directly nerfing healing output in pvp is a bad idea, it is through other ways than such a nerf impossible to change this pve importance being directly translated into pvp without overhauling the pvp battle system itself. And realistically that will never happen. Furthermore, one might even argue that the presence of such a major influencing factor can be beneficial as it adds an extra layer to dps strategy. The playing field is equal for both teams; if killing or locking down the enemy healer is hard yet important to win, so is it for the opposing team. You will see many varying opinions regarding this on the forums as well. I do not feel that it is simply a black or white, objectively good or bad issue.

I agree with you though that in random FLs (and I assume, 8v8 Feast) the average quality of dps is horrible. As a consequence, even a moderately skilled healer can exert an extremely high influence on the outcome of a match. The problem is that I do not feel all the negative side-effects are worth it just to change this. Honestly, the very high skill gap between Frontline randoms and experienced PvPers is more at fault here. In my opinion, a lot more effort from SE's part could go towards properly educating "the masses" so that they understand how using pve rotations and the like in pvp is equal to being dead weight. Dpsing /effectively/ in pvp has a very high skill ceiling. If played properly, the majority of dps classes can (yes even solo) exert very heavy pressure on a healer when they decide to. And some, if they use cc at key points, even kill off average healers themselves without party support. This however requires at least knowing the basics of working out and practicing an effective burst rotation, lining up cooldowns plus popping them at strategic opportunities, using your utility and cc in an effective way, etc. Hence why the vast majority of players fail in applying proper pressure.

In the end, some accessible resources to teach new players pvp (and not actual bollocks like "Stone Sky Sea" or "Hall of the Novice" which help NOTHING in learning new players what is expected of their roles and utility, maximum dps rotations and so on for endgame pve content worth anything) are what is needed. That would serve much better to give the dps more weight in low-level pvp without breaking any other kind of balance.

[Khalithar]

It is easy for non-healers to forget that playing a healer role in pvp gives you as such an extremely large responsibility to carry, while at the same time there are not many more things in this game more grueling than having to defend your team against a group of competent dps and tanks who are out to murder you. I heavily recommend you to try healing in pvp for yourself. Directly nerfing healing output in a way that you proposed would mean that the balance regarding "rewards vs. effort" of playing a healer in ffxiv pvp would risk being destroyed. It's currently a high effort/high reward thing.

Oh I'm perfectly aware of all these points and everything you pointed out in your post. However, I'd still be willing to see healing gutted in PVP entirely and just deal with the burst damage. I do absolutely get the power of healers in PVP and that without them it would be a zerging slugfest where everyone dies quickly. My point being, I would prefer that outcome far more than what we have right now.

[Cer_Elys]

Oh I'm perfectly aware of all these points and everything you pointed out in your post. However, I'd still be willing to see healing gutted in PVP entirely and just deal with the burst damage. I do absolutely get the power of healers in PVP and that without them it would be a zerging slugfest where everyone dies quickly. My point being, I would prefer that outcome far more than what we have right now.

And I respect that opinion. I do not feel it is a good idea for a game developer to make 1/3rd of their trinity useless in pvp though. And since it would be so very controversial, it is very unlikely a decision like that would ever be made.

That being said, it's not like SE doesn't acknowledge how much influence a healer can hold, either. Culling Time and the medal vulnerability stacks in Feast are fair tools to try and avoid healer deadlocks. You might very well see later pvp modes go even further with mechanics that buff dps/nerf heals. Probably the most realistic additions SE could make regarding this.

[Khalithar]

That being said, it's not like SE doesn't acknowledge how much influence a healer can hold, either. Culling Time and the medal vulnerability stacks in Feast are fair tools to try and avoid healer deadlocks. You might very well see later pvp modes go even further with mechanics that buff dps/nerf heals. Probably the most realistic additions SE could make regarding this.

At this point I could honestly settle for Culling Time applying a 25% healing debuff per stack and a similar stack mechanic apply to the medal vulnerability, not 25% per stack for the medals, but 5-10% per medal stack at the minimum.