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

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Makes me glad I didn't play HW and only came back now to get ready for SB.

Unfortunately, I doubt this will change come Stormblood. In fact, I suspect it will only get worse unless the devs make a decision one way or another in regards to the DPS meta. If they continue to ignore, people will further push for healers to DPS because there just isn't enough outgoing damage even in the hardest content. Watching a pov of a cautious WHM, there were so many spots where she literally did nothing. That all said, this mostly extends only to Savage. If that isn't your forte, then you likely won't come across it in-game as much.

[Kacho_Nacho]

I feel it's up to the healer to decide when/if it is appropriate to do damage. Just like in the other roles, no one enjoys it when someone else comes along and tries to backseat drive them.

Granted, a healer throwing out damaging spells does help. Killing a mob prevents it from dealing damage to a party member. In addition, it's fun. Sitting around twiddling your thumbs all run is boring!

However, that healer "doing nothing" could be regenerating their mana or they could be taking a moment to decide if and what kind of healing will be needed soon. Triage is a big part of the healer's job.

That's something a damage dealer needs to respect. Because a healer is playing a different game than them.

A damage dealer is running a race. They are going all out to reach the goal tape.

Meanwhile, a healer is playing darts. They are deciding which target to hit and how much without running out of mana or overhealing.

[Zojha]

I feel it's up to the healer to decide when/if it is appropriate to do damage.

Well, that's kinda a given and not just limited to healers. It's also up to the DPS to decide if/when to hit which ability. And it's also up to the tank to decide if/when to hit which ability. Other people cannot make these decisions for you - they can only kick/shun you if you're making poor decisions a lot, whether that's as DPS, Healer or Tank. That's not even an opinion, that's just plain fact.

[RopeDrink]

If that isn't your forte, then you likely won't come across it in-game as much.

Sure, if you're not looking you won't see, but it's still everywhere, moreso in lower than Savage. At least in Savage you would have some understanding giving how prolonged a fight is and how intensive it is compared to levelling content (where decisions, positioning and resources are a much bigger deal) - but expectations would also be higher at that level, so it goes both ways. Meanwhile, entered Mentor Roulette to the sight of a WHM who didn't use cleric a single time in the entire dungeon (no joke, not even a DPS spell out of stance, either), so you just know they're in for a rough ride later if they try to do this down the road. Granted, they were also casting regen on me pre-pull and other obvious novice things (don't have any problem with someone learning the ropes), so I didn't make a point of going into it, just meant I could use Sword Oath more comfortably given there was no risk of Healer doing anything but heal - but still, doesn't make it less frustrating to know the dungeon would be that much slower as a result, and I say that as a WHM main.

[RopeDrink]

Well, that's kinda a given and not just limited to healers.

I'm sorry but I don't see DPS maintaing rotations vs mechanics as comparible 'decisions' to a tank deciding to swap-stances, less so than a Healer making a poor cleric stance decision. At least a tank in DPS stance can still perform, provided they're aware of their position in the emnity table and can rely on their Healer. A Healer doesn't have this luxury if they screw up (outside of specific CD's), yet they're expected to damage any chance they can get (and rightly so). The poor decisions part is on everyone, no question about that, but your point doesn't do any of the three roles justice.

[Feyona]

See a few posts here saying its up to the player to decide what they need to do in a situation, but further back see alot of other people's judgement about how are others are playing. Maybe its better not to have too many expectation. Back seat drivers are very annoying, Im finding end game annoying as well cos its full of other peoples expectations, often set at too high standards for alot of people. Zurvan ex good example. One wipe people leave. You got to have at least 6 friends all online at once or you will never get much chance to learn it. Other than that seen videos of healers dpsing much of fights these people Im guessing probably get alot more practice than jo average.

[Lambdafish]

I feel it's up to the healer to decide when/if it is appropriate to do damage. Just like in the other roles, no one enjoys it when someone else comes along and tries to backseat drive them.

See a few posts here saying its up to the player to decide what they need to do in a situation, but further back see alot of other people's judgement about how are others are playing.

And I'll explain why:

Kacho Nacho is correct to a point, it is annoying having someone tell you how to do your job optimally when you aren't actually doing anything wrong, HOWEVER, I doubt we are talking about savage raiding, and that point needs to be clarified (All the "judgement" that you are talking about is savage raiding related).

Raiding is a game of compromise, where everyone will comment on everyones performance because the party needs to optimise and synergise in order to overcome the challenges. In raiding, I don't choose when I use hallowed ground, that skill is a tool that I give to the party to decide when it is optimal for the OT and healers to not need to assist with a mechanic (In A11S as an example, I am asked to HG a specific Laser X Sword, so that the OT can focus on another job), and healing is the same. Tanks and Healers have a special relationship separate from DPS, wherin they can directly influence the other, and this means that in raiding, you can pre-plan and suggest when a healer should be doing DPS (though this often falls upon the other healer who will be interested in how healing responsibility will be split up).

Ultimately, raiding isn't a "do what I want" piece of content, and groups really need to listen to each other and sometimes compromise on what they are used to in order to overcome content.

[Taika]

Raiding is a game of compromise, where everyone will comment on everyones performance because the party needs to optimise and synergise in order to overcome the challenges. In raiding, I don't choose when I use hallowed ground, that skill is a tool that I give to the party to decide when it is optimal for the OT and healers to not need to assist with a mechanic (In A11S as an example, I am asked to HG a specific Laser X Sword, so that the OT can focus on another job), and healing is the same.

Good post. And it's same for DDs too: they agree on when to use potions and their biggest buffs to push DPS in certain phases, even if it would not boost their personal DPS the most. They may get asked to handle certain mechanics, not to use Blood for Blood in particular phase, or to position themself in a way that's not optimal for their DPS. It's all about figuring out how to handle each part of the fight best as a team.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

Raiding is a game of compromise, where everyone will comment on everyones performance because the party needs to optimise and synergise in order to overcome the challenges. In raiding, I don't choose when I use hallowed ground, that skill is a tool that I give to the party to decide when it is optimal for the OT and healers to not need to assist with a mechanic (In A11S as an example, I am asked to HG a specific Laser X Sword, so that the OT can focus on another job), and healing is the same. Tanks and Healers have a special relationship separate from DPS, wherin they can directly influence the other, and this means that in raiding, you can pre-plan and suggest when a healer should be doing DPS (though this often falls upon the other healer who will be interested in how healing responsibility will be split up).

This is a real solid point. To further emphasis, I'll cite A12. Having the Warrior pull, they can eat the initial attack Raw (Thrill for a little extra HP) and Holmgang through both Punishing Heat and the subsequent auto attack. This provides both healers a window where literally no unaccounted for damage will occur. They will, in turn, decide how best to heal me. Would blowing Benediction be worthwhile here to maintain DPSing or could it be better to hold off and Cure through it? Later in the fight, they may ask I mitigate because mistakes have been made and they're hurting on mana. I'll often default back into tank stance or at least asked for that very reason. You really cannot compare the level of coordination required in endgame content versus casual. Even the DPS need to play their role. A well timed Bloodbath or Second Wind can give the healers momentary breathing room.

[Feyona]

And I'll explain why:

Tanks and Healers have a special relationship separate from DPS, wherin they can directly influence the other, and this means that in raiding, you can pre-plan and suggest when a healer should be doing DPS

Ultimately, raiding isn't a "do what I want" piece of content, and groups really need to listen to each other and sometimes compromise on what they are used to in order to overcome content.

Yes dont think anyone is suggesting that you do what you want and people do need to compromise, pf duties though may be another type of scenario where expectation is set a bit too high for all, and rarely is communication good. So negotiation between healers is lacking. Although you can assess the situation up to a point, it is a little more difficult and therefore carries more risk to do. The expectation at the moment, I have been told is not only healers expected to dps, but dps alot, on Zurvan ex. It may be a possibility that some, not all, groups are kind of expecting a little too much out of healers these days and sounds like its always up to the healer to make sure they carry the group to skip soar just wondering when this trend is going.Not that I wasnt predicting this problem in earlier posts on other threads. It just seems just a little too much as recentl had a tank in dps stance as well at the same time as expecting healers dps while spamming tank with heals. Tank died no soar skip and dps leave cos we 'arnt good enough'