Will Healers Still be Forced to DPS in 4.0 Due to Lax Content?

[LegoTechnic]

I'd argue that resource management being a thing would make healing a more fun role in this game, as you'd actually have meaningful decisions when you played the role, as opposed to just trying to push more deeps for the evulz. Course, I also find resource management to be incredibly fun. o3o

I kinda wish we had an mp system like in TacticsOgre, where it starts every fight at 0 and steadily fills up as time passes rather than just having everyone at Max at the start. That was actually fun.

If you want meaningful costs and decisions for when you use healing abilities, the SCH class design revolves around it.

Also Cleric Stance was a significantly meaningful decision to commit to, which was its own brand of fun. MP limitations are easily the most uninspired throttle they could implement.

[Aramina]

I'd argue that resource management being a thing would make healing a more fun role in this game, as you'd actually have meaningful decisions when you played the role, as opposed to just trying to push more deeps for the evulz. Course, I also find resource management to be incredibly fun. o3o

To each his/her own. What I find fun is using the right heal on the right person at the right time, which (unfortunately) doesn't really exist here. Resource management wouldn't add anything to it (IMHO) other than make it even more boring. Do I cast a spell or not? Do I have enough mana or not? isn't really a thought provoking scenario. It can be done if there are a variety of heals eg: slow but cheap, fast but expensive, etc... but again, doesn't exist here.

Also, could you leave off the dpslol a little bit, please... it's really not relevant to every conversation. *sigh* It makes it really hard to attempt to have an actual discussion with you when you dismiss everything as people just wanting to/expecting people to dps. DPSing as a healer (for me) is a means to an end (not being bored to tears), nothing more nothing less.

[IttyBitty]

DPSing as a healer (for me) is a means to an end (not being bored to tears), nothing more nothing less.

This. It's using as many of the GCDs you have available in a given fight as efficiently as possible. I don't think anybody who actually cares about DPSing a healer would mind much if they had to heal more, so long as their time was being used efficiently.

Since DPSing is more efficient than standing around picking your nose, that's what we do.

[Aramina]

This. It's using as many of the GCDs you have available in a given fight as efficiently as possible. I don't think anybody who actually cares about DPSing a healer would mind much if they had to heal more, so long as their time was being used efficiently.

Since DPSing is more efficient than standing around picking your nose, that's what we do.

Yep. I would do cartwheels if we needed to heal more. Unfortunately we don't, so my options are dps or stand there praying someone will take damage so I will have something to do and as boring as dots/bane/broil/broil/broil etc may be, it's better than nothing at all.

[vigioX-Sun]

I don't think healers are being 'force' to DPS, but the major problem seems to be with cleric stance dance, the amount of bad players that can't handle a 5sec CD is incredibly...so SE decide to take it off so more healers can DPS.
So in a sense they telling you to DPS more.
Now this is what's really gonna separate the good from the bad.
The good healers from before are gonna shine on an the bad is gonna be worse because it will understand that the problem is not on the job but in the player.

[Keridwyn]

Nobody is forcing me to DPS. As a WHM it's honestly the only other thing SE gave me besides heals and no content in this game requires me to be casting heals 100% of the time. Besides, Assize and Holy are too fun not to use.

On a serious note with the change to CS my fetters are off! I'm free to cast whatever I want as long as I watch my mana and keep deaths to a minimum. Why can't I spend my free time tossing rocks at mobs to help my party mates out?

[Seoulstar]

I don't think healers are being 'force' to DPS, but the major problem seems to be with cleric stance dance, the amount of bad players that can't handle a 5sec CD is incredibly...so SE decide to take it off so more healers can DPS.
So in a sense they telling you to DPS more.
Now this is what's really gonna separate the good from the bad.
The good healers from before are gonna shine on an the bad is gonna be worse because it will understand that the problem is not on the job but in the player.

I wouldn't say it's entirely bad players. Sometimes that ability can be a little wonky, I've had it turn itself right back on after i pressed to turn it off.

[MrSmiley]

To each his/her own. What I find fun is using the right heal on the right person at the right time, which (unfortunately) doesn't really exist here. Resource management wouldn't add anything to it (IMHO) other than make it even more boring. Do I cast a spell or not? Do I have enough mana or not? isn't really a thought provoking scenario. It can be done if there are a variety of heals eg: slow but cheap, fast but expensive, etc... but again, doesn't exist here.

Also, could you leave off the dpslol a little bit, please... it's really not relevant to every conversation. *sigh* It makes it really hard to attempt to have an actual discussion with you when you dismiss everything as people just wanting to/expecting people to dps. DPSing as a healer (for me) is a means to an end (not being bored to tears), nothing more nothing less.

This really nails it, healer dps is a thing because its the only thing to do with the hefty amounts of healing downtime. The closest one to having more to do is AST who does all their card stuff frequently.

[Shurrikhan]

This really nails it, healer dps is a thing because its the only thing to do with the hefty amounts of healing downtime. The closest one to having more to do is AST who does all their card stuff frequently.

Except all that (AST card usage) can and should be done between GCDs, not in place of them.

Maybe real support spells someday? Maybe?

[Fyce]

There's a very good reason why healing is so powerful and easy in this game (regarding non-savage difficulty). In fact, there are three:

1. Removing gear checks as much as possible. An i230 healer should be able to do his roulette, just like an i270. Obviously, the i270's job will be easier. But the point still stands. Gear checks are lame.
2. Because "pure healers" are actually very bad players. The skill difference between good and bad healers is huge. Some "pure healers" are casting Cure almost all the time because of a poor (read: almost nonexistent) regen and oGCD management. So, SE has to tune dungeons to allow a bad player to still succeed. At least if they don't want to lose that player's subscription.
3. The skill level of party members can be day and night. Again, you should still be able to succeed even if your party is a complete disaster (to a some extent.)

So, to everyone saying that healers have too much downtime, and that healing is too easy, you have to understand the reasons why that is. And also understand that this will not change because of these reasons.
It's not a design mistake, it's completly deliberate. FFXIV is designed in a way that once a healer's job becomes easy enough (being because of gear, good party member or good healer), then downtime is supposed to be filled with damage skills. That's just how it is.