More engaging DPS for healers

[Ruinfeild]

Will never understand why this debate is still going. I think it was said before (not sure if by Yoshi or someone else up there) that encounters are tuned where healer DPS isn't factored into it. Assuming this also means things like savage, healers are not required to DPS and if there is a problem with meeting enrage timers and the like it sounds like a problem with the DPS than the healers.

[Connor]

Will never understand why this debate is still going. I think it was said before (not sure if by Yoshi or someone else up there) that encounters are tuned where healer DPS isn't factored into it. Assuming this also means things like savage, healers are not required to DPS and if there is a problem with meeting enrage timers and the like it sounds like a problem with the DPS than the healers.

Maybe I'm wrong but you seem to have misunderstood what the thread is about. This thread isn't about whether healers should/should not dps, it's about whether their current damage dealing capabilities should be expanded upon (e.g combos, heal/dps synergy, etc).

Personally I feel that the fairest way to address this is to have each healer fulfill a different aspect of the 'healer' role. One could be more of a 'pure healer' (think White Mage), one could be a support healer (think Astrologian), and another could be a more damage dealing oriented healer with combos and/or healing/damage synergy (think Scholar but with more engaging damage capabilities).

Naturally, I'd assume it'd be close to impossible to balance three jobs within the same role that all fulfill completely different aspects of the healing job.

[WilhelmWhite]

I could go either way, to be honest. The changes that were suggested seem very interesting, yet, I'm totally fine if they weren't. Mostly because I love DPSing as a healer, lol . Obviously healing comes first, but DPSing at all makes me feel totally engaged. If I didn't DPS, I'd feel much like the kind of parent that just sits on the bench with a tube of Neosporin and Band-Aids and simply waits for their child to get hurt. Which is no fun at all. I guess what I'm trying to say is, the changes seem great, but making healer DPS seem more appealing is a bit futile if that healer has already made up their mind to not DPS.

[Transient_Shadow]

I like these ideas. And I think Sch is a good proto example of the 'rotation' bit since well we kind of already have a rotation what being a former dps class.

[Ruinfeild]

Maybe I'm wrong but you seem to have misunderstood what the thread is about. This thread isn't about whether healers should/should not dps, it's about whether their current damage dealing capabilities should be expanded upon (e.g combos, heal/dps synergy, etc).

Personally I feel that the fairest way to address this is to have each healer fulfill a different aspect of the 'healer' role. One could be more of a 'pure healer' (think White Mage), one could be a support healer (think Astrologian), and another could be a more damage dealing oriented healer with combos and/or healing/damage synergy (think Scholar but with more engaging damage capabilities).

Naturally, I'd assume it'd be close to impossible to balance three jobs within the same role that all fulfill completely different aspects of the healing job.

Ya, chances are I might have. When it comes to healer and DPS it is hard at times to really pull them apart. Just ignore me if I misunderstood the topic.

[AphraelAmarantha]

snip

I don't think you read my other posts because if you did, you wouldn't have posted this. Then again, maybe you would have posted this reply anyway because I don't really expect people to understand my viewpoint (no one ever does so whatever *shrug*).

Oh, and never said I was a good WHM. I'm just saying it's the class that I can most easily get into and perform somewhat competently. As I've said already, adding changes like this would make it harder for ME. From your post I guess it wouldn't make it harder for you.

[Coltvoyance]

Ehhh, there's a fine line.

As a WHM main, I enjoy slamming enemies with balls to the wall damage and pushing the tech of my class to the limit while keeping a group alive with basic healing. I routinely get double and triple commendations from groups who are impressed by the effort I put into playing the class.

The gamble of "I can pull off one more holy" or "I've got time for this, X and X are ready for when shit hits the fan" is exhilarating.

Honestly, I'd argue some WHM abilities are irrelevant for healing 90% of the time. Thin Air? Thing is practically designed for Holy/Stone spam. Between Assize and Lucid Dreaming, your MP is near infinite for regular healing (unless you're also spamming res). Presence of Mind is useful if Swiftcast is down but otherwise, might as well throw it towards even more Holy/Stone spam.

I think SE is playing more with adding tools to the kit that can be used for DPS and Healing; while maybe being intended for DPS. While some of us may enjoy using those tools in unspecified ways, pushing things to the limit, SQE has to be careful with legitimizing Real damage from healers. They want people to focus on HEALING. You put too much pressure to also do damage, we may have more dead people and fewer healers. Marrying the two may alleviate that, or it may make the act of switching your brain between healing and offensive that much more complicated and burdensome.

Not every player is capable of that level of multi-tasking. It's hard. That's why people shy from also damaging, it's too much. So they stick with what they're comfortable with. To much pressure, they may just quit. There's healing, and then there's high-end healing. There's tanking, and high-end tanking. DPS, and high-end DPS. The difference is, the line between the two for healing is way more obvious and easier to see.

As for better, more engaging DPS options for healer? Please give me a new kind of attack! Holy/Wind DoT/Stone Strike have been the routine since 2.0!! PLEASE! Some new kind of GCD attack that involves water or something! I'm tired if seeing Green and Brown! More big splashes of blue! How about a vortex move that pulls enemies to the center for easy grouping?

Anything really. Just mix it up a tiny bit!

[Ayer2015]

Will never understand why this debate is still going. I think it was said before (not sure if by Yoshi or someone else up there) that encounters are tuned where healer DPS isn't factored into it. Assuming this also means things like savage, healers are not required to DPS and if there is a problem with meeting enrage timers and the like it sounds like a problem with the DPS than the healers.

So healers shouldn't have a reasonably engaging dps skill set for solo content?

[TaleraRistain]

Hell no. You want them to degrade the role even more? They need to do the exact opposite. They need to give us enough to do in fights in our main role. We heal, and they should add buffing and debuffing. Let us stay busy with party support. The only reason we have to turn to dpsing is because they make our role so unnecessary to use constantly, and the only abilities we have right now are dps abilities. I have absolutely no interest in being nothing but a green dps and I will drop the role I've played since ARR in a heartbeat if they did something like this.

[Altanas]

The Red Kojin in the MSQ use some fancy AoE water spells that I'd rather have for my whm...

I'm upset that mobs get the old fashioned line of spells like tier spells or ancient magic, and we get ... lillies.