WHM toolkit suggestions and changes (PI and Lily)

[lulunami]

WHM could get a single target Haste spell to buff another target. Make Haste have a 120 second or 150 second cooldown. If they do not really have to buff WHM pDPS, they can give WHM minor rDPS buffs. WHM had a haste buff in FFXI.

[EaMett]

I guess I should clarify here.

Multiple things come to mind here. I think first and foremost what I want to say is that it's no surprise that players manage to put PI to good use. This doesn't mean it isn't counter productive to the class though and couldn't be replaced with something more in line with highlighting the WHM toolkit rather than shutting down one of the biggest issues behind medica II which is improper leverage of the HoT's potency. I'm going to go out and a limb and say that your hots in the very fight you describe probably overheal a good 40 if not 50% on that first section. This actually makes me think that [spirit consumption] should use anything above 50% potency of remaining hots to be an effective tool.

Now with that in mind, all your front loading needs could be met with [spirit consumption] above. This would just require a means of generating a lily early on. If you keep potential thorn mechanics you may decide to heal the entire section differently as well.
Also sounds like you're taking most of the healing burden by yourself in your examples. You shouldn't have to use a single GCD on that last add phase. Medica II as he punts everyone and asylum should be enough. Hots and shields alone cover the first intake and indom/star and potential assize deal with the second hit. Third one can be healed after he dies. Actually the entire first phase through adds should probably only require about 1 gcd per healer (during sections where you can dps, not talking about out of bound casting). And that's without considering PI and with a GCD that can be swiftcasted.. It's just that WHM doesn't have much in the way of weaving atm.

To respond to the thorn concern. It would only trigger on damage that does not kill the target. And only on actual damage applied (after shields). Your min-maxing would come in multiple forms. Potentially sacrificing a gcd to set the mechanic up, omit some forms of shielding in exchange for others. maybe everyone takes the dadaluma bleed because chain cure III is more dps efficient than current strats.
I'm not saying there isn't much to take into account. But with relatively low percentages on stacks even the cheesing aspects shouldn't make or break a fight. It might mean WHM is absolutely meta for speedkill in -some- encounters. But that would be amazing since it currently isn't even considered. Somehow I don't share the balance fear you have for this mechanic. Especially not with the current PI timer. Most of the time, at low % of 1 3 5 or maybe lower this would probably only express itself as added (well needed) pdps/rdps from the WHM.

[Valmaxian]

I don't know if it would be good or not, but an idea I have for WHM might be to give it an "Aura" system that could provide benefits to the player. Some possibilities:

-Regen aura
-Threat reduction
-Self cast speed/damage increase

Also, I think any GCD WHM spell should potentially generate lilies. *shrug*

[Elamys]

I would hardly say PI is "counter productive" to the job. As a skill in and of itself, it's actually quite well designed. The problem is that it exists in an environment that can't support it. How often is so much AoE damage coming out that you're going to get it to 3 stacks and then still need it? If the buff lasted a little longer that would help, at least. That issue affects Medica II as well. Not enough damage goes out in general to make full usage of WHM's kit.

[EaMett]

WHM could get a single target Haste spell to buff another target. Make Haste have a 120 second or 150 second cooldown. If they do not really have to buff WHM pDPS, they can give WHM minor rDPS buffs. WHM had a haste buff in FFXI.

This is however clearly something they do not want to do. Contrary to the class identity.

[EaMett]

I would hardly say PI is "counter productive" to the job. As a skill in and of itself, it's actually quite well designed. The problem is that it exists in an environment that can't support it. How often is so much AoE damage coming out that you're going to get it to 3 stacks and then still need it? If the buff lasted a little longer that would help, at least. That issue affects Medica II as well. Not enough damage goes out in general to make full usage of WHM's kit.

The content and game design of "all healers can heal all content" is what makes PI counter productive. Right now you can only use it in a window where your HoTs are most likely still up. If you increase the timer on it it becomes a different mechanic entirely. Like someone posted above, it might as well be a fixed potency skill on cooldown at that point.

[Elamys]

Mmm, I think the stack mechanic would still be worth keeping around. One of their stated design goals was to make classes have a simpler skill floor, but a higher skill ceiling. A good WHM with the stack mechanic might be familiar with how much damage is coming and know that, say, 2 Medicas + a 2 stack PI is enough to get everyone back together with minimal overhealing. This of course assuming we'd have a fight with the right amount of damage for that. Also, it's just more mechanically interesting than an oGCD AoE heal with a fixed potency. You could make everything in the game be just a button with a fixed potency but how interesting would that be?

[Fiorinol]

I think Plenary is fine. Where WHM needs a buff is their damage. WHM doesn't need more healing, unless the game provides fights that require WHM, healing has diminishing returns.

[EaMett]

I think Plenary is fine. Where WHM needs a buff is their damage. WHM doesn't need more healing, unless the game provides fights that require WHM, healing has diminishing returns.

Again, my suggestions nerf healing and up dps. I'm not sure why people are getting the opposite from it. Is it the wording? Or perhaps you weren't talking about me.

[EaMett]

Mmm, I think the stack mechanic would still be worth keeping around. One of their stated design goals was to make classes have a simpler skill floor, but a higher skill ceiling. A good WHM with the stack mechanic might be familiar with how much damage is coming and know that, say, 2 Medicas + a 2 stack PI is enough to get everyone back together with minimal overhealing. This of course assuming we'd have a fight with the right amount of damage for that. Also, it's just more mechanically interesting than an oGCD AoE heal with a fixed potency. You could make everything in the game be just a button with a fixed potency but how interesting would that be?

A skilled WHM won't use their gcd enough to stack PI in the first place. (Outside of a select few fights). It'll be padding or more upfront healing in any event. If you up the timer and actually allow these players to stack them it'll still probably only free an extra gcd every minute and a half. It then becomes a healing buff which WHM does not need and you don't even get a decent dps buff from it. Which is the current sticking point for WHM.
As a reminder, PI was originally meant to provide extra comfort on tank healing and backfired because proc rates were abysmal. The current PI was a quick patch that was usable but distinctly lopsided for the class.