4.5 WHM

[Ghishlain]

My AST doesn't seem to star it like, half the time so I've been Cure 3 M2'ing for a long time. I promise you it's as fun with aggro as you can imagine without a NIN~ If I don't lucid immediately after Akh there's a 50% chance I'll have the dragon. On the plus side, rather than dumping PI after Akh I think I can hold it till earthshakers, so that's kinda neat too. Gonna play around with Cure 3, Cure 3, swift M2 when running out this week just to see if I can have a 3 stack for it. Maybe swap a Cure 3 for medica to ensure no overheal for PI stacks and...technically less snap aggro.

I feel like you SHOULD be able to get away with a Cure III + Medica II. Also if you open the fight with Assize (I tend to use it on the second GCD), you should have it back in time for Akh Morn resolving so there's that too.

I'm trying to think if there are good instances to use PI since 30s still feels light for how the fight timeline is.

[Erakir]

I feel like you SHOULD be able to get away with a Cure III + Medica II. Also if you open the fight with Assize (I tend to use it on the second GCD), you should have it back in time for Akh Morn resolving so there's that too.

I'm trying to think if there are good instances to use PI since 30s still feels light for how the fight timeline is.

Oh I can definitely get away with a Cure 3 and M2, especially if largesse'd - the third cast I'm only considering just to give me a 3 stack PI for the earthshakers later on. Not cause it'd be necessary but just cause I like...want to hit that 3 stack for funsies~ I do open with Assize, didn't think about it coming back up for Akh Morn too now. Gonna take some playing around in other fights to see what confession timers feel like, especially since we're already used to PI usage based on the 10s duration. A large part of me just wants to be lazy and just do what's been working for farm~

[Ghishlain]

Oh I can definitely get away with a Cure 3 and M2, especially if largesse'd - the third cast I'm only considering just to give me a 3 stack PI for the earthshakers later on. Not cause it'd be necessary but just cause I like...want to hit that 3 stack for funsies~ I do open with Assize, didn't think about it coming back up for Akh Morn too now. Gonna take some playing around in other fights to see what confession timers feel like, especially since we're already used to PI usage based on the 10s duration. A large part of me just wants to be lazy and just do what's been working for farm~

Duly noted xD Have fun!

[EaMett]

But the bigger issue long term is this pure healer nonsense. If SE doubles down yet again... I predict we'll repeat Heavensward and Stormblood: At first WHM will be decent, but then some content that's hard to heal will come out. The other classes will ask for healing buffs to get on par with WHM. They'll get them. Then WHM... once more... is the red headed stepchild left in the cupboard under the stairs.

If they introduce a new healer I would be surprised if they moved away from the pure healer niche. We can always keep our fingers crossed though.

[Atlantasia]

As a WHM main since 2.0, I'd really like to see it have a place in this game again that makes people actually want it.

It's not top heals, AST is.
It's not top DPS, AST is, followed by SCH, with WHM in last place.
It doesn't bring any actual utility while AST brings versatile utility and SCH brings stable utility.

I don't know, I've never had a problem with MP management unless people are dying left and right due to their own stupidity, and good MP management is like the consolation prize you give to a three year old to pacify them when someone else wins. Between MP Song and Mana Shift, it counts for little.

I'd like at least one of the following:
1.) Potency buff for Stone/Aero
2.) Presence of Mind's cool down being reduced.
3.) AoE Presence of Mind.

I am happy with the reduction in enmity... but like others have said, in exchange for Assize racking in more hate generation than it already was. And I'm extremely glad for Plenary, because it's one of those skills that you just popped because you needed extra heals, now it can be timed to use more efficiently, which hey, it's useful now... x.x; At nearly the end of Storm Blood... but it's useful now right?

I'll take the changes, but it doesn't boost my confidence in what is in store for WHM in 5.0.

[Zolvolt]

Whitemage is the king when it comes to "I have all the healy buttons".

Which is super fun when it comes to the heaviest healing fights in the game but White Mage needs something more if its going to be appealing in the way Ast is apealing with its cards or the way Sch is appealing with its large array of tools & buttons to press along side the pet/multi DoT management.

In ARR I loved Whitemage because it was White Mage. But in HW as I branched out to Ast and eventually Sch is just feels like Whitemage does not supply enough gameplay to compete with the other two healers

[Gemina]

I believe SE is going to stick to its guns as well about WHM being the non-gimmick healer, but that impression doesn't come from these patch notes. Were some of you expecting them to add utility to WHM in this patch? My only issue is the ineffectiveness of SoTL2 compared to what the other healers get at 68 has still gone unaddressed. Even by itself it's garbage, and such a disappointing move from the devs.

I will continue to say that we're fighting a winless battle because healers will only continue to leap frog each other. I feel the healer community should not get their hopes up too high for WHM come 5.0. Even if they do get some kind of utility, I don't think it will quite get them on par with SCH and AST. There's only two raid slots for healers folks, and if DNC is introduced we will have two healers warming up the bench.

I am totally cool with WHM remaining a non-gimmick healer. I have two other healers to choose from if I wish for more engaging and challenging gameplay during duties. However, AST and SCH should not bring more damage than WHM. I am not sure if these adjustments will make that happen, but it is definitely relieving to see that they are at least headed that direction.

[Gemina]

I'd like at least one of the following:
1.) Potency buff for Stone/Aero
2.) Presence of Mind's cool down being reduced.
3.) AoE Presence of Mind.

Or how about all three? PoM and Cleric Stance should have the same CD as they are often used together when they line up. PoM is basically Haste, and WHM having AoE haste has been requested for some time now. This still wouldn't bring them to par with SCH or AST, as AST and SCH can already AoE haste a raid, but at least it's something.

I think the devs can still do a lot to improve WHM while still keeping it's non-gimmick identity intact. The AoE PoM could be tied to the lilies with the number of lilies simply increasing its range as just an example. I think everyone would love that, and it is such a simple concept the devs can add come 5.0.

[Daniolaut]

It makes up for the MP that you're spending since you can use it more frequently, but as stated it's like WHM got shafted again. Just stop focusing on the healing aspect of WHM SE and just give us a proper damage buff.

Assize restores 10% of mp, so not only are you spending less MP and time on casting healing spells, but you are also dealing damage, and gaining 10% mp back more often. I think people arent seeing the usefulness of this.

So long as the reduction in enmity for the other spells is significant enough, overhealing with assize will be ok, then its actually pretty good.

Its not a potency increase on stone IV, which is what WHM should be getting due to lack of utility and obvious lack in single target damage, but its a very nice change.

[Transient_Shadow]

Or an AoE Esuna or some dispell that lets WHM remove all debuffs with a single cast. Or even ReRaise.

Scholar has this so I don't see why not