Quote Originally Posted by loreleidiangelo View Post
I think that what you're hoping for is a pipe dream, tbh. If DNC is the next healer I can predict its kit to the letter minus its job gauge gimmick and "utility". That's not fun.
Yeah, but these kinds of times are when they have a better chance of trying to open up the classes a bit more.

Opening up more varied DPS rotations that still equate to similar DPS as DoT + single Nuke spam.

Altering the core heals to have more variety, whilst still retaining some level of basic functionality.

Not to mention, adjusting their utility and job gauges to be more impactful on their gameplay (Like for example BLM/RDM/SAM/SMN)

Quote Originally Posted by loreleidiangelo View Post
There's no room in this game for a cleave heal specialist (2-target healing), or a single-target channeling healer, or a pure HoT-based healer, because those things wouldn't fit nicely in the prepackaged box of healing spells SE allots for healers every expansion.
Well, there would be. If healing potency wasn't jacked up so that the typical end-game healer is spamming DPS the majority of the time.

A cleave healer could work, as they already have precedent with AST and Synastry. It just requires 2 targets to be taking damage frequently in a way that isn't covered by lelAoE skills.

Single-target channelled healer could work. It just requires Tanks to be taking constant, considerable damage. After which, just give them barebones AoE healing and voila you've made a viable ST channel focused healer, but that can still do dungeons and trials without feeling gimped when AoE damage happens.

HoT based healer would be super simple. You just give them a standard ST heal to use for spot healing and at low levels and then give 'em a bunch of HoTs and HoT synergy (Such as making their standard basic ST heal into the more powerful higher potency version if the target has X and Y HoT on them)

It is quite possible to create distinct playstyles within a role even with their core capabilities being shared. The fact that they have not done so with Tanks/Healers doesn't mean it's impossible, it just means that they haven't done it and then scaling has made it all a lot worse by allowing massive healing throughput to further homogenize already fairly bland roles by negating many things that could potentially serve to differentiate them, leaving only 1-2 really good skills being the major difference between them.