Coming to understand WHM in endgame

[NocturniaUzuki]

Once you start noticing what AST and SCH is capable of, you really start to feel how ridiculous WHM is. It pretty much fails at everything it sets out to do.

This is a massive overstatement. It may not have as high a DPS potential as the other healers, and the Lily system is obviously in need of a major rework, but I don't feel it's ridiculous at all. If it was that bad, nobody would play it in Savage raiding, and yet plenty of people do. And it can even solo heal everything as well, as far as I know, with the possible exception of some raids that absolutely require shields. Although some of those can be covered by tanks.

And it has a playstyle that is really rather enjoyable. Cure III, Thin Air, Asylum, and Plenary Indulgence are very satisfying skills to use. In comparison to Earthly Star and Collective Unconscious, they do have some drawbacks, but also some advantages. The advantage of Cure III is that it doesn't have a cooldown, and doesn't need 10s to reach maximum potency. The advantage of Asylum is that it has a longer base duration than Collective Unconscious' regen, the latter of which can be extended, but does so at the cost of a 120s CD ability. Asylum could use a small potency buff, perhaps, and/or a radius buff.

But ultimately, WHM is the most satisfying healer to play from a positional point of view. AST and SCH are frankly allowed to take the lazy route to positioning. Party members have a lot of freedom to move, and still get healed. With WHM, that's not the case. You can call this a massive flaw, but I look at AST and SCH and think it's boring that you can skip so much positional optimization. I mean, hell, if we're busy talking about how WHM is "bad" because in top tier parties, it can't output as much DPS, and it's healing tools are "weak", the topic of it's hard-to-use abilities really shouldn't come up, considering it's a "top tier" party that should know how to work with a WHM, and yet it does. Just because it requires more party coordination doesn't mean it's bad. Some potencies could use a buff, a shorter Stone cast time would be nice, and the Lily system needs it's rework, but I have no issue with WHM's current position. Least of all its identity. Because it does have an identity. It's the game's compiling healer. Though actually, the buff to Plenary Indulgence hurt that identity a bit.

[NocturniaUzuki]

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Since Healing is Always done by 2 healers, it is important to have a rough understand of your co-heal tool so that you Don't interfer with their Healing.

While this is definitely a good point, I can't help but take issue with the way you said "always done by 2 healers"

[deadman1204]

The "competitive advantage" of WHM is they have the strongest heals. However, the other 2 healers can function in all cases just fine, which means it isn't an advantage.
Leaving WHM with no competitive utility, same or lower dps than other heals, and more gcd heals (especially if your under 70).
People play all classes cause they like them. But when you compare all 3 healers, its obvious that one is lacking.

[Exiled_Tonberry]

The "competitive advantage" of WHM is they have the strongest heals. However, the other 2 healers can function in all cases just fine, which means it isn't an advantage.

I wish more people could understand this. It's not called an advantage when every other healer can do what you do regardless.

[Ftail]

I wish more people could understand this. It's not called an advantage when every other healer can do what you do regardless.

If all the healers were going hunting for deer in the woods, both the AST & SCH would come with a nice hunting rifle which is perfect for the job. WHM is the only healer that would come hunting for deer with an RPG. The job is complete overkill. I can understand balancing WHM more in the next expansion, I support that idea, maybe nerf them and give them a hunting rifle like an AST & SCH and buff them in other areas that they are lacking. DPS between all 3 healers is the most balanced DPS we've ever seen.



4.4 comparison:

The only thing WHM is missing is raid utility to make it even with AST & SCH. Also you can't properly say it's not an "advantage" to have superior heals, especially when those heals are not on a time gate. However, you can say it's almost never an advantage in organized high end groups. When the other healer dies, sure you can blame the party wipe on the person who fucked up, but a WHM might be able to keep the group together where a SCH & AST would fail solo. You'd be correct if you said it's not an advantage that negates the deficits of the job or something similar. Sorry, I'm being nit picky.