The reason we healers DPS

[Hunky]

I've posted a lot about this in the past, and I'll post it again. Healers dps in this game because the game lends itself to it.

There is so much downtime that healers can weave in some pretty decent dps. Many enemy attacks are telegraphed and avoidable. When things are going right, dpsing just makes for a faster and smoother run.

And I'll write it again:

You never truly stop "healing" as a healer. Some people make it sound as if healers only have two choices: dps, or heal. That is not the case. Dpsing as a healer doesn't mean you're not doing your job. When I dps as a healer, I'm always keeping an eye on my fellow party members. I check to see if the tank needs regen, who needs healing, esuna, etc. You never really stop doing your job as a healer. Dpsing as a healer doesn't mean you're prioritizing dps over healing. It means you are trying your best to contribute as much as you can, to be an outstanding party member. Of course, you always stop dpsing as soon as a party member needs help. But when the right conditions are in place (tank's regen is up, nobody needs healing, there's downtime), then dpsing is a great way to help your party. Dpsing as a healer is about going beyond the basic minimum. Dpsing as a healer means understanding your toolkit and utilizing those tools as efficiently as you can.

Of course, there will be times and situations where you can't dps because you got to heal first. That's totally understandable, and it would be unreasonable to demand or expect healers to dps during such times.

And no, this isn't about "well, dps players need to do their job so I don't have to dps." That's a totally different issue. Whether or not dps players are hitting their optimal rotations, dpsing as a healer (at the right time) will always be a positive thing.

Thank you for posting this, Urthdigger. I agree with you.