New healer: Sage. Barrier healer.

[GrimGale]

We already have 3 pretty sparkle dancers. At least Sage has a slightly futuristic touch although it stills falls way too far into the clichéd "pure, sparkly, graceful mage healer type that dances in pure white across the battle field and makes everyone healthy and happy" category we already for my taste.

I'd argue Sage is as sparkly and graceful as WHM in that regard, at least judging by the spells we've seen. White dress, blue magical flutes, iridiscent laser attacks all choreographed with grand vals-like swings and poses.

I was on the Chemist side too. An alchemic item user that shoots potions and uses magitek seemed like the perfect fresh take for healer aesthetic. Brawny and brainy, more efficiency focused and battle-ready.

Oh well, maybe Sage will blow me away with its gameplay, who knows.

[Ordoric]

Maybe there will be a. Sch rework...and it becomes a flex style healer like astro. So pure heal whm pure barrier sage. And 2 flex ast and sch

[Reksanden]

Maybe there will be a. Sch rework...and it becomes a flex style healer like astro. So pure heal whm pure barrier sage. And 2 flex ast and sch

Nothing was said about a SCH rework - yet, anyway. We just know they'll share barrier-focused gameplay.

If SCH keeps it's tools, it already flexes somewhat, as two of it's abilities bear regens. So I feel that SGE will be much more focused on having stronger shielding at the cost that they don't apply much healing with those same skills, or will gain an extra effect if broken/unbroken/struck at all.

Given how many folks have shared the very valid concern that shielding becomes subpar once content has been learned, barriers doing more than merely adding eHP seems like one of the best ways to go about retaining their appeal.

[Rilifane]

I'd argue Sage is as sparkly and graceful as WHM in that regard, at least judging by the spells we've seen. White dress, blue magical flutes, iridiscent laser attacks all choreographed with grand vals-like swings and poses.

I was on the Chemist side too. An alchemic item user that shoots potions and uses magitek seemed like the perfect fresh take for healer aesthetic. Brawny and brainy, more efficiency focused and battle-ready.

Oh well, maybe Sage will blow me away with its gameplay, who knows.

That's why I wrote "slightly".
Because that's the only saving grace and keeps it from falling 100% into the clichéd white sparkle dancer category. So far it only looks 90% clichéd. Babysteps. The whole lazor thing is nice, though.

In a game this dps-focused you could go absolutely wild with aggressive combat medics that aim to prevent injuries. It's weird that the healer aesthetic contradicts the actual healer gameplay so much. Right now, SCHs nuke looks and sounds like the only that would actually hurt. Everything else is just "I'm gonna sparkle you to death ♥".

[Videra]

That's why I wrote "slightly".
Because that's the only saving grace and keeps it from falling 100% into the clichéd white sparkle dancer category. So far it only looks 90% clichéd. Babysteps. The whole lazor thing is nice, though.

In a game this dps-focused you could go absolutely wild with aggressive combat medics that aim to prevent injuries. It's weird that the healer aesthetic contradicts the actual healer gameplay so much. Right now, SCHs nuke looks and sounds like the only that would actually hurt. Everything else is just "I'm gonna sparkle you to death ♥".

On the topic of aesthetics, why was Broil 2 so much meatier than broil 3? We got robbed!

[Rilifane]

On the topic of aesthetics, why was Broil 2 so much meatier than broil 3? We got robbed!

Same with WhM, I liked the visuals and sounds from Stone 2/ 3 much more than Glare because it really felt, looked and sounded like you were smashing some skulls there. I loved the meaty hits.

[EaMett]

I can say the exact same thing about regens. Both are situational skills, and I shouldn't have to point this out to any experienced healer.

Regens are the majority of your heals if you're an experienced healer. It's hardly situational.

Edit: Shields however are almost never required. If you have ogcd shields, you'll just use them like you would a pure heal but that doesn't mean you're actually using the shield. You could replace those skills with pure healing skills and it would be the same.

[IceBlueNinja]

Same with WhM, I liked the visuals and sounds from Stone 2/ 3 much more than Glare because it really felt, looked and sounded like you smashing some skulls there. I loved the meaty hits.

stone iv for me love rocks going up tower style and making that nice smash sound.

[IceBlueNinja]

Regens are the majority of your heals if you're an experienced healer. It's hardly situational.

exactly and not all the time double regens seem viable to me

[Halivel]

I instantly cringed hearing the words "PURE HEALER" and "BARRIER HEALER".

Most likely just initial healing concept that was a thing in ARR where WHM was more regen/strong heals based, and SCH was more shields based.