Pipe Dreams: Expanding the healer pool

[Daniolaut]

The trend I've observed is that a lot of people feel that any other healer would, by the mere fact of its existence, either be superior to the WHM and replace it or would have to be inferior to the WHM and never be wanted in anything. I think that's either tragically naive or foolishly reductionist.

I've yet to see one person from that side of the fence acknowledge the possibility of other healer playstyles being possible, except for lack of faith in FFXIV's designers to balance the class properly or take advantage of its unique strengths to cater some elements of primal battles towards one style and other elements towards other styles. That would be an argument I could at least understand, because asymmetrical mechanics are hard to balance against each other.

I really can't understand why so many people feel that you can't even change the aesthetics of the WHM (new animations, outfits, weapon class and design, etc) but otherwise identically copy the class into something new, without crying "oh no, CHM/GRN/SMN/WWZ/PND is going to replace WHM!"

And given how many people acknowledge that there was a shortage of WHMs in 1.0 (and some observing how a lack of WHMs in XI led to shoe-horning non-healer jobs into healer roles), I would think more people would be interested in exploring the possibility of a second healer, even if the only difference were aesthetic.

You've turned my opinion into a sign of "whiny, naive, and foolish" -ness. Yet you clearly missed what I and quite possibly many others are trying to point out.

WHM is a FF trademark. Its is, and has been known as the designated "healer."

Its not a matter of what other MMO's do, or what people who dont play the job think, its a matter of formula.

Again you havent stated a real valid point yet. So far your statement is you dont play WHM because you dont like it, thus you request another class. This is not solid grounds for arguing that SE should change the famed FF formula. Other companies can get away with throwing whatever out there because they dont have a good formula that works, or that is defined.

We all acknowledge the possibility of another healing job, and know the current development team is more than capable of properly balancing the job, the problem is that its completely unnecessary. (I highly doubt anyone in this entire forum is that completely uninformed and "naive." I also doubt you honestly believe that, and you are instead, just trying to use aggressive persuasiveness, which sadly works often times on the internet for some unknown reason.)

Please state why its needed. To my knowledge there was not a lack of WHM's, and if there were, its because people just dont like healing, no matter what the job. WHM, IMO, is by far the most perfected healing job.

Also take into consideration we are awaiting Final Fantasy XIV:A Realm Reborn, which will usher in a change to all the jobs, and their style of play.