question about whm/cnj?

[Imakles]

SS is a situational spell. Its high MP cost and slow cast time makes it unwise to spam. A cure costs less, can heal for more then SS can absorb (usually), has a chance to crit heal, and can trigger a free cure II cast. There are rare occasions where this may not be true, but for the vast majority cures are a better use of MP. That doesn't mean SS doesn't have merits or it's uses, so casters will have to "feel" out their group and make a judgement call based on time, aggro, and MP spent SSing group members versus outright curing them. Most cases, SS is a good pre-pull spell and good casters can refresh it as a fight is ending without stopping the group's progress. Definitely not a "one size fits all" kind of spell though so healers will have to use their heads when it is and isn't a good idea to use it mid fight.

[Zezeba]

I cure for ~935 +/- 3% that costs 133 mana for a 1.94s cast and results in a HPS of ~498 and HPM of 7.27. You can adjust this with an overhealing coefficient of around 15-20% to yield 420/6.15 respectively.

SS costs 266 Mana for a 3s cast, 18% on Tanks HP. It is 100% Efficient (Due to being a shield) and you are likely to NOT override your previous stoneskin. For the same HPS, the tank would have to have 20440 hit points. For the same HPM, the tank would have to require 9132 HP.

However, due to the fact that as tank % injury decreases, the amount of healing efficiency decreases, thus stoneskin IS a superior choice for instances when during the next "2" seconds, HP will not drop below the threshold...

[Loxius]

I find that stoneskin is useful if you don't want to get hate or want to shield a person before a big hit. Stoneskin either don't generate hate at all or it is not really noticable but its better to shield the tank at the beginning of the fight then to trow a cure of 2.
Once you're futher in the battle the casting time is too long to make it very useful unless you know some big attack is coming then it might help.

[RhazeCain]

I cure for ~935 +/- 3% that costs 133 mana for a 1.94s cast and results in a HPS of ~498 and HPM of 7.27. You can adjust this with an overhealing coefficient of around 15-20% to yield 420/6.15 respectively.

SS costs 266 Mana for a 3s cast, 18% on Tanks HP. It is 100% Efficient (Due to being a shield) and you are likely to NOT override your previous stoneskin. For the same HPS, the tank would have to have 20440 hit points. For the same HPM, the tank would have to require 9132 HP.

However, due to the fact that as tank % injury decreases, the amount of healing efficiency decreases, thus stoneskin IS a superior choice for instances when during the next "2" seconds, HP will not drop below the threshold...

Thanks for putting some numbers on the Cure that I was too lazy to look up myself.

As a reasonably well-geared Warrior, I hit 7600 HP currently. I'm sure 8000-8500 is possible with currently-in-game gear. So the tank HP numbers there are clearly unattainable at the moment. You didn't mention your approx gear level though: the efficiency of Cure would go up or down based on weapon, Mind, and Determination I believe.

As for that last sentence, wow. It took me a full minute to comprehend. I think it says "If you would overheal with Cure, then Stoneskin is better option." Uhh, yep. Agreed.

A paladin healing might prefer Stoneskin I suppose. Just because their Cure sucks badly.

[Urthdigger]

A useful way to look at SS is as a spell that restores 18% of the tank's HP, and just so happens to be able to exceed their max HP. On tanks with higher VIT (Or if your own MND isn't that great), Stoneskin can approach the same MP efficiency as Cure II. Unless that happens, the only time you should really be using Stoneskin is if the target is near max HP and a Cure II would overheal them.

Stoneskin is very useful to help give folks an additional cushion, especially against certain powerful moves. That said, you're probably only going to reliably see it up on the DPS, as tanks lose it in seconds. Theoretically, you COULD put it up on the tank between fights... but do you know any tanks that give you a few seconds before rushing off?

[Maelwys]

Theoretically, you COULD put it up on the tank between fights... but do you know any tanks that give you a few seconds before rushing off?

I tend to throw a Stoneskin on myself immediately after a fight* unless I'm paired with a particularly OCD White Mage. 10% HP is a nice extra buffer to take a group of mob's Alpha Strike with, and it's not like I need the MP for anything else except the occasional "Flash"...

* Technically, right BEFORE the end of a fight. Start casting when the foe is on its last sliver of HP so I finish by the time it's dead. Saves those extra "few seconds"!