Not another DPS thread...well, ok maybe sorta?

[Ghishlain]

To expand on this topic a bit more, even though it's not recommended and outside the scope of one's roles, players being able to make use of their tool kits to their utmost efficiency and providing clutch recoveries is what differentiates a good player from an exceptional players.

Good players know their roles and execute them passably and get the job done. It might not be the most efficient / fastest / effective means, but there were no serious hiccups or derpy moves made.

The exceptional players are those who make use of their tool kit and can adapt quickly to unexpected and ever changing situations that arise from any encounter. These are the players who can make clutch wins happen, who knows how to pick up the slack if someone else falls, who can counter balance the mistake of someone else if push comes to shove. These are the players who understand their role, play it to its maximum potential in that role, and then exceed that role by completing tasks that are not normally tasked to them while maintaining their efficiency or preventing a catastrophe from hitting the party.

I wish there was more exceptional players out there though, but I guess that's why they are that: 'exceptional'. At one point in time during a DF HM Ifrit, we had a non-AoE LB setup given and we decided to give it a shot. After two wipes on the nails, we worked on ordering and who was Limit Breaking where and which target, as well as getting added DPS from one of the healers to help burn down the nails. Lo and behold, success! But then, right on the first set of eruptions, our OTs Stun gets resisted and then promptly gets exploded in the face along with the rest of the party except for myself and MT. We're at two and a half bars of LB and I figure in my head if the MT continues to stun, we'll get up to LB3 and I can wipe recovery the party with my LB3.

...the MT doesn't stun, just continues to build hate nonchalantly and doesn't stun at all. He literally eats the next set of eruptions and I can only heal so much while trying to dodge eruptions myself. He eventually dies and we wipe.

It's situations like these where experts play up and beyond your role can lead to clutch wins and victories and I wish more players had the capacity to understand their tool kit beyond their designated role.

Oh well.

[Simaril]

I was in a terrible Haukke Manor group where the tank had awful gear, and didn't seem to undestand threat. I couldn't do much more than heal, and repose. The next run I had a great tank, and dps that cc'd everything - I moved cleric stance to my main bar, and dps'd A LOT.

The best players in any MMO have situational awareness to do what is most beneficial in a given circumstance. Sometimes that might be sit back and heal, other times it might be CC, or DPS to contribute more. It's all going to depend on theplayers in th group, theire gear, skill set, and the mechanics SE throws at us.

I'm guessing there will be DPS races where healing is trivial and every bit of damage is absolutely neccesary... and there will be healer intensive fights where the healer can do nothing but spam heal.

[Aphrini]

The last two posts are pretty much my view, yes DPS healing may be horrible but a exceptional player knows how to use all their tools to succeed. Perhaps on their own they cannot turn the tide but maybe in a particular situation xyz factor inserted the whm is already doing the brunt work but a quick assistance heal can save the day. Obviously not normal or every fight but I believe all options regardless of job should always be on the table.

[Whippet]

I do not consider myself an exeptionall player and i can still nuke np

people need to stop putting the word 'elitist' everywhere

[Aphrini]

You will always be leet in my book buddy

[thegodthatwas]

I have 50 vlm and 50 whm. I have to say more than a few times, when the whm dies, or hell even the whm AND the tank, that if the other dps can kite at all, I've spammed Physick constantly to give them time to run back and save us. But if the Dragoon/Monk etc can't kite... it's almost a waste of time.

Edit: Also the BLM can bind / sleep / heavy run away back toward the tank/healer coming back also helps.

[Ghishlain]

I do not consider myself an exeptionall player and i can still nuke np

people need to stop putting the word 'elitist' everywhere

I do use the word "exceptional" quite broadly and generally, but those traits I've defined are the players that stand out the most in my mind and I feel deserve the recognition they deserve. "Well played" may be the better term to use perhaps, as I also do not feel like an exceptional player in the general sense, just understand the nuances of the class and can play it well (and just like yourself, I am also able to nuke while healing effectively).

I do feel you misunderstand the intent of my post though. I feel the mindset and play style I defined in my post is something that everyone should be striving to achieve, but "elitist" has an very strong negative connotation that I did not wish to impart in my original post. The abrasive elitist attitude doesn't create a solid community foundation and I try to avoid it when I can because it generally devolves down to is "MY OPINION IS BETTER THAN YOURS" followed by an array of petty name calling.

It was certainly not my intent to make "elitist" sound nicer by saying "exceptional player".

[Aphrini]

I took it to mean exceptional as in very good at what they do Elitist is far cry from exceptional also I did not assume you to be saying that you were exceptional, though I bet you are