DPSing as a healer - best practices

[Simaril]

I like to dps as a whm, and have to restrain myself to conserve mana on bosses.

-I love repose... especailly in undergeared, or unskilled groups
-I don't like to switch stances; I'd rather be ready to heal at any given time

-stoneskin!!

[TastiestFrank]

Stoneskin is significantly better to use on WHM when in CS. Benediction is a safety valve that you really should never use.

We're talking about speeding up trivial content like WP and AK, right?

I'd argue that Benediction is a tool to be used like any other, and I'm saying that you can afford to play riskier while it's available, and you play tigher when it's not.

If you'd rather play like you should 'never use it', take it off your bar.

A Swiftcast Stoneskin may get you safely out of Cleric Stance back into regular healing, but you never want to get stuck chain-Stoneskinning in Cleric Stance.

It's not efficient healing even on the best geared tanks.

[FinagleABagel]

We're talking about speeding up trivial content like WP and AK, right?

I'd argue that Benediction is a tool to be used like any other, and I'm saying that you can afford to play riskier while it's available, and you play tigher when it's not.

If you'd rather play like you should 'never use it', take it off your bar.

A Swiftcast Stoneskin may get you safely out of Cleric Stance back into regular healing, but you never want to get stuck chain-Stoneskinning in Cleric Stance.

It's not efficient healing even on the best geared tanks.

Speed runs have zero to do about mana efficiency so long as you have enough to continuously DPS and keep the tank alive. My point is that Benediction is one shot and then you are basically out of it for awhile. Unlike Lustrate, you can't depend on having a quick spike available on every single pull.

You shouldn't need to chain cast SS. Given a 6k HP Tank - stoneskin is 1080 mitigation. That's a good "heal".

[Odd]

It doesn't sound like you're talking about speed runs, but I'll mention this anyways.

What I do for each pack of mobs:
1. Always Stoneskin the tank at the start of the dungeon, and right start casting it again right as the last mobs of each pull are almost dead.
2. At the start of each pull cast Divine Seal
3. Cure 2 the tank
4. Regen the tank
5. Medica 2 the group
6. (If necessary) Cure 2 tank again.
7. Use Cleric stance
8. Holy spam (at least 4)

With the stun effect of Holy you wont have to throw out any more cures if the group is properly geared. This is helped by the DS regen and medica. An awesome PLD taught me this method and it works amazingly. This, and only this is how sub 10 minute WP runs are possible.

Just be sure to have Shroud ready because as I'm sure you know multiple Holy's (Holies?) pull a lot of hate, and us whms are squishy!

[Sirantha]

Thanks to everyone for the tips! And for reference, I am specifically referencing WP/AK.

It doesn't sound like you're talking about speed runs, but I'll mention this anyways.

Thanks for your tips! I always Stoneskin at the beginning of each group in an SR, and Divine Seal into Regen, but I had never thought of using Medica II, that'll be useful! I need to get better at Holy spam. My gear has been quite cruddy until recently, so my first and only SR was mostly me spamming heals during trash then DPSing in boss fights, but it went super well anyway. I just need more practice.

[Tranquil]

It doesn't sound like you're talking about speed runs, but I'll mention this anyways.

What I do for each pack of mobs:
1. Always Stoneskin the tank at the start of the dungeon, and right start casting it again right as the last mobs of each pull are almost dead.
2. At the start of each pull cast Divine Seal
3. Cure 2 the tank
4. Regen the tank
5. Medica 2 the group
6. (If necessary) Cure 2 tank again.
7. Use Cleric stance
8. Holy spam (at least 4)

With the stun effect of Holy you wont have to throw out any more cures if the group is properly geared. This is helped by the DS regen and medica. An awesome PLD taught me this method and it works amazingly. This, and only this is how sub 10 minute WP runs are possible.

This is the right way to do it. Logged in just to upvote and quote this post. We do WP in 8-9 minutes when we cap Myth weekly or someone needs philo. I'm sure we could push it to sub-8 with a few gear upgrades, though. The only thing I could possibly add to that post is to cast E4E during the right time for pulls whenever it's available for use. (Eg. in WP, as your tank has flashed the first two tonberries in the dungeon and while he's started sprinting towards the buzzards - just have to cast it so that the E4E won't chain-aggro the buzzards to you from the tank, which will happen if you cast an action on the tank too late, ie. just before he is about to engage with the NPCs before generating more threat).

[TastiestFrank]

Speed runs have zero to do about mana efficiency so long as you have enough to continuously DPS and keep the tank alive. My point is that Benediction is one shot and then you are basically out of it for awhile.

You shouldn't need to chain cast SS. Given a 6k HP Tank - stoneskin is 1080 mitigation. That's a good "heal".

If you dont have a Bard, efficiency can impact speed, but generally I agree with you there. The OP's question is about dealing with unexpected spikes and surprises - Benediction is one tool in our kit for offsetting that exact problem.

I agree with you that relying on it for every pull is poor play, but that wasnt what I advocated. I do a few speedruns every day on my WHM and rarely need Benediction - I usually use it so I can Holy a few more times to further speed up a run since I know the pulls like clockwork and don't need it.

[Klive]

First, know your tank. Watch a few pulls and see how they handle themselves.

Second, have a plan. I have lustrates up for when I dps for "oh crap" spikes. WHM a regen and a stoneskin should give enough to get a few Stone II in. Keep a swiftcast stoneskin for "oh crap" spikes.

Third, use debuffs before dpsing. Virus, eye for an eye, bind, and sleep; give extra time for you to dps.

Forth, play SCH and have your fairy cover it.

[TaneshimaPopura]

Basically what I do...

1.>Stoneskin
2.>Let Tank drop to 55-65% (Cure 1 if tank takes a hit which brings him down to 30%)
3.>Out of CS Divine Seal Regen
4.>Stoneskin
5.>CS DPS (Quickcast Stoneskin if QC is available and Stoneskin is down)
Repeat from step 2.

[Hysterior]

As Scholar I stay in Cleric stance for all trash mobs in WP or AK
I place my fairy all the time so she is a bit better at healing and she is usually sufficient
If problem I use lustrate (not affected by cleric stance)
I switch out of CS and cast succor between pulls then back to DPS mode