Thread: On 2.1 WHM Nerfs

The language in my original post about this overstepped the forum guidelines, and for that I apologise. I reacted angrily. Still, I do want to keep this as a point of discussion so I shall repost and hope to address the crux of the matter in a more rational manner.

I am extremely annoyed at the nerfing of WHM's in the 2.1 Patch Notes in the following manner:

1) Removal of the Thunder cross-class skill. I ran some theoretical numbers on a near optimal rotation, and while the single target DPS reduction isn't huge if we replace Thunder with another Stone II (a net 1.5% loss in single-target dps potential), it comes at the expense of an extra 7.5% mana cost. This nerf isn't huge for WHM's alone, but it does make mana management more of an issue if WHMs want to DPS assist as well.

2) Nerfing of Holy down to a 200 Potency power from 240 (a 17% nerf). Holy costs 532 mana, which is for most White Mages, about 1/8th of their total mana pool. WHM's do not regenerate mana like a BLM does. It also draws a ton of aggro if misused. Usage of Holy is a carefully calculated application based upon the circumstances at the time. It's not a spammable power. I hear people say it's over-powered. At 240 potency and with Cleric Stance on it was strong, but once again in any fight it couldn't be cast more than about 4-6 times (depending on Shroud cooldown) or otherwise you have no mana left with which to heal the party with, so it suited its purpose well. A strong bursting AoE that helped out where possible.

3) Nerfing of the Cure II proc (Overcure) which previously granted a guaranteed Crit Heal on a Cure III. Now we get a normal Cure III, but at half-mana. Yes, we get a radius upgrade of Cure II from 4y to 6y, which is still tiny. Positional latency is such that while as a healer you think you're gonna get everyone in a single area with a Cure III, most often people have moved out of its area of effect long ago as far as the server is concerned. Cure III has always been a single target burst heal with the Overcure proc with it just being lucky if it hits others. 6y is still too small. It's a 550 cure potency spell that costs 399 mana with a 6y radius. 2 x Medica I's instead have a 600 total cure potency with a 15y radius around the WHM for 638 mana. Medica II grants a net total 700 cure potency for 665 mana and with a 20y radius. If you want to heal multiple people with no questions asked the Medica's are the way to go. IMO, at least make the Cure III an 8y radius so if you cast it on any of the melee DPS in a fight, it's generally going to heal ALL of the melee people. Cure III USED to be a good proc for a guaranteed 825 cure potency crit heal which made its mana cost justifiable. Now with the half-mana proc nerf, it's become a 550 potency heal for 200 mana, instead of a 650 potency Cure II for 266 mana. In effect, Cure III has gone from being situationally useful on a proc, to being no better than a Cure II on a proc.

4) Nerfing of Medica II's burst group healing capability. Yes, I know, it's now at half potency for twice as long, so it all adds up the same, but Medica II used to be THE goto power when you want the whole team healed close to full before the next large AoE attack from the boss comes, because of the course of 15s it's a total 700 potency cure (910 potency with Divine Seal active). It is notably very useful in primal battles where people gather and then have to scatter again quickly to avoid AoEs. It was something that could be cast and left to do its job which was usually done before the next big AoE. Now with the 30s duration, that's no longer a guarantee. People may say "well just throw a Medica I in there as well", but if people need to scatter and the WHM needs to move too to avoid an AoE, there's often not time to hit everyone with the Medica I as well, and it also burns more mana in the process, which is a precious resource for the WHM".

Now, plenty of people seem to think that healers should not try to DPS, and IMO, that is one of the most inane, asinine, idiotic and stupid statements I hear. There are times when things are a DPS race, and if a WHM can throw up some regenerative heal-over-time heals, and pitch in an increase overall party dps by a third, then why not? You're in WP in a low dps party and the stalker's about to catch up, do you want the WHM to just stand there and heal only and risk a wipe from the party getting stabbed to death, or would you like the WHM become the deific personification of holy vengeance that they can be, and assist in taking out the bad guys. You're in AK with a low-DPS party, do you want the WHM to not assist with the wall, or not helping to take Anantaboga down?

I DPS strongly as a WHM where possible, and you know what, ALL (but one idiot I came across who insisted I just heal only 'cos "that's your ONLY job") appreciates it greatly. With the grind of earning enough to buy a house, or real life pressures of your partner calling you to dinner, bed, whatever, why would you want WHM's to be nerfed and not dps such that runs take longer? It doesn't make sense. These nerfs don't just impact WHM's alone, they impact everyone indirectly. You may say that in the true end-game content that all you can do is heal, and I wholly agree. I've done Coil. It's a major healing-only job that is actually fun, and I've had plenty of people compliment me as being one of the better healers on my server. Coil isn't a 24/7 thing though, and I get called on to help grind out people's Myth Tomestones because their runs go that much faster when I'm in the party because I'm a strong DPS'ing WHM.

At the end of the day, my disappointment with the 2.1 patch notes for WHMs is huge.