PLEASE, stop teaching/telling new healers to DPS

[Lyrinn]

True but everyone has to learn how to do this eventually and lower level dungeons are a much more forgiving place to practice.

While we're on the topic of practice, these are a few things I would recommend to get the hang of healer DPSing without risking too much on a wipe.

• Bind cleric stance to something you can push easily. I personally have mine on E.
• Practice moving in and out of cleric stance first. Don't sit in cleric stance and immediately start spamming Stone (II). There's a short delay after CSing before you can turn it back off, so get a feel for when it's safe to do it. You also have to be careful about double tapping it when you're turning it off because there's no cooldown (you can turn it off and then jump straight back into it back to back).
• Start with the simple stuff. Use Aero in cleric stance, then jump back out. Then chain it to Aero II. Then into Stone (II). But as soon as people's health bars start dipping low, you need to immediately drop any thoughts of DPSing and focus on healing. Healer first, DPS second.
• Once you're comfortable doing that without letting anyone drop low, you can perform some of the "riskier" combos and stay in CS for extended periods of time.
• Know your mana requirements. If you're going to be healing intensively, you probably don't want to drop below 50% MP for DPSing. Use Shroud of Saints often.

Key point is, heals first. Always heals first.

[Raestloz]

At the same time; a healer that does DPS and heals, without running out of MP is better than the healer that only heals. A healer doing DPS can in some cases be the difference between a clear and a wipe; notable cases are Titan's heart, Turn 4 and Garuda Extreme plumes. Any encounter with an enrage where every last drop of DPS is required is a time where your DPS could make the difference.

Nobody is saying DPS is more important than healing; a healer should NEVER compromise their healing for DPS; but when they are able, they would better the group to do so. This is the difference between bad healers, good healers and outstanding healers.

Of course. That's the entire reason I said "dps AND runs out of mana". You're stating the obvious. I'm saying that, a healer who does nothing but heals is the lesser evil compared to a healer who runs our of Mana because they're trying to do what their role is not about. Therefore, the OP has merits.

[bloodSp3c]

i throw out the occasional holy for multiple adds in boss fights but other than that i never dps. that's what dps jobs are for!

[Fylion]

Majority Voice thus far:

[mraz_syah]

yada2 bla2 wha
so summary from all thousand conclusions forums from this earth; Healer Roles : Heal > DPS > watch cat youtube or something

side note : hey DPS! (SMN) ur not doing ur job if u not rez-ing people *Ragequit*

[Thunderz]

yada2 bla2 wha
so summary from all thousand conclusions forums from this earth; Healer Roles : Heal > DPS > watch cat youtube or something

side note : hey DPS! (SMN) ur not doing ur job if u not rez-ing people *Ragequit*

minus the rage quit, he is right.

The cost of raise is pretty bad and SMN have infinite MP ∞ why wouldn't you do it?

[LiadansWhisper]

There are some healers that are never going to master the "art," if you will, of DPSing in a dungeon while effectively healing the party. Whether because they just can't multi task or they can't target switch...or what... I'm of the opinion that they should just focus on healing. For the good of the party (because I hate wipes!).

I do keep running into healers who don't seem to grasp that they're supposed to...you know...heal....while leveling alt jobs. It's quite frustrating, to say the least.

[Raestloz]

That'd be one of the infamous "how to NOT be a healer" :lol:

[Nalou]

I'm still a low level healer (35 whm). I try to dps while in dungeons, not because I don't want to heal, but because I think the whm job is designed with dpsing included in it, since we have Cleric Stance, dots and a couple nukes.

However, I don't really understand that design.
I consider Cleric Stance more an annoyance than an asset.
I need cleric stance to put dots on, but it sucks to hinder my reactivity to be able to perform a basic task like dotting.
And I don't need nuking, I do it because I have to go into Cleric stance for dots.

If I just ignore cleric stance in dungeons, I'll spend some time... doing nothing.

Cleric Stance is easy to use when everything goes right and pretty much wipes the party when something goes wrong.
I feel it punishes me too hard if I make a mistake or if someone else makes a mistake... yet I have to use it because the job is build around it.

[Shmunkster]

I'm still a low level healer (35 whm). I try to dps while in dungeons, not because I don't want to heal, but because I think the whm job is designed with dpsing included in it, since we have Cleric Stance, dots and a couple nukes.

Not really. We have the CS so we dont spend points on INT...and we need a DPS spell as otherwise our solo questing would be "healing people to death". That aint gonna work is it?

I do the CS dance, but only when it is safe, and never at the risk of Mana. For example....boss fight, tank n spank for first 30%....I won't spank. Couple of DoTs and Virus, maybe. I need my mana, cos I know adds are coming, or some crazy-bitch ass aoes where I need to heal like a mutha...or raise my fellow fighters....
But, if its a straight fight, and I know nothing hideous coming, then CS and DPS! Do the dance...in and out...Hokey-Cokey

Don't think it is integral to WHM to DPS. Its not. Its to keep everyone healthy and alive.

I just wish there was a "hug" emote for WHMs...cos I'd do it all day long


EDIT: "healing people to death" is a quote from my friend who early on, back in August asked how a CNJ does battle....he asked "Are you, like, healing people to death?" Oh, how we laughed. And still laugh now.