Chocobo Free Stance Vs Healer/Defender/Attacker Stance

[Gamma621]

Just a simple question.

If you level you companion Chocobo exclusively in one tree, Healer, Attacker, or Defender, is there ever a reason to take them out of free stance?

For example, my Chocobo has nothing but attacker skills. Will switching him from Free Stance to Attacker stance make any difference?

[Felis]

In healing stance the chocobo heal earlier than in free stance. And he heal also outside of a battle.
I always switch to healing stance if I need more heal than normal.

[Renik]

well i have spread the points between the 3 stances, my choco is usually in free stance and it uses all the moves he has, tank, DD and healer as he would use them in any of the stances, but if i select a stance he will stop using the others, in the case of the healer stance he will stop even AA. So change them only if you have the others leveled or if you want a healer choco to use AA.

I don't know the behavior of the high rank skills tho, so you may want to test it a bit, we will unlock more ranks with the chocobo raising so it's worth the testing.

Edit:

In healing stance the chocobo heal earlier than in free stance. And he heal also outside of a battle.
I always switch to healing stance if I need more heal than normal.

Also this, looks like the choco works on a GCD too or may be a separate CD with short timers, so the more skills it has the less spam, but it has some prioritization on healing.

[Ultimatecalibur]

It may. I do know that there is a serious difference in skill usage and AI positioning for a Healer Chocobo in Free Stance and Healer Stance.

[Azure_dragon-]

I can't speak for attacker, but for my healing based chocobo I can tell you when he's in freestance the healing becomes way less modorate. In free stance he will use his AA and heal every minute or two. When he's on healing stance the heals comes in waves and he stops using AA altogeather. Hope that helps.

[Alukah]

In free stance it seems to use choco cure only when your hp drops to 50%, which can keep you up if you are not being hit often, but if you need a second heal and the choco is on a GCD after just using heal free stance can be a problem.

So it's all down to what Felis said, if you need frequent heals (aggroing too many mobs / strong fate bosses) keep it on healer stance, otherwise free.

[Avisaia]

When I'm spirit-bonding, I have my chocobo on follow. That way he doesn't attack or heal or anything -so the mobs won't get pulled away from the pack or attack him. I know its very situational, but I've found it really helps me out.

[KingOfAbyss]

when in free stance, your chocobo act with what's best for the situation, attacking first.

For the Attacker-only line, nothing would change. (should I attack or.. attack?)

If you add Defender stance (to the attacker line or healing line): if your chocobo sees that you are getting hit much, he'll use enmity skills to try to get aggro from you, giving you time to stonekin - cure yourself, or switch to cure you first, then get aggro.

If you add Healing Stance (to the attacker or defender line): he'll cure himself he's too low on HP, or you.

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Defender line only: his job is to get enmity from you, so free stance will make him react almost the same.

Healer line only (like mine): as stated above, he'll attack until you or himself is getting a chunk off the HP (it's kind of % based compared to your total HP)
AKA if you are scratched only, he wont cure, giving you Choco-regen only. If you lose more, he'll choco-Cure once.

Hope that helps ^^

*And with the next patches incoming, once we'll break the rank 10 barrier, we'll be able to get other lines as well, making Free Stance to have it's place on your hotbar.

[Barbaric_Samurai]

So which is the best stance ? In free stance my chocobo seems to level up real slow.

[Felis]

So which is the best stance ? In free stance my chocobo seems to level up real slow.

Stances have nothing to do how fast your chocobo level up.
Only how fast you can kill your enemies and at what level the enemies are determine how fast your chocobo level up.