Help with speed runs as a WHM

[Ceodore]

I tank and heal, so this is what i do in experience:

Eye for an Eye just as tank starts running -> Sprint until holding spot -> Divine Seal -> Regen -> ( Medica 2 if there's a melee in party ) -> Cleric -> Swiftcast -> Holy -> Blizz 2 -> Holy -> Blizz 2 -> Holy -> Holy. In between Holy make sure you have a finger on Benediction if needed.

I agree with the part about the holy/blizzard 2, but a quick question about how soon you switch to Cleric Stance. Wouldn't you still have a few seconds left on Divine Seal? Wouldn't instantly switching to DPSing clip off a bit of Divine Seal and lessen the use you get out of it? I'm sure you could throw in a few Cure 2s before it ended and then pop into your Holy/Blizzy combo. I also am wondering why not throw out Cure 2s, because during the pull, won't the tank take a decent amount of damage? I probably don't have enough experience to know for sure how this would work, but I'd imagine my cycle would look something like this:

Eye for an Eye before tank begins pull => Sprint to where the tank stops => Divine Seal + Medica 2 (since Medica 2 does a little burst healing, and the HOT lasts longer than Regen, meaning they should fall off about the same time) => Cure2 (Because if the tank is getting pummeled, going two GCD to put the Regen AND the Medica 2 on him back to back will mean a lack of burst healing) => Regen => Cure 2 (By this time, Divine Seal will probably be dropping soon) => Cleric Stance + Switftcast + Holy => Blizzard 2 => Holy => Blizzard 2 => Holy => Holy => Drop Cleric Stance + Medica 2 => Cure 2 => Regen => Cure 2/1 spam depending on the strength I need to heal for still. When 2 mobs are left, just keep Regen up and spot heal, throw up Shroud of Saints, and prepare for the next pull. 1 Mob up at 20% hp, Stoneskin tank, should finish mob off before any damage gets applied to stoneskin, and now you're ready for the next pull.

[Kelya]

Most of the time you don't need any Cure 2 at all at begining (maybe at the end potentially) because by the time the tank lost HP (let's say he's around 50% HP) you have Regen ticking while mobs are stunned by Holy, meaning Regen is getting on its own the tank HP full life for the few seconds of stuns.

For the DS lost seconds, you can drop cleric stance and refresh your regen before DS ends up and then go back to cleric stance. Regen on DS is enough most of the time, so yeah in the efficient view you loose few seconds of the DS CD, but if you don't need more heals, don't cast them. On the other hand if you don't use DS you will need more than the Regen, meaning you need more heals and loose time for dps.

And even if holy doesn't stun anymore (stun resistance), more damages on mobs = less damages on tank, don't be afraid to finish the pack fight by spamming holy and letting your tank dropping to 20% HP if the last mobs are about to die !

[Kiyyto]

Know that not all tanks that pull big are really capable of the pulls they are making. If you find that your tank would be dead in 3 seconds were you not casting a constant stream of heals, the tank is probably under geared.

Throw a regen on the tank, hit med II, pop divine seal if you really need to (I usually do not) and then go to town with holy spam... Keep watch on the tanks health and slip out of cleric stance at 50% so you can resume heals, rinse repeat. Throw a SS if you need to during battle, keep your regen and med II up.

[KikoriL]

In almost any pull that I know the tank's cooldowns will cover their asses on for a moment, I typically do...
Divine Seal -> Regen -> Eye for an Eye during the cooldown -> Cure II -> Stoneskin -> Cleric Stance on, Holy -> Stoneskin the tank -> Holy -> Holy -> Judgement call, swiftcast Stoneskin or Holy depending on the tank's HP and leftover mobs -> Cleric Stance off during the cooldown, restore HP
...or a very similar alternative depending on how many hard hitting mobs (ice sprites) need to be healed through. A full Stoneskin can be cast during the first stun provided by Holy, and you'll already be about 33% done with your next Holy cast by the time the stun comes off. This is a figure I LOVE to use when helping with Holy.

[Fornix]

On the big pulls, e.g. snowcloak first area up till dogs, first packs in qarn till the door, pack in qarn around the pillar, or last room prior to kraken, I personally prefer if the healer does as little as possible to be fair. As it allows me to run through without worrying about the healer snagging off one or two mobs whilst I'm running. I'll position, drop some HP and hallowed ground as opener. Followed by sentinel + convalescence. At this point the healer can slowly get into healing. And with decent DPS aimed at making this a speedrun (e.g. 2x BLM) most trash is close to dead by then already anyway.

Most help of the healer in speedruns comes in form of DPS, not so much healing anyway.

[Numenor1379]

Thanks for the outstanding info all. Guess I do need to get more comfortable with popping Holy during these. I've been using E4E a lot more lately and have certainly noticed the effect.

One thing I've been noticing though lately, is the lack of the Tank even using a cooldown. I'm sitting there on the first pull of Snowcloak having to spam Cure II to keep the guy at barely 50% and not a single Rampart/Sentinel/Convalescence/Foresight/ect... being used. Other than just letting the group wipe and berating them, do you all have suggestions for dealing with Tanks that seem to not know what their abilities do yet are prancing around at i110+?

[Ceodore]

Thanks for the outstanding info all. Guess I do need to get more comfortable with popping Holy during these. I've been using E4E a lot more lately and have certainly noticed the effect.

One thing I've been noticing though lately, is the lack of the Tank even using a cooldown. I'm sitting there on the first pull of Snowcloak having to spam Cure II to keep the guy at barely 50% and not a single Rampart/Sentinel/Convalescence/Foresight/ect... being used. Other than just letting the group wipe and berating them, do you all have suggestions for dealing with Tanks that seem to not know what their abilities do yet are prancing around at i110+?

I'm a tank, and I even say let them wipe and then inform them they are too squishy without some cooldown usage... I sympathize with healers, the job isn't easy, and y'all deserver better. Don't be afraid of some tough love. Your motto should be as thus.

"They ignored my explanations, I ignored their screams" Or better yet...

These players are afraid of me. I have seen their true faces. The dungeons are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sloth and stupidity will foam up about their waists and all the tanks and damage dealers will look up and shout "Save us!"... and I'll whisper "no."

[Velox]

snip

Just let those tanks die, especially if you're a WHM (SCH has a lot more leeway with Lustrate + fairy). If you have to spam Cure II because a tank refuses to use cool downs you are either going to A) rip hate, or B) run dry of MP... both of which will end badly for the party.

To reference a well known video, you have complete control over life and death. If people are being stupid, as the party's god, feel free to select them for extinction. Always remember the healer's motto, "there's a time to take damage, there's a time to deal it. There's a time to ignore all else and do your best to heal it. Then there's a time to laugh as they all burn."

[VanilleFang]

"there's a time to take damage, there's a time to deal it. There's a time to ignore all else and do your best to heal it. Then there's a time to laugh as they all burn."

OMG That's in my signature! It's good advice!