Healer LB is really....underwhelming.

[FoxyAreku]

I am sure nobody wants to hear it, but the truth to be told, the moment a healer or a tank uses lb (1 - 3 don't matter) the group should be disbanded. If you are in a duty finder and this occurs, make sure you get your butt out of that dungeons as quick as possible. Therefore the looks of LB 1 - 3 for healers is irrelevant since in no cases a healer should have to use the lb.

I get the impression you've never done coil or an EX primal.
As I said, healer LB saves runs all the time. It just has to be a fight where the dps LB isn't 100% needed to succeed.

Also, Tank LB is required to survive Turn 13 and makes Ultima hard mode a whole lot easier...so...may wanna check your facts.

the healer LB seems to have no role in a well planned and executed encounter. And that's a damn shame.

Not really?

I mean, the only way it would have a 'role' is if there was a mechanic that literally killed everyone and there's nothing you could do about it. And that's just poor encounter design.

It's an LB made to be used as a last ditch effort if things go to hell. All it needs to be.

[Eisenhower]

It's an LB made to be used as a last ditch effort if things go to hell. All it needs to be.

That's what it IS, but it shouldn't have to be something so lacklustre and it definitely doesn't need to be relegated to such a singular role. That is why I think it's a shame the healer LB exist in the space it does (along with the tank LB).

For the melee and ranged DPS, their LB can be used to quickly damage targets that you don't want to deal with the normal way, to finish of a target before or after it's all gone to hell or just to push the fight into another phase. It's a tool that can be used in different situations.

The same cannot be said about the healer and tank LBs. Their utility is narrower and there are few situations in this game where they can be used to manipulate a fight in the same way the DPS LBs can.

[Ramien]

-snip-

On the other hand, melee and ranged DPS LBs are almost always non-necessary. Most of the times they get used, it's because they're available, but not because they need to be used. They're routine; something to push the numbers along a little faster.

The tank and healer LBs, though, if used when needed, are life-savers, literally. They can atone for a lot of sins committed early in the fight. I would prefer to see the healer's in particular get a bit of a boost at lower levels, though. (If things are bad enough you'll need it, someone's already on the ground, most likely.)

[KisaiTenshi]

On the other hand, melee and ranged DPS LBs are almost always non-necessary. Most of the times they get used, it's because they're available, but not because they need to be used. They're routine; something to push the numbers along a little faster.

The tank and healer LBs, though, if used when needed, are life-savers, literally. They can atone for a lot of sins committed early in the fight. I would prefer to see the healer's in particular get a bit of a boost at lower levels, though. (If things are bad enough you'll need it, someone's already on the ground, most likely.)

I find that 99% of the time, DPS LB's aren't needed... in fact the LB is only being used "cause it's there" and it knocks the last 5% off the boss, which saves an entire 30 seconds from the run, oh ~yayy~~~.

The healer/tank LB on the other hand I've only ever seen used once. Mainly because the only time it's ever been used is when the Tank has been killed, and just revived as the rest of the party dies.

Most appropriate use of any LB? That 20 second countdown with the Ultima Weapon. Worst use of LB: Entire party has full HP and the boss has 10% of it's HP left and has no party-killer moves.

[Cynfael]

I find that 99% of the time, DPS LB's aren't needed... in fact the LB is only being used "cause it's there" and it knocks the last 5% off the boss, which saves an entire 30 seconds from the run, oh ~yayy~~~.

You'll find differently if you observe fights with meaningful phase changes.

LBs are fluff for casual content in that good groups don't need them, while truly bad groups probably won't be saved by them.