Why isn't there a shortage of healers?

[Yukariko]

shortage of tanks ...
go for a wander around mor dhona, count all the AFK players and look how many of them are tanks...
healers (and dps) don;t tend to AFK as much...

[Risvertasashi]

Like it's very hard to really go "let's see how many players are X role on Y date and Z time" and then say that's an accurate census.

Actually, it's very easy. It's probably the easiest option of all.

It's not sound, but it's easy.

[Vlady]

Considering healing is easier then dps/tank in the game it's why healing has no shortage.

[Cynfael]

Considering healing is easier then dps/tank in the game it's why healing has no shortage.

I think most tanks and DPS would disagree with you :P

[technole]

Considering healing is easier then dps/tank in the game it's why healing has no shortage.

Yeah, you really haven't stepped foot in Final Coil of Bahamut have you?

[rawker]

healing is easy?

depends on the content you're doing. but in general, no. you cannot afford to slack around else people start dying like flies. you baby sit tanks and reckless dps. you should have thorough knowledge of the content you're doing and adjust accordingly.

[Raminax]

Well, apparently healing is easy enough to start threads like these...

(Oh yeah, do me a favor and don't bump it!)

All roles are difficult/simple in one way or another. Though healers probably benefit the most from learning the flow of the entire encounter in question. Also comes with experience. After spending like 10 years healing in different MMORPGs, healing is like second nature to me, while someone who's just starting out might be overwhelmed by all the pre-casting and efficiency silliness.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

Well DUH! Of course healing is easy when you're playing with friends/your static/your FC/your etc. It's when you start using the DF that tests your ability as a healer.

[Cynfael]

Well DUH! Of course healing is easy when you're playing with friends/your static/your FC/your etc. It's when you start using the DF that tests your ability as a healer.

I think the perception that healing is easy comes more from extremely casual play where no one is in a hurry and the duty itself puts no particular pressure on any role. This, and many healers I've encountered in the game, even SCHs, are terrified of DPSing and will literally stand around waiting to heal (or worse, spam heals over the slightest boo-boos). In this context the role looks pretty damned easy.

Contrast fights where the healers are predicting and prepping for tank busters, squeezing in off-DPS as much as they can, using tools like the fairy and Regen to top off DPS who handle mechanics, and generally overseeing the entire arena...and the picture is a little different.

Personally I find playing DPS to be relaxing by comparison. Once you know the fight and have your rotations and CD timing more or less planned out, it's mostly a matter of maintaining some spatial awareness and watching for your turn to handle mechanics. The rest of the time it's just keeping your rotation/priority system going, and the ability to do that with everything else going on is largely what separates the good DPS from the rest.

[Risvertasashi]

Stuff!

Yes, I think you pretty much nailed it. If you're doing very casual content and don't care, healing is easy. If you're keeping tabs on each party member, readying a cure when it looks like someone won't move out of an AoE, prepping for tankbusters, etc etc, it's really not. Especially in something like t12 if you're also handling brands, fires, etc.

FFXIV doesn't exempt healers from AoE, mechanics, etc, and a moment's inattention kills people. It's really not a 'sit in the back somewhere and just heal' kind of game.