Stancedancing Techniques

[Ghishlain]

The best way to learn is to push your limits and fail. If anything, you aren't failing enough.

The very best players will occasionally eat dirt BECAUSE they are pushing that boundary. They're the ones that will get clipped by AOE pushing for an extra attack, or let the tank die because the heal came 0.1s too late, or not use a cooldown because they think they can take the hit -- and can't. Then they adjust, and ride that line, because they know exactly where it is, and pull off some amazing play.

While I agree with this message, I believe there should be a small stipulation added to please do not push this line when playing with random PuGs. There's always going to be a random factor associated with these players. The players discussed by Viviza are those who are comfortable playing with zero safety net and do so constantly with their static and/or friends. You'll always want some form of safety net involved when partied with random players.

That wasn't me. Please direct your comment elsewhere :P

EDIT: Here you go:

*Waves target flag this way* Sorry for the random barrage your way, Cynfael xD

[KisaiTenshi]

While I agree with this message, I believe there should be a small stipulation added to please do not push this line when playing with random PuGs. There's always going to be a random factor associated with these players. The players discussed by Viviza are those who are comfortable playing with zero safety net and do so constantly with their static and/or friends. You'll always want some form of safety net involved when partied with random players.

This is the point that is constantly missed... in damn near every thread.

Playing with a static is nothing like playing with PUG's. Every time you get a new PUG, you have to see where the limits are, and depending on your data center, you may end up with bad PUG's consistently enough. Playing with statics you already know where your static's limits are.

Like previously VanilleFang has said they play exclusively with PUG's like I do, but our experiences are completely different because I'm on the Primal center and a Legacy server and VanilleFang is on Aether and a non-legacy server.

Primal seems to consist of a lot of players that just want to faceroll or be carried. That again, has a lot to do with all the troll "gamer" communities taking up residence on Excalibur. So you just go into PUG's with that low expectation (which shows up all the time in 24-man labyrinth of trolls and world of derp) that half the party will ignore the mechanics. So it's infuriating to see healers full-time CS in those instances, like the CS is the "Super DPS mode", it's not. Instead of being an effective healer, you end up being a mediocre DPS and the main tank and everyone hates you. Use the CS when there is opportunity to DPS, not because you don't want to be a healer.

[VanilleFang]

data centres

Yeah. I can see this leading to healers viewing situation very differently. For me I may feel comfortable in CS where in a similar situation you would not.

It's good in a way that FFXIV is like this. But also kind of bad. Good in the way that you get a lot of different points of view and tips on a single scenario, but it's also bad because some strategies that work for me may not work for you. It can also make a bit of a messy argument at times.

I realize that may tips and playstyle may not be the best for every data centre, but it can be hard to look outside my own little world. lol

[Spoekes]

Datacenters/PUG

I do not believe that Datacenters are the issue here and we seem all to PUG a lot.
It sounds like a far-fetched argument saying the whole datacenter is the issue, when the most common factor in every group is that you take the healer role.

I don't want to attack you but if it smells everywhere you go maybe you should check your own shoes.

[Spoekes]

Yeah. I can see this leading to healers viewing situation very differently. For me I may feel comfortable in CS where in a similar situation you would not.

It's good in a way that FFXIV is like this. But also kind of bad. Good in the way that you get a lot of different points of view and tips on a single scenario, but it's also bad because some strategies that work for me may not work for you. It can also make a bit of a messy argument at times.

I realize that may tips and playstyle may not be the best for every data centre, but it can be hard to look outside my own little world. lol

I feel like this only counts for some strategies for bosses or primals etc.
It's delusional to think your whole datacenter is "different" and consists of lazy people and trolls more than others.

[Yumi_umi]

That wasn't me. Please direct your comment elsewhere :P

EDIT: Here you go:

Oops my bad lol nvm its @ gish
Could have sworn i saw it under ur id but must be on my fault.

[VanilleFang]

I feel like this only counts for some strategies for bosses or primals etc.
It's delusional to think your whole datacenter is "different" and consists of lazy people and trolls more than others.

Perhaps. But it's possible, even if it's very slim. I'm not going to count it out.
I'm probably just sick of arguing right now. lol

[Seryl199]

I treat every PUG as a carry group, I never know if I'll be carrying bad tanks, DPS, or other healers. Instead, I consider each group as we are playing. Over the course of many PUGs, I've come to see many play styles and can adapt to most any groups, whether it is a struggling group that will require a lot of healing, or a capable group that will require very little. The more capable I assess the group to be, the smaller the "danger zone" I assign. This is the lowest HP I'll let someone get before I find them in danger of dying.

With that in mind, I can DPS freely until I perceive any party member to be in danger of dying, which may be a vastly different amount of HP than another healer would consider, and can be a vastly different number depending on the quality of the group. I usually feel comfortable with my tank so long I keep them above triple digit HP, though I don't toe this line constantly, when I'm DPS'ing hard during trash (excepting a planned Benediction), or closer to 65% against bosses. DD's I won't leave sitting around for long at less than 60%, as their overall squishiness means a mistake could prove lethal, so I'd rather them topped off sooner rather than later.

Stance dancing just comes down to your own comfort level, and is probably different for every healer out there. If you only feel comfortable putting on CS, throwing out two DoT's, and coming out of CS right when it comes off CD, do that. If you feel confident and edgy, take a calculated risk in your favor to eke out some extra DPS, but don't get greedy and let the tank die, it makes you come off as sloppy, rather than an efficient healer that knows the outer limitations of your party.

[Aeyis]

So you find it fun to just stand there and cast Cure every 5 seconds?

And healing left and right while keeping everyone up when things get dangerous.
Yes I do.

Those are bonuses, yes, but it's also a pretty big part of being a good healer.

No they are not. Healer = someone that heals. You are welcome to enjoy dpsing in addition to healing, but dpsing is not part of a healer defination by any means, shape or form.


Call me old-fashioned, but when I think of healing, I think of you know.. healing people. Not healing people while killing monsters.

[VanilleFang]

snip

You're being narrow minded. A good healer knows when they have opportunities to DPS. If you are instead standing around doing nothing then you are being inefficient. And healing people when it isn't needed is also inefficient. If you think good use of damage dealing spells is not required to being a good healer, then I don't know what to tell you. Cleric Stance exists for more than just solo play.