Do we know how much DPSing is expected from healers in HW?

[Asyx]

Hello!

I recently hit 50 (WHM) and was a bit surprised that healers were expected to DPS. Whilst that is not a problem for me, I don't like it. I rolled healer because I want to heal and would prefer more damage that needs to be healed instead of switching to DPS during the times when healing is not really needed.

However, at the moment, it feels like switching to cleric stance seems to be more optional. Like, if I have the time, I should do it. But if I don't find the time for more then the dots than that's fine as well.

But like I said, I'm not a fan of that. So, do we know how that will be handled in HW? How required is DPSing? Assuming I just get into a new dungeon or raid and I'm not sure yet how much damage I can expect, would I wipe the group by playing it save?

[DududeDude]

Yoshi-P has mentioned in interviews that they tune encounters with the assumption that the healers don't add DPS, I don't think this is going to change.

[Carvaka]

I think if you only want to heal, that is perfectly fine. If you find yourself very comfortable with it one day, go for it. It is the same as tanks being pushed for str accessories. When they are comfortable and ready, that is the right time. Before then, everybody can chill out. Done some runs with some pretty demanding players, but most are really good. If anyone hassles you, tell them to back up.

[Asyx]

Ok that sounds reassuring. Thanks, guys.

I'm still keeping an eye on this thread so if somebody has more concrete information, keep it coming.

[Ghishlain]

Healers should never be expected to DPS in any content unless overall ilvls for the group are below the recommended (IE, mostly in a raid environment)

With that being said, the optimized healers will know when to DPS and when not to DPS. This comes with experience and comfort level, but should be something that a healer learns over the course of their healing career, not thrust upon them forcibly.

[Anova]

Yoshi-P's actually mentioned something the production team has mentioned about the meta.

Players actually advanced through endgame content like the Bahamut Coil raids much sooner than the developers expected. These raids are limited by DPS and healing checks, requiring players a minimum of equipment stats to complete. The developers underestimated players as healers and tanks started switching to DPS to meet those DPS checks. The result: at the cutting edge of those who want to be the server firsts in raids, healers and tanks are expected to DPS to meet that check.

If you're playing casually, adding dps as a healer won't be needed. That said, a lot of the new skills being added to healers and dps give them the ability to add more DPS. I think there will be a gradual shift for healers to start juggling DPS and heal phases. I just can't say to what extent you will be juggling at each level of content.

For WHM in the expansion, the addition of 2 new damage skills, an aoe regen, a lustrate-like heal, and an aoe heal/damage suggests the WHM is expected to be healing and damaging at the same time. On the other hand, it may simply be there to make it more viable in the competitive raiding scene compared to SCH who is more capable of dealing damage and healing with a fairy at the same time.

I can't say what the AST damage is like, but their kit is about buffs and debuffs and 2 skills to manage the RNG of their cards.

Scholar's getting a few things that make their healing power more compatible with other scholars in DF. Otherwise, there's the ability to spread buffs around for them and some sort of "magic power" buff/heal from sacrificing their fairy. Overall, it's aimed at improving their healing since their damage ability is already high.

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

If you're playing casually, adding dps as a healer won't be needed. That said, a lot of the new skills being added to healers and dps give them the ability to add more DPS. For WHM in particular, the addition of 2 new damage skills, an aoe regen, and an aoe heal/damage suggests the WHM is expected to be healing and damaging at the same time.

This has been brought up multiple times before. The new spells and abilities white mage are getting are questionable. Unless the accuracy issue is to be solved, it's still wasteful for White Mages to take on the role the scholar has right now: supportive healing while off-DPSing. Even with the ability to deal damage and heal at the same time, there are some problems with this:
It needs cleric's stance on to deal a reasonable amount of damage
It needs cleric's stance off to heal for a reasonable amount

That is, assuming that ability/spell follows the current mechanics.

With that, if we are to assume they're not going to do anything concerning accuracy, White Mage or Astrologian would be your best bet for endgame content. Scholar will still be in a better position to off-DPS compared to the other healers and more likely expected to do so in a raid environment. Considering you're a White Mage right now, not much will change for you for HW - Unless the accuracy problem is no longer an issue.

[Marxam]

Yoshi-P has mentioned in interviews that they tune encounters with the assumption that the healers don't add DPS, I don't think this is going to change.

Unless you are in Alexander Savage where it will take healer and ot dps into account. Outside of that Cleric is purely optional.

[Elladie]

it may sound like stating the obvious, but a lot of folks who chose a healer as their main job do so because they enjoy healing! As long as you're keeping people in your party/alliance alive, you're doing your job. There are bad ways and good ways to do this of course (bad=stuff like constantly overcuring or regen-ing the tank just before he pulls a pack of mobs) but, generally speaking, keeping everyone alive and doing their jobs is your job. So if people bitch at you because you don't like to stance dance, ignore them.

However ... I'd suggest that, as you get more used to healing post 50 and feel more comfortable, you might like to try a bit of Clerics! I thought exactly as you do, but I've been maining SCH for several months now, and I love stance dancing. Standing there doing nothing because no one needs healing - by which I mean they're all on 60% plus HP - makes me feel like I'm not contributing all that I could. You'll know when you reach that point yourself - you'll find yourself sighing and wondering why no one's taking any damage - and that's when you're ready to deeps. However, no group should EVER EVER need your deeps to clear something (unless you're a member of a hard core raid group looking for server firsts). If your party does need your damage to clear content, your DPS folks have some problems they need to address

[Risvertasashi]

I recently hit 50 (WHM) and was a bit surprised that healers were expected to DPS. Whilst that is not a problem for me, I don't like it. I rolled healer because I want to heal and would prefer more damage that needs to be healed instead of switching to DPS during the times when healing is not really needed.

As a new healer, your parties are going to expect you to keep them alive above all else. In fact, this never really changes.

When you start getting bored because there's not much to heal, or if you're simply comfortable with the encounters and wish to contribute more, that is a good time to DPS. If you want to. Keep in mind the forums are a bit of a caricature.