But...I...I don't wanna DPS, I'm a healer...

[Venjamin]

So, I started a couple weeks back. NIN to 50/51 ( to unlock HW ) and get AST. I knew I wanted to heal since the beginning, but I saw the deck mechanic for AST and decided -that- would be my healing class. After reading all 28 pages of this, I'm kind of disappointed. I don't mind DPSing - in fact, I thought that was one of the coolest things ever when I saw CS for the first time ( CNJ to get Protect, woo CS! ) so, yeah, super excited about being able to DPS.

The way everyone talks, it seems more like healers are a necessity, but only grudgingly so. To read what some of the other players have put, they spend upwards of 70% of their time doing DPS.

I liked healing in other games because it gave me this sense of urgency and need, but it seems that this game doesn't really have that? Which is fine, it just makes me think I should go SMN or another DPS class. Maybe Bard - or stick with Nin.

Is the end game really only about having an extra DPS who occasionally keeps people alive?

[Whiteroom]

So, I started a couple weeks back. NIN to 50/51 ( to unlock HW ) and get AST. I knew I wanted to heal since the beginning, but I saw the deck mechanic for AST and decided -that- would be my healing class. After reading all 28 pages of this, I'm kind of disappointed. I don't mind DPSing - in fact, I thought that was one of the coolest things ever when I saw CS for the first time ( CNJ to get Protect, woo CS! ) so, yeah, super excited about being able to DPS.

The way everyone talks, it seems more like healers are a necessity, but only grudgingly so. To read what some of the other players have put, they spend upwards of 70% of their time doing DPS.


I liked healing in other games because it gave me this sense of urgency and need, but it seems that this game doesn't really have that? Which is fine, it just makes me think I should go SMN or another DPS class. Maybe Bard - or stick with Nin.

Is the end game really only about having an extra DPS who occasionally keeps people alive?

Most mmos place the highest value in dps. It's why you always see content getting solo healed and tanked asap. The quicker things die the quicker you get on that gear grind. And sadly that grind is what we have been conditioned to do.

[Anova]

Is the end game really only about having an extra DPS who occasionally keeps people alive?

It depends on who you're asking. If a player used to farming A4S and are decked out in close to i210 gear, and an entire light party with people in that same level of gear and playstyle; their tank will probably not be dying to anything in Fractal (because the supercharged dps is killing everything the moment it spawns). So, everyone will be spending more time dpsing than healing/tanking in those kinds of games. If a team in slightly less stellar Yasha gear runs Fractal, they may spend more time on mechanics and their party role.

CS is great and it adds a lot of depth to the healer meta. It's just that certain players get hung up that the way pros play on stream as the way everyone should play it. Keep in mind, these are the same players who let the tank drop to 1HP (or as low as it can) before healing back up. Some do it because they can get away with it and it maximizes dps, but a good portion of it is also showboating. People like to watch people skirt that edge between disaster and victory.

BTW, this is a bit of amusing trivia about not needing healers. Nobody can do a dungeon past level 32 without a full dedicated healer role. Prior to that, you can get away with an arcanist as a healer if you really want to. If anything, healers and tanks become more necessary as you level. The problem happens when you do it unsynced or with higher level items than intended (which is what happens at endgame). Once everyone is overgeared, party roles break down. Just look at the Warriors who solo Titan EX or the Scholars who solo HM dungeons.

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

The way everyone talks, it seems more like healers are a necessity, but only grudgingly so. To read what some of the other players have put, they spend upwards of 70% of their time doing DPS.

You may have missed a few things:
No one explicitly implied that DPS is a must. The whole "to-dps-or-not-to" debate is pretty much split into two primary groups:
One being that DPSing is not a must, but a thing to strife for if you're aiming for higher level player. Or in simpler words: It's "recommended"
The other group.. well, in shorter words: They almost act it's like a heresy to deal damage as a healer.

But considering you're playing astrologian, you're in luck. With the more popular meta for endgame, the astrologian are more often in the main healer seat than not. Meaning they spend far more time healing than DPSing. But that also means that the larger share of healing is yours to deal with. This is under assumption you're paired with a Scholar - Which is arguably mandatory for endgame.

If you're not into endgame... Well, 90% of the player base doesn't really give a damn. If you happen to encounter the 10% that's complaining that you're only healing, pay them no heed. Getting kicked for only healing is no valid reason to get voted out of a duty. If this does happen, I recommend to report them. Alternatively, you can snarl back at them and question whether they are doing 100% of their own capacity. Otherwise it's pure hypocrisy.

[MidnightTundra]

The way everyone talks, it seems more like healers are a necessity, but only grudgingly so. To read what some of the other players have put, they spend upwards of 70% of their time doing DPS.

I liked healing in other games because it gave me this sense of urgency and need, but it seems that this game doesn't really have that? Which is fine, it just makes me think I should go SMN or another DPS class. Maybe Bard - or stick with Nin.

Is the end game really only about having an extra DPS who occasionally keeps people alive?

WHM or AST taking the main healer role normally handles the bulk of the healing. Assuming the off-healer role, you're most likely going to be the SCH DPSing most of the time with well-timed shields and pet abilities to help your main healer. If you really want to heal for the majority of end-game fights, go WHM or AST (to take the main healer position).

[Fevelle]

WHM or AST taking the main healer role normally handles the bulk of the healing. Assuming the off-healer role, you're most likely going to be the SCH DPSing most of the time with well-timed shields and pet abilities to help your main healer. If you really want to heal for the majority of end-game fights, go WHM or AST (to take the main healer position).

Explain "off-healer" to me outside of savage enviroment. Because if I notice that my CO-HEALER is giving priority to DPS while I struggle to keep up with the damage, shots will be fired.

[Lyrica_Ashtine]

Explain "off-healer" to me outside of savage enviroment. Because if I notice that my CO-HEALER is giving priority to DPS while I struggle to keep up with the damage, shots will be fired.

Why would you think "off-healer" has a different concept outside savage content in the first place?

[416to305]

Explain "off-healer" to me outside of savage enviroment. Because if I notice that my CO-HEALER is giving priority to DPS while I struggle to keep up with the damage, shots will be fired.

Trials, Main Story Dungeons, 24 man raids? Even A1 normal at Faust usually one person handles healing and the other just does DPS to get it down since at least until 30% or so give or take, no one really takes big damage other than the main tank. On anything level 50 like WoD, Trials etc there's plenty of downtime where if I see the other healer is doing a lot of DPS then I pay extra attention to healing and vice versa. If you are struggling to keep up with healing then it's an issue, but in most 8 person trials usually there's plenty of time to solo heal while the other person goes DPS crazy.

[Fevelle]

Trials, Main Story Dungeons, 24 man raids? Even A1 normal at Faust usually one person handles healing and the other just does DPS to get it down since at least until 30% or so give or take, no one really takes big damage other than the main tank. On anything level 50 like WoD, Trials etc there's plenty of downtime where if I see the other healer is doing a lot of DPS then I pay extra attention to healing and vice versa. If you are struggling to keep up with healing then it's an issue, but in most 8 person trials usually there's plenty of time to solo heal while the other person goes DPS crazy.

That's just the normal healing etiquette for me. You watch the fight enviroment and go into offense or support depending on what's happening. Both healers have to work together, I don't know how a title like "off-healer" can exist since the responsabilities of both healers are the same.

[416to305]

That's just the normal healing etiquette for me. You watch the fight enviroment and go into offense or support depending on what's happening. Both healers have to work together, I don't know how a title like "off-healer" can exist since the responsabilities of both healers are the same.

I agree. There's no such thing as an "off-healer", just using it in this situation to describe the healer that is doing less healing and more DPSing at that moment.