30 and 15?

[LunaFaye]

there are also thousands of posts all over the forum about why a healer should dps - so why should a BLM not heal, when the actual healer is dead, when it can save the run?

Because we have SMN that can actual raise the dead healer. Sure it's a bit of a dps loss when that happens, but it's easier to recover from than a blm spam healing the tank. Not only do you lose immense dps in the party (well based on level 45 dps lol), the fight will also take much longer, making that other dps and the tank having to work much harder. I can see a BLM dropping a physick on a pld in higher level content, since not every healer notices the divine shield buff, but that's about it. BLM's as well as SMN's in general shouldn't heal, but if sxxx hits the fan, let the smn do it and not the blm. I would actually kick the blm if I see him heal because that's none sense.

[Rongway]

there are also thousands of posts all over the forum about why a healer should dps - so why should a BLM not heal, when the actual healer is dead, when it can save the run?

A healer with 1500 mind and 200 int can nuke with the power of 1650 int.
A BLM with 200 mind and 1500 int can heal with the power of 200 mind.
Even in the 40s, you're looking at healers with 300 mind and 330 effective int, while BLMs have about 125 mind and 300 int.

Your comparison has no merit.





Back on topic,

Abilities you want as a BLM:
Quelling Strikes (ARC34) - This is in many ways more important than Raging Strikes, as it will allow you to do lots of damage without building lots of hate. You don't have to drop everything right this second to level archer to 34, but you will eventually need this ability and find yourself unable to do your job without it.
Raging Strikes (ARC04) - 20% more splodies, 11% of the time.
Eye for an Eye (ACN34) - Puts a buff on a party member that lets them counter with a damage down debuff. Can be used just before combat starts or at the end of a break, without interfering with you bathing the enemies in flame.
For solo, Physick (ACN04) - For solo.

Virus (ACN12) is not particularly useful, as a healer will have either Virus or Disable, but since you have five slots and no better ability to use, you might as well slot it, and use it on a hard physical hitting trash mob during a big pull so the healer gets marginally more Gravity/Holy time.