Unable to main a healer

[Darkstatic107]

Hey all,

I just returned to this game after a 2 month break and decided that I was going to look for a new main to play. Currently at max I have a MCH, DRK, and NIN; each of which I have grown to dislike in their own right. While looking for my next 70, and potential new main- I stumbled upon my SCH who is currently level 62. It has been a tough decision to choose between DRG and SCH as I tend to always gravitate towards DPS in games. This thought process got me thinking, why do I always gravitate towards DPS when I find healing to be far more engaging?

In every MMO I have played, I usually have a DPS main, and a Tank/Healer alt that I can use as I see fit. Usually I tend to prefer healers as the mechanics are generally more interesting and I enjoy a control based playstyle. In fact, I have always wished their could be a class based around shields and preventing damage, one where it is more of a supportive role with active shield mitigation. When I started FFXIV, I was an arcanist by chance and happened to stumble upon the SCH without even being aware of their abilities. Needless to say, I loved the mechanics (other than the pet) and used it to level the rest of the way. Even though I loved SCH (even if it isn't the exact shielding class i fantasize about) it was and has generally been a lot of fun to play. The same goes with AST although I am on the fence about them.

The point of this post is that I do not know why I can never main a healing class and was wondering if anyone else has had trouble with this in the past? I think it may have to do with the idea that DPS get bigger numbers/stronger with gear, whereas healers are more able to protect but it never gets more interesting beyond that. Perhaps it is because of fear of such an important role? Honestly, I have no idea.

So what made you guys decide to main a healer, or perhaps even main a tank at some point?

[Thoosa]

Hi

I started out with a Black Mage, but halfway through that decided to try a healer because I fancied something new, and liked the faster queues. I didn’t really research them beforehand but just picked White Mage, found it tough at first, but got the hang of it quite quickly, and I find healing very rewarding and it feels like im making a good contribution, certainly more than a dps who is paired with another dps in a dungeon. After White Mage I levelled Scholar and now Astro.

Give it a go and see what you think

[Cynfael]

In my mind, healer is the most powerful role in the game. You can heal or prevent damage, inflict damage, and sustain yourself like a boss where damage isn’t sufficient to kill you outright.

I do enjoy playing DPS and tank here and there, but healer is what I play most. Also doesm’t hurt that queues for daily roulettes are consistently short

[MoroMurasaki]

I don't mean to play the contrariom but as a WHM I put up the biggest numbers in the game - Benediction a WAR in Defiance, ~70k right there!

Jokes aside I (as per usual) agree with Cynfael. Healers are incredibly powerful and versatile, we can adapt to almost any situation and can carry a party better than any other role or job.

At the same time a bad healer can cripple a group even in casual content so I understand having apprehension about it. I would advise running some content you're feeling insecure about with some friends, if it does indeed boil down to you being anxious.

[Nyxn607]

I see two major issues with people not wanting to main healers in FFXIV. The first is the salt from the community regarding how a healer should be played, there is no one set way that works for everyone.

The second is how attentive and in tune you need to be with you surroundings and your group. If you don't know your group very well, it can kill runs rather quickly as other have stated.

I always gravitate toward healers for the simple fact that there is always something to do. Every group will make you play slightly different based on gear and skill levels.

Just my two cents.

[miraidensetsu]

So what made you guys decide to main a healer, or perhaps even main a tank at some point?

My story with healers began back in 2005, when I started to play Ragnarok, my first ever MMO. I started with thief, but was bored to death playing. Then they launched the 2-2 classes and was attracted to monks and its Asura Strike damage. Great!. But to create a monk, I had to level an acolyte, the only class 1 designed to be the healer/support class. While leveling the acolyte, the healing part of the class was attracting me, since I was able to help better who was with me. And for some years I mained both Priest and Monk (I like to think that I mained acolyte back then), including going to the war using a priest. And that was more fun than do the same with the monk. And with the priest I was interacting way more with other people.

Since then I always main healer when going to a new MMO. Mainly if there are the possibility of being mostly self-sufficient, what requires at least good healing skills and some DPS tools that don't need to be good enough to take the place of a proper DPS class, but good enough to actually kill things when needed. And that's why I mained White Mage on FFXIV.

[Tridus]

I always gravitate to healers because the supporting character mindset just appeals to me. I'm less interested in putting up huge crits (although WHM is capable of some impressive numbers) and more interested in making everyone around me more awesome. It extends into other genres of game too, my Pathfinder character is a healing/buffing Cleric. CharOp folks will tell you that healer isn't the best way to play Pathfinder (or D&D), and they're right, but I find something deeply satisfying about walking up to someone at 2HP who is afraid of dying and fixing it (and thats before tossing out some of the really strong buffs). Sure I barely do any damage myself, but that hardly matters when I've tripled the Fighter's effective damage by giving them an extra attack, Smite Evil, and a +5 Holy Sword all with a couple spells. They feel awesome smashing stuff like that, and that makes me happy.

Got a bit sidetracked there... Anyway, healing in this game is a bit different because you're not doing it all the time. So in addition to keeping everyone alive and allowing them to blow stuff up, you can contribute significant DPS in your own right once you're comfortable enough to push it.

That might be what you're missing when playing one here. It doesn't have to be about just protecting in this game. You can blow stuff up at the same time.

[Risvertasashi]

Saving a party from the brink of a wipe (or even just saving a person from a near oneshot + followup damage) is a lot more satisfying to me than a good parse. (Also I hate the very concept of rotations).

[dotsforlife]

I rolled main healer because I like being the busiest and challenged the most. I get bored very easily in games (which is why I get burnt out so often from them). FFXIV is pretty easy by my own experiences but AST at least keeps it busy. And considering in this game where healers are expected to be part time (or mostly) DPS classes then it's even better for me.

[Saraphin]

I'll be honest, leveling a healer started way back in HW when i was trying to finish a DRG Relic. Queues were faster then and it was a no brainer for trying to get it done. (I still haven't finished that relic *snorts* i need my dragon on a stick, i'll get it, eventually) Now however, I main Healer because I want to. I enjoy being the one that has to figure out exactly what a mechanic is going to do and if i need Single Target or Group wide Healing. It's also a good way to get rid of daily frustration. Log in, queue up, throw stones and Wind Bombs at mobs, get frustrated and realize how trivial everything is and start snickering and giggling about my mistakes and the mistakes around me.

Also, my FCmates look at me as kind of a savior, they don't have the patience to do anything other than Tank/DPS for the most part...and they're all leveling DPS. as a crafter (that's my end game, not savage raiding) I tend to poke them for mats if i'm in the middle of crafting, so in return: i give them my queue to level. So...I'm helping others as well.