Concept:
Dancers are healers that care about passion, emotion, and draw on the power present within the connections that form between souls. They use a mix of magic and martial ability to weaponize the bonds they share with their allies and the wrath they feel towards their enemies. The dances they perform act as a ritualistic channel for their will, but the healing aspect of the art is often stifled when applied to those whom the caster struggles to empathize with, resulting in it being difficult to properly teach. Tapping into the anger you have for an enemy is often easier, but without that empathetic view, it is easy for a novice to get lost in their own fury. Often practitioners of the art commit themselves to an indefinite pilgrimage in hopes of being able to form as many bonds with others as possible, however temporary, as developing a worldly perspective lends itself to bringing out the best in their capabilities.
I could see our first encounter with a Dancer happening in Gridania due to a peculiar disturbance felt by the elementals, who would be mortified by the actions of one particularly virulent foreigner, only for the quest to lead us to a travelling Dancer looking for the same person. Ultimately it lead us back through Heavensward, Stormblood, then into Shadowbringer's content. Each quest line I'd expect to focus on a different approach of coming to understand others and avoid being consumed or blinded by ones emotions in the process.
Aesthetically speaking I would expect a mixture of Wiccan and Mysticism symbols to compliment their theatrical aspects. I tried to cram as many actual dancing terms in the actual skill names and buffs where possible with the intent of using said terms as inspiration for the animations of those skills, while also preserving some of what dancers in previous Final Fantasy titles have brought with them. It just happened that witchcraft was mentioned in a number of cases, and I thought it would bring a unique take that could be more conservative in dress in order to fit with the other healers.
Mechanically speaking the Dancer's concept is represented through abilities that focus on a combination of stifling or crippling enemies and empowering or warding allies from damage that's complimented by a fairly extensive yet flexible damage kit. You'll see a lot of mitigation and debuffs in this class, rather than shields or regens, though as you'll see they do have a Fairy analogue that's a little more fair in some ways. The main theme that you will find throughout the kit is many of their abilties either have dual-purposes or complimentary effects, though they still focus on something specific if you want to maximize their value. Don't trust the numbers though.
To put it bluntly, I tried to beat SCH at what SCH actually does while still leaving gaps. Potency wise I'm absolutely sure on the DPS side it smashes every other class out of the water. Healing wise it depends, but I'm confident it still does, just not by as much as its DPS does. And even then, I'm guessing at what 5.0's potencies will look like.
Role: Healer
Weapon: Cloth & Dagger - Slashing Melee
A dagger (styled after an Athame for the AF weapon) tied to a long length of silk cloth, ribbon, or a scarf. Affixed to the other end is a pentacle or similar talisman, that will be left to hang as the Dancer grasps the other end of the cloth in hand.
Limit Break 3: Forbidden Dance
Perform a dance for the fallen, binding the souls of your allies to yourself in an occult covenant, weaving a path for them back to life from the beyond.
Actions & Traits:
A Realm Reborn (1-50)
Level 1 - Quick Step: Weaponskill
Cast Instant Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost 60 TP
Delivers an attack with a potency of 160
Additional Effect: Grants Dos-a-dos.
Duration: Infinite
Notes: This is our first skill, and as a weaponskill, it's the lead-in to our two overlapping combo chains. You'll see what I mean as we go on. It's ranged too. Because melee healers don't really exist in XIV and I don't see a reason to change it.
Level 1 - Presto: Trait
Mind and Spellspeed affects weaponskill potency.
Notes: Basically required to make this class work. Needs a better (or worse) name. It does not affect auto attacks, though you can still get in melee range to capitalize on them when possible, just for minimal benefit. Note that it doesn't help with Weaponskill recast times either. I expect Spell Speed's DoT potency to be applied to Weaponskills instead.
Level 2 - Waltz: Spell
Cast 2.0s Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost X MP (Same as Cure)
Restores target's HP.
Cure Potency: 450.
Level 4 - Stutter Step: Weaponskill
Cast Instant Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost 60 TP
Delivers an attack with a potency of 220.
Additional Effect: Grants Finishing Move I.
Duration: Infinite
Can only be used under Dos-a-dos.
Notes: This isn't a combo skill in a typical sense. To facilitate the nature of healer DPS, I decided to borrow an idea used in Monk and Machinist. Stance buffs. Unlike those DPS classes however, these don't fall off. That way you can continue your combo chain when you're good and ready, and prime it for burst as well. Finishing Moves should be familiar to those who have played FFXI, and they work similarly to Dos-a-dos, letting you use your final weaponskills.
Level 6 - Chasse: Weaponskill
Cast Instant Recast 1.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost 40 TP
Delivers an attack with a potency of 80.
Combo Action: Quick Step
Combo Potency: 120
Combo Action: Stutter Step
Combo Potency: 120
Notes: This is our first real combo skill. Unlike Stutter Step being available whenever you want so long as you have Dos-a-dos up, you can only use these abilities immediately after using Shutter Step or Quick Step. In general, they will be less DPS than simply using a regular weaponskill. However, they have their advantages. Chasse's advantage is speed, primarily. If you see an opportunity to fit it in before breaking off your dps chain to deal with a healing mechanic, use it. You'll see on the others later on have utility purposes. In conjunction with other skills this will help you heal more efficently as well, should you choose to tap into that aspect.
Level 10 - Samba: Spell
Cast 2.5s Recast 2.5s Range 0y Radius 15y Cost X MP (Same as Medica)
Restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members.
Cure Potency: 350
Notes: Slightly stronger than other Medica equivalents but there is some reason for that. Mainly, I didn't put an AoE HoT in this kit anywhere. So this adds a little efficiency to compensate for having to use it to heal up if you're running with a SCH or a Noct AST, but not enough to outstrip Cure III.
Level 12 - Cambre: Spell
Cast 8s Recast 2.5s Range 30y Radius 0y Cost X MP (Same as Raise)
Resurrects target to a weakened state.
Level 15 - Axel: Weaponskill
Cast Instant Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost 60 TP, Finishing Move 1
Delivers an attack with a potency of 250.
Finishing Move Gauge Cost: 1.
Notes: Decent combo finisher. Has a bit of a twist to it, however.
Level 20 - Finishing Touch: Trait
Increases base Action Damage and HP Restoration by 10%. Also allows for the stacking of a second Finishing Move and for Stutter Step to grant two Finishing Moves.
Notes: Yep, you can use two Axels in a row. It's Dancer's Maim and Mend replacement too.
Level 26 - Chaines: Weaponskill
Cast: Instant Recast 1.5s Range 25y Radius 5y Cost 80 TP
Delivers an attack with a potency of 40 to target and all enemies nearby it.
Combo Action: Quick Step
Combo Potency: 100
Combo Action: Shutter Step
Combo Potency: 100
Notes: AoE. Not as good as other AoE overall, but good enough for lower levels. Weird potency values ensure straight spamming it isn't as good as using the combo chain and it, but that Chasse and the main combo is still preferred on single targets. Has a lower TP cost than other AoE weaponskills too. Still has the speed advantage over your other AoE too.
Level 30 - Varsouvienne: Spell
Cast Instant Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost X MP (Same as Regen)
Restores target's HP.
Cure Potency: 400
Additional Effect: Reduces damage taken by party member or self by 10%.
Duration: 15s
Notes: Yes, I'm aware this is a worse Bole. It's worse than a Heavensward Bole with an instant Physick slapped onto it. Why would you want to use this, then? While comparing Regen ticks on healers relative to their HP I found out that 10% damage reduction is actually pretty comparable to it. The variability of damage intake does mean the 10% reduction gets better on tanks but that 10% also doesn't factor in the regen ticks critting. It is worthless on non-tanks most of the time. The main use of this skill will be as an instant GCD heal, ideally on targets you expect to be taking damage again, or so you can keep the tank healthy while you're using Tandem on someone else, and it performs adequately at that role. The shorter duration is to account for the extra up front healing potency it has over Diurnal Benefic and Regen respectively.
Not all of these can be game breakers. Don't worry. That's coming up.
Level 30 - Tandem Telemark: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 5s Range 30y Radius 0y Cost None
Bestows target party member with a Tandem Telemark. Each time you use a weaponskill, the ally with whom you have the telemark will be healed. Only one Tandem Telemark can be active at a time. Effect removed if target dies.
Cure Potency: 100
Duration: Infinite
Notes: Think of this as the Fairy equivalent. It's not as accessible or as strong as the Fairy for now. Notably, without a cooldown you can't use it if you are out of reach of an enemy target (Unless you wanna spam Chaines, no one's stopping you). Nor can you use it on yourself. You will rely on your other healer to make up for this somewhat. It's good at what you need it to be good at for this level.
Level 34 - Glissade: Weaponskill
Cast Instant Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost 60 TP, Finishing Touch
Delivers an attack with a potency of 100.
Combo Action: Quick Step
Combo Potency: 180
Combo Bonus: Restores MP
Combo Action: Shutter Step
Combo Potency: 180
Combo Bonus: Restores MP
Notes: Yep. Your last combo ability is Riot Combo. This time there isn't a speed advantage like the other two. This is your primary form of MP Recovery. It's also your only form of MP recovery other than Lucid. Maximizing DPS means minimizing the use of this as much as possible, but you're able to adapt in a progression environment when needed.
Level 35 - Warden's Waltz: Spell
Cast 3.0s Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost X MP (Same as Adloquium)
Restores target's HP.
Cure Potency: 500
Additional Effect: Reduces damage taken by party member or self by 25%. Applied immediately in addition to mana cost.
Duration: 6s
Notes: Functionally speaking, this is the Healer equivalent of Inner Beast. All the benefits of pre-casting a shield, plus a decent heal behind it. If you convert the damage reduction into effective shield potency it's on par with Adloquium and Noct Benefic as long as the affected player is only taking one hit during its duration. Practically speaking however, this is absolutely better than any shielding ability we have currently. And they -stack-. I opted for 25% specifically because it fit in that range. It's worse than a crit from either shield healer but better than both otherwise. Hence why its healing potency is barely an upgrade over Waltz. Hell, there's an argument to be made to downgrade its potency and reduction, but I worry (not by much) this will make it worse with a WHM as a result. Really though if something like this was added, I'd expect potency-based shields and it to be weaker and for Noct AST and SCH's shields to be able to stack in order to keep up with the sheer power-creep this ability and it's AoE equivalent represent.
The only thing somewhat keeping it in check is the fact the mana is spent instantly and the duration is still relatively short. Otherwise this wouldn't work, or be as powerful. The Mana Cost has to be applied immediately in order to make this ability fair. Not getting the damage reduction instantly defeats the purpose of this skill, but if it doesn't cost mana as well, then you can intentionally cancel the cast and keep the damage reduction up exactly when you need it for free. It's a compromise to prevent abuse.
Level 40 - Illusion: Weaponskill
Cast Instant Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 0y Cost 60 TP, Finishing Move 1
Delivers an attack with a potency of 150.
Additional Effect: Damage over Time with a potency of 20.
Duration: 30s
Additional Effect: Reduces Target's Slashing Resistance by 10%.
Duration: 30s
Finishing Move Gauge Cost: 1.
Notes: Yep. Standard healer DoT. Gated by Finishing Moves but really good. The main thing is applying the Slashing debuff as a healer, and being able to Multi-dot multiple targets relatively quickly compared to tanks/melee. If Slashing's removed along with Piercing then this effect can go, obviously.
Level 40 - Finishing Touch II: Trait
Increases base Action Damage and HP Restoration by 30%. Also allows for the stacking of a third Finishing Move and for Stutter Step to grant three Finishing Moves.
Level 42 - Shepherd's Samba: Spell
Cast 3.0s Recast 2.5s Range 0y Radius 15y Cost X MP (Same as Cure III)
Restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members.
Cure Potency: 400
Additional Effect: Radiates an aura around the caster, granting 15% damage reduction for any party member who enters. Aura applied immediately in addition to mana cost.
Aura Duration: 3s
Damage Reduction Duration: 3s.
Notes: This ability basically operates in a similar manner as Collective Unconscious. Take that how you will. Mathematically it's somewhere between Noct-Helios and Cure III in power, again depending on how much damage is dealt during its duration. One simple change I'd like to see implemented is showing each healer's AoE range when they cast each respective GCD AoE heal. Not just for Earthly Star. It would be a minor pain to accomplish but I believe adding a faint perimeter to the cast animation is worth it. This is the kind of ability that would push adding it in.
Level 45 - Ronde: Weaponskill
Cast: Instant Recast 2.5s Range 25y Radius 5y Cost 80 TP
Delivers an attack with a potency of 220 to target and all enemies nearby it.
Finishing Move Gauge Cost: 1.
Notes: AoE. Worth the build up. It is very marginally better to get to these asap over using Chaines, but Chaines will see use as a finisher and still helps with your HPS as well. Maintains the lower TP cost despite the longer recast time but that helps keep it in line with other healer AoE.
Level 46 - Warlock Frolick: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 60s Range 25y Radius 5y Cost None
Stuns target and all enemies nearby.
Additional Effect: Silences target.
Duration: 3s
Notes: Lower cooldown than an AST's Celestial Opposition, but this skill also doesn't affect buffs whatsoever. Dual-Crowd Control might be more limiting in terms of design for raids but it guarantees that the Dancer has access to an on-demand Silence, even if it's worse in terms of cooldown than other classes.
Level 50 - Jete: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 60s Range 20y Radius 0y Cost None
Additional Effect: Reduces emnity by 25%.
Notes: I wasn't sure whether to add a dash to a healer or not. Healers don't really get mobility like this and Dancer already has plenty through its instant-cast DPS skills. It's an odd mechanic to have but I know for a fact that a ground-targetted dash fits better on a healer than the standard charge-in/out options we see on most melee & tanks. They don't really need a DPS or healing cooldown at this level either.
The aggro dump was added as it didn't really fit anywhere else, but I don't think putting it here is bad. Whether you need it for aggro or to reposition it's there. Dual-purpose.
Level 50 - Tension Telemark: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 5s Range 30y Radius 0y Cost None
Bestows target enemy with a Tension Telemark. Each time you cast a spell, the enemy with whom you have the telemark will take damage. Only one Tension Telemark can be active at a time. Effect removed if target dies.
Potency: 80
Duration: Infinite
Notes: This is -free- damage. Since it procs off of all of your spells you'll be better suited to GCD healing than your co-healer generally speaking simply because this ability enables you to keep on dpsing even when you're handling the bulk of the healing load.
Heavensward (52-60)
Level 52 - Back to Back: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 120s Range 25y Radius 5y Cost None
Increases Tension target's damage taken by 5%, then deals damage to Tension Target and nearby enemies with a potency of 300 at the end of the effect's duration.
Duration: 15s
Notes: Fixed TA.
Level 54 - Finishing Move Mastery: Trait
Increases the Potency of Axel by 40 (to 290), Ronde by 20 (to 240), and the damage over time potency of Illusion by 10 (to 30).
Notes: Rather than retune every single DPS ability and add a number to balance things, this'll do. Accomplishes the same dps increase without any button name changes (or graphical updates, sorry).
Level 56 - Promenade: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 45s Range 25y Radius 5y Cost None
Restores target's HP.
Cure Potency: 400
Additional Effect: Grants target the effect of Promenade, restoring HP the next time the target takes damage, or upon expiration.
Cure Potency: 400
Duration: 10s
Notes: Think of this as a ghetto regen cooldown on non-tanks and a Excog/Lustrate hybrid on the main tank. Either way it remains worse than all other equivalent instant-heal abilities except Tetra without strict timing, and even Tetra has an upside in upfront potency. The cooldown and two-hit potency are what makes it good. You will likely need more than it alone to save people from incoming oneshots, but using it in the middle of multi-hit prey mechanics and busters will feel absolutely amazing. That's its edge.
Level 58 - Stamp: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 45s Range 0y Radius 0y Cost None
An empowering step increases the critical hit rate for your next spell or weaponskill to 100%.
Duration: 10s
Notes: Not quite the same as Reassemble, but honestly better. 100% Crit Rate means it affects every tick of your DoT and everyone hit by an AoE spell. I know people clamor to give this kind of skill to SCH but they can't have it unless Critlo's removed in my opinion. Too many ways to exploit it.
Level 60 - Side by Side: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 60s Range 0y Radius 5y Cost None
Bestows the effect of By Your Side to yourself and your Tandem ally, both of which radiate an aura that grants 10% damage reduction to any party member who enters either area.
Duration: 15s.
Notes: The auras do not stack. You do, however, gain access to the next ability below.
Level 60 - By Your Side: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 5s Range 0y Radius 6y Cost None
Consumes the By Your Side buffs on yourself and your Tandem ally, each healing their respective target and nearby party members.
Cure Potency: 300
- This action cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Notes: This is two component AoE heals. Unlike the damage reduction aura, these do stack. Yes this means it's an effective 600 potency AoE Heal if you're stacked up, or a 300 potency AoE heal spread across two tight areas. That's intentional. How this will be optimized will vary between fights when taking the damage reduction auras, ranges, and everything else going on into account. It's stronger than Earthly Star or Indom when stacked up, and equivalent to Assize's heal with different benefits when spread out.
Stormblood (62-70)
Level 62 - Set the Stage: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 120s Range 30y Radius 6y Cost None
Shines a spotlight upon a designated area, granting increased HP recovery via magic by 20% to each party member that enters and 10% Damage Down to each enemy that enters.
Duration: 15s
Notes: Pretty simple. Not as good as similar effects due to the longer cooldown and bubble requirement, but stronger when you factor in that you can affect enemies as well as allies at the same time.
Level 64 - Telemark Mastery: Trait
Increases the potency of Tension by 20 (to 100) and Tandem by 40 (to 140).
Level 66 - Sword Dance: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 150s Range 0y Radius 15y Cost None
Increases damage dealt by all party members by 5%.
Duration: 20s
Note: Does not affect you.
Level 68 - Combo Mastery: Ability
Increases the combo potency of Chasse by 40 (to 160), Chaines by 30 (to 130), and Glissade by 40 (to 220). Glissade restores more MP.
Notes: Keeping these somewhat relevant. Also I figured I might as well bake a buff to Glissade's MP recovery here too to keep it in line with similar traits at this level.
Level 70 - Syncopation: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 90s Range 0y Radius 0y Cost None
Empowers your Telemarks through precisely timed footwork, allowing both to be triggered whenever you cast a spell or use a Weaponskill.
Duration: 15s
Notes: Sometimes this is a Synastry-style cooldown. Sometimes this is a damage boost. Either way it's free and flexible.
Shadowbringers (72-80)
Level 72 - Hesitation: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 180s Range 0y Radius 0y Cost None
Slow, prepatory steps store the power ofyour Telemarks whenever you trigger either. Stacks up to 5 times.
Duration: 30 seconds
Notes: Your Telemarks still trigger.
Level 72 - Pirouette: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 5s Range 0y Radius 30y Cost None
Restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members. Potency varies with current Hesitation stack.
1 Hesitation: 200
2 Hesitation: 300
3 Hesitation: 400
4 Hesitation: 500
5 Hesitation: 600
- This skill cannot be assigned to a hotbar.
Notes: I'm expecting everyone (except maybe SCH) to get another AoE healing/mitigation ability next expansion. This is essentially another Earthly Star equivalent on a much longer cooldown. Either version would work if only considering the level 70 skills. I honestly considered making this pair of abilities into either a Wildfire style healing storage cooldown, or a regen cooldown via an AoE telemark trigger. This, however, seemed like a good compromise.
Level 74 - Telemark Mastery II: Trait
Increases the potency of Tension by 20 (to 120) and Tandem by 40 (to 180).
Level 76 - Side and Back: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 90s Range 0y Radius 0y Cost None
Strengthens your spiritual bonds, transforming your Telemarks in order to apply additional effects to those you have bonded them to.
Duration: 10s.
Tandem Effect: Reduces damage taken by 15%.
Tension Effect: Lowers target's Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Mind by 15%.
Notes: Virus and almost-Rampart slapped together. Strong. Not much else to say about it.
Level 78 - Finishing Move Mastery II: Trait
Cast: Instant Recast 30s Range 0y Radius 0y Cost None
Increases the Potency of Axel by 40 (to 330), Ronde by 20 (to 260), and the damage over time potency of Ronde by 15 (to 45).
Level 80 - Danse Macabre: Ability
Cast: Instant Recast 150s Range 0y Radius 0y Cost None
Generates a vendictive bond between both of your Telemark targets, allowing the Tandem party member to trigger both of your Telemarks whenever they strike the Tension enemy with a weaponskill or spell.
Duration: 15s.
Additional Effect: Reduces the weaponskill cast and recast time, spell cast and recast time, and auto-attack delay of your Tandem ally by 15%.
Duration 15s.
Notes: This is a huge personal/raid buff. Increasing your free damage and healing throughput, and applying an attack speed buff on top of it. A main tank can make the most of this one ability easily, but increasing a DPS's throughput can also be worthwhile, especially if it's a Black Mage or fast melee class. It stacks with Syncopation on top of all that too.
For that reason, it has a weird cooldown that makes it harder to stack with your typical raid buffs. It's best to think of it as a Bloodbath replacement for this reason.
Gauges:
Finishing Moves:
A simple icon to track how many Finishing Moves you have left to use, as well as whether you have Dos-a-dos prepared. These affect your Weaponskills.
Telemarks: This simply displays whether a given Telemark is active. You will have two Telemarks. A Tension Telemark that goes on enemies, and a Tandem Telemark that goes on allies. You will have to track the buff/debuff for these. I expect people to macro Focus Target to the Tension Telemark while learning.
Tandem (Healing): Buff applied to a party member or self.
- 100/140/180 Potency based on Mastery.
- Triggers when a weaponskill is used by the Dancer.
Tension (Damage): Debuff applied to an enemy.
- 80/100/120 Potency based on Mastery.
- Triggers when a Spell is used by the Dancer.
Combo Tree:
Quick Step -> (Combo) -> [Shutter Step] -> (Combo) -> [Finishing Move x 1-3]
Combos:
Chasse: 120/160 Single Target Damage based on Mastery. Low GCD.
Chaines: 100/130 Point Blank AoE Damage based on Mastery. Low GCD.
Glissade: 180/220 Single Target Damage based on Mastery, Restores MP, normal GCD time.
Finishing Moves:
Illusion - Single target Damage over Time (150 + 20/30/45 per tick based on Mastery) and Slashing Debuff for 30s.
Ronde - 220/240/260 Point Blank AoE Damage based on Mastery.
Axel - 250/290/330 Single Target Damage based on Mastery.
Finishing Moves expend the Finishing Move stacks gained from Shutter Step. Do note that they do not give you access to your Combos.
Originally Posted by Seraphor
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