Thread: 4.5 WHM

Originally Posted by EaMett

I'm surprised people still expect anything more than a pure healer out of SE. I honestly don't think it's such a bad design for some of the player base, and I'm willing to bet this is exactly why SE has ignored the vocal player base on this for so long (read: players who don't care about optimization and wouldn't stop to give feedback VS players who would < us). It makes sense in the context that WHM is basically your starter healer since the others are gated behind content. It also makes WHM one of the most comfortable healer to level etc. etc. Of course the class needs design changes but their narrative can be sound.

Anyways, I think this will give WHM a bit of extra DPS. Not really sure that's going to be enough though. Next to that this just smells of "we need to rework the class, wait until 5.0"

As I said in another topic, being easy to start on =/= being bad for any except of regular content. Look at PLD, for example. Easiest to learn tank job, but very sought after in high-end content and raiding groups because it's a very good job. Sorry, but people really need to get the idea out of their heads that it's somehow fine for WHM to forever be left on the sidelines because "it should be easy for beginners." The easier it gets into people's heads the better. Yes, it's good to have a job that's not as complex as others, to make it easier to learn the ropes. It's not good, however, if this translates into this job being barred from any part of the game by the community because of it...

I do get your general tenor with your post, though, and agree with it for the most part. I, too, think that the job should at least get a very major DPS buff, but it needs to be a buff that really makes the job worthwhile for statics, and I think that needs a really, really high DPS buff... which I'm not sure it will ever get, unless the defs finally pull their heads out of their asses and open their eyes to reality.

Originally Posted by Yuyuka3

Sorry, but people really need to get the idea out of their heads that it's somehow fine for WHM to forever be left on the sidelines because "it should be easy for beginners."

WHM's numbers in terms of players are actually not that far from AST (O9S, O10S, O11S). It's also the best healer for your everyday's roulettes, and performs well in Extreme content considering the overall lower skill level.
It's definitly not on the sidelines for a lot of content.

Originally Posted by Risvertasashi

But the bigger issue long term is this pure healer nonsense. If SE doubles down yet again... I predict we'll repeat Heavensward and Stormblood: At first WHM will be decent, but then some content that's hard to heal will come out. The other classes will ask for healing buffs to get on par with WHM. They'll get them. Then WHM... once more... is the red headed stepchild left in the cupboard under the stairs.

If they introduce a new healer I would be surprised if they moved away from the pure healer niche. We can always keep our fingers crossed though.

As a WHM main since 2.0, I'd really like to see it have a place in this game again that makes people actually want it.

It's not top heals, AST is.
It's not top DPS, AST is, followed by SCH, with WHM in last place.
It doesn't bring any actual utility while AST brings versatile utility and SCH brings stable utility.

I don't know, I've never had a problem with MP management unless people are dying left and right due to their own stupidity, and good MP management is like the consolation prize you give to a three year old to pacify them when someone else wins. Between MP Song and Mana Shift, it counts for little.

I'd like at least one of the following:
1.) Potency buff for Stone/Aero
2.) Presence of Mind's cool down being reduced.
3.) AoE Presence of Mind.

I am happy with the reduction in enmity... but like others have said, in exchange for Assize racking in more hate generation than it already was. And I'm extremely glad for Plenary, because it's one of those skills that you just popped because you needed extra heals, now it can be timed to use more efficiently, which hey, it's useful now... x.x; At nearly the end of Storm Blood... but it's useful now right?

I'll take the changes, but it doesn't boost my confidence in what is in store for WHM in 5.0.

Whitemage is the king when it comes to "I have all the healy buttons".

Which is super fun when it comes to the heaviest healing fights in the game but White Mage needs something more if its going to be appealing in the way Ast is apealing with its cards or the way Sch is appealing with its large array of tools & buttons to press along side the pet/multi DoT management.

In ARR I loved Whitemage because it was White Mage. But in HW as I branched out to Ast and eventually Sch is just feels like Whitemage does not supply enough gameplay to compete with the other two healers

I am of the mind that the healer role is already by default more complex than the other roles. Even more so on controller. I can understand wanting a basic straightforward healer for the player base.
I've played a fair amount with people who either don't bother with savage content or have been on o9s since the start. It's with these players in mind that I can condone the path SE has been walking with WHM until now. (Even though I used to main WHM myself and was just as frustrated as the next with the state of the class). A healer that is essentially forced to only to worry about healing and mechanics is a godsend for some players.

Yeah WHM will always be unbalanced in a farm setting (less during progression) as long as they stick to the pure healer thing (which they have for the past what? 4 years now?). It's not that bad really, I haven't seen any lockouts in recent memory. But, regardless, right now the more important fact is that WHM is just outright clunky. It has no flow, clipping galore, instant GCDs that you can't fill, useless traits and gauge. That's what needs focus and is 5.0 material.

Originally Posted by HyoMinPark

Just addressing the bolded part: the sad thing is, is that AST has taken over WHM as the prog healer. Especially in this tier where ASTs can pop Lightspeed during periods of heavy movement (e.g., o12s)

Quick question. Why would you mention that AST has taken over as the progression healer, and then use an endgame savage raid as an example? And AST can pop LS as soon as it is available to them for heavy movement. LS gives AST the potential to cheese mechanics, and actually probably needs to be on a much longer CD. It's OP right now.

AST honestly sucks for progression pre-60. How often are you taking AST over SCH or WHM outside expert roulettes? I'm guessing not at all, because one weakness this job has, is how insufferable it is outside of max level once you get there. This actually makes it the worst out of the three healers for progressive content. Of course, you can correct me if I am wrong.