Appropriate times to use Clemency?

[Bright-Flower]

- To apply the effect of Divine Veil, when you see that the heal does not come.

- When you see your HP very low then you have 15 mobs on my face and the heal sleeps.

- When the heal is stupidly dead in an AoE and I have to keep the dps alive to finish the boss.

- When you want to troll a heal that makes you a whole speech, to tell you he finds it insulting to his healer status. (True)

Hmm, and in ShB they could all be isntant cast heals to boot every requiscat...

[Galactimus]

Clemency is only used for "Self-Preservation" mode. Meaning either one or both of your healers are dead and you need to solo heal the remainder of the bosses health or survive long enough for the healers to be revived. This happens waaaaay more often then people think though. Especially in Dungeons, Heaven on High, Eureka Hydatos etc. If you see someone die on your party list, immediately start looking at your support skills (Cover and Clemency in particular.)

[Subrias]

I’ve been getting my PLD to 70 so I have a main HLR, DPS, and TNK. Variety. Anyway, tanking is my weak point and by tomorrow my tank should reach level 70. So I ran a dungeon today. In this dungeon, our healer was doing amazing, and I let him know. He then told me “If you think I’m doing so great, why the hell are you healing yourself? Don’t insult me.” I didn’t mean to insult him. I just wanted to make it easier. I can cast Clemency, then Holy Spirit then return to my tank rotation. So my question is, are there bad times to use Clemency? Am I really insulting other’s by using it? If so, I’m sorry!

I usually use clemency to proc Divine Veil during phase changes. The only other real times I use it as if the Healer died and I'm trying to Keep Us Alive do either Kill the Boss or sustained while the healer is Reviving someone.

[Lannybaby]

A buddy and I had a conversation about this, last weekend. Basically, she asked why it was okay for me, a DRK, to use soul eater to heal, but she can't use clemency to heal without someone getting on her case about it. She also noted raiding with WARs who use equilibrium, all the time, to heal, and no one gives them lip. I told her it's somewhat unfair, but the reason I can use soul eater is because it deals damage and helps the target die a little faster. The reason WARs can use equilibrium is because it's oGCD and doesn't impact their rotation, allowing them to heal while still dealing damage. A PLD's clemency triggers GCD, and it doesn't make the target die faster.

Though, to be honest, there was once, in a dungeon, I was berated by a MNK for using SE to heal instead of dropping grit and just dpsing.

Long story short, it's because dps. The more damage is dealt, the sooner the target dies, and the less overall damage is dealt to the party. I know there are moments when it seems like it's a good idea to use clemency, like when you're about to die and your healer is spamming broil 2 without a care in the world. But until your healer actually lets you die from something beyond your control, such as party-wide AoE or a tank buster, you should give them the benefit of the doubt. If they let you die because they weren't paying attention, go on and cast clemency whenever it suits your fancy. If the healer gives you lip, you can tell him/her to screw off because you don't feel like dying again.

[reckless76]

I use it for Ultima, The High Seraph during the phase change just before Ultimate Illusion. Rarely is anyone in good health at that point, and the healers need their MP for what's coming while I don't. Aside from that, I only use it if the healer dies.

[Inuk9]

You can use clemency at dragon heads in shinryu extreme. The healers will thank you.

[Warkupo]

If clemency stopped you or someone else from dying then it is a DPS gain.

[Saeno]

1) Progression. If you are still learning the encounter and how to best tackle it, you should be using Clemency often because your DPS doesn't matter when the boss isn't going to die.
2) If you're going to die, use it. Dying is a much greater DPS loss. This goes for anyone else. Saving them is more DPS and it promotes good PLD play as saving people is something your job allows you to do.
3) It's a very powerful skill that is very underrated. It's ok to use it if you feel like it would help. Don't be afraid to use the full kit of your job despite it not contributing to DPS immediately. Use your own judgement.

[Reinha]

So I ran a dungeon today.
...
I didn’t mean to insult him. I just wanted to make it easier.

Dungeons don't need to be any easier to heal than they already are. The healer is probably waiting for your HP to drop so he or she can use an oGCD heal and that free heal goes to waste along with your own dps whenever you cast heals on yourself.

It's best to use when you can't hit enemies, for preventing a death or to trigger your AoE shield.

[Karshan]

Never. Healers adjust.

Kidding, it's just that we don't know yet what the MP regen rates (passive and from skills) will be, if it's like StB you need every MP for your Requi phases, even more so that now refresh / manashift is gone.

Of course, if it's like O6S, and you're feeling like your healer is forgetting you a bit cause he is playing picasso, you pop one out, staying alive trumps a Holy spirit anytime.

If you're OTanking, it's better to avoid at all the dangerous low health situation for the MT, by a correct usage of Cover and Intervention, or even emergency vokes to take that TB from hell, rather than Clemency. Unless of course your healer is in a pinch and/or asks you to out of desperation.