PLD; the utility healer?

[Tman]

So, I just finished gearing out my PLD for healing, call me crazy but with AF stacking healing potency and mind, along with proper melding, I'm confident in saying I have a pretty solid "healing" set. I only wish to see if PLD can become a strong utility role and perhaps main heal with the presence of a BRD and a WHM for things the PLD can't do. I will say I played WoW, for many years, and for those of you that have, as well as seen 1 in action, this style is reminiscent to a Healadin.

First let me compare and show what I feel are the Pro's:
WHM is squishy, where as PLD is designed to tank, so naturally they are sturdy. For fights like moogle, 1 could almost ignore whiskerwall if he is on the healer, aka PLD healer. PLD also totes around the utility of cover. As some have stated on other threads, Cover+Hallowed Ground=full immunity to both you and your cover target (physical only). Pretty potent on fights with adds that gather should the healer draw too much agro (moogle and princess thus far, perhaps DD healer in Darkhold, for skels). We also have at our disposal a cura of sorts. I can't supply screenshots but I have witnessed it crit for 1200, coupled with the 50% heal to the PLD, they are pretty self sustaining. This is my 1 and only refrence to WoW, in that holy succor has a beacon of light tied to it. We also bring the utility of AoE rampart, since considering most PLD's tank away from the grp, a healing PLD would be with the grp, making full use of this utility. We also have full affinity (if this still exists) with sentinel, and bring all the utility of a CNJ, sacred prism, stoneskin, cure, protect (stronger def only, without mdef), as well as raise which is crucial in many cases. PLD's also have aegis boon, great for that critical heal, as well as to completely nullify 1 melee swing at you. Outmaneuver, while lackluster, is somewhat decent if being attacked by smaller adds that are around level 52, 1 tends to block more, and while the mp returns are not great, it is reduced damage taken and minor mp return.

Now the Con's:
First and foremost, WHM is THE healer, so natrually they excell at it, bringing Benediction, as well as regen. We too have regen, but only an aoe around the PLD and someone has to cure/cura the PLD. Another huge downside is the lack of M.Def tied to our protect, as well as the loss of Esuna. PLD also requires a BRD to do just about anything due to the lack of mp regen, where as a WHM can function without any outside help. But lets face it, BRD is a must due to all the buffs. Another ability at WHM's disposal is presence of mind, very big considering if a PLD is main healing the tank, waiting to cast raise could very easily leave the tank dead. WHM also has sentinel and rampart of their own, being tied to the GLA class, but they lack full affinity (again if this still exists), as well as second wind and featherfoot, so the survival is interchangeable to an extent, however the utility is lacking.

I'm wondering if anyone has even remotely thought of this, let alone tested it. Really its a trade-off between excelling at healing (WHM can aoe regen/esuna/cura or curaga) or bringing great utility/decent single target heals/less squishy healer. Giving those BLM's rampart when they need it can definitely help out the healers.

This is a semi-joke thread to show just how broke PLD is, but also serious in that there is potential, if done correctly

[Signy]

You should probably stack as much mp as you can. Triple melt or more every equip you have with mp.

[Fiosha_Maureiba]

I would curious to see how well you pulled this off.

Take my mega ethers and my beautiful ballad of the magi!

[mikefmc]

So, I just finished gearing out my PLD for healing, call me crazy but with AF stacking healing potency and mind, along with proper melding, I'm confident in saying I have a pretty solid "healing" set. I only wish to see if PLD can become a strong utility role and perhaps main heal with the presence of a BRD and a WHM for things the PLD can't do. I will say I played WoW, for many years, and for those of you that have, as well as seen 1 in action, this style is reminiscent to a Healadin.

First let me compare and show what I feel are the Pro's:
WHM is squishy, where as PLD is designed to tank, so naturally they are sturdy. For fights like moogle, 1 could almost ignore whiskerwall if he is on the healer, aka PLD healer. PLD also totes around the utility of cover. As some have stated on other threads, Cover+Hallowed Ground=full immunity to both you and your cover target (physical only). Pretty potent on fights with adds that gather should the healer draw too much agro (moogle and princess thus far, perhaps DD healer in Darkhold, for skels). We also have at our disposal a cura of sorts. I can't supply screenshots but I have witnessed it crit for 1200, coupled with the 50% heal to the PLD, they are pretty self sustaining. This is my 1 and only refrence to WoW, in that holy succor has a beacon of light tied to it. We also bring the utility of AoE rampart, since considering most PLD's tank away from the grp, a healing PLD would be with the grp, making full use of this utility. We also have full affinity (if this still exists) with sentinel, and bring all the utility of a CNJ, sacred prism, stoneskin, cure, protect (stronger def only, without mdef), as well as raise which is crucial in many cases. PLD's also have aegis boon, great for that critical heal, as well as to completely nullify 1 melee swing at you. Outmaneuver, while lackluster, is somewhat decent if being attacked by smaller adds that are around level 52, 1 tends to block more, and while the mp returns are not great, it is reduced damage taken and minor mp return.

Now the Con's:
First and foremost, WHM is THE healer, so natrually they excell at it, bringing Benediction, as well as regen. We too have regen, but only an aoe around the PLD and someone has to cure/cura the PLD. Another huge downside is the lack of M.Def tied to our protect, as well as the loss of Esuna. PLD also requires a BRD to do just about anything due to the lack of mp regen, where as a WHM can function without any outside help. But lets face it, BRD is a must due to all the buffs. Another ability at WHM's disposal is presence of mind, very big considering if a PLD is main healing the tank, waiting to cast raise could very easily leave the tank dead. WHM also has sentinel and rampart of their own, being tied to the GLA class, but they lack full affinity (again if this still exists), as well as second wind and featherfoot, so the survival is interchangeable to an extent, however the utility is lacking.

I'm wondering if anyone has even remotely thought of this, let alone tested it. Really its a trade-off between excelling at healing (WHM can aoe regen/esuna/cura or curaga) or bringing great utility/decent single target heals/less squishy healer. Giving those BLM's rampart when they need it can definitely help out the healers.

This is a semi-joke thread to show just how broke PLD is, but also serious in that there is potential, if done correctly

Been talking about this for a bit now with my LS exciting to see someone else with the same thoughts! (means im not crazy :0)

[Roaran]

Been talking about this for a bit now with my LS exciting to see someone else with the same thoughts! (means im not crazy :0)

You might both be crazy.

[Brannigan]

That sounds horrible

[Tman]

It is a very flawed concept, especially considering pld is meant to be a tank job. However since making this thread I have successfully tank healed all the job final quests. The biggest down-side for me, aside from mp which I have to manage well, is the massive amount of threat I build getting the full effect of succor. Apparently, as discussed in another thread, succor is meant for tank threat gen but without the over-healing that use to exist, 9:1 succor heals for 0 as tank or a party member who could benefit from the heal is too far away. Even a war couldn't keep the dragoon final boss off me after the wyrm died and we really started focusing on him. That being said I will now try some -enmity melds, and attempt a real boss fight starting with Ifrit. This should stress overall threat gen over a lengthy fight, as well as see if my throughput increases due to the nature of the fight, mainly stationary from a healer pov.

[Phobos]

It is a very flawed concept, especially considering pld is meant to be a tank job. However since making this thread I have successfully tank healed all the job final quests. The biggest down-side for me, aside from mp which I have to manage well, is the massive amount of threat I build getting the full effect of succor. Apparently, as discussed in another thread, succor is meant for tank threat gen but without the over-healing that use to exist, 9:1 succor heals for 0 as tank or a party member who could benefit from the heal is too far away. Even a war couldn't keep the dragoon final boss off me after the wyrm died and we really started focusing on him. That being said I will now try some -enmity melds, and attempt a real boss fight starting with Ifrit. This should stress overall threat gen over a lengthy fight, as well as see if my throughput increases due to the nature of the fight, mainly stationary from a healer pov.

I'd be shocked if you took hate off of a good WAR doing this.

If you do though, whatever. You're capable of tanking too, it's not nearly as deadly as a whm taking hate, and could actually be somewhat beneficial in a tight spot.

EDIT:
Not really related to the whole main heal PLD topic but;

You also mention the whole Succor/Overhealing thing. I think this is a problem because in FFXI, a WHM would not need to heal the tank to keep them capped 100% of the time, so they could let the tank heal themselves unless they got in yellow HP or something. In FFXIV it's much faster paced, and normal attacks, not just TP moves take tanks into yellow causing healers to cure them frequently.

Because of this, Succor is useless IMO. A good WHM is going to keep most of the party near full at all times - by the time you get Succor off the WHM's regen has likely taken them to near full, or they cured the target causing one of your cures to whiff.