Thread: Another WHM Redesign - 6.0 Possibilities

Just wanted to share some ideas I have for ways to see the White Mage change come 6.0.

The 5.X healers struggle with feeling unique, but probably the most interesting thing added to the lot of them is Afflatus Misery.

Something that's been talked about before was that Afflatus Misery is a DPS loss currently if you compare it to casting Glare 4 times (which is how many casts it takes to reach AM). This means AM is more or less "DPS forgiveness" for when you need to use your GCD healing tools and not really something you want to strive to use. I want to flip this dynamic and make AM (along with a new Afflatus Agony) the thing you want to work toward while healing as a WHM.

Here are the major goals I set out to achieve with this build:
1. Flip the dynamic of WHM's rDPS contribution to be less about spamming Glare and more about getting Afflatus Misery/Agony as quickly as possible and using that as often as possible through GCD healing.
2. Try and create more opportunities for every action to have a place and a purpose, include regular Cure.
3. Expand upon the Lily system and make it accessible earlier so that it's more intrinsic to the WHM's mechanics and less of an accessory.

NOTE: This is ultimately just one perspective on what I think should improve with the WHM come 6.0, but I can't speak for everyone else. I would love to make every WHM player happy with this design, but not everything in this kit may resonate with the rest of the community. Let me know what works and what might be a bad idea.

The things that are Bolded are things that are new/have changed.

White Mage Rework

ACTIONS

Stone Level: 1 Spell
Effect: Deals earth damage with a potency of 150.
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Cure Level: 2 Spell
Effect: Restores target’s HP.
Cure Potency: 450
Trait Effect: When HP is restored to target, generate 1 Lily.
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 1.5s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Aero Level: 4 Spell
Effect: Deals wind damage with a potency of 50.
Additional Effect: Wind damage over time.
Potency: 30
Duration: 18s
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Medica Level: 10 Spell
Effect: Restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members.
Trait Effect: When HP is restored to 4 or more party members, generate 1 Lily.
Range: 0y Radius: 15y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 1000

Raise Level: 12 Spell
Effect: Resurrects target to a weakened state.
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 8s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 2400

Water Level: 15 Spell
Effect: Deals water damage with a potency of 400.
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 60s
MP Cost: 400

Presence of Mind Level: 30 Ability
Effect: Reduces spell cast time and recast time, and auto-attack delay by 20%.
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 120s
MP Cost: 0

Afflatus Solace Level: 30 Spell
Effect: Restores target’s HP.
Cure Potency: 700
Additional Effect: Nourishes the Blood Lily.
Additional Effect: Grants 1 Stack of Cure Mastery.
Healing Gauge Cost: 1 Lily
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 1000

Regen Level: 35 Ability
Effect: Grants healing over time effect to target.
Cure Potency: 200
Duration: 30s
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 30s
MP Cost: 0

Cure II Level: 40 Spell
Effect: Restores target’s HP.
Cure Potency: 700
Trait Effect: When HP is restored to target, generate 1 Lily.
Cure Mastery Cost: 1 Stack
This action cannot be set to the hotbar — Replaces Cure when there is 1 stack of Cure Mastery. Stacks are consumed upon use.
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Holy Level: 45 Spell
Effect: Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 140 to all nearby enemies.
Range: 0y Radius: 8y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 600

Aero II Level: 46 Spell
Effect: Deals wind damage with a potency of 60.
Additional Effect: Wind damage over time.
Potency: 60
Duration: 18s
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Regen II Level: 50 Spell
Effect: Restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members.
Cure Potency: 200
Additional Effect: Regen
Cure Potency: 100
Duration: 30s
Range: 0y Radius: 20y
Cast: 0s Recast: 60s
MP Cost: 0

Benediction Level: 50 Ability
Effect: Restores all of a target’s HP.
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 180s
MP Cost: 0

Asylum Level: 52 Ability
Effect: Envelops a designated area in a veil of succor, granting healing over time to self and any party members who enter.
Cure Potency: 100
Duration: 24s
Trait Effect: Increases HP recovery via healing actions on party members in the designated area by 10%.
Range: 30y Radius: 8y
Cast: 0s Recast: 90s
MP Cost: 0

Afflatus Misery Level: 54 Spell
Effect: Deals unaspected damage to target and all enemies nearby it with a potency of 900 for the first enemy, and 25% less for all remaining enemies.
Can only be executed when the Blood Lily is in full bloom.
Trait Effect: Apply 3 stacks of Efflorescence to initial target.
Range: 25y Radius: 5y
Cast: 0s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 0

Stone II Level: 54 Spell
Effect: Deals earth damage with a potency of 170.
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2s Recast: 2.5s
*Stone III Animation*
MP Cost: 400

Assize Level: 56 Ability
Effect: Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 400 to all nearby enemies.
Additional Effect: Restores own HP and the HP of nearby party members.
Cure Potency: 400
Additional Effect: Restores 5% of maximum MP
Range: 0y Radius: 15y
Cast: 0s Recast: 45s
MP Cost: 0

Thin Air Level: 58 Ability
Effect: Reduces MP cost of all spells by 100%.
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 120s
MP Cost: 0

Afflatus Rapture Level: 60 Spell
Effect: Restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members.
Cure Potency: 300
Additional Effect: Nourishes the Blood Lily
Healing Gauge Cost: 1 Lily
Range: 0y Radius: 20y
Cast: 0s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 1000

Stone III Level: 62 Spell
Effect: Deals earth damage with a potency of 190.
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2s Recast: 2.5s
*Stone IV Animation*
MP Cost: 400

Cure III Level: 64 Spell
Effect: Restores HP to target and all party members nearby target.
Cure Potency: 700
Trait Effect: When HP is restored to initial target, generate 1 Lily.
Cure Mastery Cost: 2 Stacks
This action cannot be set to the hotbar — Replaces Cure/Cure II when there are 2 stacks of Cure Mastery. Stacks are consumed upon use.
Range: 30y Radius: 15y
Cast: 2s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Divine Benison Level: 66 Ability
Effect: Creates a barrier around self or target party member that absorbs damage equivalent to a heal of 500 potency.
Duration: 15s
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0y Recast: 30s
MP Cost: 0

Plenary Indulgence Level: 70 Ability
Effect: Generate 3 Lilies and Max Stacks of Cure Mastery.
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0y Recast: 120s
MP Cost: 0

Dia Level: 72 Spell
Effect: Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.
Additional Effect: Unaspected damage over time.
Potency: 60
Duration: 30s
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Glare Level: 72 Spell
Effect: Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 210.
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Banish Level: 72 Spell
Effect: Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 450.
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 60s
MP Cost: 0

Afflatus Agony Level: 74 Spell
Effect: Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 1200.
Can only be executed when the Blood Lily is in full bloom.
Trait Effect: Applies 3 stacks of Efflorescence to target.
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 0

Temperance Level: 80 Ability
Effect: Reduces the healing gauge cost of Afflatus Solace and Afflatus Rapture by 1 Lily, their MP cost to 0, and enables their use while 0 Lilies are present.
Additional Effect: Temporarily halts the nourishment of the Blood Lily.
Additional Effect: Increases healing magic potency by 20%.
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 120s
MP Cost: 0

Efflorescence Level: 82 Spell
Effect: Plant a seed on a target enemy that will blossom when that target is attacked with Glare, Dia, Banish, or Holy; The effects of the blossom change depending on the spell that triggered the effect.
Duration: 15s
Glare Effect: Deals earth damage with a potency of 250.
Dia Effect: Deals wind damage with a potency of 120 to target and all enemies nearby it.
Additional Effect: Wind damage over time.
Potency: 60
Duration: 30s
Range: 8y
Banish Effect: Deals water damage with a potency of 400.
Additional Effect: Generates 1 Lily
Holy Effect: Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 200 to target and all enemies nearby it.
Range: 8y
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 0s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Cure IV Level: 84 Spell
Effect: Restores HP to target and all party members nearby target.
Cure Potency: 1000
Trait Effect: When HP is restored to initial target, generate 1 Lily.
Cure Mastery Cost: 3 Stacks
This action cannot be set to the hotbar — Replaces Cure/Cure II/Cure III when there are 3 stacks of Cure Mastery.
Range: 30y Radius: 15y
Cast: 2s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 400

Holy II Level 86 Spell
Effect: Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 160 to all nearby enemies.
Range: 0y Radius: 8y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s
MP Cost: 600

Undying Wish Level: 90 Ability
Effect: Blesses self and nearby party members with Reraise. A party member who’s HP is reduced to 0 while under this effect is immediately revived to a weakened state.
Duration: 10s
Range: 0y Radius: 20y
Cast: 0s Recast: 180s
MP Cost: 0

TRAITS

Maim and Mend Level: 20
Increases base action damage and HP restoration by 10%.

Secret of the Lily Level: 30
Adds a Lily to your Healing Gauge for every 30 seconds you are engaged in combat, up to a maximum of 3.

Cure Mastery Level: 30
Generates stacks of Cure Mastery when Afflatus Solace is used. Upgrades Cure to Cure II while 1 Stack is present.
Maximum Stacks: 1

Maim and Mend II Level: 40
Increases base action damage and HP restoration by 30%.

Aero Mastery Level: 46
Upgrades Aero to Aero II.

Stone Mastery Level: 52
Upgrades Stone to Stone II.

Transcendent Afflatus Level: 54
Adds a Blood Lily to the Healing Gauge that blooms after three uses of Afflatus Solace or Afflatus Rapture.

Stone Mastery II Level: 62
Upgrades Stone II to Stone III.

Cure Mastery II Level: 64
Increases maximum stacks of Cure Mastery to 2. Upgrades Cure II to Cure III while 2 Stacks are present.

Stone Mastery III Level: 72
Upgrades Stone III to Glare.

Aero Mastery II Level: 72
Upgrades Aero II to Dia.

Water Mastery Level: 72
Upgrades Water to Banish

Enhanced Asylum Level: 78
Adds an additional effect to Asylum that increases HP recovery via healing actions by 10%.

Cure Mastery III Level: 84
Increases maximum stacks of Cure Mastery to 3. Upgrades Cure III to Cure IV while 3 Stacks are present.

Holy Mastery Level: 86
Upgrades Holy to Holy II.

Efflorescent Blood Lily Level: 88
Causes Afflatus Misery and Afflatus Agony to apply 3 stacks of Efflorescence to their initial target.

EDIT: Skillset has been updated based on the conversations of the chat.