Developers : Healer design mentality needs to change

[linayar]

I dont see why not for 6.0 no more solo MSQ instances unless its those RP ones with fixed stats. the role quest already kindof do it and they could just double down on that. The MSQ is basically the only solo content anyways.

I mean, it could work, I suppose, but I don't see them not having solo quests. And even without solo quests, going through certain ARR zones (at least) while leveling could be easier if you can deal damage and just kill your enemies.

[Semirhage]

So give healers an actual rotation for their GCD heals. Combos and procs that actually matter and are worth using. A lot of DPS and tank classes have resources which accumulate through the use of abilities and are used for more powerful attacks, why can't healers have something similar? WHM's lilies accumulate completely passively, SCH fills their gauge with a single button dedicated to that purpose. AST's cards are the most engaging healer class mechanic but honestly the buffs seem fairly inconsequential.

That's one solution, yes. I don't object to it. My objection is to people who insist merely flipping the script without redesigning the embarrassingly skimpy GCD offerings the three healers have would make playing them fun. My opinion is that the healer GCD kits aren't significantly more engaging than their current damage kits.

I object to that "just force us to GCD heal" line of thinking so strongly because that's exactly what Square ruined the current healers trying to do. Now, they didn't do it successfully because they aren't luminaries when it comes to healer design, and almost comically their slashes to DPS and beefing of the healing abilities made skilled healers spend even more time dealing damage with a more boring DPS kit. People hate the current style of DoT -> 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1. I agree. "Forcing" healers to spend "the majority" of their GCDs on heals as-is would be soooooo different. HoT -> 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1...

[Hyperia]

My biggest issue with healers in XIV is that they really don't heal. There a DPS with a healing utility... that's all they really are.

I went back to WoW for a free period to see what changed and woah... in that game, healers heal or people die. You don't dare do any DPS, its healing all the way, every heal, all the heals, everything is on CD and even then, there is good chance that people may die. You have to triage, you have to make hard calls, you pick and choose who lives and who doesn't.

In this game, slap a regen on them and there good, back to DPS.

If I had to choose, I'd prefer the battle to keep people alive in a world that is trying to kill you rather than toss a regen, use a lily and back to DPS. But... we don't live in that world so I'll spam Holy, Bene the tank and back to Holy spam.

I'd rather heal though...

[Flay_wind]

It's kind of hilarious, how they got BLU Healing close to what people want. It's an antithesis to the 3 current healing jobs we have and it's incredibly fun in comparison.
So, what i usually do. Throw a shield pre pull. Open with my Bristle'd SoT. Depending on the incoming damage i adjust number of Pom Cures/White Wind needed. Throw more shields for the incoming AoEs. Heal with White Wind or Exuviation after said aoes. If there's a really big magical damage incoming i can pop Magic Hammer + Addle for additional mitigation. In the really healing intensive fights (hello T13) where i have to use White Wind a lot, and need some MP i can look for some safe windows to use Blood Drain to regain MP. And there's 5 OGCDs on various timers which you can weave between Pom Cures / Sonic Booms.
So, all in all BLU Healer has 4 core GCD healing spells and a lot of damage OGCDs/utility stuff. And that's more than enough to clear Savage fights.
P.S. White Wind is incredibly busted, but eh.

[AceofRains]

It's kind of hilarious, how they got BLU Healing close to what people want. It's an antithesis to the 3 current healing jobs we have and it's incredibly fun in comparison.
So, what i usually do. Throw a shield pre pull. Open with my Bristle'd SoT. Depending on the incoming damage i adjust number of Pom Cures/White Wind needed. Throw more shields for the incoming AoEs. Heal with White Wind or Exuviation after said aoes. If there's a really big magical damage incoming i can pop Magic Hammer + Addle for additional mitigation. In the really healing intensive fights (hello T13) where i have to use White Wind a lot, and need some MP i can look for some safe windows to use Blood Drain to regain MP. And there's 5 OGCDs on various timers which you can weave between Pom Cures / Sonic Booms.
So, all in all BLU Healer has 4 core GCD healing spells and a lot of damage OGCDs/utility stuff. And that's more than enough to clear Savage fights.
P.S. White Wind is incredibly busted, but eh.

I could go for a nerf on White Wind. Maybe like a hard 10-20 cooldown so that not every role will abuse it. I’m hoping the 5.45 new spells will add more tools that make White Wind less favorable on non-healers. I love when I’m healing as BLU and go to use a normal Exuviation or Pom Cure while the Tanks and DPS panic cast WW before I can get a basic heal out. Also, it would go a long way if they would make it when Angel Whisper is used on Healer, you can cast it before death for an auto-life effect. Transfusion would be soooo much better.

[Vickii]

I don’t want to sound like a troll here but honestly I see why they want to keep healing very simple. We already fail many runs because two healers can’t do basic mechanics or press a button.

Healers have a lot of control over the run and yesterday was just painful for me on the third Eden and Titan unreal because of healers dying. So keep it simple, because most of them can’t manage with what they have.

In a game like WOW with devoted classes you get a far better standard of healer and they can manage more advanced stuff, but that’s their only job. Here people are playing it for glamour for their cat girl.

[GrimGale]

I don’t want to sound like a troll here but honestly I see why they want to keep healing very simple. We already fail many runs because two healers can’t do basic mechanics or press a button.

Healers have a lot of control over the run and yesterday was just painful for me on the third Eden and Titan unreal because of healers dying. So keep it simple, because most of them can’t manage with what they have.

In a game like WOW with devoted classes you get a far better standard of healer and they can manage more advanced stuff, but that’s their only job. Here people are playing it for glamour for their cat girl.

That's a terrible argument. How does that not apply to Dps and tanks aswell?

Should devs just make everyclass a 1 button spam fest so that everyone can focus on mechanics?

[tdb]

Part of me wants to say that last statement is all hogwash, and wants to believe that players would adapt to either more DPS skills, or increased healing requirements. Then I hop into a NM raid where a DPS player or one of the healers go down because they were not topped up to survive an unavoidable, and then they stay down since the healer is making no effort to raise the fallen players. I really wish this was a strawman argument; or even a really rare occurrence. It happens far too often though, and I am quite sure the devs are aware of it.

I don’t want to sound like a troll here but honestly I see why they want to keep healing very simple. We already fail many runs because two healers can’t do basic mechanics or press a button.

This here is the reason me and my most active friend prefer to do raids, especially new ones, as healers. Two competent healers can save a run in a way no other role can. If the double healer queue is unbearably long I might switch to RDM so I can at least make sure raises are dished out in a timely fashion and occasionally help a little bit with heals (though a single healer is more than sufficient if people don't die too much).

That's a terrible argument. How does that not apply to Dps and tanks aswell?

Inept dps will result in a slower but successful run.

Inept tank will result in more work for the healer, but the run will succeed.

Inept healer will result in wipes and a failed run.

[GrimGale]

This here is the reason me and my most active friend prefer to do raids, especially new ones, as healers. Two competent healers can save a run in a way no other role can. If the double healer queue is unbearably long I might switch to RDM so I can at least make sure raises are dished out in a timely fashion and occasionally help a little bit with heals (though a single healer is more than sufficient if people don't die too much).


Inept dps will result in a slower but successful run.

Inept tank will result in more work for the healer, but the run will succeed.

Inept healer will result in wipes and a failed run.

Okay fair enough. So your solution to attract competent people to the role is to dumb it down further so that people that are interested in getting better at it will essentially go somewhere else.

I will not be told I have to pay for other healer's incompetence when accounting for boring healer design. Some healer players suck, so let's turn every healer role into a healbot, that way will definitely get through encounters.

[tdb]

Okay fair enough. So your solution to attract competent people to the role is to dumb it down further so that people that are interested in getting better at it will essentially go somewhere else.

I never said I wanted healers to be dumbed down. I'd love for the role to be more engaging (in a sensible way, not the "I must constantly spam cure or everyone dies" way) because it's my favorite one to play. I'd also love it if the other roles got more responsibilities and better feedback of how they perform. Actual DPS checks and split phases even in dungeons. Tanks having to work for their enmity, boss fights with adds that don't die to three GCDs from the dps. But unfortunately a game this large has to cater for the lowest common denominator so those won't happen.