Predict the endwalker healing meta!

[CrimsonGunner]

So optimistic. 2 RDM is overkill.

It's PLD/WAR, 4 SMN, 1 DNC and 1 RDM.

its 3 smn and 1 RPR cause you forgot people want that extra 1% buff

[Huskie]

Since all numbers could change at launch and then further before the raid tier releases, there is no absolute tell to damage contribution from each healer in any given context.

That being said, I compare actual numbers based on what I've analyzed myself and what the other wonderful players from the Balance :tm: have said.

Healer meta changes based on the context of the situation, and most players (healers especially) aren't competent enough or can afford a good team to execute and afford the best possible performance to achieve the best results - since achieving the best results is the only reason a meta would exist in the first place. That being said, here are my takes:

For casual raid progression: anything.
- It literally does not matter at all, because you'll likely not be minimum gear by the point you get the fights that require higher gear and there will be no pressure or time limit on clearing. This could even include double of the same healer, which is abysmal for multiple reasons, but is possible.
- There are no mechanics that require special healer combinations minus big single hits from the 3rd and 4th floor of the tier, which only would reasonably need a "shield" healer.

For week 1 and racing: Likely AST/SCH.
- SCH has a the most effective mitigation and full sprint for the party, they handle split and spread party situations good, they still have chain which makes up for their lack of damaging the boss even when they cannot afford to and potential higher rDPS contribution regardless.
- AST heals relatively a ton still, they have really good spread/split party healing, same raid buff stuff just more than SCH, they have a lot of MP regen.
- Since healing the party in a still-standing spot or j-waves style mechanic is trivial with any composition I am not considering brute force or limited range healing.

For speeding: Maybe AST/SCH.
- The only thing that matters here is total raid damage, unless required healing is high enough where you warrant a healer that heals more but contributes less damage, which would likely not happen based on SHB tiers - and actual experience.
- This could change based on the viability of chain and maybe downtime adjustments that could lead to gains on SGE.

For any and all normal content in any context: none or any.
- Play what you like, don't feel pressured to do anything special, there is no meta for normals because no one cares enough about it for there to be a competition or consideration as a merit to performance. Use it as a learning opportunity to take baby steps in your growth as a player!
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My experience and knowledge comes from engaging in all raid content in HC prog, speeding/personal runs, and learning from other players that also engage in them.
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All of this could change with simple potency changes, minus the casual stuff. I can elaborate more, or correct any mistakes I may have made or overlooked.

[Rezef]

I believe it's gonna be AST/SCH. After the SGE hype dies out and we get into proper optimization phase this combination will bring the best rDPS. ASTs kit is still overtuned and 180% shield on Adlo is insane if you add it Deployment + the SCH preloton mitigation is gonna be a quite good mitigation tool. WHM/SGE will see some play ofc but I since rDPS is the most important metric (as of SHB) AST/SCH will be the most powerful combo.

[Recon1o6]

While I couldn't care less about meta, I do thinks its most likely going to be one of two things

Sage/Ast for fights with fights nowadays having lots of uptime and because big dick dps buff plz
Or its going to Sage OR Ast for solo healing because its looking very likely a 2nd healer is going to be permanently superfluous assuming no dark knight is in the party and these two roles are basically better than the other two in their categories

Healing required by the healers is going to be even lower this expansion, given 3 of the tanks have absurd self healing now and dark probably won't be used much because its hated by the devs as much as sch is. Lowest dps and fun for dark Always ;n;


Either way, I think its oging to be another expansion of "healer in need" after the initial hype has died off. IT will be either "nonsage healer" or "healer" depending on how sage goes potency wise. Toxikon needs but one buff and suddenly we have a healing job fit for the game

[PaulH]

I want to joke and say PAL/WAR - what are healers.....

[Risvertasashi]

I want to joke and say PAL/WAR - what are healers.....

It's a bit of a sidetrack from the original purpose of this thread but - with tanks getting so much more healing...

I'm skeptical it will have a tangible effect on raiding metas. But when people already complain that healing dungeons is boring and very easy... I do kinda expect this is just going to make things worse, particularly once we're all in EW's ilvl gear.

I know you hate it when we say it but this is unfortunately going to be a...now wait for it... WAIT AND SEE kind of thing.

I mean, sure. The point of this thread is to see different viewpoints. And come EW release, we can see "Oh this was right on" or "This was completely off" or "A little of this, a little of that was right/wrong."

This isn't meant to be some "IT'S GOING TO BE HORRIBLE YOU SHOULD JUST QUIT NOW" thing. But discussion does generally include negative aspects in addition to the positive ones.

I personally am very skeptical healers will disappear from raiding, along with some of the other forecasts in this thread. But the point isn't to argue that other views are wrong, it's to see what people are thinking and why.

[Hanayumi]

Ast/Sge overall, I can only really see Whm or Sch being viable is if there is just a ton of healing or a ton of mitigation required, but considering that just rarely happens, Ast and Sge could be the go to for the rdps and dps. That being said metas arent really a massive deal since you can clear any ex/savage/ultimate content with and job.

[Brandedblade]

rant about how useless healers are.

This was a hilarious read. Glad to see we've gotten to the point of black-pilling over a video game.

[FoxCh40s]

This was a hilarious read. Glad to see we've gotten to the point of black-pilling over a video game.

Except he's right.

[Brandedblade]

Except he's right.

Oh no i can't believe he got you too!

I know you hate it when we say it but this is unfortunately going to be a...now wait for it... WAIT AND SEE kind of thing. And even if the most optimized groups don't run healers that doesn't mean healers have no value outside of that. Not everyone playing this game is going to be playing at that level, for those people having a healer or two will be welcome.