So how is whm doing?

[Michieltjuhh]

Based on my observations, once Savage releases, WHM is going to be bottom of the barrel assuming damage taken increases. While all the other healers have plentiful oGCDs to cover damage windows, WHM is left wanting. Yes, Afflatus Rapture / Afflatus Solace can still be seen as 225 potency, but with the increase of damage on basic damage skills and the ability to weave with them, they lost their flexibility that other healers lacked to spend their plethora of powerful oGCDs (SCH having to Ruin II and for the sake of argument SGE having 2.5 sec cast on Dosis as well). Additionally, Dia was gutted for some reason? Perhaps AST is weak enough that WHM will still be the best 'pure healer' or whatever bollocks they named it, but then people might just run SGE and SCH and say f. it to any 'pure healing' and just throw their two dozen oGCDs at mechanics while losing 0 dps.

With the overkill of Piety on current top ilvl gear, I don't really notice the loss of the 'good' Thin Air just yet.

[snipski]

New thin air is fine you use it on ress, medica 2 and cure 3 ppl just need to actually use it at the right times

[Liam_Harper]

It sucks to use it on Raise because you either clip or delay the Raise a GCD. Medica II and Cure III are rarely used. Most of the time I just use it on Glare and 4% mana on 2 charges is rather underwhelming. No other healer has a mana management skill that becomes worse the better you play.

[Semirhage]

becomes worse the better you play.

You've done it. You've put a name to WHM's identity.

[Eisenhower]

WHM in Endwalker feels weaker and clunkier compared to Shadowbringers.

Overall, there's no impact in most of the kit, even if some actions are serviceable and the animations pretty cool. Since WHM relies a lot on GCD actions, paying both in time/action as well as mana, the lackluster results all add to the feeling of weakness. Meanwhile, the old issues remain and new troubles have popped up with nothing to really offset it. I'm of the mind that for each cost incurred, the effect should improve in proportion.

In terms of Thin Air, the new single-use buff is a far step away from the power that came with the old free casting duration. I get why it was changed (brute-forcing healing checks etc.) but it did take a chunk out of the mana economy. It doesn't feel multi-purpose as the old effect did, and is now relegated to dealing with Raise or AoE-healing costs rather than being an option for both damage and healing.

Aquaveil has a good effect with a good recast timer, but it almost feels like bloat when placed among the slew of actions that between them no longer seem to have any coherent theme, interaction or direction aside from "big direct heal". I don't want to claim that older iterations of WHM had a clear-cut theme aside from that aforementioned between quotation marks, but each addition exacerbates the situation.

As for the Lilybell, singling out the WHM as the trigger for it makes it feel terribly niche, as if it exists solely for group-targeted Akh Morns. Even if every single savage boss will be hitting us with akh morns or akh afahs, using the bell will leave a bad taste in my mouth.

WHM is in great need of an overhaul from the very core, but we're four expansions deep at this point I don't see SQEX ever putting their money where their mouth is and sorting out this head of design and technical debt.

[Michieltjuhh]

As for the Lilybell, singling out the WHM as the trigger for it makes it feel terribly niche, as if it exists solely for group-targeted Akh Morns. Even if every single savage boss will be hitting us with akh morns or akh afahs, using the bell will leave a bad taste in my mouth.

The biggest issue I have with its inflexibility is that it is pretty much going to be reserved for those scenarios. I'd almost prefer those weren't going to be common. For example, I like using it at the start of Hydaelyn EX just prior to the first AoE so it triggers on both the AoEs and then heals for another 600 after, which at least feels like a creative way of using it. If in the next 3 minutes there was an Akh Morn style attack, I would basically be forced to save it for that instead. Lowering the CD would go a long way to making it more flexible, even if its effect would have to be reduced to compensate.

[GrimGale]

I'd love for WHM to have an Afflatus spell that grants offensive mobility.

Afflatus Radiance: Deals same damage as Glare III, is on the GCD and its instant.

If not that at least make Afflatus Misery DPS neutral.