Decoding the Healing Arts in Final Fantasy XIV: A No-Nonsense Guide
Thinking about healing in Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV)? Smart choice. Who else will save tanks from falling to primal bosses? Four healers exist: White Mage, Scholar, Astrologian, and Sage. Choosing feels overwhelming. However, this guide is here to help. Consider it your crash course, without the boring lectures.
I. Healer Hierarchy and the Not-So-Secret Difficulty Levels
The G.O.A.T. Healers (According to… Well, Opinions)
Let’s tackle the biggest question: “Which healer is the best?” The answer is: it depends. Each healer shows unique strengths. Often, “best” relates to content and playstyle. Let’s examine the popular consensus.
- White Mage: The Raw Healing Powerhouse. White Mage serves as the classic healer. They excel at pure healing. Need immediate healing? White Mage delivers. They shine with direct and powerful heals.
- Scholar: The Strategic Shield Maestro. Scholars are tactical, wielding shields effectively. They feature “god-tier oGCDs” allowing seamless heals without interrupting flow. In high-end fights, a Scholar is often essential. Plus, they have a fairy. Fairies are cool.
- Sage: The Potent, but Thirsty, Tech Healer. Sages are the newest healers, introducing futuristic elements. They perform shielding and direct healing duties but must manage mana wisely to avoid running out quickly.
- Astrologian: The Buffing Juggernaut (and Card Shark). Astrologian brings vital buffs to the party. They cast cards to improve damage, enhancing support. Their large utility in 4-man teams is unmatched despite their lower raw healing numbers.
Easing into the Green: Beginner-Friendly Healers
New to healing? Welcome! Choosing the right healer makes it easier. Arcanist is your golden ticket.
- Arcanist (Scholar/Summoner): The Two-for-One Deal. Starting as an Arcanist means gaining two roles. You begin with damage-dealing (Arcanist to Summoner) but unlock Scholar too. Its basic mechanics make it perfect for beginners, blending DPS and healing seamlessly. It’s like training wheels.
Difficulty Demystified: Healer Edition
Let’s face it; some jobs are more complex than others. Healer roles show varied learning curves.
- White Mage: Simplicity is Key. White Mage is often viewed as the “easiest.” Their mechanics are clear-cut, focusing on impactful GCD heals and mobility. No raid buffs complicate matters; they offer a beginner-friendly style.
- Sage: Shielding, Streamlined. Sage is typically more straightforward than Scholar. Its shielding tools are designed for ease of learning.
- Astrologian: The High-Skill Ceiling Healer. Astrologian ranks as the toughest healer to master. With numerous instant-cast skills and card mechanics, it can overwhelm new players initially. It demands dedication and practice to learn efficiently.
- Healer Role in General: More Than Just HP Bars. Being a healer means more than just keeping HP full; it requires situational awareness and quick thinking to prevent damage and optimize heals while often dealing damage itself.
The Underdog: Least Played Healer
In FFXIV’s shifting meta, some jobs see less action than others. Patch 6.51 shows one healer struggling for popularity.
- Astrologian: Lonely at the Bottom? Astrologian rarely sees play lately. Shield-based healers dominate encounters, making Astrologian’s lower DPS less appealing. Nonetheless, its buffing traits are invaluable in organized groups; they can still shine when utilized properly.
II. Dissecting Healer DNA: Characteristics and Comparisons
Healing Philosophies: Regen vs. Shield
Healers in FFXIV follow two main philosophies:
- Regen Healers: The HP Restoration Experts. White Mage and Astrologian excel at restoring health over time. They focus on reactive healing, managing damage as it occurs with strong spells and effects.
- Barrier Healers: The Damage Prevention Specialists. Scholar and Sage focus on damage prevention using shields. They can heal directly but excel at preemptive barriers to mitigate incoming damage.
Damage Dealing: DPSing While Keeping People Alive
In FFXIV, healers join in on dealing damage too; after all, dead enemies can’t fight back.
- White Mage: The Surprisingly Damage-Focused Healer. White Mage excels in damage output among healers. They weave damage spells in between healing, providing substantial DPS.
- Astrologian: Buffing for Bigger Numbers. While White Mage deals higher raw damage, Astrologian raises overall party DPS through card buffs in solid teams, increasing damage output significantly for all members.
Utility Belts: What Else Do They Bring?
Healers add numerous utility tools for their party beyond just healing and damage.
- Astrologian: The King of Utility. Astrologian tops the utility list. Their card system offers diverse buffs enhancing party performance significantly in content with four players.
- Warrior: The Tank That Thinks It’s a Healer. Warriors don’t heal directly but possess incredible self-sustain and support features. Their self-healing ability can feel like they help heal themselves and party members effectively.
The Healer’s Burden (and Reward): Party Responsibility
A healer carries a heavy responsibility beyond filling HP bars.
- More Than Just Keeping People Alive. The healer role encompasses understanding mechanics along with anticipating damage while optimizing healing efficiency for team success; it’s rewarding yet challenging.
IV. FFXIV Healing in the Wider World: Related Topics
The Great Healer Strike: A Cry for Complexity
The FFXIV community is passionate, especially regarding healers. Recently, a “healer strike” occurred that called attention to their challenges.
- Manifesto of Grievances. This “Healer Strike” centered on key concerns: overly simplified rotations, comparing toolkits with other roles, homogenization of classes, and wanting more challenging content for healer testing. It was a call for more engaging gameplay tailored to healers.
Viper Job: A Glimmer of DPS Hope?
The upcoming Dawntrail expansion introduces a new DPS job, Viper.
- Unlocking the Viper. To access this role, you must possess a combat job to begin your journey with Viper!
- Reach level 80 or higher and have the Dawntrail expansion. Next, visit Ul’dah’s Steps of Nald. Locate the Worried Weaver at (X:9.3, Y:9.2) to begin the “Enter the Viper” quest. New jobs bring changes to the meta. They offer new experiences in gameplay.
V. The Timeless Truth of Healing: In-Game and Out
Time, the Ultimate Healer (Even in Eorzea)
There is an old saying: “time heals all wounds.” This phrase may seem cliché. Yet, it holds some truth for our adventures in FFXIV.
- Healing is a Process, Not an Instant Fix. This saying teaches us that healing is rarely immediate, both in-game and life. Recovery takes time. This includes learning a new healer job or mastering complex rotations. Persistence matters. It’s a journey. Realizing this sweetens the victories. Expecting to become a great healer overnight is unrealistic. Allow time, practice, and improvement.
That wraps up our overview of FFXIV healers. Whether you prefer White Mage’s power, Scholar’s strategy, Sage’s tech, or Astrologian’s buffs, explore each path. Experiment to find your preferred healer style. Remember, wipes happen. Time and patience create great healers. Now go forth and save those adventurers! They rely on you. Also, explore Polygon’s guide to all FFXIV jobs for more insights, SkyCoach’s job tier list for deeper meta talk, and CBR’s tips for new healers if you’re starting out now. Happy healing!
