Welcome to the comprehensive guide on becoming a healer in the immersive world of Final Fantasy XIV. Designed for both seasoned players seeking to perfect their skills, as well as newcomers to the Healing role, this guide provides the essential understanding of what it takes to excel in one of the most crucial and rewarding roles in the game.
Healers in Final Fantasy XIV bear the sacred responsibility of keeping their party on their feet, their lifeline in the thrilling heat of battles, and the reassuring shield in times of need. Mastering the art of healing demands players to cultivate a keen awareness of their surroundings, quick decision-making skills, proficient knowledge of each teammate’s role, and the understanding of how their abilities can synergize to transform challenging encounters into victories.
In this guide, we delve deep into the intricacies, strategies, and mechanics of Healer roles, breaking down the duties of the two primary healing classes—Conjurer/White Mage and the Scholar. We’ll be providing an in-depth look at managing your party’s health, prioritizing healing targets, handling debuffs, managing resources, and optimizing your skills to the fullest.
Whether you’re feeling the rush of adrenaline in the intense battlefields or the steady thump of your heartbeat in the quiet before the storm, being a Healer is an experience unparalleled. Embark on this journey and immerse yourself in the art of healing!
Responsibilities and Contributions of Healers
- Prioritize healing: yourself -> main tank -> off-tank -> everyone else
- Keep buffs/debuffs up on party members
- DPS enemies when the party is stable
- Keep an eye on enemy actions and anticipate healing needs
- Quickly target party members using function keys, controller, or mouse
- Communicate with other healers and tanks for maximum effectiveness
Tips for Being an Effective Healer
- Learn to efficiently target party members
- Use Focus Target to observe the enemy and prepare for big hits
- Don’t neglect to DPS when the party is stable
- Be adaptable; healing is not primarily about executing a set rotation
- Be mindful of your MP
Conjurer/White Mage
- Job Requirements: Level 30 Conjurer, Level 15 Arcanist; Thaumaturge is the tertiary class
- Recommended Stat Allocation: All into Mind
- Recommended Cross-class Skills: Swiftcast, Virus, Eye for an Eye
Conjurers and White Mages are the kings and queens of AoE heals and powerful abilities, but can easily run out of MP.
Key Skills:
- Cure (main single-target heal), Medica (AoE heal), Regen (powerful HoT)
- Benediction (near-instant-cast 100% heal)
- Esuna (removes debuffs/DoTs)
- Protect, Stoneskin (damage reduction)
- Raise (revives knocked-out party members)
- DPS abilities: Stone, Aero, Stone II, Aero II, Holy
Scholar
- Job Requirements: Level 30 Arcanist, Level 15 Conjurer; Thaumaturge is the tertiary class
- Recommended Stat Allocation: All into Mind or Intelligence
- Recommended Cross-class Skills: Protect, Stoneskin, Swiftcast, Cleric’s Stance, Aero
Scholars are proactive healers, focusing on damage prevention and support.
Key Skills:
- Physick and Adloquium (single-target heals with added damage absorption)
- Leeches (removes debuffs/DoTs)
- Sacred Soil (AoE damage reduction)
- Lustrate (instant-cast 25% heal)
- Eos fairy (healing) or Selene fairy (party support)
- Resurrection (revives knocked-out party members)
- DPS abilities: Ruin, Ruin II, Bio, Miasma, Aero, Bio II, Miasma II
By mastering the skills listed above and adhering to the general tips and responsibilities, you’ll become an integral part of your party and a highly sought-after healer in Final Fantasy XIV.
FFXIV Healer FAQ
Q: What’s the main role of a healer in Final Fantasy XIV?
A: A healer’s main role is to restore the party members’ hit points (HP), apply buffs to protect them, deal with debuffs on the party, and occasionally deal damage when it’s safe to do so.
Q: How do I select the right person to heal in battle?
A: Function keys can be used for quick targeting, with F1 for yourself, and F2 through F8 for your party members. If using a controller, the Up and Down buttons can be used to cycle through targets.
Q: Why do I need to heal myself first?
A: You should prioritize your own survival because if you fall, there may be no one else to restore HP to the team.
Q: Do I only heal my team members during combat?
A: Primarily, yes, but healers should also apply buffs before battles begin and use resurrection spells to revive fallen teammates.
Q: In what order should I prioritize healing my teammates?
A: Generally, prioritize yourself → the main tank → off-tank → everyone else.
Q: How do I ensure that I don’t run out of MP as a White Mage or Conjurer?
A: Manage your MP carefully, relying mostly on Cure instead of Cure II unless you get a free Cure II proc. Regenerate MP through Shroud of Saints or, if available, have a Bard play the Mage’s Ballad.
Q: When should I use my damage skills?
A: You should use them when the party’s health is stable and you’re not anticipating a wave of damage.
Q: There are multiple healing jobs available. Which one should I choose?
A: If chosen properly each healing job can be equally effective. White Mages are excellent at healing large amounts of damage quickly, while Scholars are better at damage prevention. It’s recommended to choose based on personal playstyle preferences.
Q: How do I effectively use the Scholar’s fairies, Eos and Selene?
A: Eos is excellent for situations where there is a lot of AoE damage. Selene is generally preferred for her party support abilities. Make sure to manually use abilities when Eos is summoned to avoid wasting buffs.
Q: How do I manage aggro as a healer?
A: All healing generates enmity. If you’re pulling aggro, it would be best to allow the tank to regain control of the enemy before continuing to heal or to use abilities that reduce your enmity.
