The Conjurer Within

Before you read it all – I am not saying White Mages can not do content. They can. I am commenting how they got a lack of identity as what gives them that can ALREADY be done by the other two healers.

For anyone that mains a healer in the world of Eorzea will know that currently, White Mage is the weakest of the three healers in a technical sense. White Mages raw healing power is not needed and is easily matched by Astrologians and Scholar being in there own league that White Mages likely wouldn’t be played that much if the job didn’t have an iconic role. That is not also taking in account that Astrologians and Scholars have to heal less due to more migration such as Super Virus and Disable on top of their near equal healing. 

Already in ARR’s lore

The problem is listed above quite simple – White Mages are known for their raw healing … which is long gone and equaled by the other two healers. With this in mind, White Mages need a change and I was thinking the other day about something it could have – draw upon the Conjurer class within.

Within the lore of Final Fantasy XIV, Conjurers are able to speak with the elements and it is this lore I would add into the game. I would change it so Conjurers can call upon an element to aid them in the fight. Although the idea would have to be fleshed out, here is what I would do with the elements.

• Wind Element – Increases all healing – both spells and skills. Under the effect of Cleric Stance, increases spell speed for damaging spells such as Stone.
• Earth Element – Provides a small passive defensive increase. Under the effect of Cleric Stance reflects a tiny amount of damage that the party suffers back to target.
• Water Element – Does a constant small amount of damage like Carbuncle’s Gust while slowly using MP. Under the effect of Cleric Stance, MP passive restore is increased and the attack comes out of the White Mage’s HP.
• The other elements can be used for future job skills and what not.

Notice how in the three elements above none of them will increase the overall party DPSing. This will allow Astrologians to still be the healer that increases the other party members DPS, provide strong defensive buffs via RNG etc, while Scholar is still the healer that can keep their DPS up while also having passive healing via their fairy while also providing minor party buffs.

The next benefit to this is it increases how harder it is to play the White Mage while still making it easy enough to play for those that just want to heal and nothing else. The changes above would make stance dancing with Cleric Stance a major part of what they do not only to deal damage but to also gain access to more MP regen and the passive damage and so on.

The elements themselves would not work as pets – they are not placeable and will follow the White Mage while working like a buff such as Fist of Fire. Outside of battle they can change the element at will but in battle, it will be on a two or so minute timer so that the White Mage has to plan ahead.

Although the idea would have to be fleshed out with balance needed – it will give White Mages something they really need – an identity and something the other healers do not have which is the passive buffs aside their current healing kit (which lets face it – the other healers can already do this).

For the lore itself elements already exist in the game but I am not too sure about them coming to help (does happen in the Conjurer quest line) but seeing White Mages have to level Arcanist in order to unlock White Mages – I would go down the route that someone in the Arcanist guild discovers a way to summon the element in an aether form (like a Carbuncle) and this is where the White Mage story comes in. Something I would also like to see although this is more very wishful thinking but allow them access to the Carbuncle vanity system.

That’s what I would do anyhow. White Mages can’t keep existing as “the power healer” as the other healers already can beat it outright and beyond the White Robes … I don’t see them being healers people would like anymore and just gain a reputation further of being the healer only bad healers play and not a healer equal that all healers should be.

Any feedback would be nice and if you like the idea – spread the word. The more people that talk about it – the more possible we might see something like this happen. I know balancing will have to happen but this is only a rough idea on making an identity for White Mages.