[PTT]

In the 3/30/06 Job Adjustment announcement on playonline.com, it was stated that the developers wanted to make sure that Whitemage was the number one healing job in the game.

I believe that they already are the number one healing job. However, it seems to have become difficult to find White Mages who are below level 75. Parties have turned to using other job classes to be the main healer, such as Red Mage/White Mage, and Summoner/White Mage. Summoners in particular are usually invited more for their ability to heal than for summoning avatars. Parties often disband when the healer has to leave, because there isn't a replacement to be found.

I believe that Final Fantasy XI needs another job that focuses mainly on healing.

Question: Would the developers please consider adding a job that focuses mainly on healing, such as the "Alchemist" job (from Final Fantasy Tactics, and Final Fantasy X-2)?

[Murphie]

I don't think adding another job would really change this. In all MMOs, healers are scarce. People want to play DD jobs, not backup healers. So that means that the few who do level the job level rather fast, meaning that there aren't enough to go around for everyone.

Unless you can think of a way to make a healing class more attractive to players who prefer DD, I doubt adding more jobs is going to help that.

[PTT]

True.

Where I'm coming from though, is that in my opinion, most people who wanted to level White Mage, already have it at 75, or very near it.

That may, in fact, not be true, but WHMs are scarce, and I'm clinging to the hope that a new job will help, but that might be in vain.

I suppose I'm still a bit sour that my prediction didn't come true. You see, just before they announced Puppetmaster, I was -SO SURE- that the third new job was Alchemist. No doubt in my mind. Aht Urghan is famous for Alchemy, they just added a whole bunch of new stackable Alchemy synths, the job's -GOTTA- be Alchemist! We need another healing class, and maybe it'll be just hybrid enough that people who don't normally like playing healers will flock to it!

Alas, then the announcement came, and my hopes fell flat. At least my friend enjoys playing Puppetmaster, but I'm still sad ;_;

[Balfree]

I wouldnt mind an Alchemist job, its a good suggestion and a valid point, but you simply cant hope for this right now, maybe in 1-2 years... ._.

[Duelist0851]

On Titan, I feel a greater shortage of tanks rather than lack of healers. At one point while forming a party in kazham (low-lvl i know, but nonetheless..) I saw 2 whm's and a smn lfg between 25-27, while a tank was nowhere to be found. I eventually went with a war I think- just a thought.

[Murphie]

WAR in that level range IS a tank. >;[

[forster]

I originally started Maddison as a tank/DD class, but by the time I hit dunes I realised that the bigger problem was that there were no WHMs about, so levelled her with WHM in mind - that way there is now always a WHM in my parties.

I dont think the answer to the lack of healer problem, is to add another healing class - infact its getting away from the point that SE want to make WHM the best healing class in the game, if this is so, then Alchemist would become a sub-healer and to be honest, do we really need another sub-healing job?

If you cant find WHMs for your parties, go level WHM yourself and suddenly the problem disappears - you can always put your other available jobs in your search comment, and switch back to your main when you see WHMs around LFP at your main jobs level.