Healing in FFXIV is one of the most rewarding — and often demanding — roles in the game. A good healer keeps the party alive, supports damage output, and manages cooldowns like a pro. Here’s how to build your healer from the ground up.
1. Choose Your Healing Job
There are four main healer jobs in FFXIV, split into two categories:
Pure Healers:
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White Mage – Strong direct healing, beginner-friendly, and burst recovery power.
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Astrologian – Reactive healer with powerful cards for party buffs and flexibility.
Barrier Healers:
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Scholar – Uses shields, a healing fairy, and excels in mitigation and planning.
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Sage – Fast-paced, shield-based healer with offensive tools and strong utility.
Pick based on your preferred playstyle: Pure for strong healing bursts, Barrier for preventative care and mitigation.
2. Gear and Stats
Prioritize gear with Mind (MND) as your main stat — it directly boosts healing power.
Important secondary stats:
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Spell Speed – Affects cast times and HoT/DoT ticks.
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Piety – Increases MP regeneration (crucial in long fights).
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Critical Hit – Boosts healing and damage spikes.
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Determination – Improves both healing and damage steadily.
Balance these based on your playstyle and comfort with MP management.
3. Master Your Toolkit
Learn your healing, shielding, and utility skills. Most healers have:
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AoE and single-target heals
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Emergency cooldowns (like Benediction or Seraph)
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Damage spells — Yes, healers are expected to contribute DPS!
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Regen or shield options depending on your role
Use oGCD (off-global cooldown) heals as often as possible to weave damage spells and stay efficient.
4. Heal Smart, Not Hard
Don’t overheal — use regens, shields, and oGCDs to stabilize the party without wasting MP. Learn encounter patterns so you can pre-cast or mitigate incoming damage ahead of time.
5. Party Awareness
Good healers:
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Anticipate tank busters and raid-wide mechanics.
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Position for optimal AoE healing and dodging.
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Use Limit Break 3 in emergencies (revives the full party).
6. Practice Makes Perfect
Start in dungeons to learn the flow, then move into trials and raids as your confidence grows. Use tools like ACT or logs to review and improve your performance.
A great healer isn’t just reactive — they’re calm, proactive, and efficient. With the right build and mindset, you’ll become the heartbeat of every party in Final Fantasy XIV.
