As a Final Fantasy player for more than 35 years (since FF1 was new) I am in support of healers not being absolutely necessary for 4 man content. In fact, I think Tanks should also not be necessary for 4 man parties either.

This set up would really make this a Final Fantasy MMO, and not just a holy trinity generic MMO.

I'll use Final Fantasy 1 as an example, but this applies all of the job based, 4 man FFs (I, III, V, and IX).

In FF1, the most balanced and easy group make up was War (Tank), Whm (Healer), a melee DPS (Thf or Mnk) and a Magic DPS (Blm).

Even in that makeup, the Healer (Whm) did not just spam Cure spells. It also attacked and used attack spells. FFXIV has this part down.

But the basic set up was not the only way to play.

You could build parties without a Whm as a dedicated Healer. Maybe a Rdm for some minor healing and DPS. Maybe no healer at all.

You could also build effective groups with no Tank at all. Mnk or Thf in front. You would have to change tactics, but a Warriorless Party and a Whmless party are both viable. Sometimes even more fun.

I fully support FFXIV mirroring this 4 man concept by making Healers not absolutely necessary in 4 man content.

I'd go evern further by giving Melee DPS a shorter cooldown on their damage mitigation and give them an abilitiy or two that increases enmity, so they can hold threat and function as a tank. Maybe a temp emnity boost buff and/or non combo or rotation ability that increases emnity.

It should be more difficult for a Drg or Mnk to hold threat, but it should be possible. As it should be more difficult to heal with a Rdm, Smn, and/or tank self heals.

These set ups being viable is absolutely consistent with Final Fantasy group set up, and not just generic MMO holy trinity.

Edit: this is not a troll or joke post, and is 100% serious. Primary posted in response to the Healer outcry over tank self Healing.

I'm also not saying that duty finder be changed to that pick up groups don't need a tank or Healer.

Simply that 4 man content be balanced to allow for groups to use this make up in unrestricted, and melee jobs be given some emnity increasing options.

For those who say all DPS would be faster and superior, that's easy to resolve by damage being lowered when the emnity ability or buff is used.