While it’s sometimes more optimal to use a human player to heal for encounters (due to the many different ways a healer operates), it might be even more optimal for players to focus on dealing damage or tanking instead. There’s a certain nuance to the healing AI that may potentially respond faster than a human could. Which is why many players turn to healing trusts, so they can focus on the enemy at hand. Below I’ll highlight some of the best White Mage trusts, as well as their various AI patterns.
5. Ferrous Coffin
Ferrous Coffin, as of writing this article, is the only healer trust to have access to Raise. This means he’s capable or reviving fallen player characters! Sadly, this effect does not extend to other trusts. But it remains a very valuable tool when players are trying to fill in for situations where two or more players are susceptible to sudden death, such as enemy attacks that inflict Doom or Death. Ferrous Coffin has access to all the single-target Cures and –Na spells, though he only seems to cast –Na spells on players with the highest enmity. For what he generally lacks as far as a traditional healer goes, he makes up for in his potential to deal damage as one, too. He possesses the double attack trait, and can do considerable damage with his Randgrith weaponskill, which has notably good light-based skillchain properties. He’s also good at surviving attacks that can often one-shot other white mage trusts, due to his very high HP. This makes him considerably sturdier than other choices, and works exceptionally well in groups where the focus is to deal as much damage as possible in a short amount of time, commonly referred to as a zerg. While he’s a notable healer(especially when the party makeup can support him), he remains at the bottom of this list because of his unfortunately small MP pool. Not to mention the fact that he does not use Protectra or Shellra.
4. Kupipi
Kupipi is a charming healer trust that’s also easy to obtain. So it’s true that many players will use her. She has access to a bevy of white magic, encompassing Cures, Protectra, Shellra, -na spells, and even Erase! She’s even capable of applying debuffs in the form of slow, paralyze, and flash, which is a spell that no other white mage trusts will cast. She’s also very fast to remove status ailments, and will often prioritize that over healing. So it might be a good idea to have some emergency healing on hand just in case a flurry of status ailments come your way. Kupipi doesn’t run out of MP too often due to her naturally high MP reserves, as well as using Starlight and Moonlight, which restore a small amount. But her best asset is also one that she’ll trip up on. She’ll stay in place after you engage an enemy, which is great and allows you to move away and keep her safe. But if you stray further than 20’ (20 yalms), she’ll run into melee range again. This AI behavior can often cause her to take unnecessary damage – something that doesn’t go well with her below average HP.
3. Yoran-Oran
Yoran-Oran is a very interesting healer trust due to his astoundingly high magical evasion. This means he’ll often resist most enfeeblements that enemies will throw at him. He also possesses the Nott weaponskill, which restores sizable HP and MP, as well as the venerable Afflatus Solace which add tons of power to his healing capabilities and MP efficiency. He also possess a natural 50/tick regain. Typically he uses single target Cures from IV through to VI, and has access to Erase and Stoneskin as well. This enables him to survive harder hitting attacks, which does offset his below average HP. Plus he has Protectra and Shellra, and will always stand back when he’s healing, giving him considerably smarter distancing AI than Kupipi.
2. Monbreaux
Monbreaux is certainly the most unique and varied healer in this list. His very wide range of potions gives him the ability to double as a healer with immense support capabilities, without relying solely on using MP. Most of his potions have a very short recast, ranging from 1-4 seconds. He’s also capable of using single-target potions like Mix: Max Potion which instantly restores 700 HP to a target. He can also recreate protect and shell with a Guard Drink, or buff stats with Samson’s Strength, or even mimic –Na spells with items like holy water to remove doom, or erase with Panacea-1. And to top it off, he’ll even restore MP with ethers! In addition to his potion-flinging skills, he also has access to cover. Now I’ll also add that he has fairly high HP for a healer, making him able to take hits well. He’ll often just chug a potion to brush off hard hits. And funny enough, he can even wake himself up if he’s put to sleep! Monbreaux is a great trust that fits well into many parties due to his unique mechanics, and his ability to take hits if the need arises.
1. Apururu
Apururu is an old-time favorite. In addition to her access to Cure magic, plus Protectra, Shellra, -Na spells, Stoneskin, and Haste, she’ll even use Curaga when party members fall asleep to wake them up. Her reaction and casting times are fast and she’s efficient with MP, using Nott when her MP falls under 50%, which she can use fairly often due to a 75/tick regain. In addition to this, she can restore MP to others by using Devotion. And on the battlefield, if she has no enmity generated on an enemy, she’ll usually stand 15’ away – keeping her at a safe distance. Her only notable drawback is that she can die rather suddenly by using convert when her MP falls very low.
