Why people says AST is bad?

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Originally Posted by DreamWeaver

In this reality, for every person that said that phrase, there'll be 100 that said "If only the AST drew a _____, he/she could have saved us from a wipe" :D.

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I feel like that's one of the design problems with these cards. To be worth the hassle(4+ buttons), they'd need to be strong enough that they dramatically affect the group. If that WAS the case, then we'd need to be balanced around these cards, and thus open to wiping due to just poor RNG.

I've just finished levelling AST & WHM to 60 and trialled them both in Ex. Ravana and I thought I'd join the conversation and add some points relevant to raiding. (Some sch play for 2.0, but more as an alt rather than main)

Lets begin by saying that WHM is very strong at the moment and this fight (and bismarck) seem attuned to WHM healing - the aoe damage (rolling medica 2), the predictable tank hits (Tetra) and very limited healing on the move (though assize can cover the limited moments where this is required). A WHM couldn't really ask for a better fight - they even have time to dps.

With this in mind AST (and even SCH) are always going to feel comparatively weaker, with AST being the weakest of the three.

The major downside of AST in comparison to WHM and SCH are its inconsistency and its unique ability...the cards.

Cards are great, they are fun, they require strategic thinking in a fast paced environment and they create a relatively unique experience every time.

On the other hand, cards are difficult to use effectively in their current state. Take Ravana extreme. Imagine you go into the fight for the first time. Whilst you’ve watched a couple of videos and read the strat, there are things you only begin to understand when experiencing the fight. For example, there are significant periods of ‘down time’ in this fight where Ravana leaves the arena. Unless you are fully prepared with the timings of these abilities you are most likely going to waste your buff times – there were plenty of times where I could have wasted an spear/arrow(royal road) + balance combo (when RNG was nice) without realising that the DPS couldn’t actually DPS for the next 40 seconds.

This makes AST significantly weaker than both WHM and SCH. Selene own her own accord has the ability to consistently roll buffs on the raid – Whilst you may lose half a speed or spell buff due to mechanics, there will be opportunity to benefit from this buff again. In comparison, there is a chance that AST may never roll balance again for the remainder of that encounter. A WHM doesn't need to buff per say but has the ability to 'save the raid' with strong heals through unpredictable damage and abilities.

The second problem with cards is the illusion of strategy. Being the mini-whm, mini-selene in raid I feel it important to never ever, ever waste a card draw/road cast. There are times however where I felt annoyed that I didn’t have more options. I want to benefit from each card, as all cards are great - but sometimes RNG doesn't let that happen at all and you don't have the right cards at the right time.

Why can’t AST “hold” up to three cards to allow for strategic planning of cards that obtain the most benefit at specific times (e,g bole and balance)?

Why can’t AST stack royal road to make up for the bad draws? (Both of the same and different cards, it might actually make drawing multiple spires useful). (Stacks in combat only)

Why does shuffle allow you to redraw the same card?

In my opinion, AST is a fine pick…for fights you already have on farm. A good WHM/SCH main will probably enjoy playing AST to change things up and have a relatively unique experience each pull. AST on the other hand would not be my go to pick for progression due to its inconsistency, its inability (or maybe underwhelming heal potency) to heal through stupid mistakes on progression that stop you from...progressing, and some broken/unusable abilities (channelling spells with tiny radiuses?? really?)

I would very much love if Bole gives us invincibility status for 30s and balance 50% attack increase for the same duration. That is acceptable!

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Originally Posted by Rajeme

I would very much love if Bole gives us invincibility status for 30s and balance 50% attack increase for the same duration. That is acceptable!

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/sarcasm

I hope

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In my opinion, AST is a fine pick…for fights you already have on farm.

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The problem is that SCH's Fey Wind still provides a larger DPS increase over the entire fight than AST, and SCH does more DPS with spells than AST as well, with better mana efficiency.

Even in this case, the other healers are a better choice.

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Originally Posted by Crevox

The problem is that SCH's Fey Wind still provides a larger DPS increase over the entire fight than AST, and SCH does more DPS with spells than AST as well, with better mana efficiency.

Even in this case, the other healers are a better choice.

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When a fight is on farm it doesn't matter who you take, you'll clear it regardless - this is my main point/reasoning behind that comment. Healers should have fun too, and for some healers playing their alt astro will challenge them for a bit when farming becomes stagnant and relatively easy to heal.

Edit; Just to make it clear - farming with a static or a very reliable group of people.

Leveling AST now, have it only at 50 but have WHM and SCH at 60. So far, dungeons are terrible - no major healing output for major pulls (the emergency heal is basically mandatory for very large pulls) and even when you get a break to pump out DPS on big pulls there's not much you can do sub-52. Why they made Gravity a level 52 skill is beyond me, they're just punishing ASTs in High Roulette.

Looking ahead at the 52-60 skills (Gravity, Malefic II, Time Dilation, Collective Unconscious, and Celestial Opposition), I don't see anything that'd affect how an AST would heal in a coil environment, so I think I have a feel for it, and I have to say, I think it's just a woefully average, barebones healing kit that looks like it belongs in 2.0. I don't even think this kit would have done well in low iLVL FCoB;

- Super weak Regen, basically the greatest spell in WHM's arsenal toned down for the sake of being toned down. 100 potency is so shitty. You can't put this on a tank to give yourself breathing room for mechanics or to DPS, plus you can't enhance it to be stronger than it is. WHM can put down DS Regen and that with Embrace spam would EASILY cover auto attacks for a long time T1-13, but I don't even think Enhanced Benefic + Embraces would even match weak autos. 3.0 WHM can put down Asylum for Pete's sake and have almost 200 potency Regen from DS + 100 potency from Asylum, plus often a DS M2 on the MT from a mechanic for 65 potency per tick from that too, before talking about Embrace + actual healing. At best AST has 150 from Enhanced Benefic + Enhanced Helios ... what can you really do with that in the meta? Whatever you CAN do with that, WHM would be able to do it sooner, longer, and easier.

- Card RNG. Even with Shuffle, I can't tell you how many Ewers, Spires, and Boles I get consecutively. I don't even have to compare it to Selene to note that it's frustrating to do party content and miss out on 1/3 the cards actually getting raid use. These cards in general are great for stacking an individual's parse but for raid DPS, the cards can't even make up for the difference in healer DPS from bringing WHM + SCH instead.

- I can't say for sure about DPS as I'm only level 50 but I'm just not seeing the system working out. What's a downside to me is the lack of oGCD attacks - while it doesn't matter since there's a decent amount of potency within the attacks themselves, it would matter for burst periods. When AST attacks, it puts up DoTs or does its 200 potency filler, which isn't so competitive in a burn period where SCH can do up to 9 Energy Drains if he goes all in, and WHM can pump out Fluid Aura + Assize + stronger burst Stone IIIs. The flow of AST DPS, put up DoTs and use filler, is so barebones and not very versatile IMO, compared to a SCH Baning his DoTs or a WHM using Presence of Mind and pumping out some serious Stone III or Holy burst, temporarily on a level close to an additional DPS.

- Undeniably the worst aggro system of the 3 healers. Having a Quelling serve as your enmity reducer is okay in concept, but it's attached to your MP regeneration which typically takes precedence over aggro management, and the CD on it is too long to necessarily use it when you want, how you want it. WHM gets Shroud as a dump, SCH doesn't need a dump because so much of its heals come from a separate source. I can't really say how good or bad AST MP seems to me as I'm only 50 and obviously haven't done any high end content with it, but I will say the options AST has for MP regen don't appeal to me. SCH gets Aetherflow and Energy Drains; WHM gets Shroud, Assize, and C2 procs. AST gets its version of Shroud, and RNG Ewer (which should usually get Royal Roaded IMO) ... as is I don't see some passive way of playing or modification AST can do to save MP like a WHM fishing for C2 procs and then saving it for when it needs to, or SCH blowing stacks on Energy Drain excessively to regain MP. AST's MP is held by the BRD's balls and just not overhealing too much, it looks to me.

- The lack of healing variety, I could see it being problematic. I touched on this above but, basically AST can do the basic WHM tools, a Medica, a Medica II, a Regen, a C1, a C2, and a mini-Lustrate once every 40s. This is basically it, plus Disable (which is arguably the most unique and strong tool AST has). If content simply calls for basic heals + M2 for mechanics then AST will be ... competent for the encounter, but compare this extremely basic toolkit to what WHM and SCH can do:

WHM:

- All the abilities of regen stance AST, plus C3, plus generally stronger potencies.
- Assize, insta-300 potency Medica on a 90s CD.
- Asylum, 800 potency ground regen field that can cover the entire team, 90s CD.
- Tetragrammaton, mini-Lustrate. Benediction, mega-heal in case of emergencies.
- Divine Seal. Take all the basic GCDs and make them do 30% more healing output. 1/3 uptime, and with HoT snapshotting it can be closer to 60%~ uptime on Regen/M2.
- Again, Regen is just so strong from WHM. It's a game changer.
- E4E, Virus. E4E is one of the most valuable skills in the game and the more users of it in the party, the merrier. Virus is similar to this but due to Anti-body only one or two core Virus users are enough typically.

SCH:

- Adlo. This is the best single target GCD heal in the game due to how it's hard to overheal with it, it can prevent one shots in the near future if the tank is out of CDs, and that crit potential to make it absolutely broken.
- Sacred Soil. It's been boosting raidwide survivability for mega damage spots selectively since launch and has a niche but sometimes extremely helpful place in the SCH's moveset. While AST has this too, it's only usable in the otherwise inferior shielding stance right now AST shouldn't be caught dead in.
- Embrace. Even toned down as it was at level 60, it's stilly incredibly strong, between letting it roam loose to pick up low HP comrades, to forcing your fairy to spam Embrace without stop on your tank to allow generous helpings of DPS, it is a free, constant heal.
- Lustrate. Good SCHs don't blow all their Aetherflow stacks on ED until their next Aetherflow comes back in case of emergency Lustrates, and hoo boy is Lustrate strong.
- Of the 52-60 skills, Indominitability (400 potency Medica insta-cast, cost of a mere Aetherflow stack, 30s CD) and Deployment Tactics (spread Galvanize and E4E, 2m CD) are arguably broken skills and I predict them to be major parts of strategies in Alexander Savage. Indominitability is ridiculously strong IMO.
- Quick CD E4E, Super-Virus.
- While Selene is normally used, if you want to talk healing output a SCH using Eos is virtually unmatched in raw healing output, in effective terms. 20% MDEF buff to the party, 20% extra healing to the party, a Medica II for free which can be Roused. Selene also has an AoE Esuna now, the only healing skill of its kind in this game - I expect it to have more than one application in future raids, that's for sure.

From what I've played of all 3 healers, I have a miserable time with AST compared to the utter versatility and power (DPS, healing, and the ability to put forth both effectively) of WHM/SCH. The cards just don't do it for me; I believe the intent of AST was to ensure it wasn't on the same healing level of WHM/SCH ON TOP OF giving great buffs out, but they really missed the mark on both angles IMO, especially since AST looks to be low end DPS itself. I do think some massive buffs are incoming and hopefully how it heals less than potencies will be changed, it's just a matter of if it's before Alexander progression, or, more likely, after it :(

Just repeating myself, but simply make the card cooldown 15 seconds and we'll be happy. That means there's always a card in play! It's not much I'm asking!

i really want spread out of combat and shuffle on a 60s cool down. also the mp and tp reduction skills have a little regen added to them (drop reduction to 15% or 10% for this add a 20 potency regen for instance). increasing heal potencysto match would be nice too its clearly overkill to have them lower. the lack of tools on the class make up a large enough difference from the other two healers.
i really like the class so far (not 60 yet) but i can feel it needs some buffs to be on par with the others.

My least favorite part of AST so far? That benefic/helios need a SEPARATE spell to get the bonus of your sect. I really, REALLY wish they had just folded the regen/shield into the base spell. It seems stupid to have to take up more hotbar space.