Please do not nerf Astrologian instead buff WHM/SCH

I usually always keep a Ewer or Spear stored, preferably spear to use before popping Lucid Dreaming and Celestial Opposition.

That was the initial idea when AST was introduced.

The actual heals were of a lower potency as the intention was that AST was balanced so that the card buffs would boster the part enough that you simply wouldn't need to drag out fights.

The problem is RNG on the cards meant you couldn't always get useable cards, and you couldn't even pause to draw in combat from the heal spam. You also had fewer heal skills to use as so many skills are dedicated to the card buff system. Obviously, some players did fine, but the majority struggled to deal with a healer with weak healers.

So they buffed AST. Then buffed it again. Then again.

Now AST is OP, and the other's a lagging behind in raw power and costs.

Let's Nerf astro. Not by a lot, just their healing potencies a bit. It hurts, but it'll just be a little bit.

The issue is, AST identity was flawed from the get go. As said, the general idea seemed to be that they would be lower potency in healing but make up for it by providing their party with buffs etc that would translate to them balancing out with the two existing healers. However that didn't pan out. The RNG on the cards paired with the fact that they started life as bootleg versions of either a SCH or WHM, depending on sect, left them lacking and didn't do much to cement a place for AST between the original two. Why bring the off brand when you can have the original? That seemed to be the mindset of most even if a lot of the fears were, I think, misplaced.

Then Square started the buffs. Now they needed a little help back then, but not near so much as they've been given. Stormblood and the lack luster changes and additions to the other two healers just highlighted the issue. At this point the 'I can do both' healer is edging in too much onto SCH and WHM territory while getting to keep exclusive rights to its own unique identity. Frankly, the first new healer should never have been a half breed of the originals because this was always going to be a problem at some point and I'm not sure how to fix it so that everyone feels fairly treated. Yeah, you could buff WHM and SCH and I'd say they both currently need work regardless of where AST falls, but what can you give them that will make them equal to an AST without outshining them or homogenizing the classes? I'm not inclined to encourage nerfs but at this point it seems the best course of action. Rework some things that were foolishly handled on the other two healers (looking at you confession stacks and short fairy leashes) and dial back AST a few notches. If all was right in the world, they would have been reworked for the expansion to separate them from the other two healers but that ship has sailed.

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Originally Posted by Lildragora

Thats their thing though, powerful party buffs. They should keep the cards the way they are, the other healers should be able to output more HPS or Mitigation however. Let them specialize. I am of the mindset of no nerfing, you just bring up and build content based on that. It's fine if some fights need harsh dps checks, just like some fights you would prefer raid healing or mitigation. Any combo should be fine to use together and there will always be a meta, but if given the option some fights would be better suited to different combinations giving every roll a place but doable with any. Ideally at least imo.

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Pretty much this. Powerful party buffs from cards is what makes AST unique. No reason to nerf everything which makes classes unique, that just makes the game boring. what they need to do is make EVERY class unique in meaningful and useful ways.

Lilly and Confession Mechanic needs changes.

SCH has always been the most powerful healer and it's funny how no one ever said a peep about it (pre 4.0 for clarification sense). The fairy could do SCH's job and they were a must in raiding. No one ever complained. WHM and AST always had to compete with each other for a spot. Then AST comes and starts getting buffs, specially the Balance card and suddenly AST is overpowered and the mean guy in the story because now SCH and WHM have to compete. It's almost as if non AST healers hate Astrologians. :( I don't see this kind of envy between tanks. It always makes me disappointed. As an AST (AND former WHM main) I shall just enjoy my job as it is as I've stuck with it through the good and the bads (been playing the job since 3.0 even when it was weak) while haters keep on hating. ;) Also don't put the blame on Astrologians, put the blame on SE for designing the job this way. We never asked to take your shields or HoTs. :P

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Originally Posted by Tyla_Esmeraude

SCH has always been the most powerful healer and it's funny how no one ever said a peep about it. The fairy could do SCH's job and they were a must in raiding. No one ever complained. WHM and AST always had to compete with each other for a spot. Then AST comes and starts getting buffs, specially the Balance card and suddenly AST is overpowered and the mean guy in the story because now SCH and WHM have to compete. It's almost as if non AST healers hate Astrologians. :( I don't see this kind of envy between tanks. It always makes me disappointed. As an AST (AND former WHM main) I shall just enjoy my job as it is as I've stuck with it through the good and the bads (been playing the job since 3.0 even when it was weak) while haters keep on hating. ;) Also don't put the blame on Astrologians, put the blame on SE for designing the job this way. We never asked to take your shields or HoTs. :P

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You're joking. SCH is awful.

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Originally Posted by Thunda_Cat_SMASH

Let's Nerf astro. Not by a lot, just their healing potencies a bit. It hurts, but it'll just be a little bit.

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AST doesn't need to be nerf'ed especially when a WHM already out heals it, out dps it, and out MP management it....AST has to have something to bring...

SCH is the only healer who needs something because they are in a pretty bad way right now

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Originally Posted by Sylvina

You're joking. SCH is awful.

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Obviously I meant before now... >.> I wrote in past tense!