I'm sure its not ridiculous as you think. Outside of the potency increases for certain skills (and a decrease in one particular skill) we only really essentially received one extra tool to our healing kit (Synastry). The cards are still locked behind RNG, but now the pay-off is worth it. CO, Disable and CU don't directly increase healing, but the first two are now more viable and not as useless, whereas CU can be used in many scenarios now (especially in Noc, giving Noc Sect some form of passive healing). Generally good buffs across, but not changed so much as to replace WHM and SCH. AST is now more viable while still retaining some of its weaknesses, which are now better able to be justified given the strongest base potencies of the healers now (Nocturnal) and if good fortune smiles on you, noticeable buffs.
As someone mentioned earlier, this is definitely a required balancing of AST. AST still needs to contend with less off-GCD heals, sub-par mana management, sub-par DPS, longer cooldowns on buffs and RNG cards, but its healing throughput has been increased enough now to hopefully be competitive with WHM and SCH.
Potency changes
Benefic
Before Patch: 380 (Diurnal), 399 (Nocturnal).
After Patch: 400 (Diurnal), 420 (Nocturnal).
Benefic II
Before Patch: 620 (Diurnal), 651 (Nocturnal)
After Patch: 650 (Diurnal), 683 (Nocturnal)
Helios
Before Patch: 290 (Diurnal), 305 (Nocturnal)
After Patch: 300 (Diurnal), 315 (Nocturnal)
Aspected B.
Before Patch: 790 (Diurnal), 525 (Nocturnal)
After Patch: 1030 (Diurnal), 604 (Nocturnal)
Aspected H.
Before Patch: 640 (Diurnal), 294 (Nocturnal)
After Patch: 600 (Diurnal), 315 (Nocturnal)
