What does everyone think about those AST buffs?

I agree with Luvbunny

From a longtime Scholar, congratulations Astrologians! I'm happy for you. But you stay in your regen sect or I'mma papercut ya! https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...r-tonberry.gif

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Originally Posted by Luvbunny

I don't get the negative "AST is OP" vibe - AST is now working as intended. A fully functional healer who CAN GIVE YOU BUFFS at a more consistent rate, and CAN heal at similar rate to their counterpart. WHM is your defacto "THE HEALER", SCH is your "DPS HEALER" and AST is your "BUFFS HEALER". Each healer now has their own specialty.

AST heal SHOULD consume far less MP, it is working as intended. SCH is by far far far far far more efficient healer out of the three. WHM is your safety net healer. AST cannot and will not be able to match SCH aetherflow when it comes to MP recovery, but at least AST consume less MP per heal. All of you "negative nancies", please kindly STFU, either go play AST before crying chicken little, or shut your trap. Trying to chime in on the "AST is OP bandwagon" ain't gonna help since as it is now, SCH is still the most OP healer with the best abilities overall, and the best mana recovery, and emergency "oh shit" tool. WHM come second in place, with its unrivaled healing potency and party MIND boost. AST is the third in position, but now AST has a place with decent buffs and healing ability.

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As someone who only leveled a WHM pre HW after AST was announced with the full intent of becoming one when they were released, I can see both sides of this. I haven't seen many SCH's worried. It's WHM's who feel that by buffing the healing potency in such a way, they are starting to step on what niche market WHM has. Which is, as said, only that they overall have more heals. WHM can still pull people out of the abyss very well so I don't think they are going anywhere and I'm very happy they buffed AST as I love the look and wanted to try them. I just wish they had done it with more focus on their cards, which is what makes them unique. Between the three the line between a WHM and a AST is the one that got blurred so I expected to see them concerned the moment I read the notes. I think they might be justified in that though I don't get the 'DOOM IS NEAR' crowd at all. I'll admit I did look at it and feel a bit like I'd been asked to share my lunch while SCH got theirs all to themselves, but I'm not upset per say. Everyone has the right to their opinion.

Ran Expert Rou again after a loooooong time as AST again and I have to say, healing is very comfortable now, just as on my SCH (even though I seem not to be brave enough to be dps-ing that much). Still those 30sec balance aoe buffs are so nice to look at :D.
Though I feel like it's ok that their base healing toolkit is on par now with the others, they should have focused more on the buffs (like making draw more often).

The only bad thing that I think that shouldn't be here is Noct Aspected Benefic being that powerful: Instant cast, lower mp cost, higher migration due to higher shield - it should be on par, not better than Adlo (outside crit but you that's our Cure II, AST has Benefic II for that as well)

I guess we'll just have to wait and see

the astro buffs piss me off, they now do everything better, now wheres the whm & sch buffs???

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Originally Posted by Shikiseki

should be on par, not better than Adlo

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Meh! You're not gonna be in nocturnal sect when paired anyway. Also having many more mana options, effectively we can adlo more than you can afford to noct-asp, so I'd say it comes out pretty even?

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Originally Posted by Verrin

the astro buffs piss me off, they now do everything better, now wheres the whm & sch buffs???

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Since when does SCH need buffs? There's a reason we didn't get anything amazing post-50: it's hard to give us anything without making us too good.

they still need to fix the spire card

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Originally Posted by NorthernLadMSP

Honestly, it blows my mind, how many people in this thread I have seen whining and complaining about how AST sucked, and how it needed so many changes to make it viable. Now, they've made some great changes, and the same people are bitching and moaning because AST now has something that makes it a great healer - even while WHM and SCH are still as amazing (as they always were) and will never be replaced.

Seriously, grow up. Some of you are seriously acting like the jealous stepsisters in my Final Fantasy Fairytale (see page 17).

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Scholars are in great danger of being replaced since their shields are no longer the strongest; honestly if I had it my way the SCH would have shields, the AST healing overtime, and the White mage would be the hybrid healer that ast is supposed to be but on par with both healers. The Ast/Sch and any new healer would have utility while the white mage would have all the forms of healing while lacking support I think that would be a better vision for the healers.

Example:
White Mage: Shields, Burst, HOT (With Shields/HOT on stances) (Not weaker than their peers since that is basically their niche aka basically what Ast is now)
Scholar: Shields + utility (Fairies)
Astrologian: Healing Overtime + utility (Cards)

I'm not saying that the Astrologian is going to replace the Scholar; however there is a chance due to them having stronger shields.

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Originally Posted by Kumori_Kumo

Since when does SCH need buffs? There's a reason we didn't get anything amazing post-50: it's hard to give us anything without making us too good.

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all they really need is the muzzles taken off their fairys so that a 300 potency heal doesn't act like 200 potency & ill stop my whining

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Originally Posted by Verrin

all they really need is the muzzles taken off their fairys so that a 300 potency heal doesn't act like 200 potency & ill stop my whining

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Then they'd have to lower the potency on Physick to make up for it.

Having played some...

Collective unconscious is great. It's strong and it's satisfying to use.

The cards they buffed are also really satisfying.

Spear still sucks though and I still don't see why it didn't go 30s to give it a bit more consistency. A handful of abilities can double dip at 30s(Say, two guass rounds in one card), but...is that really a huge problem? I think most of the offenders are the lower end dps anyway. I think spear needs a rework, but it'd have been a ok bandaid. Super situational spear and kinda situational spire don't help the stated goal of making the rng less painful. Really, it's worse because the good cards are even better now. BUT, on spire...

The tp bar is wonderful. No more guesswork. You know if you need it and who needs it most. Dps be warned, if you didn't pop invigorate at 600 tp, I'll know. This is really good for Arrow too if there's no blm. Because you can see who has the most tp and toss it on them.

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The only bad thing that I think that shouldn't be here is Noct Aspected Benefic being that powerful: Instant cast, lower mp cost, higher migration due to higher shield - it should be on par, not better than Adlo (outside crit but you that's our Cure II, AST has Benefic II for that as well)

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I think that's why you've nothing to worry about. We don't really need two cure II's. And while they buffed the shields, they buffed helios and benefic II as well. The problem continues to be, noct lets you heal a different way, but it doesn't really make you better at it, where diurnal does.

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Originally Posted by SuzakuCMX

Then they'd have to lower the potency on Physick to make up for it.

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& why would that be?, sch doesnt have a Cure 2, true they have lustrate but its an ability so it gets no buffs from defiance or convalescence + they can only use it 3 times a minute if they use none of the other aetherflow ablilitys

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Originally Posted by RazeLandale

Having played some...

The cards they buffed are also really satisfying.

Spear still sucks though and I still don't see why it didn't go 30s to give it a bit more consistency. .

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I think the reason why they didn't adjust the spear is because I think they are working on adjustments for the card, and perhaps they haven't finalized these adjustments. So probably in the next hot-fix or patch 3.1 we might have the spear fixed, and the duration increased.

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Originally Posted by Verrin

& why would that be?, sch doesnt have a Cure 2, true they have lustrate but its an ability so it gets no buffs from defiance or convalescence + they can only use it 3 times a minute if they use none of the other aetherflow ablilitys

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Because they are balanced already and straight up buffing a class that is balanced would be stupid.

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Originally Posted by SuzakuCMX

Because they are balanced already and straight up buffing a class that is balanced would be stupid.

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no dumber then buffing a weak class to be above everything else

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Originally Posted by Verrin

no dumber then buffing a weak class to be above everything else

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Good thing that didn't happen!

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Originally Posted by RyouAkizuki

Good thing that didn't happen!

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says an ast

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Originally Posted by Verrin

says an ast

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It didn't happen.

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Originally Posted by Verrin

says an ast

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Says a level 50 Scholar.

im letting my self get dragged down to the wrong level, my whole point is that the aspected benific shield should end up as 300 potency not 325 & the regen between the base heal & the regen effect should be equal to whm regen over the same durration

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Originally Posted by SuzakuCMX

Says a level 50 Scholar.

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odd last i checked i was lvl 60 http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodest...acter/2344246/

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Originally Posted by Verrin

odd last i checked i was lvl 60 http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodest...acter/2344246/

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Your forum profile says Arcanist 50. My bad.

Either way SCH does not need buffs right now. Any buff they get would require a nerf somewhere else.

People saying SCH is being in danger of being replace are just fear mongering and aren't playing in end-game, fast progression raiding. They also don't understand the intended design of AST versus SCH.

Yes, the greater heal potency is going to help AST a lot in other aspects of the game (daily aspects), and the utility changes have made AST more viable in end-game raiding. That being said SCH DPS is still/always will be far superior than AST & WHM DPS and that's what makes end-game SCH especially unique. For AST to match SCH DPS more revisions to AoE DPS effects and mana regen would need to be considered.

AST isn't for the type of healer that enjoys DPSing and healing. AST is a support healer - We'll buff other peoples DPS, regen their resources and heal them. Now, people have a choice between SCH, WHM and AST for end-game progression because they can 'hold their own' healing wise.

The ONLY problem with bringing an AST rather than a SCH is that you still might not be meeting DPS requirements because the cards are still random (besides the first balance). You may only roll a balance once for the entire encounter. Whilst the cards have greater presence, it may lead to inconsistency in meeting DPS checks on hard DPS checks (think hand split in A3s Savage).

An AST (Dirunal)/SCH combo may be a really strong combo as well, though I still expect a little more SCH healing output than with a WHM/SCH combo.

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Originally Posted by Verrin

says an ast

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I didn't happen not by a longshot.

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Originally Posted by Verrin

says an ast

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http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodest...acter/2309678/

Also a Sch, which is what I played until 3.0.

Anyway, who would replace a Sch anyway. Take a Sch and Diurnal Ast if anything.

I finally can be participated in party from PF.

It is supposed to be I think.

Now I can call it balanced.

I just have to laugh about all the WHM and SCH that "mimimi" about the AST now.....


Did you play this Job already???
Do you really understand the Job of Astros?

WHM for example has its skill that attacks AND heals all nearby pary members AND regens Mana......
do I have to say more???? I don't think so.....

Scholars? you cry about your shields now..... oh my gosh the AST has a instant shield and its soooooo much better than mine.......
forgotten your fairy??? Forgotten how strong your DoTs still be?
yes you did!!!!!
(and there are more SCH than WHM that cry about the AST-Buffs!!!!)

LET THE HEALER WARS BEGIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let us all change to Astrologians because their are so much Overpowered now!!!!

Who needs Whitemages anymore? Or even Scholars?
Their all just stay in the shadow of the Astro now!



It's just ridiculous what you're saying!!!
and if you'd know your Job...than you'd know it!

To all Astrologians here: Enjoy your catch up! Enjoy the feeling to be finaly equal to other healers

and to all hater SCHs/WHMs: Just feel free to enter the circle of Astrologians!!!! xD



Remember what the healers Job is.....
in my humble opinion:

the Whitemage is a very strong healer! Which can heal all party members in a most powerful way! He can increase his Healpotential and deal with almost all problems there may come.

the Scholar has its fairy, that support him with healing, so he can cast shields to partymembers...and so he's got the time to set powerful Dots!

The Astrologian now, got enough time to deal with his cards and SUPPORT the other healer with his instant shields/HoTs. Just because he has enough to deal with this, he can support the others in Damage with his cards....more speed, more damage, less CDs.....but this is all random.....so you can hardly rely on them!

Indeed!! Could not have said it better.

I am glad that SE team buffed the healing part of AST, before everyone forget, AST is FIRST and FOREMOST, is a HEALER job... that can buffs, which is their "unique" calling cards so to speak. SCH can also bring some buffs capabilities, that are more consistent, albeit not as effective compared to buffs provided by AST in a perfect scenario.

Now AST is a very competent healer with its own signature moves. The tweak on their card buffs, is fairly minor, extending the duration, which is not over powering, but it is a welcome change that could turn the tide of battle - which is how it should be.

Will AST replace a WHM or SCH? You bet your ass, it will. It is called OPTIONS, which open up more variety and strategy. Can double AST do better than the cookie cutter WHM + SCH? Why not, they probably could in the hand of two experienced players who know what they are doing. Now all three healers have their own strength and weaknesses and their own flavor when it comes to healing style.

STOP with all these INSANITY of "the sky is falling" upon WHM and SCH... unless you are one of those "healers who have no clue" how to play your role effectively. WHM is still the power house when it come to healing, it's much easier to play as healer job. SCH is still far far more interesting to play as DPS/Healer hybrid, and the fairy is way way way better than AST "minor buffs".

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Originally Posted by Verrin

the astro buffs piss me off, they now do everything better, now wheres the whm & sch buffs???

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This is how I felt when I read the notes. I don't get how an hybrid can be better than both specialists. I don't really have anything against it, it's just a game and I don't care playing a job that is a bit less powerful than others, but my heart keep saying a no-no to the changes.

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Originally Posted by NorthernLadMSP

Honestly, it blows my mind, how many people in this thread I have seen whining and complaining about how AST sucked, and how it needed so many changes to make it viable. Now, they've made some great changes, and the same people are bitching and moaning because AST now has something that makes it a great healer - even while WHM and SCH are still as amazing (as they always were) and will never be replaced.

Seriously, grow up. Some of you are seriously acting like the jealous stepsisters in my Final Fantasy Fairytale (see page 17).

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oh yes!!!!! This is just true!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Fevelle

This is how I felt when I read the notes. I don't get how an hybrid can be better than both specialists.

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LOL are you serious? AST is better than WHM or SCH??? LMAO, no. AST is never going to be BETTER, the job is now EQUAL when it comes to healing capability, and it also brings its own set of "buffs" to the party. It is a healer who can provide decent buffs to the party, but now, AST healing potency is nowhere lacking like it was before.

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Originally Posted by Luvbunny

LOL are you serious? AST is better than WHM or SCH??? LMAO, no. AST is never going to be BETTER, the job is now EQUAL when it comes to healing capability, and it also brings its own set of "buffs" to the party. It is a healer who can provide decent buffs to the party, but now, AST healing potency is nowhere lacking like it was before.

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Exactley EQUAL AND buffs to the party, do you see the flaw.

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Originally Posted by SenzorialBoundries

Exactley EQUAL AND buffs to the party, do you see the flaw.

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says the one with the fairy......

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Originally Posted by SenzorialBoundries

Exactley EQUAL AND buffs to the party, do you see the flaw.

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Nope, no flaw at all. Considering SCH is still better in some cases, and WHM is still better on other cases. But now, I can have AST + WHM, or AST + SCH, or AST + AST, and each one of those combo is equal to the safety net of WHM + SCH. SE did not make any big changes on the buffs, which is a secondary benefits. SE made changes to the healing potency, which how it should be, AST is A HEALER, take a moment to reflect that. A healer who can buffs.

I play SCH mostly, and I know how POWERFUL SCH is as healer, and at times, it feels like the MOST OP of the three healers. And I know there is no way AST is going to BE BETTER in every aspects. AST is now EQUAL, a CAPABLE healer who can provide some minor buffs to the party. As it is now, SCH is to me, the better of the three, WHM is second when it comes to EASE of healing, and AST comes third as more interesting healer who provides "random" minor buffs to the party. THREE different play styles that open more options when it comes to strategy.

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Originally Posted by Luvbunny

Nope, no flaw at all. Considering SCH is still better in some cases, and WHM is still better on other cases. But now, I can have AST + WHM, or AST + SCH, or AST + AST, and each one of those combo is equal to the safety net of WHM + SCH. SE did not make any big changes on the buffs, which is a secondary benefits. SE made changes to the healing potency, which how it should be, AST is A HEALER, take a moment to reflect that. A healer who can buffs.

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buffing is still a benefit and having more potent heals than your counterpart that is a "specialist" in one departament Heals/mitigation AND buffs on top is not balanced by a long shot.

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Originally Posted by SenzorialBoundries

buffing is still a benefit and having more potent heals than your counterpart that is a "specialist" in one departament Heals/mitigation AND buffs on top is not balanced by a long shot.

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IT IS BALANCED, now I can play as SCH knowing full well that my AST counterpart can deal with the healing duty, while providing buffs to the party. AST + SCH is a very very potent combo now, and can be a major big change in the right group set up. The buffs from AST + SCH + Bard/Mach + other buffs from DPS/Tank, when strategized perfectly, can be a big major difference between wiping to winning. It is how it should be. WHM + AST brings more safety net for progression group, while AST + SCH lets you experiment with how to push your party DPS further.

Hi everyone, I read the first few pages and last few so sorry if this has been covered. Just had a couple questions. Saw someone talking about the balance card at the start and not being able to pull it again during that battle or something? What was that about, I don't see anything about that anywhere or was that something else they were talking about?

Second I remember from before the spear card only worked on abilities used while it was active and not ones on the cool down. Is that the same still? Looks like it but just checking.

I think the Sect Bonus needs to be removed or reworked now that the baseline heal potencies are equivalent to SCH/WHM.

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Originally Posted by Luvbunny

IT IS BALANCED, now I can play as SCH knowing full well that my AST counterpart can deal with the healing duty, while providing buffs to the party. AST + SCH is a very very potent combo now, and can be a major big change in the right group set up.

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you cant have your cake and eat it too , if you play sch you have to deal with lower base potencies to make up for the utlitly you bring , if you play whm you have strong heals to make up for the lack of utility you bring , whats AST drawback now? uhmm? well i tell you none , i am not against buffs but i am against of mindlessly buffing something into heaven without much thought hurr durr lets just raise all numbers.

Warning: going to come out as if I'm bashing AST here initially. I'm not.

AST is still an overall worse "healer" than WHM or SCH, let's be serious here. About the best thing you can say about AST's healing advantage over SCH/WHM is when it comes to healing one tank up at a planned time, they're probably the best in the game other than a SCH blowing 6 Lustrates or WHM blowing Benediction.

They still lack Assize/Indominatability.
They still lack on demand general AoE healing on the leveling of Rouse + WD or Divine Seal M2 (Collective says hi but it's pre-planned and not applicable to many situations, not like Assize)
Still the worst aggro of the healers

That said, these buffs put AST right below WHM/SCH in terms of purely healing. It's glorious, you can legitimately do content up to and including A3S and it's not a burden, it's not a hindrance, it's a legitimately powerful healer with some very good party buffs now. Dare I say the best healer for A3S, Collective was just made for mega attacks like Cascade, you get your mitigation then the party gets a free M2 equivalent because reasons. A4S ... I'm on final phase and I don't foresee AST being a healer of choice on there, if any of you healers have done A4S legitimately up until last phase you know what goes down there.

Very good buffs. I'm glad they didn't give it an Assize of sorts because then it would have been, one of the other two healers is out the door. Looks pretty balanced to me, boys.