Printable View
What do you use and in what situations? I assumed you would use Diurnal Sect in dungeons you're to low for Noct or in 8 man groups where you already have a SCH and
Nocturnal Sect when in an 8 man group with a WHM, but looking at them it seems Noct gives a boost in healing so now I'm not sure. I think as main WHM I've come to rely on regen so I like Diurnal but I was just in a Dusk Vigil and had an awful time keeping up mostly. That could be all of our gear also.
I have started getting into the habit of using noct for trash and diurnal for bosses in 4mans, personally. For one, using both sects constantly keeps me familiar with my power and shortcomings in both situations so when I have to switch for an 8man, I am not out of my comfort zone.
Also a lot of the times the instant shield/heal for noct aspect benefic with a stronger benefic2 is enough to keep up large pulls on tanks. The hot efficiency is suited well to boss aoe and spread healing, due to everyone dodging aoe. The hot ticks are also good for dps that didn't get quite topped off but are in no immediate danger, or for keeping the tank somewhat stable while you attend to dps or a mechanic.
Doing old lvl 50 things, super overgeared, with echo? Supah noct shields ftw!
I just stay in diurnal all the time unless there is another AST already in Diurnal. None of the content really needs preshielding currently except for Alexander Savage.
The only time I switch to noct is when I'm using aspected benefic on the tank + stoneskin before a pull.
If you're in a two astrologian party one of you has to use noct sect, because diurnal regens won't stack(Although they will stack with whm regens).
Outside of that one situation you should pretty much always be in diurnal. Because noct gives you a alternative way to heal, but doesn't actually make you better at healing. Because adlo is scholars answer to cure II and succor his answer to medica. But you already have your version of cure II and medica in your base kit. It should also probably be noted that noct's version of aspected helios costs way too much mana for what it does(A third more mana than helios for less total potency than helios).
Diurnal gives you regens. That's a tool you don't have a alternative to and getting them makes you a better healer.
Eventually SE will probably buff noct sect, since they're aware it's not very good. For now it's best to avoid it unless you just want to mess around in content you outgear anyway.
Never nocturnal, as long as it isn't really fixed. It's not useless as AST is already a very generic healer with very basic heals, but just diurnal is in every way better. especially aspected helios does some very good heal over time in diurnal, while in nocturnal it's a weaker, longer version of succor.
i used noc yesterday in a4, because another AST was in diurnal. it was a wipe, but not because of heals, was fun though, reminded me how much i would like to be shielding again(i played SCH originally), but it's just not that useful :/
I use Nocturnal Sect in A4 Normal Mode, because running around and grabbing exploding balls and blocking lasers is the only point in any current content where (Nocturnal) Aspected Benefic's potency, effect, and cast time intersect to fill a niche that isn't filled better by some other spell/ability.
Everywhere else that I use Astrologian, I use Diurnal Sect.
My healing partner really doesn't affect things; I'll stick with Nocturnal in A4 whether I'm paired with a WHM, a SCH, or another AST in either Sect, and I'll stick with Diurnal anywhere else whether the other healer is a WHM, SCH, or another AST in either Sect. If someone throws a fit about how an AST is "supposed" to be in a certain Sect when paired with a certain other healer, I'll usually switch just to indulge them, since there really isn't much effective difference between the two stances and I'd rather not waste the party's time with an argument. (Edit: Although I should make clear, it's not that it doesn't make a difference whether you have a regen-healer and a shield-healer in the same party; it's that it doesn't make a difference whether you have a regen-healer and a shield-healer in the same party in the content that I actually use Astrologian in, which is basically just Light Party dungeons, Trial Roulettes, unsynced level 50 content, and Normal Alexander.)
I don't honestly think that there's much of a difference between the two, though. The only skills affected in a significant way are Aspected Benefic, Aspected Helios, and Collective Unconscious. Collective Unconscious is such garbage in either Sect that it doesn't really matter that it's a little more usable in Noct, Aspected Helios is fine in either Sect since it mimics Medica II and Succor approximately equally well, and Aspected Benefic is just a choice between a general-purpose heal that doesn't do its job particularly well, and a situational/niche heal that doesn't do its job particularly well.
What makes the difference for me is solely that the 5% speed boost in Diurnal is a "fun" bonus, and the 5% healing power boost in Nocturnal is a "boring" bonus, even though neither is particularly significant and they're roughly equally useful.
Thanks for the feedbacks:)
Diurnal - Higher HPS output due to HoTs and 5% Haste buff. Better AoE healing over time efficiency versus Nocturnal.
Nocturnal - Higher MP efficiency due to 5% potency buff - but you'll eventually need to spend extra to catch up with Diurnal. Better front loaded HP due to instant shield + potency buff.
Most players prefer Diurnal though I would say learn to like both and see what suits your play style more.