I keep running into Astro running Shields in Farm PTs as a SCH. (Why?)

Why is this a trend I'm running into lately? (Jade Stoa Ex / Farming runs, in general, I keep running into this.)

I am a Scholar.

I ran Emanation (Extreme) last night and ran into probably the rudest of rude Astros. We were in a farm party and the people I was grouped with didn't understand why I was frustrated.

Every single time I cast Succor - they would - overwrite it. Even an Adlo...

I know this fight can be solo healed - I've done it before but I can't wrap my head around someone who would purposely epeen over my Sch maybe because they had better gear than I do? Even so, it didn't make sense to me when we could just work together with him in Dirunal.

This is not just a one-time occurrence. I've run other Farm PTs where people won't get out of Nocturnal. Even after several tries, it's not because pulling too fast, they just don't want to switch out.

I ended up going Astro to compliment the PT roles to which I received a nasty message about how I am bad and need to reroll. If this is the case, please let me know now...That person ended up leaving and my party didn't seem to understand my issue because "were not healers."

So it's something I feel like should be discussed more among people so that this does not make me feel so frustrated. I really don't understand why it happens so please tell me.

There's a few reasons: mostly not understanding on some people's parts.

AST players like the one you encountered are fairly regularly around, only it seems to stem that whatever stance they are will be the exact same one that their Co-healer has if it's a SCH/WHM as if to show "look, i'm better than they are at their job".

NOT ALL AST players are like this, quite a few that I've run into are like this though and they're either a) 'over geared' (aka The Raider) or b)snarky and feel the need to just show off an e-peen for whatever reason.

I've come across many an AST that I've worked well with in my runs as a WHM. Where things just click and not even having any Discord contact, I can almost guess what they're going to do and I'm pleasantly shocked when my gut is right. However, far more often, I come across AST like the one you just ended up with. They want to 'fight' on terms that my WHM does, even though...SHIELDS WOULD BE REALLY NICE.

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Originally Posted by Saraphin

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Thanks for your input - been feeling a bit overwhelmed when I run into these situations. I stop trying to fight them but being forced to not succor and Aldo feels like I'm not using my skill set properly and if a tank buster is not mitigated properly I feel like it was because my Adlo wasn't there to support Excog. It's just kind of - off-putting to play. I'm sure you know what I mean but I'm trying to draw it out for everyone to understand my side of it. Why am I even there? If I can't use my abilities because someone else wants to undermine mine. It feels like they aren't there to be a team but rather just break up what could be a really great experience for everyone.

It's one of two things.

They can more or less solo heal and expect you to at the very least not adlo/succor at all during the fight and dps instead.

or

They dumb.

Edit: given that they did not communicate the first point to you at all. I would put my money on option 2.

Most people who do that don't even communicate with the rest of the party- they don't care, they don't know better, they aren't paying attention... whatever the reason, they're just a nuisance. It's inefficient and a bit insulting at times, sure. But it won't cost a clear in most content.

Sometimes I wish there was a feature that automatically forced ASTs to compliment their co-healer just to annoy the living daylights out of the few that refuse to adapt like the job is supposed to. :rolleyes: If you don't like switching up your playstyle based on party needs, don't go AST.

God, it's really annoying. I usually play AST so when I see one that refuses to switch it bothers me a lot. IE last week I was in Ridorana on WHM and got an AST in Diurnal. While that isn't as bad as a Nocturnal AST paired with a Scholar, as the HoTs stack, it's still just like...why? Just switch...but it seems that even if you try to be polite and ask someone to switch in this game, they'll lash out. Though what's even worse is when you get paired with an AST that refuses to play the opposite of you for some reason.

In these cases I just don't heal. Clearly they think they've got it. (They usually don't, because healing at its core requires flexibility to your party.)

There are a lot of bad healers in this game. That's what I usually attribute this behavior to.

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Originally Posted by NorthernLadMSP

There are a lot of bad healers in this game. That's what I usually attribute this behavior to.

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Harsh words, Northern. I don't think it's a case of bad players. I think it's more a case of players getting in the habit of playing a certain way. We all do it. We all have are in-grained habits, whether it being a certain stance or a way of key mapping.

All you can do is ask the AST to switch. If they lash out, it's usually a sign that they think you are criticizing their skills. Sadly, that's just human nature. We all feel we are doing things the right way, even when we don't know what we are doing. I think it's called the push-back effect.

Anyways, if the AST refuses to change... just shrug, do your best, and don't let the jerks get you down.

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Originally Posted by Kacho_Nacho

Harsh words, Northern. I don't think it's a case of bad players. I think it's more a case of players getting in the habit of playing a certain way. We all do it. We all have are in-grained habits, whether it being a certain stance or a way of key mapping.

All you can do is ask the AST to switch. If they lash out, it's usually a sign that they think you are criticizing their skills. Sadly, that's just human nature. We all feel we are doing things the right way, even when we don't know what we are doing. I think it's called the push-back effect.

Anyways, if the AST refuses to change... just shrug, do your best, and don't let the jerks get you down.

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Well said Kacho. Personally, I just try to adapt to the players I'm surrounded by. If there's a WHM in my party, I will use Noct sect. If there is a SCH, then Diurnal. If there is another AST, I will go into the stance opposite of the one they choose. If for some reason, I am on the wrong stance, then I won't spend GCDs and MP on my aspected abilities as best as I can. One thing I love about AST, is how adaptable it is and it is unfortunate when another player doesn't take advantage of one of the jobs strongest assets.

As a healer, if you just like to shield, or just like to HoT, it might be better to play SCH or WHM. If you are not willing to adapt to the group, I want to say that AST might not be the best choice, but actually healing in general might not be the best choice. We are required to adapt regardless of which job we play, probably more than any other role in this game. Inability or reluctance to do so will bring down the performance of the entire group.

I was recently in the wrong stance with a SCH in my party the other night. Although we cleared without issue, and I tried my best to not overwrite her shields, I still felt awkward the entire time. Like I was holding the group back. It sucked. I have no idea why any AST would deliberately want to be in the wrong stance.

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Originally Posted by Gemina

I was recently in the wrong stance with a SCH in my party the other night. Although we cleared without issue, and I tried my best to not overwrite her shields, I still felt awkward the entire time. Like I was holding the group back. It sucked. I have no idea why any AST would deliberately want to be in the wrong stance.

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I had an AST in my FC back at the end of Heavensward who wouldn't switch to Diurnal when paired with a SCH. When I asked why she said "AST shields are better." While I don't think that that's the truth now or was even back then, imagine how it feels for the scholar not to be able to use their core abilities freely, whether better or worse than AST. It boggled my mind, how arrogant she was. So there's some people who think that way, at least.