Ast to start! New to it help.

So use to main a WHM long with Bard. Tried to start WHM up again today at 50 and couldn't get in to it. So I unlocked Ast and decided to level this from The start. I main a RDM now.

Any tips to help a new Ast out fresh?

For ast, make sure you have a sect on, learn card abilities, the rest is pretty much whm until abilities past 50.

Few basics:

- Make use of Essential Dignity - it's one of the only oGCD heals healers can get until later levels, and it's a very good single-target heal. Use this before using Benefic/Benefic II.
- Diurnal Sect is generally your preferred option, as it turns Aspected Benefic into a regen, like WHM (and Aspected Helios into Medica II). You'll get Nocturnal Sect at 50, which you should switch to in 8-person content if you're paired with a WHM or another AST in Diurnal Sect (Noct brings shields, but they overwrite other shields already applied); Diurnal is generally preferred otherwise.
- Card: Bole (green tree), use on tanks; Arrow (wavy light blue icon) on jobs that benefit from extra speed (BLM loves these); Spear (lightning blue snowflake) on anyone, but especially BRDs; Balance (orange sun) on the DPS unless they're doing horribly, then on whoever's doing the most damage; Spire (yellow lightning bolt), Royal Road for the AoE card version unless people are running low on TP for some reason (AoE spam from the DPS/Tank?); Ewer, Royal Road as well unless you need the MP (and you might).
- ASTs tend to have a harder time managing MP than the other healers, so use Lucid when your MP starts to dip. Lightspeed can also help with this - it not only reduces cast time, but also halves MP costs; pairs well with healing emergencies or (once you're in the 50s) for Gravity spam against trash mobs.

At later levels, you'll get access to some nice oGCD abilities (Earthly Star, Celestial Opposition, etc.), but that should cover the more immediate needs. Most of playing AST is learning the cards and managing them, which takes practice; just make sure you're pulling a new one as soon as it becomes available.

Well you see, the trick is to play your cards right!

laughter devolving into crying

Anyway, along with what others have said, a trick i always use is to save a balance or bole card with the aoe enhancement up for the end of the dungeon boss, that way everyone gets a nice buff at the start.

if everything goes well that is.