A Few Scholar Redesign Proposals.

So... I got really bored the other day and wound up daydreaming up three entirely different ways I'd go about redesigning scholar to give it a little more thematic/mechanical focus after trying to explain to a friend why people seem to be dissatisfied with scholar even though it currently performs well.

Figured since I'd already done it anyway might as well share. Formatting not the best, but the skills should mostly be understandable (name, cast time or ogcd/CD, effect, then MP cost if any). Potencies are definitely all bullshit and would need to go through a couple balance passes and are mostly just there to give you an idea how how abilities compare to each other. Abilities also not listed in any particular order other than grouping similar effects.

Goals for all three versions were to differentiate between fairies again, and still keep the job kind of ogcd heavy even if in an ideal world all healers would be using their GCDs more often. (especially note the relative lack of potent. ogcd GT healing)

VERSION 1: The hybrid scholar.

This is probably the version that looks the most like what Scholar does right now, except its kits actually interacts with itself in some way and giving it a couple of old tools back + new ones to make the fairy gauge matter.

3 stacks of aetherflow per normal, fairy gauge fills up when the SCH performs heals while a fairy is out. Fairy gauge goes up to 100, can only be gained in combat. Fairy abilities DO share cooldowns because they're oGCDs you pop yourself like they currently are.

1. Ruin. 1.5C, 290 damage. 400MP.
2. Bio. InstantC, 60 potency DoT for 30s. 400MP.
3. Miasma. 1.5C, 80 potency DoT for 15s. 500MP.
4. Art of War. InstantC, 120 damage within 5y. 600MP.
5. Shadowflare. 5.0C, drops a 5y wide field effect that deals 100 potency to any enemy within it for 24s. Removes Sacred Soil if active. Consumes 1 aetherflow stack. 700MP.

6. Aetherflow. oGCD, 60s CD. Gives 3 stacks of aetherflow, restores 10% MP
7. Quickening. oGCD, 60s CD. Gives 1 aetherflow stack and your next Ruin is instant cast and deals +40 potency. 2 stacks.

8. Energy Drain. oGCD, 3s CD. 100 damage, consumes 1 stack of aetherflow.
9. Bane. oGCD, 3s CD. Spreads dots from selected target to all enemies within 8y. consumes 1 stack of aetherflow.

10. Lustrate. oGCD, 3s CD. 600 potency heal. consumes 1 aetherflow stack and gives 10 fairy gauge.
11. Sacred Soil. oGCD, 60s CD. drops a 5y DR field for 15%. Trait upgrades it to give a 200 heal the first time anyone enters it. Removes shadowflare if active. consumes 1 aetherflow stack and gives 10 fairy gauge.
12. Excogitation. oGCD, 60s CD. When the target drops below 50%, does a 400 heal and then puts a 100 potency regen on the target for 12s. If it doesn't activate before the timer runs out, grants a 500 potency barrier. consumes 1 stack of aetherflow and gives 10 fairy gauge.

13. Physick. 1.5C, 400 heal, gives 30 fairy gauge. 400MP
14. Adloquium. 1.5C, 200 heal, 600 barrier. Gives 20 fairy gauge. 1000MP.
15. Succor. 1.5C, 100 potency heal, 300 potency barrier in a 15y radius centered on the scholar. Gives 20 fairy gauge. 1100MP
16. Resurrect. 8S. It's Your Rez. 2400MP.

17. Summon Eos. 2.5C, summons Eos. 500MP. Eos does 180 barrier embraces on the MT.
17a. Summmon Selene 2.5C, summons Selene. 500MP. Selene does 170 heal embraces on the lowest hp% ally.
18. Fairy Abilities 1. oGCD, 30s CD. Makes the fairy use its first ability.
19. Fairy Abilities 2. oGCD, 60s CD. Makes the fairy use its second ability.
20. Fairy Abilities 3. oGCD, 90s CD. Makes the fairy use its third ability.

21. Fey Light. InstantC, 700 potency heal. Consumes 20 Fairy Gauge.
22. Fey Illumination. InstantC, 350 potency to all allies within 20y. Consumes 30 Fairy Gauge.

23. Fairy Attack. InstantC, 600 damage. Consumes 50 Fairy Gauge.
24. Fairy Nuke. InstantC, 250 damage to enemies within 8y. Consumes 50 Fairy Gauge.

25. Chain Strategm. oGCD, 120s CD. Target takes 10% more critical hits for 15s.

Eos. 180 barrier embrace. Always targets the tank with the most enmity. (ignores roles if there's no tank in the party)
1. 150 heal within 15y
2. grants all targets within 15y +10% Max HP, heals that much HP, and increases incoming heal potency by +10% for 10s.
3. Gain 1 aetherflow stack, and Eos' embrace gains a 100 heal effect as well for 15s.

Selene. 170 healing embrace. Targets party member with the lowest hp%.
1. top two dps gain an buff that focuses their next attack to be a direct hit.
2. +10% spell speed buff for the scholar for 10s.
3. generates 50 fairy gauge instantly.

VERSION 2: Aetherflow Scholar.

OK this is the verison of scholar where the devs go "ok actually fuck the fairy and it's gauge, they're not really adding much" so they axe it and double down on aetherflow flexibility instead.

Unlocks Aetherflow stacks mechanic at the same level as physick. You can have up to 5 stacks of aetherflow at any given time. It's probably 3 until you get aetherflow, then it's 5? Fairy is full auto, but their cooldowns aren't shared, making them easier to swap.

1. Ruin. 1.5C, 270 damage. 400MP.
2. Bio. InstantC, 60 potency DoT for 30s. 400MP.
3. Art of War. InstantC, 160 potency to all enemies within 5y of the scholar. 600MP.
4. Dissipation. InstantC. Removes your currently summoned fairy, and grants 2 aetherflow stacks. Deals 600 damage to a target and 40% less to any other enemy within 5y. That version of the fairy cannot be resummoned until 30s have passed (though the other can). 500MP.

5. Summon Eos. 2.5C. Summons Eos. 500MP. Eos' base action is an instant cast spell with 180 potency. Targets the lowest HP% character in your party.
5a. Stay Focused. oGCD, 10s CD. Instructs your fairy to focus on this target for the next 15 seconds unless the target is at 100%HP.
5b. Hold Off. oGCD, 3s CD. Instructs your fairy to not use any of their abilities until this this ability is used once again.
6. Summon Selene. 2.5C. Summons Selene. 500MP. Selene's base action is an instant spell with 150 potency. Targets the lowest HP% character in your party. Selene can only have one buff active at a single time.
6a. Fairy Abilities 2. Unlocks the second ability for each fairy.
7. Fairy Abilities 1. Unlocks the first ability for your fairies.
8. Fairy Abilities 3. Unlocks the third ability for each fairy.

9. Resurrect. 8S. It's Your Rez. 2400MP.
10. Physick. 1.5S, 200 potency heal. Grants the scholar an aetherflow stack. 400MP. Gets a trait at higher levels that makes it instant cast and grants a status that makes their next ruin gain +90 potency.
11. Adloquium. 1.5C, 200 potency heal, 600 potency barrier. 1000MP.
12. Succor. 1.5C. 100 potency heal, 300 potency barrier in a 15y radius centered on the scholar. 1100MP.

13. Aetherflow. oGCD, 60s CD. Gives 3 Aetherflow stacks, and restores 20%MP.
10a. Lustrate. oGCD, 3s CD. 300 potency heal. Consumes 1 aetherflow stack. Probably this starts at 100 potency and gains traits to upgrade it as it levels, and it's learned at the same time as physick.
14. Super Virus. oGCD, 3s CD. Lowers the target's damage dealt by 10% for 10s.
15. Galvanize. oGCD, 60s CD. Grants a 500 barrier. consumes 1 aetherflow stack.
16. Excogitation. oGCD, 60s CD. 600 potency heal. consumes 1 aetherflow stack.
17. Sacred Soil. oGCD, 60s CD. 10% DR field that last for 15%. consumes 1 aetherflow stack. trait later one makes it heal anyone that exits it (or still in it when it ends) receive a 200 heal.

18. Energy Drain. oGCD, 3s CD. Deals 100 damage. consumes 1 aetherflow stack.
19. Dread Spikes. oGCD, 3s CD. Modifies your next Adloquium so that when it's destroyed, enemies within 8y take 200 potency damage. consumes 1 aetherflow stack.
20. Chain Strategm. oGCD, 60s CD. Increases crit rate against the target by 10% for 8s. Consumes 1 aetherflow.
21. Energize. oGCD, 60s CD. Boosts a target's critical hit rate by 15% for 10s. consumes 1 aetherflow stack.

22. Emergency Tactics. 30s CD. Modifies your next spell with a barrier to directly heal additional HP instead of applying a barrier.
23. Triage. oGCD, 90s. Increases the scholar's healing power by 20% for 10s. After this effect ends, increase your fairy's healing power by 10% for 15s.
24. Recitation. oGCD, 60s CD. Your next Excogitation, Sacred Soil or Galvanize doesn't consume an aetherflow stack.
25. Analyze. oGCD, 60s CD, 2 stacks. Inflicts a debuff on the target that makes them take +10% damage from the scholar's own spells for 10s.

Eos. 180 healing embrace
1. Whispering Dawn. oGCD, 60s CD. 300 potency heal in a 15y radius around Eos. Will only use this ability if 3 or more people in the party are under 70% HP. (ignores number limit if less than 4 people in the party)
2. Fey Illumination. oGCD. 120s CD. Grants a 10% healing boost to Eos and everyone in a 15y radius for 30s. Will pop this anytime it wants to use another cooldown but it's not up.
3. Fey Blessing. oGCD. 90s CD. Increases the potency of Eos' base heal to 300 potency for 20s. uses when MT drops below a 50%

Selene. 150 healing embrace
1. Fey Whisper. oGCD, 60s CD. Increases the scholar's spell speed by 10% for 10s.
2. Fey Union. oGCD, 120s CD. Increases the party's Direct Hit rating by 2% for 20s.
3. Fey Pact. oGCD, 90s CD. Increases a single target's damage by 10% for 15s. Targets DPS with highest enmity.

VERSION 3: FAIRY CYCLING SCHOLAR

n o a e t h e r f l o w. This is the version where they go "okay lets double down on the fairy instead" and make it look a little more like EW summoner in the process. Instead you have 4 different fairy mode you'll flip between as the need suits you. Many abilities are augmented based on the fairy you have in play. Generally speaking while a fairy is out, you'll gain fairy gauge over time. Adlo/Succor and Seraph barriers are counted as different things. Lily mostly has a GCD summon action so that you can pull a fairy out when you switch to SCH/die, where as eos/seraph you just ogcd shift into (and there's one to go back into lily mode). Selene very explicitly only has a gcd summon + effect, tho. Fairy actions are on the GCD, but don't interfere with embraces.

1. Summon Lily. InstantC, Summons Lily. 200 heal on a selected target. 0MP. Lily's embrace targets the party member with the lowest hp% for 180 healing. While lily is out, gain 2 fairy gauge per second.
1a. Shift Lily. oGCD, 3s CD. Change Lily to your active fairy.
2. Shift Eos. oGCD, 30s CD. Change to Eos to your active fairy. Eos' embrace heals party members within 15y for 60 potency. While Eos is out, gain 1 fairy gauge per second.
3. Shift Seraph. oGCDm 30s CD. Change Seraph to your active fairy. Seraph's embrace targets the party member with the highest enmity, always picking a tank if available first, does 80 healing and gives a 100 barrier. While seraph is out, gain 1 fairy gauge per second.
4. Summon Selene. 1.5C, Summons Selene. Deals 400 damage on a selected target, and 40% to any enemy within 5y. Drains 30 fairy gauge. 400MP. Selene's Embrace deals 100 damage to the target you initial hit while she was summoned until it dies, then she switches to the highest HP target. While Selene is out, you gain no fairy gauge and natural MP regen is halted.
4a. Selene very explicitly does not get a shift ogcd.

5. Physick. 1.5C, 400 heal. 400MP
6. Adloquium. 1.5C, 200 heal, 600 barrier. 1000MP.
7. Succor. 1.5C, 100 potency heal, 300 potency barrier in a 15y radius centered on the scholar. 1100MP

8. Ruin. 1.5C, 300 damage. 400MP.
9. Bio. InstantC, 60 potency DoT for 30s. 400MP.
10. Miasma. 1.5C, 140 potency to target and enemies within 5y of it (ranged), and inflicts Slow 8s. 600MP.

11. Fairy Heal.
11a. Lily Heal. InstantC, 300 heal. 200MP.
11b. Eos Heal. 1.5C, 400 heal within 15y. 600MP. Consumes 10 fairy gauge.
11c. Seraph Heal. 1.5C, 700 heal. 800MP. Consumes 10 fairy gauge.
11d. Selene Drain. 1.5C, 300 damage, and a 150 heal to target's target. 400MP. Consumes 10 fairy gauge.
12. Fairy Pew Pew.
12a. Lily Pew. InstantC, 260 damage. 350MP.
12b. Eos Pew. 1.5C, 250 damage, and a 200 heal to all allies within 6y of the target. 500MP. Consumes 10 fairy gauge.
12c. Seraph Pew. 1.5C, 300 damage and inflicts a 10% damage down effect for 6s. 400MP. Consumes 10 fairy gauge.
12d. Selene Pew. 1.5C, 400 damage. 400MP. Consumes 10 fairy gauge.
13. Fairy Unique.
13a. Lily Smart Heal. 1.5C, 1000 heal that's split evenly between anyone that needs healing within 20y. 1000MP. Consumes 20 fairy gauge.
13b. Eos Regen. 1.5C, 100 potency hot for 21s to allies within 15y. 800MP. Consumes 20 fairy gauge.
13c. Seraph Barrier. InstantC, 500 barrier. 600MP. Consumes 20 fairy gauge.
13d. Selene DoT. 1.5C, 130 damage and a 100 potency dot for 21s. 400MP. Consumes 20 fairy gauge.
14. Fairy Unique 2.
14a. Lily Downtime. InstantC. Gain 1% MP and 2 fairy gauge.
14b. Eos Booster. 1.5C, 300 heal within 15y. The next non-embrace/regen heal the target receives gains +20% potency. 600MP. Consumes 20 fairy gauge.
14c. Seraph Barrier Eater. 1.5C, 400 barrier. Before the barrier is applied, remove scholar/fairy barrier on the target and turn it into a direct heal. 400MP. Consumes 10 fairy gauge.
14d. Selene AoE. InstantC, rush towards the target and deal 180 damage to the target and all enemies within 6y. 500MP. Consumes 20 fairy gauge.

15. Rouse. oGCD, 60s CD. Boost the fairy's embraces by +30% for 10s. 3 stacks.
16. Delegate. oGCD, 60s CD. Next fairy action and scholar action both gain +20%, expires in 10s.
17. Fairy Cooldown. oGCD, 60s CD. 200 Heal, 200 Barrier, 200 damage within 15y. double heal for eos, double barrier for seraph, double damage for selene, restores 10% MP for lily.
18. Lustrate. oGCD, 90s CD. 600 HP heal. 2 Stacks.
19. Sacred Soil. oGCD, 60s CD. Probably just the DR field, but maybe it's a little more powerful? dont want a heal on it to step on eos' toes.
20. Chain Strategm. oGCD, 120s CD. Target takes 10% more critical hits for 15s.
21. Excogition. oGCD, 90s CD. Works however the hell excog really does, i think it's like 800 heal after you drop below 50%…?
22. Weak Point. oGCD, 120s CD. All enemies within 15y are 20% more likely to take direct hits for 15%.
23. Oh Right Rez

reminder you can edit your post to bypass the character limit

hey there! I actually also made small SCH changes thread and I was wondering if you would be willing to look at my idea as well! You've got some interesting ideas here, by the way!

https://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/...-other-healers