Astro in savage

[GideonHighmourn]

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I wonder if that's why they implied that CO might change to include a way to switch between sects? Maybe that was the "long cool down" he mentioned originally. I still don't see that changing the much in terms of how the class performs in healing, since you still wouldn't really swap with a SCH in the group (shield stacking), or be able to do it often enough to really matter.

[Ghishlain]

I wonder if that's why they implied that CO might change to include a way to switch between sects? Maybe that was the "long cool down" he mentioned originally. I still don't see that changing the much in terms of how the class performs in healing, since you still wouldn't really swap with a SCH in the group (shield stacking), or be able to do it often enough to really matter.

Indeed, I agree with this sentiment too. Cynfael made a nice comment to this effect in a different thread:

Although Sect-swapping on the fly wouldn't address AST's issue of mostly blah card buffs and missing healing cooldowns, it would certainly be a blast to have that kind of flexibility.

And I agree with this.

I guess you could make the argument that Sect dancing would allow for more use of Nocturnal. Nocturnal is the more MP efficient sect if you're just hitting Benefic all day everyday and if a spike hits, you Aspect Benefic for the front loaded heal + oGCD and swap to Diurnal on the oGCD time, pop Aspected Benefic again for the front loaded Regen then keep hitting that Benefic / Benefic II button until all is better then go back to Nocturnal for more efficient Benefics. It would be a minor but neat change to have that kinda thought process in your healing.

[GideonHighmourn]

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I do think it would be cool, don't get me wrong! At the very least, would add some complexity to the class and raise the skill cap for the job, but I don't see it solving any of the problems AST faces at the moment.

[Ghishlain]

I do think it would be cool, don't get me wrong! At the very least, would add some complexity to the class and raise the skill cap for the job, but I don't see it solving any of the problems AST faces at the moment.

Indeed, I would like it too. I find AST a fascinating class now that I've gotten it up to 58 and it's fun theorycrafting all the different card uses and efficiencies one can get outta it. My thoughts behind cards and the different permutations you can get are changing every second day because of some different thought I had. Out of the three healers at this point, I would argue AST has the highest skill ceiling of the three as it's the only healer that requires you to have some knowledge of every other class/job in the game. It's a shame that the skill ceiling doesn't actually translate into overcoming the barriers that are in front of the job.

Just on the topic of Sect Dancing and CO, I have made a suggestion in the past that activating CO should also turn on both Sects for a period of time and that should alleviate some of the healing cooldown concerns.

Aspected Benefic
262 Base Potency
105 Potency HoT for 18s
262 Base Potency Shield
Total of 1,154 over the course of 18 seconds is pretty sickening and I like that thought.

Also, with both Sects online, you've effectively increased your healing output by 5% for the duration of the buff. Not the most fancy buffed compared to 30% from Divine Seal but chances are you'll be trying to make use of your Aspected spells a bit more when both Sects are going.