Astro in savage

[Leiloni]

While it's true being able to swap Sects at this juncture would not have any large implications in the current AST toolkit, why don't we consider how we can make Sect selection more impactful for an AST? We already see how Collective Unconsciousness is altered by which Sect you're in. Why don't we take this idea even further?

For example:

Traited Benefic
Nocturnal - Benefic II has a healing potency bonus of 30%
Diurnal - Benefic II now adds a 9s HoT at 100 Potency

Essential Dignity
Nocturnal - Grants a shield equal to half the amount healed
Diurnal - Grants a 15s HoT of 50 Potency

Time Dilation
Nocturnal - Increases buff duration by 20s instead of 15s
Diurnal - Reduces Recast to 60s instead of 90s

And similar changes of this nature. Instead of trying to make AST into WHM jr. and SCH jr., let's try to give them unique benefits being in a specific Sect that suit their toolkit (Diurnal = faster, Nocturnal = more power). Or have specific abilities that shore up some of the weaknesses each Sect has like making Essential Dignity give a HoT in Nocturnal and a Shield in Diurnal, etc.

Right now, to me, AST is very engaging but lacks the rewards one would expect from that level of play. So, let's try to make it slightly more engaging and try to up the reward factor without having to overhaul the entire kit.

I like what you're trying to do with these ideas, but I don't think the extra HoT procs would be a great idea for Diurnal. I would prefer HoTs that I can control, and big burst heals that I can control. Sometimes you really just need a bigger heal and Benefic II/ED are great for that. Sometimes you don't actually even want a HoT, if you're expecting adds on a boss fight or are in a dungeon at the end of a pull and don't want aggro issues.

[Ghishlain]

I like what you're trying to do with these ideas, but I don't think the extra HoT procs would be a great idea for Diurnal. I would prefer HoTs that I can control, and big burst heals that I can control. Sometimes you really just need a bigger heal and Benefic II/ED are great for that. Sometimes you don't actually even want a HoT, if you're expecting adds on a boss fight or are in a dungeon at the end of a pull and don't want aggro issues.

Thank ya. The ideas I posted on there weren't very original or really well thought out, but I wanted to try to push the discussion of "how can we change AST" to make it more unique and rewarding without stepping on the toes of the other two healers in the game. That would be much better than the bickering and complaining without resolution too.

The HoT idea may not work well, but maybe something along increasing Haste. I proposed in a different thread that Benefic II proc on Dirunal could be oGCD, making it instant and not hampering the ASTs GCD. I'd be curious to see if anyone else has any suitably thematic ideas.

[Galadrium]

I am with Leiloni. I have no interest in Stance dancing.

[Vlady]

Realistically feed back to se will more likely work the less changes a job will get.we won't see any core changes to the job until an expansion with maybe a level boost. Summoners despite doing well in .2.0 received some major changes but took almost a year and a half.

[SuzakuCMX]

Realistically feed back to se will more likely work the less changes a job will get

I don't quite follow what you're trying to say here but I agree that major job mechanics likely won't change. However Warrior did change pretty significantly so who knows? I have fun with AST as it is now but I wouldn't mind a few core mechanic changes here and there to make it more unique vs. the other healers and to keep its integrity as a versatile buffing healer.

[Vlady]

Uniqueness is realitive. Astrologian is very unique with sharing aspects from both two other healers. Alot of people do not want to stance dance from what I am hearing but originally we was allowed to stance dance. It seems like its strength was much greater being able to move between shielding and regen aspects. It was deemed OP so much so SE disallowed stance dancing in combat but maybe they will re-evaluate their stance. I like the current setup with astrologian.

[HyperNovaX]

Uniqueness is realitive. Astrologian is very unique with sharing aspects from both two other healers. Alot of people do not want to stance dance from what I am hearing but originally we was allowed to stance dance. It seems like its strength was much greater being able to move between shielding and regen aspects. It was deemed OP so much so SE disallowed stance dancing in combat but maybe they will re-evaluate their stance. I like the current setup with astrologian.

again... NO. Astrologian was NEVER able to stance dance....... so much false info around these forums it's crazy

[Yurimi]

again... NO. Astrologian was NEVER able to stance dance....... so much false info around these forums it's crazy

To add to this not even the first access to the job to the outside public (the press event in Europe) had them able to change stance in combat.

[Parawill]

Anywho, AS1 got to 4% with my being the primary main healer (SCH assisting with tank heals and occasional AoE Heal if not everyone is in range).

I'm trying to find better setups for buffs because I'm going OOM around 3rd landing (enrage). I often find its better to RR (not expanded) +Ewer/Spire than to use it by itself unless I spreaded an Ewer for some reason (RNG was horrible today. So many Boles. Spears & Spires and so few Balances, Arrows and Ewers). My group prefers Expanded Arrow over Expanded Balance at start (more GCDs during buffs over 10% with same number of GCDs). Extended Bole + Time Dilation was nice, but was not noticeable.

Two emergency moments to note today were:
Prey on Warrior (I'm healing him), 2 missiles crit for a total of 7k on top of a auto for 10k damage with 1.5 GCDs. Benefic II + Essential Dignity @ under 50% was not enough to save him (lolrng) causing a wipe.

Note to self:
Essentialy Dignity = Tetragrammaton (average potency), but akin to White Mage 2.0 Benediction off-GCD healing issues. I think another CD for healing would be nice.
~ Use Collective Unconscious more if you can use it.

Scholar died to laser & lag. Solo healed after double preys and tank busters successfully all the way until landing -> raise -> raid AoE (killed raid since constrained to GCD and inability to pump out hard heals to keep both tanks and group up).

P.S: Power outages are uncontrollable but super rude. *sigh*

I would prefer HoTs that I can control, and big burst heals that I can control.

I've always wondered if there was a way to implement a skill that could remove a HoT or buff for a "burst" type effect. Essentially if you had 15 seconds left on your Aspected Diurnal Benefic, you could pop a OGCD to shred the HoT into its remaining potency amount OR with an additional % modifier. In Nocturnal, we could have either a reflect-type thing where it bursts for 2x its shield damage or applies a secondary Stoneskin type shield (stacking) that is 50% (or even just 100% for a crit adlo effect).

[Leiloni]

I've always wondered if there was a way to implement a skill that could remove a HoT or buff for a "burst" type effect. Essentially if you had 15 seconds left on your Aspected Diurnal Benefic, you could pop a OGCD to shred the HoT into its remaining potency amount OR with an additional % modifier. In Nocturnal, we could have either a reflect-type thing where it bursts for 2x its shield damage or applies a secondary Stoneskin type shield (stacking) that is 50% (or even just 100% for a crit adlo effect).

The WoW druid years ago used to have a skill called Swiftmend that would consume the HoT and turn it into an instant heal based on how much was left of the HoT. That skill has apparently seen many changes since then, but that's what it used to do and sounds like what you're suggesting.