is AST a better substitute for WHM or SCH?

[Eudyptes]

WHM+SCH wombo combo?

Emergency tactics - Succor - Indomitability + Medica II - Assize.

A wombo combo is a combination of skills/attacks/spells/whatever that directly play off of each other for greater effect. What you're describing is just simply using skills. That would be akin to saying a nin using Aeolian Edge and a drg using Full Thrust is a wombo combo, but it's not. A good example of a wombo combo would be FFXI skillchains/MB's. FFXIV doesn't really actually have any that I can think of, as even a nin using TA and a drg using FT while TA is up still isn't one. Since really it's just using skills while a debuff is up. Typically wombo combos are found in fighting games that involve 2vX's or more. SSB, where the term was coined, and mobas are good examples of where you would see them often.

Anyway, that's enough derailing from me lol.

[AlexanderThorolund]

As an Astrologian myself, I prefer to be paired with White Mage.

[Akyio]

I feel like AST + SCH is better, but that's only my opinion. In general i would want to be using diurnal with SCH, and nocturnal with WHM. With SCH everything is fine cos i use diurnal, with WHM when I use diurnal i just can't stand that massive overhealing from medica + asp. helios, and i can't stand overhealing in general.. like AoE attack, health drops to 70%, we are both casting medica 2 + asp. helios, health is back up at 90%, and then some people still throw medica 1 on top of it, when you literally know that that massive regen is gonna top it off in like 5 seconds.. I can't stand that lol. That's why im using nocturnal more and more often once i get paired with WHM.
With WHM partner i found nocturnal also better in ravana ex, when some people run on fire, i can save them easily with a shield or two while we are running around, or save squishy people from double purple circles. Plus no irritation from overhealing.

[Rewind]

It depends on what you are healing and what your DPS are like (in a static).

If your DPS are playing at their best and not hitting enrage you can go AST/WHM no problems
If your DPS are not playing at their best and hitting enrage you probably need to go AST/SCH so SCH can pop out some DPS.

If you are healing an AOE intensive fight you'll probably feel more comfortable going double hot healers (WHM/AST)
If you are healing a low HPS fight you'll probably feel more comfortable going AST/SCH

Each fight is so situational that there is no "better" combo but a more "comfortable" combo. That goes for WHM/SCH combos too. Back in 2.0 there were fights early on that I felt were just more comfortable with 2 WHMs or 2 SCHs. As a result it's difficult to say AST is a specific substitute for x class (at this point in time)

[Vlady]

You need the mind bonus whm gives. Since it boosts both healing and healer dps.

If you had to replace one it would be the sch. But your better off with whm+sch wombo combo any day.

Please leave derailing at the door. Question was about pairing with astro and not bashing a job that worksjust as well.

[Risvertasashi]

SCH is really powerful ATM so I would recommend AST + SCH.

That being said, if true unadulterated raw heals is required, AST + WHM is the way to go for Medica II + Aspected Helios stacking for raid damage.

I think maybe a lot of SCHs are used to maximizing DPS... but one that focuses on heals really can be very effective and is something to see. On the other hand, stacks and CD timers do limit them, but there's little that a succor beforehand and indomitability afterwards won't handle... and there's whispering dawn if even more raid healing is needed.

[Cynfael]

Honestly all 3 healers have adequate basic healing tools for all situations (even if you consider AST's lack of good healing CDs). AST/WHM is healing overkill in much the way that WHM/WHM can be. If you have two healers, it's rare that both really need to handle raid healing at the same time, and if you pair AST with SCH, the party gains instant-cast Indom on the 30 sec CD and free, independent GCD healing from the fairy to salvage missteps or simply to add a margin of safety.

[Ghishlain]

I think maybe a lot of SCHs are used to maximizing DPS... but one that focuses on heals really can be very effective and is something to see. On the other hand, stacks and CD timers do limit them, but there's little that a succor beforehand and indomitability afterwards won't handle... and there's whispering dawn if even more raid healing is needed.

I agree, the raw healing output a SCH can burst for the raid with their given tools is insane. Unfortunately, that burst is usually restricted to once every 30 seconds and the cost of resources is very heavy in my mind compared to how a WHM can do it (one Medica II versus a Succor + opportunity cost for Aetherflow stack of Indomitability for equivalent healing)

In my personal opinion, the SCH toolkit is much too powerful for the amount of options they bring to the table but that's another discussion entirely.

[Pentt]

I think maybe a lot of SCHs are used to maximizing DPS... but one that focuses on heals really can be very effective and is something to see. On the other hand, stacks and CD timers do limit them, but there's little that a succor beforehand and indomitability afterwards won't handle... and there's whispering dawn if even more raid healing is needed.

Trust me, if you're a SCH in savage with an AST you need to be good at healing. You pretty much have the entire raid in your hands since AST throughput is limited and their emergency heals are weak.

[WingsOfAzrael]

Please leave derailing at the door. Question was about pairing with astro and not bashing a job that worksjust as well.

only you would think that was derailing, its on the subject topic and its not derailing