What does everyone think about those AST buffs?

[Luvbunny]

This is how I felt when I read the notes. I don't get how an hybrid can be better than both specialists.

LOL are you serious? AST is better than WHM or SCH??? LMAO, no. AST is never going to be BETTER, the job is now EQUAL when it comes to healing capability, and it also brings its own set of "buffs" to the party. It is a healer who can provide decent buffs to the party, but now, AST healing potency is nowhere lacking like it was before.

[SenzorialBoundries]

LOL are you serious? AST is better than WHM or SCH??? LMAO, no. AST is never going to be BETTER, the job is now EQUAL when it comes to healing capability, and it also brings its own set of "buffs" to the party. It is a healer who can provide decent buffs to the party, but now, AST healing potency is nowhere lacking like it was before.

Exactley EQUAL AND buffs to the party, do you see the flaw.

[SerosJourney]

Exactley EQUAL AND buffs to the party, do you see the flaw.

says the one with the fairy......

[Luvbunny]

Exactley EQUAL AND buffs to the party, do you see the flaw.

Nope, no flaw at all. Considering SCH is still better in some cases, and WHM is still better on other cases. But now, I can have AST + WHM, or AST + SCH, or AST + AST, and each one of those combo is equal to the safety net of WHM + SCH. SE did not make any big changes on the buffs, which is a secondary benefits. SE made changes to the healing potency, which how it should be, AST is A HEALER, take a moment to reflect that. A healer who can buffs.

I play SCH mostly, and I know how POWERFUL SCH is as healer, and at times, it feels like the MOST OP of the three healers. And I know there is no way AST is going to BE BETTER in every aspects. AST is now EQUAL, a CAPABLE healer who can provide some minor buffs to the party. As it is now, SCH is to me, the better of the three, WHM is second when it comes to EASE of healing, and AST comes third as more interesting healer who provides "random" minor buffs to the party. THREE different play styles that open more options when it comes to strategy.

[SenzorialBoundries]

Nope, no flaw at all. Considering SCH is still better in some cases, and WHM is still better on other cases. But now, I can have AST + WHM, or AST + SCH, or AST + AST, and each one of those combo is equal to the safety net of WHM + SCH. SE did not make any big changes on the buffs, which is a secondary benefits. SE made changes to the healing potency, which how it should be, AST is A HEALER, take a moment to reflect that. A healer who can buffs.

buffing is still a benefit and having more potent heals than your counterpart that is a "specialist" in one departament Heals/mitigation AND buffs on top is not balanced by a long shot.

[Luvbunny]

buffing is still a benefit and having more potent heals than your counterpart that is a "specialist" in one departament Heals/mitigation AND buffs on top is not balanced by a long shot.

IT IS BALANCED, now I can play as SCH knowing full well that my AST counterpart can deal with the healing duty, while providing buffs to the party. AST + SCH is a very very potent combo now, and can be a major big change in the right group set up. The buffs from AST + SCH + Bard/Mach + other buffs from DPS/Tank, when strategized perfectly, can be a big major difference between wiping to winning. It is how it should be. WHM + AST brings more safety net for progression group, while AST + SCH lets you experiment with how to push your party DPS further.

[416to305]

Hi everyone, I read the first few pages and last few so sorry if this has been covered. Just had a couple questions. Saw someone talking about the balance card at the start and not being able to pull it again during that battle or something? What was that about, I don't see anything about that anywhere or was that something else they were talking about?

Second I remember from before the spear card only worked on abilities used while it was active and not ones on the cool down. Is that the same still? Looks like it but just checking.

[GideonHighmourn]

I think the Sect Bonus needs to be removed or reworked now that the baseline heal potencies are equivalent to SCH/WHM.

[SenzorialBoundries]

IT IS BALANCED, now I can play as SCH knowing full well that my AST counterpart can deal with the healing duty, while providing buffs to the party. AST + SCH is a very very potent combo now, and can be a major big change in the right group set up.

you cant have your cake and eat it too , if you play sch you have to deal with lower base potencies to make up for the utlitly you bring , if you play whm you have strong heals to make up for the lack of utility you bring , whats AST drawback now? uhmm? well i tell you none , i am not against buffs but i am against of mindlessly buffing something into heaven without much thought hurr durr lets just raise all numbers.

[Sleigh]

Warning: going to come out as if I'm bashing AST here initially. I'm not.

AST is still an overall worse "healer" than WHM or SCH, let's be serious here. About the best thing you can say about AST's healing advantage over SCH/WHM is when it comes to healing one tank up at a planned time, they're probably the best in the game other than a SCH blowing 6 Lustrates or WHM blowing Benediction.

They still lack Assize/Indominatability.
They still lack on demand general AoE healing on the leveling of Rouse + WD or Divine Seal M2 (Collective says hi but it's pre-planned and not applicable to many situations, not like Assize)
Still the worst aggro of the healers

That said, these buffs put AST right below WHM/SCH in terms of purely healing. It's glorious, you can legitimately do content up to and including A3S and it's not a burden, it's not a hindrance, it's a legitimately powerful healer with some very good party buffs now. Dare I say the best healer for A3S, Collective was just made for mega attacks like Cascade, you get your mitigation then the party gets a free M2 equivalent because reasons. A4S ... I'm on final phase and I don't foresee AST being a healer of choice on there, if any of you healers have done A4S legitimately up until last phase you know what goes down there.

Very good buffs. I'm glad they didn't give it an Assize of sorts because then it would have been, one of the other two healers is out the door. Looks pretty balanced to me, boys.