Every time I decide to play Ast, I find a thread that destroys my enthusiasm.

[CBellz]

Basically what I am hearing is WHM for progression, and Astrologian for farming content. Which I suppose makes sense but meh.

WHM is better equipped with emergency heals and is just safer in general. This only matters, however, if you're looking to clear content at the fastest rate possible.

I personally love healing on AST, and started leveling it first because I enjoyed its draw mechanic. AST is a little weak in the sense that you have to spend GCDs to do what other healers can do in oGCDs. This just means that you have to try to avoid wasting GCDs and burning CDs like ED, CU, Synastry at inopportune times, which one will do while playing at a high level anyway.