Some idea about AST sect swapping

[Morningstar1337]

Actually all 3 healers have exactly two ways of Mana regen.

• WHM: Assize and Shroud of Saints
• AST: Ewer and Lumineforus Aether
• SCH: Aetherflow and Energy Drain

This extends to the rest of the Disciplines of Magic as well

• SMN: Same as SCH
• BLM: Convert and the Blizzard spells

Of the 3 healers, WHM is simply the most dependable since both Shroud and Assise can eb woven in and have no RNG elements like Ewer or opportunity cost like Energy Drain. But they all have 2 ways of getting mana

[Pomelo]

I wouldn't mind an "Eclipse" ability which takes on the secondary sect (temporarily) but I see that as a 4.0 thing...not something that would happen in the 3.X series.

[Ghishlain]

The healing over time is what makes it less versatile than assize or indom, though, especially in the content we're given. On a side note, are regen potencies snap shotted based on the target's buff/debuffs, or changed real time?

Collective Unconsciousness also provides a mitigation bonus, so while it's less versatile it also tends to have a stronger effect at the time of application. Contextually, there are times where CU is great and other times it'll just feel like a flop which is fight dependent.

Healing over Time themselves are a snap shot at the time of application and maintain that for the entire duration of the HoT. In the case of Regen and Diurnal Aspected Benefic, they'll get bonuses from Divine Seal, Synastry, and Fey Illumination for the entire duration of the HoT. Likewise, if the target(s) happens to have an Infirmity debuff or popped their Convalescence / Mantra, they'll also receive the penalty / bonus for the entire duration of the HoT as well.

Take into account that Collective Unconciousness, Indomitability, and Assize are all ability based heals. As every single healing buff/debuff in the game only affects magic/spells, these particular abilities aren't affected by Infirmity or Healing Potency booster (thus making Lustrate still an incredible anti Infirmity tool.

AST has very few tools with managing their own mana from what I've seen. Assize regenerates 10% of the WHM's mana on top of having free cure, and scholar gets aetherflow and some rather ludicrious oGCD, mp-free heals. As an AST, Ewer need to inSpire yourself to not get terriBole draws to buff up your own mana regen, but that means you're losing the Balance of your card buffs because that's draw cooldowns being used for regen rather than expanded royal road, so you won't be Spearheading as much dps buffs.

Those puns >>; lol /slowclap

With that being said, one can possibly argue that Assize's 10% MP restoration is balanced by ASTs 10%+ reduced MP costs, but I certainly won't argue SCHs ability to generate MP is absurd to the max (but that's more of a discussion at how powerful SCH is than AST/WHM MP tools). There in one more reliable way to generate MP on AST if you're willing to spend the CDs on it - using Celestial Opposition to increase Luminious Aether's duration, giving the AST two more ticks of MP. Better than hoping for an Ewer and also gives you slightly more MP than Ewer too.

Well hot dog it does doesn't it. Can't believe I never noticed lol xD. Oh yeah and sorry, I actually meant to say give gravity a heavy debuff, slow is just dum >_< Idk why I get those two mixed up so much. But yeah cause you know, Gravity=heavy, just seems to fit the spell.

It's actually not immediately obvious, so don't feel bad about that. XD You aren't the first person to not notice that and you certainly won't be the last one either. I would personally prefer to keep the 20% reduced MP cost versus any other effect, but that's a personal preference. Also, don't get me started on Aspected Benefic Diurnal vs Regen because I quite a few people can't distinguish the two either ; ;

[KyahAlmasy]

Each sect has it's own perks. I personally prefer Noct because it's very useful for fights with lots of spike damage. Regens are good, but high spike damage can wipe a group faster than a regen can heal, especially if there are aoes on the ground. (Nothing worse than massive party-wide damage, and then a few DD dying because of that fast tick of damage from standing on some aoe.)

AST has very few tools with managing their own mana from what I've seen. Assize regenerates 10% of the WHM's mana on top of having free cure, and scholar gets aetherflow and some rather ludicrious oGCD, mp-free heals. As an AST, Ewer need to inSpire yourself to not get terriBole draws to buff up your own mana regen, but that means you're losing the Balance of your card buffs because that's draw cooldowns being used for regen rather than expanded royal road, so you won't be Spearheading as much dps buffs.

Using your Celestial Opposition with your Luminiferous Aether gives you a large boost in MP regen, especially if you use it in conjunction with an Ewer card, and even more so if that Ewer card is enhanced, or extended. As a healer I try to estimate how MP intensive a fight is, and at what points my mana threshold is at it's lowest, and tend to try to hold onto a Ewer card for those portions of the fight. If I'm doing well, and I notice another healer is struggling I'll use that enhanced Ewer card on them, and Time Dilate it so that they're not running on empty.

In the end, ASTs, if played smart, will have very little trouble maintaining high MP levels. And this is from an AST who stays in Noct, which is far more MP intensive than Diurnal.

[FeliAiko]

In my view they should remove Noct as a separate stance and either:

1. Make it a CD that converts your next A. Helios/Benefic into a shield instead of a HoT (so a reverse version of Emergency Tactics).

2. Turn it into a skill you combine with Diurnal (something like Darkside) that while under effect does what I mentioned above plus some other stuff. There would have to be some sort of drawback to this of course so that it's not optimal to use all fight, but only in situational cases.

[Naliee]

Actually all 3 healers have exactly two ways of Mana regen.

• WHM: Assize and Shroud of Saints
• AST: Ewer and Lumineforus Aether
• SCH: Aetherflow and Energy Drain

This extends to the rest of the Disciplines of Magic as well

• SMN: Same as SCH
• BLM: Convert and the Blizzard spells

Of the 3 healers, WHM is simply the most dependable since both Shroud and Assise can eb woven in and have no RNG elements like Ewer or opportunity cost like Energy Drain. But they all have 2 ways of getting mana

Even as WHM or SCH, I can manage MP way better than AST, because you have to pray to RNG give you Ewer. Because even with Luminiferous Aether and extending it with Celestial Opposition, you still gain very little MP. For someone who likes to heal/dps.

[TheUltimateSeph]

In my view they should remove Noct as a separate stance and either:

1. Make it a CD that converts your next A. Helios/Benefic into a shield instead of a HoT (so a reverse version of Emergency Tactics).

Please no >_<

2. Turn it into a skill you combine with Diurnal (something like Darkside) that while under effect does what I mentioned above plus some other stuff. There would have to be some sort of drawback to this of course so that it's not optimal to use all fight, but only in situational cases.

Maaaaayyyyyybe. Idk overall the sects feel pretty well balanced as is, minus not being able to swap them in combat. Even if the regen and shield effects did stack I fail to see how this would be too OP. SCH gets an aoe regen from fairy that can stack with their shields (correct me if I'm wrong) and cards are really too random for them to make the AST more OP then the SCH if the sect effects stacked. If the drawback was anything that drains MP I would definitely not be for it.