Things currently wrong with frontlines that the community would like to see fixed

[Kyani]

Anyways, RE: Astrologian vs Scholar -

The problem with your post is that healers are essentially tanks in Frontlines, so which ever one has the best ability to fulfill their specific role (an excellent tank and healer combo) is the one that would widely be considered the best

...

Besides that, the argument that "AST can't heal as well as the other two" simply isn't using it correctly.

Okay, coming back to you as a Scholar main:

- Lustrate is the best PvP heal, bar none - it's not even particularly close (Have you ever tried pressing it?) It's as much effective healing as a big heal , except Scholar can hold up to 9 of them before getting into a fight.. and it's off the GCD, so you can stack it with Adlo to outmuscle even Synastry'd Benefic IIs. It's a ridiculous amount of healing, while simiultaneously being more flexible/granular than WHM or AST's equivalents.

- As far as AoE, Indomitability is an instant, OGCD Medica, which can be similarly woven into your AoE healing. Indom is a fantastic amount of raw healing if your team's close enough to make good use of it, and synergizes well with the very powerful Roused Whispering Dawn (which is basically an AoE Regen).

- Adlo is a tiny bit worse than Noct Benefic in a stand-and-cast engagement, but significantly better than anything else you could be spending a GCD on thanks to Emergency Tactics turning it into Actual Cure II if necessary. Swift Adlo -> Lustrate -> Lustrate is a more flexible version of Noct Benefic -> Essential Dignity in 99% of scenarios as well.

- With Field Commander gear, Scholar can actually do a relevant amount of DPS. Energy Drain + Ruin II do about 700 damage combined, which isn't amazing, but it's all either instant or OGCD (noticing a pattern?) "free" extra damage to secure burst on a healer or high/fever.

- Aura Blast is really good. This one shouldn't need an explanation, it's the best ability of its kind for clearing people off of a node-ledge.

[TheWaywardWind]

Anyways, RE: Astrologian vs Scholar -



Okay, coming back to you as a Scholar main:

1) Your analysis of Lustrate is fine, except you're solely examining the few instances in which you can get that off. And besides, with the shield counted from Aspected Benefic, the healing is just as much as Lustrate. And it's not limited to the occasional and AT BEST 9 casts lustrate. Have you actually USED it? Using the best case scenario for lustrate is a serious push of Scholar's capabilities. Also synastry'd Benefic IIs + Aspected Benefics are stronger than your Adlo + Lustrate combo. Sorry if this hurts.

2) You're arguments are contradicting themselves. You either have 9 lustrates or less than that if you choose to indomitability. You're making it seem as if you can have both, which you can, since Indom costs an Aetherflow stack. The difference is that Astrologian doesn't have to sacrifice since its casts are essentially limitless - limited only by how much MP you have.

PLUS, you have the option between shields and heals, all of which can be buffed at any time with Synastry. Scholar does not have this.

-Adlo is worse potency wise, AND it has a cast time. Nocturnal Benefic does not have this. And you need to use an ability to give you a Cure II, Astro is free to cast theirs at any time they want. ET down? Sorry, shit out of luck. Meanwhile AST is has unlimited stronger shields, a Cure II, and essential dignity (the first two of which can be buffed.) Scholar also does not have this ease.

3) lol. Cards buffing others > potentially 700 damage combined. Plus, you're also going to spend an Aetherflow stack doing that. Meaning, again, you're limited in your choices. You cannot have it all.

4) Retrogradation still beats in the utility category. Heals, deals damage, removes one detriment from party AND removes one buff from enemies. It's easiest the best unique healer ability, bar none.

You're free to think as you like, but all of your arguments stand on their own. You keep trying to argue specific instances which combined cannot happen. You cannot have 9 lustrates if you're using one on Indom and Energy Drain. Meanwhile, AST CAN have it all.

Your arguments are essentially, "Scholar is really good! ...if these specifics things happen under these conditions and you don't do anything else. Astro is not nearly as limited.