5.05 Healer Changes

[Exiled_Tonberry]

No, not really. AST is still far behind in rdps contribution and their healing kit still sucks compared to what WHM has. .

Aside from lilies, AST and WHM now have the same potencies on most of their identical heals.
As for raid utility, I said before, but WHM personal DPS needs the extra damage since it's all personal based and not utility. In situations where you have to heal hard, WHM only loses while AST can still support with cards. If AST utility exactly matched WHMs max damage potential it would be a problem.
Instead, AST and SCH have about the same raid DPS contribution

[Sanghelios]

Aside from lilies, AST and WHM now have the same potencies on most of their identical heals.
As for raid utility, I said before, but WHM personal DPS needs the extra damage since it's all personal based and not utility. In situations where you have to heal hard, WHM only loses while AST can still support with cards. If AST utility exactly matched WHMs max damage potential it would be a problem.
Instead, AST and SCH have about the same raid DPS contribution

Dont forget as AST you are pretty much doomed to stay in nocturnal forever, because your cohealer in 9 out of 10 runs is a whitemage. And nocturnal still lacks bigtime behind diurnal. Your statement about whm loosing out in a situation where you have to "heal hard" is also not correct. Windows with high damage are always fairly short and whm can easily deal with them with their afflatus single target/aoe spells and those generate their blood lily for a use of misery. Not to mention that the cards and healing intensive parts of a fight are by no means in association with each other and you are just pulling a string here that doesnt exist.

[Seraphor]

Dont forget as AST you are pretty much doomed to stay in nocturnal forever, because your cohealer in 9 out of 10 runs is a whitemage. And nocturnal still lacks bigtime behind diurnal. Your statement about whm loosing out in a situation where you have to "heal hard" is also not correct. Windows with high damage are always fairly short and whm can easily deal with them with their afflatus single target/aoe spells and those generate their blood lily for a use of misery. Not to mention that the amount of cards and healing intensive parts of a fight are by no means tied to each other and you are just pulling a string here that doesnt exist.

If 2 WHMs is viable, then WHM + Diurnal AST is also viable.

That said, Nocturnal is more viable now, even if it could've done with a bit more.
The shield from Opposition has been increased along with its other buffs.
Intersection has a significant Regen now.
And of course Aspected Helios, while the shield still isn't that impressive, is a more viable healing spell, so you can safely throw it out more often, and with Lightspeed's buff you'll be saving MP for it.

[Crushnight]

If 2 WHMs is viable, then WHM + Diurnal AST is also viable.

That said, Nocturnal is more viable now, even if it could've done with a bit more.
The shield from Opposition has been increased along with its other buffs.
Intersection has a significant Regen now.
And of course Aspected Helios, while the shield still isn't that impressive, is a more viable healing spell, so you can safely throw it out more often, and with Lightspeed's buff you'll be saving MP for it.

Sanghelios is right Nocturnal is still lacking behind Diurnal by quite a bit due to 2 reasons, 1. Heal to mp ratio, Nocturnal still forces Aspected Benefic to be 1k mp making Neutral sect still better in Duirnal by default. 2. Nocturnal vs sch is a bigger chasm than Diurnal vs whm, nocturnal cannot even be in the same room as sch as the shield healer while Diurnal is the child in a room full of adult whms