Predict the endwalker healing meta!

[ty_taurus]

I think the meta will be: AST/SCH, AST/SGE, or SCH/SGE

My reasoning: WHM will likely still be a very popular job across the game, but it seems to offer no clear advantages over any of the other healers when it comes to raiding. SCH is memed on, but still has very powerful tools like Chain Stratagem, Sacred Soil, and Recitation. SGE has even more effective OGCD healing, and Zoe could be game-changing for prog. AST is looking very powerful, but both SCH and SGE have so many very powerful OGCD heals on short cooldowns that they could just overwhelm the Pure Healers in their ability to heal and maintain DPS updtime, though AST is no slouch either. I see no clear advantage to the "Pure Healer" archetype based on what we've seen and while barriers don't overlap, all it takes is an ounce of communication to establish who will be mainly applying barriers for which mechanics between SCH and SGE.

Factors that might subvert my prediction: Basically the unknowns. We don't know what potencies are changing, if any, and we also don't know what upcoming raid content will look like. EW does seem to have an excessive amount of damage reduction, barriers, and healing not only getting added to the healers, but like half the other jobs as well. WAR's getting self-healing, DRK has more team utility, there will be more charges for GOCD barriers, Dancer is getting a regen and a barrier, Summoner's getting a heal on top of Phoenix's passive regen, RDM is getting more utility... If this wasn't FFXIV, anyone would immediately make the connection that damage is about to spike, but we've been down a similar road before, and look where we ended up. Only time will tell.

[Halfgeeek]

I think the meta will be: AST/SCH, AST/SGE, or SCH/SGE

Agreed.

AST will be the clear favorite among players who like some complexity with their healers. Their revamp card system is smoother, and new EW skills requires thought, pre-planning to use, but its very powerful.

SGE will be the meme aesthetic healer, but the fad will quickly die down as people realize its basically a SCH clone with an identity crisis.

Meanwhile, SCH is where the true power resides. Deploy shorter cooldown, instant effect, and Adlo being 180% shield combines well with Recitation for huge fat crit shields on everyone! (We all know the real reason though: everyone wants Chain Strat for their own dps buff...)

[ty_taurus]

Agreed.

AST will be the clear favorite among players who like some complexity with their healers. Their revamp card system is smoother, and new EW skills requires thought, pre-planning to use, but its very powerful.

SGE will be the meme aesthetic healer, but the fad will quickly die down as people realize its basically a SCH clone with an identity crisis.

Meanwhile, SCH is where the true power resides. Deploy shorter cooldown, instant effect, and Adlo being 180% shield combines well with Recitation for huge fat crit shields on everyone! (We all know the real reason though: everyone wants Chain Strat for their own dps buff...)

I don't really agree with SGE being a SCH clone. I think there is a bit of overlap, but SGE actually seems to have better control and better potencies on a lot of those similar actions. In regards to Adder's Gall, I'd say SCH's Aetherflow is better, but I'd say the their only other advantage really is Chain Stratagem. It's hard to say really, but it is a number's game at the end of the day. I also think Zoe has the potential to blow Critlo out of the water since it's just doubling the healing value, meaning that also affects the barrier and can still crit on top of that. When we're talking about raid prog, a doubly potent E. Prognosis is bound to crit on at least a couple allies which is going to offer massive shielding. Of course, as I mentioned, we could also see SCH/SGE comps. With proper communication, you could also alternate between who's using Recitation/Zoe barriers for an even easier time in prog potentially. It's not like pure healers offer something unique and important that barrier healers don't have. AST is still a powerhouse of course, but we could see them on more even footing.