Choosing the healer you want to stick with dilemma.

[D6Damager]

AST is the least played healer (but is still desirable). If you're looking to slot into statics easier that might be a consideration. There's a gazillion SGE and WHM out there.

[QooEr]

I don't really see how Sage isn't as safe as Astrologian. The only on-demand tools AST has over Sage are their regens and Benefic II, where I'd argue having twice as many Lustrate/Druocholes to spare is going to make a bigger difference. If you mean the burst healing CDs AST does have let the shield healer in its pairs flex more since it's technically more efficient on the spot, I can kinda get it, but to me that's more risky at a baseline level given how finicky AST's tools are. Don't get me wrong, they're good, but I'd feel more comfortable with the Sage/Scholar pair just given the sheer amount of redundancy and uptime on their resources.

ast can carry awful parties a lot harder in my experience. astrodyne gives you near infinite mp even with 0 piety, and stronger gcd heals makes clown fiestas more salvageable.
when i progged endsinger ex as sage, half the time i was like "man, i definitely couldve saved this run if i was playing ast"

[ty_taurus]

ast can carry awful parties a lot harder in my experience. astrodyne gives you near infinite mp even with 0 piety, and stronger gcd heals makes clown fiestas more salvageable.
when i progged endsinger ex as sage, half the time i was like "man, i definitely couldve saved this run if i was playing ast"

Yeah, they have better MP management, Macrocosmos, and better GCD heals to salvage a rough run. None of that is necessary, but SGE can have a harder time in a run that's going south.