Change SCH Dissipation

[ty_taurus]

Dissipation definitely has problems. It doesn't mesh well with the kit, doesn't facilitate choice, etc. I have yet to see a solution for it that isn't just "and here's why the most powerful healer in the game needs to be made even more powerful".

Delete it.

I see nothing in Dissipation that is worth salvaging. I want to salvage Selene, because the idea of having different pets that offer different things feels interesting and plays into whatever job fantasy SCH is trying to fulfill this week. Having a faerie healer who's big 3 minute button is removing your faerie from battle for some type of gain has no amount of appeal in any regard from my perspective.

If we really want to play with the idea of 'sending a faerie away,' then something that would be way more interesting in my mind would be sending either Eos or Selene into a temporary slumber, dissipating her aether into a massive field effect that covers the area in glittering faerie dust. During this time, whichever faerie you chose is unavailable, but the other comes out in her place. Actually figuring out what each choice provides and ensuring it feels balanced is a different beast though.

One idea that comes to mind for Eos is, for 30 seconds, any party member standing in the field of effect deals 5% more damage while their HP is 80% or higher. Selene's is something like a 5% critical hit rate buff on all party members who have mitigation on them, or a 5% critical hits received debuff on enemies that have mitigation debuffs on them, like Feint/Addle. Or something to that general effect. It's a very rough idea, but you get the picture.

[NobleWinter]

I feel like I'm the only one who enjoys Dissipation. I've never looked at it as a DPS gain button. I know I can get three more Energy Drains but an extra 300 potency every 3 minutes is nothing to brag about. All the cool downs you lose during Dissipation are long too. Seraph and Fey Illumination have a two minute cool down while Whispering Dawn and Fey Blessing are both 60. It's not that hard to find 30 seconds where none of those buttons are available. The average player doesn't even use Dissipation. I've had to remind multiple people the button exists when I'm tanking and they let me die because they "ran out" of aetherflow. The Scholar kit isn't a buffet of skills like every other healer where every single button can be used together. I have an actual healing rotation on Scholar that makes me incredibly efficient once I understand how all my tools work. If a healing job has no learning curve and requires no basic understanding of the game it's boring. Scholar is one of the few jobs left with a skill ceiling even after losing around 7 dps abilities. I enjoy the thought process of when to use Seraph, Fey Union, and Dissipation because none of them can be used together but having them all makes me incredibly powerful nonetheless. We already lost the option of Selene and the one thing I know for sure is that they don't add complexity with their reworks. I truly fear what's going to happen when they try to make Scholar more accessible yet again. I don't want another braindead healing job.

[Renathras]

Dissipation definitely has problems. It doesn't mesh well with the kit, doesn't facilitate choice, etc. I have yet to see a solution for it that isn't just "and here's why the most powerful healer in the game needs to be made even more powerful".

Honestly, it's a tradeoff argument.

The problem: Dissipation is supposed to be an emergency button but is anti-synergistic with the whole kit.

What does it do:

1) It gives 3 Aetherflow for [until used].
2) It increases healing magic potency by 20% for 30 seconds.
3) It dismisses your Faerie for 30 seconds.

What's the problem:

1) Isn't buffed by (2), begging the question "Why are they on the same ability?" Further, (1) is generally used for damage, not healing, anyway.
2) Doesn't buff (1), and instead buffs the least used SCH abilities that are the least responsive, odd for an emergency ability.
3) Despite being an emergency button to boost healing, it dismisses a source of your passive healing and locks out 5 of your oGCDs (a direct single targeet heal, a direct AOE heal, an indirect AOE HoT, an AOE mitigation that also increases healing done [including by Aetherflow], and your big 2 min CD for barrier healing), additionally, it prevents generation of your tertiary healing resource; odd for an emergency healing button.

Now, there are three components of this, two positive (that don't play together) and one negative. So one solution would be remove one of the positives and one of the negative. For example, what if the ability didn't dismiss Eos but only boosted healing spells by 20% and had no Aetherflow? Or gave three Aetherflow but didn't increase healing magic potency? Either of those should still be roughly "balanced".

Another possibility is to take a page from New SMN's Aethercharge -> Dreadwyrm Trance -> Summon (Bahamut/Phoenix). In short: Have the ability upgrade into something. The 3 min CD isn't matched by anything else, but we have some options:

1) Fey Illumination upgrades into Fey Dissipation (or whatever). Initially at level 40 it increases healing magic potency of all nearby party members by 10% while reducing magic damage taken by 5%. The upgrade could increase magic potency to 20% or increase the damage reduction to 10% or grant 50 Faerie Gauge (this would require swapping Aetherpact and Dissipation learned levels so Aetherpact comes first at 60 instead of last at 70, but that's not a huge change), or grant an Aetherflow charge. Basically, have this existing, already somewhat powerful CD and just add an effect to it in the upgrade rather than having a separate ability. In this case, SCH is losing a CD, but gaining a bit in some way to an existing CD. This would be either a side-grade or a net nerf, depending on how you want to look at it, but not AS MUCH of a nerf as simply removing a CD ability with no consolation/compensation.

2) Dissipation is a lower level Summoner Seraph that upgrades to Summon Seraph at level 80. The lower level version could either give Eos/Selene a weaker version of Seraphic Veil for 22 seconds that gave her Embrace a magicked barrier absorbing half the amount of HP restored. Seraph as the upgrade then would double this AND get the two charges of Consolation. Or we could, again, learn from New SMN and actually give Seraph at that lower level, but she only has Seraphic Veil, and then at level 70, gains Consolation. This is also what MCH does with Queen learning Crown Collider at level 86 that she tacks onto her finishing combo after Pile Bunker. In this case, SCH is basically just losing Dissipation as a CD, but at least has something to level up into it so level 60 still has a capstone.

3) Make Dissipation Rhizomata. Yay homogenization, I guess...! \o/

.

So there are some way to make side-grades or change Dissipation to where it makes sense in SCH's leveling, if not its end-game. The second proposal is basically (at end-game) equivalent to just deleting it. The other two are not.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

[...]If we really want to play with the idea of 'sending a faerie away,' then something that would be way more interesting in my mind would be sending either Eos or Selene into a temporary slumber, dissipating her aether into a massive field effect that covers the area in glittering faerie dust. During this time, whichever faerie you chose is unavailable, but the other comes out in her place. Actually figuring out what each choice provides and ensuring it feels balanced is a different beast though.

I've mentioned previously that I had this similar idea of what I'd like Dissipation to be in that disillusion, perfect world existing only in my head. Taken directly from my own writing:

Dissipation (Cooldown: 60s | 80 Fae Gauge)

Recovers 1 charge of Lustrate, Indomitability, and Excogitation, and replaces currently summoned fairy with the one in reserve.
Additional Effect: Increases healing action potency by 30%.
Duration: 12s
Additional Effect: Grants 1 stack of Aetherflow.
Maximum Stack: 3
Action changes to ‘Summon Seraph’ under the effect of ‘Overflowing Aetherflow’

Of course, that alone still requires more explanation how each resource interacts with one another, so..

I'm inviting you to read my -very- unprofessional rambling

[RyuDragnier]

I've mentioned previously that I had this similar idea of what I'd like Dissipation to be in that disillusion, perfect world existing only in my head. Taken directly from my own writing:

Dissipation (Cooldown: 60s | 80 Fae Gauge)

Recovers 1 charge of Lustrate, Indomitability, and Excogitation, and replaces currently summoned fairy with the one in reserve.
Additional Effect: Increases healing action potency by 30%.
Duration: 12s
Additional Effect: Grants 1 stack of Aetherflow.
Maximum Stack: 3
Action changes to ‘Summon Seraph’ under the effect of ‘Overflowing Aetherflow’

Of course, that alone still requires more explanation how each resource interacts with one another, so..

I'm inviting you to read my -very- unprofessional rambling

That also requires the fairies to be different in concept. Also, just saying for lore's sake here, Eos and Selene (and possibly Seraph) are different "modes" of the singular fairy, Lily.

[Rein_eon_Osborne]

That also requires the fairies to be different in concept. Also, just saying for lore's sake here, Eos and Selene (and possibly Seraph) are different "modes" of the singular fairy, Lily.

You are correct. The Dissipation I wrote up there assumes we have different fairies than just a 'mere glamour' (and I tried to make them slightly different). I couldn't think of a way to write clearly without dumping wall of texts into my post, so I just linked the entire rambling in the 2nd 'Click to show'.

[Jamini]

I feel like I'm the only one who enjoys Dissipation. I've never looked at it as a DPS gain button. I know I can get three more Energy Drains but an extra 300 potency every 3 minutes is nothing to brag about. All the cool downs you lose during Dissipation are long too. Seraph and Fey Illumination have a two minute cool down while Whispering Dawn and Fey Blessing are both 60. It's not that hard to find 30 seconds where none of those buttons are available. The average player doesn't even use Dissipation. I've had to remind multiple people the button exists when I'm tanking and they let me die because they "ran out" of aetherflow. The Scholar kit isn't a buffet of skills like every other healer where every single button can be used together. I have an actual healing rotation on Scholar that makes me incredibly efficient once I understand how all my tools work. If a healing job has no learning curve and requires no basic understanding of the game it's boring. Scholar is one of the few jobs left with a skill ceiling even after losing around 7 dps abilities. I enjoy the thought process of when to use Seraph, Fey Union, and Dissipation because none of them can be used together but having them all makes me incredibly powerful nonetheless. We already lost the option of Selene and the one thing I know for sure is that they don't add complexity with their reworks. I truly fear what's going to happen when they try to make Scholar more accessible yet again. I don't want another braindead healing job.

Most of the folks in this forum want to further gut the complexity of healers under the guise of making them more interesting.

Dissipation is a fine mechanic that has a tradeoff for a notable gain. Any scholar not using it on cool-down and mapping mits around it isn't doing their job well to begin with. Same with Seraph and Fae Blessing.

[Jamini]

Honestly, it's a tradeoff argument.
The problem: Dissipation is supposed to be an emergency button but is anti-synergistic with the whole kit.

It's not an emergency button. It's a core part of the kit that needs to be played around. Dissipation should be used on cooldown. Not doing so is essentially halving your Aetherflow.

1) Isn't buffed by (2), begging the question "Why are they on the same ability?" Further, (1) is generally used for damage, not healing, anyway.
2) Doesn't buff (1), and instead buffs the least used SCH abilities that are the least responsive, odd for an emergency ability.
3) Despite being an emergency button to boost healing, it dismisses a source of your passive healing and locks out 5 of your oGCDs (a direct single targeet heal, a direct AOE heal, an indirect AOE HoT, an AOE mitigation that also increases healing done [including by Aetherflow], and your big 2 min CD for barrier healing), additionally, it prevents generation of your tertiary healing resource; odd for an emergency healing button.

1. What are you talking about? Aetherflow is used on our best mit (Soil) as well as for our instant-cast heal (indom). ED is only used if you are about to overcap (which means you didn't need to heal), or are going into a burst window.
2. Mostly used for niche cases, but nice for deploying spreadloe.
3. It's not an emergency button. If you are using it as such you are already failing as mit healer. You are looking at a screwdriver and wondering why you can't use it like a battering ram to get through a door here. If you use the tool right (taking off the hinges of the door with the screwdriver) it is a much better tool.

As for the abilities locked out
- Aetherpact is garbage. Scholar could have both it and the Fae gauge completely removed and suffer not one bit.
- Fae Blessing should be used if needed before dissipation. It's a high-priority heal due to being free and should effectively always be on cooldown first. This is a non-issue.
- Fae Illumination and Whispering Wind are generally mapped out. If they coincide with your dissipation windows they can generally wait OR you can delay dissipation.
- Seraph should always be planned, and frankly the heal on it kinda sucks! It's great for mechanics that have moderate, continuous damage. (P4SP2 comes to mind during the tether phases, as you can't stop to cast there). For most raidwides I will prefer Soil, Expedient, Spreadloe, and (if I'm partnered with my static sage) E.T. Succor

[Jamini]

Now, there are three components of this, two positive (that don't play together) and one negative. So one solution would be remove one of the positives and one of the negative. For example, what if the ability didn't dismiss Eos but only boosted healing spells by 20% and had no Aetherflow? Or gave three Aetherflow but didn't increase healing magic potency? Either of those should still be roughly "balanced".

The Aetherflow is why it's used. The Healing Potency is basically worthless.
Honestly I don't particularly like either of these.

Another possibility is to take a page from New SMN's Aethercharge -> Dreadwyrm Trance -> Summon (Bahamut/Phoenix). In short: Have the ability upgrade into something. The 3 min CD isn't matched by anything else, but we have some options:

1) [Snipped down to get under the character limit]

2) Dissipation is a lower level Summoner Seraph that upgrades to Summon Seraph at level 80.

3) Make Dissipation Rhizomata. Yay homogenization, I guess...! \o/

So there are some way to make side-grades or change Dissipation to where it makes sense in SCH's leveling, if not its end-game. The second proposal is basically (at end-game) equivalent to just deleting it. The other two are not.

All of these ideas sound terrible.

1. No. This just makes us lose a CD without any compensation. All you've done is bake two abilities together. This is made worse by the fact that you are keeping the garbage that is Aetherpact (which is literally nearly worthless) and axing dissipation (which is extremely useful)
2. Once again, you are cutting directly into our resource management and basically giving us nothing in return. The Aetherflow from dissipation is a massive chunk of our instant healing and burst damage. Let's leave it alone.
3. No thanks. If I want to play a simplified scholar, I'd play sage.

[Deceptus]

It's not an emergency button. It's a core part of the kit that needs to be played around. Dissipation should be used on cooldown. Not doing so is essentially halving your Aetherflow.

But the question is: Is the opportunity cost for losing the fairy worth the resources gained?

I submit that it is not.

Say you use it on DPS like most people say you should. It's 300 potency for a complete loss of fairy healing for 30s. That is a single extra Broil every 2 min. You're not exactly contributing more to the fight than if you didn't press that button.

That'd be like saying to Sage: When you use Rhiozomata your Kardia is removed from the target and you can't use Physis for 30s and your Addersting generation is stopped.

Now, if Quickened Aetherflow was still around, that would be a different story but CBU3 removed it.