Looking For Advice to Improve as a Scholar

[Jerichai]

Hey all. Over the last few months I've been focusing on playing a Scholar. I've generally always healed in MMOs, and I find I really enjoy the SCH's play style. So far, things have been going alright, I've been progressing through lower tiers of content without too much trouble (up to Extreme Titan as far as primals, working through first Coil). I know none of the content I've done is too representative of end game, but I feel between my current experiences and reading here on the forum, I've made progress toward getting there, at least in a limited/casual sense.

Mostly...Recently, I've run into a few issues during duty roulettes that have gotten me concerned. Two times in the last week I've been thrown in HM Brayflox with a tank wanting to do SR pulls. Now, I'm used to the pull after the first boss, and generally that goes okay (minus moments when the MOBs all decide to jump the same target). The problem I'm experiencing comes from the first pull to the ramp. I just seem to be unable to keep up with the damage. I'm trying to use everything I can throw at it. Rousing my fairy and trying to focus embraces into the tank, both of Eos's buffs, Whispering Dawn, Eye for and Eye, Sacred Soil, etc. I'm not sure what main heal I should be focusing. I've seen some say alternate Adlo and Physic (with embrace on CD), some say focus Physic. I am of course throwing in Lustrates when available, but given the damage, I burn through Aetherflow quickly. I also leach the paralyze.

I guess I'm looking for other SCH's advice on how to handle that pull and any other instances of extremely high damage going into the tank. These last couple of failings have made me a bit nervous to try any SR groups on my own, and since most tanks in roulette generally split that first segment in half, I don't get too many times to practice.

I've also had a similar experience in HM Halatali. The tank pulled several groups to the bottom of the ramp in the room just before the first boss. Of course there, they then proceeded to take one of the fall maces to the face and get the vulnerability debuff. I tried to leach the debuff and recover, but the damage added up to quickly. Is there a way to get through that?

I also wanted to try and get some clarification on fairy mechanics. I've read a lot of threads in these forums, and the general advice I see is take control of your fairy heals. I always run with my fairies in Obey, and I have made macros to control cast their embrace. The problem I run into is when party members start to fall below the health threshold for when the fairies start to automatically cast embrace. Is there a way to stop this behavior? There are times it's fine, but also times I'd prefer to keep them on a different target, even if that target has slightly higher health at the time. I see a lot of people talk about macro-ing physic and embrace together. Does that control the behavior? Guess I'm trying to figure out how to maintain the best control of the fairy, even when multiple targets have high damage taken.

A few more other small tidbits I'd like to learn more about (apologies for the length of this post):
1. Do tanks take more damage when being hit from behind? I know in WoW, being hit from behind circumvents passive defensive stats, which can lead to more damage over time. I've had a lot of tanks in FF14, though, not seem to care. It feels like they're taking more damage, but I have no way to confirm this.
2. Our dots, while they are active, does their damage change if we swap out of cleric stance after casting them? Or do they maintain the damage established at the time of them being cast?

Thank you all for any information you can share. I enjoy the class and want to keep progressing with it, but these recent issues have caused me some concern.

[Tranquil]

Not gonna address everything, but here we go...

The problem I'm experiencing comes from the first pull to the ramp. I just seem to be unable to keep up with the damage. I'm trying to use everything I can throw at it. Rousing my fairy and trying to focus embraces into the tank, both of Eos's buffs, Whispering Dawn, Eye for and Eye, Sacred Soil, etc. I'm not sure what main heal I should be focusing. I've seen some say alternate Adlo and Physic (with embrace on CD), some say focus Physic. I am of course throwing in Lustrates when available, but given the damage, I burn through Aetherflow quickly. I also leach the paralyze.

I do all my Bray runs with Selene and also have the time to Swiftcast-Shadow Flare, apply my dots and Bane on the first pull, so this can be a gear issue on your end or on the tank's end. If you have Eye for an Eye up, are spamming Embraces on cooldown (even Roused), do a hefty amount of Adlos and Lustrate when need be - you are already doing enough. If you add Sacred Soil to that equation, on top of having Eos - well, that honestly sounds like a gear issue. Give it a try with people you know to practice a bit more?

The problem I run into is when party members start to fall below the health threshold for when the fairies start to automatically cast embrace. Is there a way to stop this behavior?

Apart from force-overriding your fairy with other commands, such as moving it around (with Place) while it is mid-cast etc. - no, there is not. Having the fairy closer to your target of choice helps with the prioritization a bit, if more than just that person has taken damage. But basically, if your fairy has started to cast Embrace on someone, even if you spam your keybind for it on your own target of choice, the fairy will finish its cast first.

2. Our dots, while they are active, does their damage change if we swap out of cleric stance after casting them? Or do they maintain the damage established at the time of them being cast?

The damage does not change if you go from cleric's stance to non-cleric's stance after application. So as long as you apply them with cleric's stance, you get the full benefit for all the ticks.

[Jerichai]

Not gonna address everything, but here we go...


I do all my Bray runs with Selene and also have the time to Swiftcast-Shadow Flare, apply my dots and Bane on the first pull, so this can be a gear issue on your end or on the tank's end. If you have Eye for an Eye up, are spamming Embraces on cooldown (even Roused), do a hefty amount of Adlos and Lustrate when need be - you are already doing enough. If you add Sacred Soil to that equation, on top of having Eos - well, that honestly sounds like a gear issue. Give it a try with people you know to practice a bit more?

I don't know, my ilvl is 86, not the highest it could be, but definitely above the minimum requirements. It just seems like the tank is taking immediate, constant damage once he gets to the ramp, and dropping quickly. I know two random attempts isn't a meaningful sample, just I just don't see how I could get a full round of dots out and sustain on fairy heals and lustrate during that time. Not doubting you either...I just think I'm missing something.

It should be noted I'm still working on getting stoneskin for the initial pull, but I don't think that's the issue.

Also, it sounds like you don't use Physic during this pull, is that an accurate assumption?

[Tranquil]

Well, it can be a tanking issue. Did you see those tanks pop any cooldowns? You only said you did 2 random runs, no? There are many variables here, of course. I tend to Adloquium the most during that pull, yes. (As well as the second pull). I don't generally use any of my own heals during the bosses or the 3rd pull. Pretty much only the first pull requires any heavier healing, though, wherein an adlo crit buys you a lot of time.

[Jerichai]

Well, it can be a tanking issue. Did you see those tanks pop any cooldowns? You only said you did 2 random runs, no? There are many variables here, of course. I tend to Adloquium the most during that pull, yes. (As well as the second pull). I don't generally use any of my own heals during the bosses or the 3rd pull. Pretty much only the first pull requires any heavier healing, though, wherein an adlo crit buys you a lot of time.

Which pull is considered the third?

[ErnestoGiovanni]

SR requires a lot of specific things to run smoothly especially is more tha one person is New to the experience. Tanks need to be geared and use their own buffs. Dps needs to have the Aoe potential to male sure things are dead in time too

[AmyNeudaiz]

It also wouldn't hurt to make sure you're using your Lustrates at an appropriate time. I don't touch my Lustrates until A) I need to increase my healing output or B) Aetherflow is about to be back up C) Tank will receive the full heal (avoid overhealing) D) Special situation where I need immediate heals.
It also helps to stagger yours and your pet's abilities. While a Rouse + Whispering Dawn + Fey Illumination on top of a Sacred Soil is very potent and a great raid AoE heal/mitigation, in extended situations healing a single tank it's better to stagger them to give you a constant healing edge rather than a 30 second big edge.
Leeches on paralyze is good but make sure your tank is topped off before attempting or be ready to Lustrate immediately after if the tank gets too low. Leeches on paralysis is low priority compared to tank HP unless a boss mechanic requires a stun/silence.
A lot of people underestimate how much of a benefit letting your fairy heal for herself is while you keep yourself busy. Turn 7 is a great example of where your fairy can shine without micro management of her Embrace. The difference is knowing when to micromanage and when not to that makes a huge difference in your Sch aptitude.

[Kazumac]

Make sure and eye for an eye the tank on the large pulls. Rouse+whispering dawn is a great single target cool down as well as a group heal. Perfect for this situation even though it's mainly used for the tank. If you know what cool downs the tank is burning you can alternate yours with that. Make sure you place your fairy here b/c you will dodge ground based AOEs and you still want the fairy to heal. Adlo is still your best throughput when including the shield even though it may not outwardly appear that it is.

Those are a few additions to what others have said. Also in the end having a tank know how to cycle the cool downs and enough AOE dps to burn the mobs in a timely manner is equally important.

[givemeraptors]

Honestly at i86 you can spam Adlo. Actually, in most content you can spam Adlo.* Proper usage of Aetherflow means you won't run OOM unless you have to raise a few people. The healing power is bigger and you minimize the amount you overheal due to Galvanize and mitigation. That helps a lot with SRs. Otherwise you may want to hold on and time your Lustrates better, but you seem to be doing everything else just fine.

*Haven't done second coil so that may be different.

[Sen_Terrechant]

Honestly at i86 you can spam Adlo. Actually, in most content you can spam Adlo.* Proper usage of Aetherflow means you won't run OOM unless you have to raise a few people. The healing power is bigger and you minimize the amount you overheal due to Galvanize and mitigation. That helps a lot with SRs. Otherwise you may want to hold on and time your Lustrates better, but you seem to be doing everything else just fine.

*Haven't done second coil so that may be different.

Well you still shouldnt spam Adlo. Its really mana inefficient and in longer fights you feel that.

I try and keep a 2/1 or 3/1 ratio of Physic/Adlo. Its a more of a guideline then a YOU MUST DO THAT thing but it does help!

Also as for the above post, you can heal T5 just fine in i90 all int. Your job is mostly just using lusterate after DS anyways!