supervirus more impactful than proshell

[NorthernLadMSP]

ASTs have to deal with RNG though. You can't guarantee that you'll buff a party's or party member's DPS at any given moment. In fact, you might just make them or the whole party take a vulnerability up debuff.

Except for the fact, it's been stated time and time again, that the bad AST card was a mistranslation. Yoshi even quoted AST has no bad cards.

[loreleidiangelo]

Except for the fact, it's been stated time and time again, that the bad AST card was a mistranslation. Yoshi even quoted AST has no bad cards.

This. At worst, yes, you won't be "buffing their DPS" if you draw the MP reduction card, the TP reduction card, or the damage reduction card, but there could be arguments that via resource management assistance you are "effectively" increasing DPS with every AST card you use.

I know nobody wants WHM to be ousted from the current progression meta, but unless AST's regen sect is really underwhelming and/or SCH's raw healing buffs aren't as good as we think they are currently, I really do think this might be what happens in hardcore "first"-type groups.

[Risvertasashi]

In that practical scenario, what is the other healer doing? I don't believe I have mentioned that Scholars can completely eradicate the role White Mage have right now. They're simply getting new spells and abilities to their existing kit that aids them in a weak area. Which would be AoE healing in particular. If Scholars are still maintaining their supportive healer role, not much will change for them. Unless Astrologian AoE healing is so severely weak compared to either healers, I doubt there's a need to blow more than 1 aetherflow for the AoE heal they are getting.

But to the point; Scholars have a supportive healing role with the current meta and very likely will keep it in Heavensward. Especially when undergeared for content and/or progressing. I don't doubt any composition isn't viable, be it whm/ast, ast/sch or whm/sch. But scholars have, without doubt, an edge as supportive healer compared to White Mage and Astrologian. Astrologians have some affinity towards the role Scholars have with the current meta, but nowhere as good. Cards aren't spammable (30s CD according to some document) and Disable, while potent in it's own way, cannot be compared with Virus. Regardless, Astrologian definitely has more affinity for said role than White Mage. So what Nihility posted is very plausible:

Well, I was trying to put SCH in the shoes of a WHM there (pre echo of course...). Yes, another healer can alleviate that load. Ordinarily, a WHM would do most of the HP/S, with the SCH shielding&lustrating for the worst spikes but DPSing every moment the WHM can handle on its own. And there's a lot WHM can do on its own.

If both healers are focusing on healing primarily and not really DPSing... even if that's an AST and SCH combo... then I agree, I think everything will be handled without much issues.

As for Nihility's scenario, I really think that depends on the value people see in a SCH. If it's "can virus/lustrate while DPSing and stance dance to shield busters"... then AST will need to be capable of handling a lot of heals solo.

I don't think supervirus is make or break, as SMNs will have it and ASTs will have an equivalent. Possibly AST will be virtually guaranteed a slot, because it has virus-like mitigation, shields, and party buffs? For all we know, AST might replace SCH better than it replaces WHM. But I don't think any combo of the three healers, as long as classes aren't stacked, will have too much trouble.

We'll see soon XD

Except for the fact, it's been stated time and time again, that the bad AST card was a mistranslation. Yoshi even quoted AST has no bad cards.

Apparently I missed that update. But, even if it can't backfire, RNG is RNG.