Help a newbie learn the difference between the classes

[Pikachu_Pizza]

I was watching a Mr Happy video showing the AST abilities and started to wonder if my WHM was under powered utility wise but I'm unsure.

I see that we share a lot of abilities with the same function but AST has more unique spells? I was seeing it in terms of WOW healing spells and thinking "they get beacon, and their cure spells procs cure 2 more often".

Is this right? how do the styles differ? What does SCH, WHM, and AST get that the others do not?

[Tranquil]

WHM is a powerhouse HPS-pumper that's fairly straightforward. Highest healing on demand, good bursty healing as well and they have 3 HoTs. They recently got some powerful DPS tools as well but whether they will be practical for raids or not is to be seen (accuracy issues, potential MP issues in having to keep up the healing, still not as fluid for stance-switching as a SCH).

SCH is currently in a spot where it's pretty much good at everything. Best shielding, best sustained single-target healing (and easiest on the sustainability there, too), good utility, able to DPS a lot, able to buff the party via Selene's Haste buff, etc. They used to be a bit lacking in the AoE-healing department (especially without using their healer fairy, Eos), but they now got a tool that turns some of their shields' shielded portions into pure heals, as well as an oGCD 400 potency AoE heal (on a 30s CD, costing an Aetherflow stack too). SCH also brings Supervirus.

AST... Well, we've had a lot of whining about it on the forums lately. It is supposed to be a buffer-type of healer that sacrifices some of its power in favour of versatility, mobility and being able to buff the party. However, at present many people feel like AST is underpowered due to the cards not being significant enough to warrant having such 'low' healing. Keep in mind though that their bread and butter kit is similar to that of a WHM, only without a Cure III and without being able to buff their heals in some form (like Divine Seal). I do agree AST could use some minor tweaks and buffs to some skills, but they are not in a terrible shape.

Right now, the way I see it is that a 8-man raiding group should have a SCH, with the 2nd slot being either WHM or AST.

[Crevox]

Right now, the way I see it is that a 8-man raiding group should have a SCH, with the 2nd slot being either WHM or AST.

The group should have a WHM, and then the second slot should be SCH or AST. SCH is really strong right now, but either way, you really really should have a WHM because it's the only source of the MND party buff.

[Tranquil]

either way, you really really should have a WHM because it's the only source of the MND party buff.

I don't really follow this kind of thinking. Having your heals splash for a tiny bit higher per cast (3%) is highly inconsequental if the job can otherwise be done. We don't maximize our pure-HPS throughput in the same way we maximize DPS. (It hurts our off-DPS very, very little to not have a MND buff, but only 3% at most - and that is also assuming we have 100% DPS-uptime, which we won't whilst pushing progression).

It's a factor when considering WHM having a slot, though. Also, I don't think any healer is downright underpowered right now, but I do think SCH has the most to offer. I honestly foresee most people either running the old SCH/WHM or then going for SCH/AST, especially if they tweak the latter a little bit and also have the new fights not require that much continuous burst-healing galore, after you've gotten the hang of the script of a fight.