Astro in savage

[Nigela]

This thread is kind of funny.
"AST are too weak, I can't clear A1 Savage!"
- pic of AST beating A1 Savage
"Well, That was WHM and AST - it can't be done with a SCH combo it just doesn't have the healing oomph to hand it"
-pic of AST/SCH clearing A1S
"Well, uh, it is still too weak!"

One thing I'd like to add in a WHM/AST combo in terms of DPS - an AST can DPS too - from a single target perspective it really isn't that far off from SCH.

Ofc its possible to beat A1 Savage as AST but the point is what u can make easily as SCH/WHM make u sweat on AST. It shouldnt be like this that when i bring AST on raid with static i feel like handicap. AST is the weakest healer and it needs some changes and boost.

[Calib0s]

Astro is capable of healing any content in the game. They are also objectively the worst healer.

These facts aren't mutually exclusive.

[RichardButte]

Astro is capable of healing any content in the game. They are also objectively the worst healer.

These facts aren't mutually exclusive.

Agreed.

The real issue isn't that AST can't do it but that WHM/SCH can do it so much better.

If that's the case, WHY are you bringing an AST along at all?

Again, I WANT to main this class, but I want to do so without making my FC mates hate me for insisting upon bringing a knife to a gun fight.

[GeekMatt]

AST feels like a fairly unique healer. The lower potencies are a big part of that, IMO, alongside the use of cards. It's additional abilities like Disable, Lightspeed, and Synergy are all skills I enjoy and serve a practical use, however when the damage is too much, they just come off as lacklustre in the sense that they rarely make up for our lower potencies when comparing to other healers.

AST is a completely viable healer on it's own and it's support is great, but when standing next to a WHM or SCH, you feel small in respect to the role you play. I've considered some things to help AST, but there's too many things to consider. To continue feeling like an AST, I don't want straight potency like a WHM, or a Crit affect like Galvanize. I'd like another button or two for managing heavy AoE, particularly reactive ones (though I favour proactive play style by nature) because when my AoEs don't allow me to bounce back, it feels like a very straight-forward "I wasn't potent enough and I had no other options". One thing I was considering was a skill to repeat the previous ability played, instantly.

Another (proactive) was to funnel a % of raid-wide damage to a tank (up to a % of his hp). I could follow this up with Essential Dignity or Benifect II, so instead of offering a higher potency AoE, this would mean I have to Heal just as much as I would normally, but I have the option of utilizing a single target heal to compensate for my lack of AoE potential. I really like this option except I'm not sure it coincides with the personality of AST, and I imagine it would get misused to result in the death if a tank.

The counter alternative would be to funnel a single target heal to multiple players somehow. Could be reasonable with Essential dignity because the cd would prevent my single target potential temporarily, which would help even it out. Possibly sticking to the concept of more damage resulting in more heals--where the targets in the most danger reap the most benefit.

[LycorisSelunis]

In all cases of AST clearing so far, were you using diurnal? Have any AST been able to use nocturnal at all in high level play? If no one is using noct even when we 'should' be, then it needs must be looked at.

:/ I really hope for some noct love.... TD/CO are nowhere near as useful extending limited shields than they are with hots, and noct CU is strictly worse than sch sacred soil since we have to stand still (at least diurnal CU now packs a huge punch, if you only get one or two ticks off they are really strong) I really want to be able to use noct sect. WHM/AST combos aside, an AST/AST comp I don't think could possibly be viable with noct as is now since 2 diurnal AST don't stack (also cards are one per target I think? no buff stacking on aoes).

edit-CU peeves me the most. it is a lvl 58 skill that's trumped by a lvl 45. CO at 60 still feels like it needs...SOMETHING.

Personal ideas-
make noct shields into regen-shields. aspect benefic/helios buff would be the duration of refresh, but the shield itself would be the same buff as now. if taking constant dmg, the shields would stay small and refresh. if not taking dmg the shields would stack up to a better potency for future hits. TD/CO can then extend the application buff!

CO-add a constellation-like chain heal. diurnal-increases healing received by targets (like mantra/fey illu) noct-reduces damage taken (similar to bole/ss, separate buff)

CU noct sect- keep dmg reduction as is but add a hp-equalizing effect. damage taken under the bubble is split evenly between party members and total party hp is equalized (like spirit link totem)
CU diurnal might need something else to keep up with that though....

[justinjarjar]

The of the forum was more of there seems to be a lack of players playing through with AST in the first place. Meaning harder to find data for a player (as the dev said they can go through numbers and see how big the differences are), the idea was can AST not only be used in progressive raiding (aka hardest/highest level content to date). the overall theme is that yes it can complete AS1, but SCH/WHM is still feeling more powerful overall. It means that no AST is not complete dirt, but is still slightly behind WHM and SCH in feel. Why? Still not completely sure (Devs will figure it out I am sure) could be numbers or just adjustment to the new class. In no way is this a complaint forum. Sidra I get where you are coming form, but it is important that the community make sure that the Devs get proper information about how we are approaching and feeling about balance. I just wanted to see where people where taking AST and I am happy to see it be used with both partners. Noct Sect is still not used (and I think the patch notes show that SE knows that and will tackle it later). Balance takes time with new variables and I am happy to see the progress that the dev team has taken. Lets keep up peoples reactions to play AST in AS. Pics of clears are also appreciated .

-Kitty OP and happy supporter of AST

[chumsy]

foresaw this coming and once again pushes down the path of: WHM/WHM > WHM/SCH > WHM/AST > SCH/SCH > SCH/AST > AST/AST. Theres simply no reason to take an AST over any of the other two healing classes, unless AST was the only healer available (or maybe in the case of double SCH). The problem lies within how the class functions, its neither a replacement for a WHM or a SCH, therefore its considered the last choice instead of the 3rd option. AST should bring something of equivalent power to the table, as WHM brings powerful AOE heals, SCH with powerful single target; Thus AST should bring equivalent buffs. As of now none of the buffs are equivalent to the healing loss as compared to a WHM/SCH. When will people realize its about bringing something to the table that contributes enough for the loss, in this case healing potency. We dont have to heal as good as the other two classes, but please in the name of Balance, increase the card buffs, even the fairy selene could rival the dps increase AST buffs provide.

[RichardButte]

foresaw this coming and once again pushes down the path of: WHM/WHM > WHM/SCH > WHM/AST > SCH/SCH > SCH/AST > AST/AST. Theres simply no reason to take an AST over any of the other two healing classes, unless AST was the only healer available (or maybe in the case of double SCH). The problem lies within how the class functions, its neither a replacement for a WHM or a SCH, therefore its considered the last choice instead of the 3rd option. AST should bring something of equivalent power to the table, as WHM brings powerful AOE heals, SCH with powerful single target; Thus AST should bring equivalent buffs. As of now none of the buffs are equivalent to the healing loss as compared to a WHM/SCH. When will people realize its about bringing something to the table that contributes enough for the loss, in this case healing potency.

Exactly.

The job of any healer is to keep the party alive until the end of the encounter.

AST either needs the same healing capability or its buffs need to end the encounter THAT much faster (via boosting DPS) to compensate for its weaker healing.

Right now, it's not doing either one.

[Parawill]

In all honesty Richard, as much as I would love to be healing on par with White Mage or Scholar (referring to that "stance" idea that you cant turn off), I really want them to focus on the aspect of Astrology, buffing and divination. Where White Mages bring raw power house heals, Scholars bring in Shields & heals (though weaker). Astrologians bring raw heals like White Mages, but do not have the potency of White Mages which gives room to add utility to their heals.

While I do like the Regen & Shield aspect of the two stances, and introducing possible stance dancing would be nice (to be honest, in a SCH & AST setup, you would only really go into Noct for that 5% increase in heals as SCH Shields are stronger and don't stack. Plus stacking CU with Sacred Soil and other mitigation would be nice), I wish they maybe perhaps made it so that we had some sort of reflect effect added into our kit. Since our cards are oriented in enhancing players, and with the current lack of boosting potencies, perhaps shifting the way Astrologians contribute DPS into their healing would be interesting? Of course the potencies would be way lower than a standard instant-damage skill/spell (Straight damage instead of a DoT).

But yeah, just throwing ideas. Nothing beyond that :P

@Grekumah. Thank you for relaying feedback to HQ. We really appreciate it

[LycorisSelunis]

I wish they maybe perhaps made it so that we had some sort of reflect effect added into our kit. Since our cards are oriented in enhancing players, and with the current lack of boosting potencies, perhaps shifting the way Astrologians contribute DPS into their healing would be interesting? Of course the potencies would be way lower than a standard instant-damage skill/spell (Straight damage instead of a DoT).

Like ifrit's buff? Perhaps throwing something like that on noct CU. The 10% you mitigate is thrown back at the attacker?