Astro in savage

[Muahbec]

Like i posted in another thread.
In my sincere opinion, the lightspeed buff should be changed from 25% mana cost reduction to a 25 or 30% healing boost buff
and lasts for like...20-25 seconds with a 60 seconds cooldown.
That would help a lot.
And also, AST needs more AOE power. For Savage like content.
SCHs have their amazing toolkit as well as WHM.
and AST only have Helios and Aspected helios for AOE :/ and a 40s burst heal....again...40s cooldown. And thats it.
I'm afraid that maybe AST will need a complete rework. :|

[Kietsu]

In my sincere opinion, the lightspeed buff should be changed from 25% mana cost reduction to a 25 or 30% healing boost buff
and lasts for like...20-25 seconds with a 60 seconds cooldown.

We could use a potency buffing skill, but that would be vastly better than Divine Seal. Our inability to completely outheal WHMs is not the problem.

Helios has the same EHP/second output as Scholar's Succor, as well. Scholar does have Indomitability, but it's on a cooldown and costs an Aetherflow.
That said, White Mage is the only class that truly excels at AoE healing. In my opinion, the only way you're clearing A1 Savage with AST/SCH right now is if the SCH makes very smart use of Fey Illumination to make up for AST's complete and utter lack of a potency buff.

(I also want to take a moment to complain that Eos and Selene are Synastry, except with infinite duration and the ability to switch targets...)

[justinjarjar]

While changes may be needed, I would like this topic to stay on using the current tools to complete the highest level content. For example these are the tools that are not working for me or this is how and why I could clear a floor with AST as one of the two healers. I also like the pics of people clearing A1S .

[Sidra]

Something to keep in mifn right now - this has been cleared by a miniscule amount of groups - Most WHM/SCH combos are failing too. Let it play out a bit.

[SuzakuCMX]

Something to keep in min right now - this has been cleared by a miniscule amount of groups - Most WHM/SCH combos are failing too. Let it play out a bit.

Something else to keep in mind as well; all but the last turn in each Coil was mostly about gear level and not exactly player skill. The last turn was always the one where people hit walls with DPSchecks and healing while conserving mana and having to execute mechanics.

[justinjarjar]

Something to keep in min right now - this has been cleared by a miniscule amount of groups - Most WHM/SCH combos are failing too. Let it play out a bit.

Did you read the conversation? The point is to get information on ASTs clearing AS floors. We already have a group the has cleared A1S with AST/WHM. These early clear groups are the top of the top in skill and devotion and are where most of the balance should stem from. If groups can clear content with AST and like what it brings then maybe AST is in a better place then people think (since many groups will not bring AST period even at top level of skill). This way we can learn from each other and cheer on our AST buddies .

[Risvertasashi]

Did you read the conversation? The point is to get information on ASTs clearing AS floors. We already have a group the has cleared A1S with AST/WHM. These early clear groups are the top of the top in skill and devotion and are where most of the balance should stem from. If groups can clear content with AST and like what it brings then maybe AST is in a better place then people think (since many groups will not bring AST period even at top level of skill). This way we can learn from each other and cheer on our AST buddies .

Not to be too much of a pessimist but 'can' isn't necessarily the best benchmark. If you 'can' clear something using an odd setup (be that DPS, tanks, or heals), but it costs you a few more days of wipes vs a more optimal setup... is it really worth it?

And, just out of curiosity, have any AST/SCH compositions cleared it? If not... that suggests AST is relying heavily on the strength of the WHM, similar to DPS-heavy scholars.

[justinjarjar]

Not to be too much of a pessimist but 'can' isn't necessarily the best benchmark. If you 'can' clear something using an odd setup (be that DPS, tanks, or heals), but it costs you a few more days of wipes vs a more optimal setup... is it really worth it?

And, just out of curiosity, have any AST/SCH compositions cleared it? If not... that suggests AST is relying heavily on the strength of the WHM, similar to DPS-heavy scholars.

At this point we are on the top end of clears and I agree AST probably needs more changes to be truly competitive VS the other healers. However as of right now no reports of AST/SCH clears. That is what I want a list of clears or near clears with this was our problems and this is what worked. Since in a well balanced game all three combos should be able to clear all floors of AS. I started the forum since AST seems to be the only class excluded completely form many statics AS runs. Getting a poll of success can help figure out what exactly makes AST so much less viable (or maybe the nay sayers are just too loud right now).

[Muahbec]

...

(This is my last post about this topic i promise)
Sure it would be better than divine seal but think about it for a second.
how much tools do AST have for emergency situations where a huge amount of healing is necessary?
Sch: Rouse+whispering dawn, Fey illumination, indomitability, emergency tactics+succor, dissipation, fairy,etc.
Whm: Divine seal, assize, presence of the mind, asylum, benediction, tetra, etc.
AST: no healing buff, a weaker copy of cure/cure 2/medica, weaker versions of medica 2/succor, an almost useless weaker version of Adloquium, an useless copy of Sacred soil/asylum and cards that are almost insignificant :/
My suggested version of lightspeed would not be unfair.

[Risvertasashi]

At this point we are on the top end of clears and I agree AST probably needs more changes to be truly competitive VS the other healers. However as of right now no reports of AST/SCH clears. That is what I want a list of clears or near clears with this was our problems and this is what worked. Since in a well balanced game all three combos should be able to clear all floors of AS. I started the forum since AST seems to be the only class excluded completely form many statics AS runs. Getting a poll of success can help figure out what exactly makes AST so much less viable (or maybe the nay sayers are just too loud right now).

If you're curious enough to look through old threads I tried to do a fair writeup but I'll give a quick tl;dr version of my own thoughts (both 60 AST and 60 WHM).

Essentially, AST is a high mobility, sustaining healer with little burst and poor MP management (considerably worse than WHM-- at sustaining 250 potency on the tank, WHM recovers MP twice as fast).

The tradeoff for its drawbacks are the buffs. So ultimately groups doing hard content have to ask: Are AST's drawbacks worth its strengths (buffs and mobility)? Right now, I think the answer for many groups is 'no'. I also expect upwards gear levels will ease the drawbacks significantly, but that doesn't help when it comes to progression.

I'll also add that I don't want to see AST become a copy of WHM or SCH, however. Address the MP issues so AST can at least sustain reliably, then perhaps tweak cards or other buffs until we find a nice sweetspot...