I want to heal! ...but first...

[zipzo]

I posted a very similar (basically the same) thread in the tank section of the forums, but as one of my goals is eventually to pick a healing class I also wanted to ask it here as all the questions are generally relevant in the exact same way. That thread is here...

So for ease of reading I'm just going to change all the relevant words to fit in the context of picking a healing class, with maybe some differences.

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Hello. So after 2 different melee DPS classes to 50 (Monk and Ninja) I've decided I want to pick a healer. I have Marauder to 26 and PLD almost to 34 just to unlock all of their cross class skills and of course to try them out a little bit, and then of course there is the DRK, however I've only done the opening quest to that. My plan is eventually to have one of each role; a tank, heals, and dps class on hand. For DPS I favor Ninja, but I've yet to decide on what tank or healing class I want to pick. So anyway that's the context and now I will ask some questions that I hope you can do your best to answer! よろしく！

1. Which healer is considered the "best" at the moment? I know, I know, they all have their strengths and weaknesses, but I think you know what I mean here. Generally, meta-permitting, there is always a class considered objectively higher tuned than the others. I'm curious right now which healer is seen as the best...tuned class if you will, in ascending order. This isn't so much because I want to pick the best, balance can always fluctuate, I'm just curious what the general opinion is among the healing community at the very moment

2. Do any of the healing classes have any situations where they are considered un-viable or sub-optimal? I mean this in the sense that if I join a group, the party gets all "Ugh...it's a [x healing class here), we're screwed". Do any healerss have this sort of issue with any of the current end-game content? I know I've experienced stuff like this playing certain healing specs in WoW PvP (such as the ups and downs of healing priest). This is also in regards to an average pug group. I'm aware that in a really organized, high-skill group that possibly anything can work for anything, those types of players make almost anything work if they have to.

3. If you had to make a completely off-the-cuff and uneducated, un-backed by statistics guess as to what the least ---> most played healing class is in general, what would be your observation?

Thank you for your answers and assistance in helping me pick my healing class

[Akyio]

1. WHM+~SCH~
2. AST
3. WHM

From what i see, around 70% of healers running around on my server are WHM. 20-25% are SCH, and the rest are AST(there are more AST, but they have switched to either WHM or SCH until issues are fixed).

Then,i dont ever dare to, but i would say WHM is the "best" if we're talking about healing, getting people as high up in health as possible fastly and just doing the pure healing work. Still though, i can't say WHM is better than SCH, they are both very powerful healing classes with very nice tools available, and they perfectly complement one another, square has done amazing work in balancing these two healers over time in this game.

For the rest, from what you see in threads here, AST is currenly considered underpowered, and square is taking a look into it. Content is doable with AST, but it's much less safe than doing it with WHM or SCH or any combo of healers with those two.

[FaizeD]

1. WHM and SCH. Most serious raid groups will try to get one of each.

2. AST. Any of the 3 healers can clear PUG content just fine. No one should say anything about the types of healers that show up in DF. If we're talking serious business end-game raiding (Savage), then you'll have to coordinate with the other healer because no one wants to double up (WHM/WHM, SCH/SCH, AST/AST). The game as it stands heavily favours a WHM/SCH combination because they synergise better than any combination involving an AST. That's not to say that groups wont take an AST, or that ASTs havent cleared savage, but you will have a more difficult time finding a group and the learning curve will be steeper.

3. SCH > AST > WHM. In my experience.

[YuiSasaki]

Tbh, you should try out all the heals (you need to level them sooner or later anyway in order to obtain the cross-class abilities).

In General one could split the heals into: pure healing and shielding. Pure Healing goes for WHM and AST, while shielding goes to SCH (yes AST has Nocturnal, but until they change something about it it's not worth comparing it to SCH).

One could also look for 2ndary stats, if you prefer crit, you could go SCH and AST (at least imo AST plays well with crit :X). If you rather like DTR & SS you should go WHM (which can be also played with crit, but most ppl tend to go to SS & DTR).

[Phoenicia]

1- From experience, SCH can pull the most shenanigans. SCH was able to solo T5 when 2 WHMs struggled to heal it before gear trivialized it for example. SCH got a few "sneak fairy healing" nerfs but I still think it's a stronger healer than the others.

2- AST is a bit lacking. But none of the healers "Screws" you.

3- Pre-3.0 statistics said WHM was the most played class of all. Assuming that, WHM is most played. There are more scholars than Atrologians because AST is relatively new and groups favor WHM/SCH combo.

[o3o]

There is no best healer. Right now whm and sch seem really on par. Just sch still is the stronger single target healer and whm still the better aoe healer. Both are great choices.

However astro is for the most part in need of some tuning.

Currently it has the most MP issues. Weakest heals, few emergency heals and cards are weak and unreliable. The sch Fairey Selene buffs party dps more then the astro cards can currently.

Most party's that are trying to set up savage statics are looking for the whm + sch wombo combo.

[Eudyptes]

I would just research WHM and SCH and see which one suits you better. WHM is better AE heals and has the most direct/straight forward healing of all the classes. SCH is better single target healing and uses a lot of damage mitigation rather than heals, and is also a pet class.

Other things to factor in, SCH and WHM compliment each other almost perfectly. So if you have any friends you raid with regularly, pick the healer opposite of them. If you do a lot of pugging, then WHM is the safe choice.

AST is in a really bad spot atm and I honestly couldn't recommend anyone pick it up unless they really enjoy its playstyle (which I personally do enjoy a lot). However, it is almost certainly going to be buffed in 3.1. By how much is unknown though.

[basketofseals]

If you're primarily using Duty Finder, I'd have to recommend SCH.

The ability to cast resurrection 7 times and still be at a comfortable mana level is pretty nice. Although, I suppose a group that has 7 people die in one encounter doesn't have a very high chance of clearing it in the first place.

[zipzo]

Can anybody give me a decent elaboration as to what is currently the issue with AST? The reason I ask is because of the 3 healers, this is the one that actually sort of piqued my curiousity, but that's why I'm asking these questions above!

So what are AST's current issues/obstacles?

[GideonHighmourn]

So what are AST's current issues/obstacles?

Without going into too much detail ... In normal content and leveling, I wouldn't say there really are any issues outside of when they gain skills. They do wait a long time to receive new single-target attacks and don't receive an AoE until 52. Outside of progression and "end game" content, there is really nothing wrong with AST. The problem at progression and endgame content is mostly their lack of healing cool downs compared to WHM/SCH and their lack of reliable, meaningful group utility. The card buffs are mostly just fluff, and really don't fill in the "hole" left by lower potency heals and lack of healing cool downs, as they're supposed to have traded healing potency for utility according to SE.

AST lacks its own unique healing mechanics, and is therefore pigeon-holed into being a WHM Jr or SCH Jr; since it doesn't (or hasn't yet) created a new "meta" healing game, it's lagging behind the other two healers in terms of performance in endgame progression.

By all means, if you enjoy the class, play it. I'm sure more changes and adjustments will come to AST over the following months.