What does everyone think about those AST buffs?

[Khyan]

SCH ilvl 183, same gear than my AST, ilvl 183.

SCH MND = 916.
DET = 344.

ADLO = ~2075

AST MND = 928
AST DET = 344

AST shield = ~1825 +30 % = ~ 2372

SCH : 2075 + 2075 = 4150 ehp
AST : 1825 + 2372 = 4197 ehp

AST aspected benefic > adloquium when non-crit

[Tyla_Esmeraude]

Loving the changes. Though I would have prefered the cards to be more in synergy with the healing, these changes are well received by me. It seems like I can finally main AST for Savage. Can't wait to try it out tonight.

[Niroken]

I'm actually very happy with the new Stoneskin trait. Before, SS had such a long cast time it made it hard to use it in combat, sure it is amazing pre-combat to put on everyone, but there are very very few instances in which you can use in combat, and even get it casted in time due to the long cast time on it. The new trait makes it pretty fast to cast in combat. I use it a lot more as a WHM in combat.

I'm not particuarly fond of the new medica trait they added to replace the protect trait...it just adds even more RNG to WHM toolkit.

The vast majority of mechanics are scripted so I never had a problem casting SS since you know when every attack comes. Now the amount gained is not even worth the MP, unless it's required to stop a 1HKO which is very few (mostly fresh raid content, sometimes) and is generally less dangerous with increases in gear. I have it on my third bar for PVP purposes, lol.

[TraeSnow]

The vast majority of mechanics are scripted so I never had a problem casting SS since you know when every attack comes. Now the amount gained is not even worth the MP, unless it's required to stop a 1HKO which is very few (mostly fresh raid content, sometimes) and is generally less dangerous with increases in gear. I have it on my third bar for PVP purposes, lol.

That may be true, as well as what Verdan said.
I don't use my WHM for raid content though, I main SMN and only use my WHM for non raid content. For dungeons and normal ATurns, I find the fast stoneskin to be nice xD

[lordparanoia]

Ok After trying AST in dungeons i can say that i'm happily surprised and yes, it is buffed as it should have been from the beginning.
I'm really considering to go AST in savage now.
Anyway: the only thing i think should be fixed is celestial opposition. Give some other effect, +5s buffs looks kinda silly

[Verdan]

I feel like quick stoneskin should make that thing borderline instant. It feels like AST and PLD have better uses for stoneskin than white mages, since we can heal for 10% of someone's health really easily and we're not gonna blow swiftcast on it, while PLDs can use SS as a self mitigation tool and AST have a way to use multiple spells while quickcasting.

[loreleidiangelo]

Happy AST got buffs, less happy with their direction (would have preferred card adjustments over healing band aids, but I acknowledge that CU needed a fix and AST needed a throughput buff nonetheless).

However, I do disagree with the sentiment that "card RNG is fine because all cards are useful". All cards are "useful", yes, in a strict application theory, but in practice only two of them (MAYBE three) are ever really desired. For instance, Spire and Ewer are not powerful enough nor reliable enough to ensure that your raid group will never need a BRD. Bole is not reliable enough to ensure that your tank not need to pop a more powerful cooldown for a tank buster over a lesser one (Sentinel vs. Rampart, for instance.) DPS usually cannot afford to alter their CD rotations to fit around an AST's Spear usage, which leaves Arrow and Balance the only two cards that are unquestionably useful regardless of your party composition or when you Draw them (short of boss invuln phases, lol).

That's what people mean when they gripe about "RNG buffs". It's not that the buffs are ever undesired or unusable at any given time, it's that they're not consistent enough to significantly alter any raid group's accepted strategy. They are fun flavor perks, which is not necessarily "bad", but some ASTs feel like the buffs were implied to be a lot more game changing than what they are, and are disappointed that they didn't really add a layer of complexity to the job like they could have.

Back to the topic, I still think SCHs are pretty competitive at endgame healing, but if I were a WHM I'd be a bit wary. Outside of extreme back-to-back group burst healing scenarios I think most everything in AST's toolkit is powerful enough to compete with WHM.

[Arragomis]

been playing since about 6 am have not ran savage "yet" what I can say. We got ON PAR finally with other healers. we are not OP we in our niche. Scholars=Best emergency healing toolkit and amazing dps. Whitemage=superior aoe burst healing and top off king. Astro-Best Sustained healer able to keep heals rolling efficiently without over healing and a card buff can help push the party if blessed by RNG or a card buff can make things go smoother or easier if not ideal. There is a card for every situation and its not. Royal road is there for you.
CK is like that Cartman demanding he too gets a birthday gift at stans party because hes a special snowflake. Well CK sch are special snowflake too. Every healer can be a special snowflake so cheer up cupcake your not irrelvant astro is just now "another" option.

[Soyre_Monre]

You shouldn't really compare mp consumption of aspbene/adlo, the mp costs are tuned to their respectively ability to get mana back. Yes, scholar use more mp, but Aetherflow is also very powerful compared to LA.

I'm happy with the changes, btw. I don't think it's op in anything, it's only very viable now and on par with most things. I'll try to replace my scholar with astro for A1S and maybe A3S just to try, but for A2S(and A3S i fear) scholar dps is too helpful to try another healer. DPS is in fact the only aspect that i don't like; yes astro have buffs but his personal dps is too low and expansive :s

[Arragomis]

The only thing I see being reverted or changed is increasing aspected benfic MP cost so we dont step on the special snowflake "scholar" increase mp cost in nocturnal stance that is to like 1400 or something