AST and the new Expert dungeons

[Filemina]

I've played both SCH and WHM in the past, healing being my main job type in this game so when AST was announced, I was really excited. I've build it up and am ilvl 150 but I'm discovering I'm having issues keeping up in the new expert dungeons. They seem to be AoE heavy and AST AoE heals suck so I'm playing the class more single based like SCH than WHM. The refresh is also terrible. If I don't have a bard with me, you can forget completing the dungeon all together. Without Mage's Ballad, I'm sunk.

Anyone else having these issues? Do you guys have any suggestions, tips or anything else to help?

Thanks so much!

[Eudyptes]

It'll get easier with gear, but as an AST you'll always have a more difficult time than SCH/WHM will.

However, you should stick with diurnal and use the regens. It's still better than noct. Also, if you are having MP issues, make sure to hold spear cards to use on yourself right before using your refresh. And use Ewer on yourself too of course. In AE healing situations, make sure to get use out of Synastry too. It's great for popping on the tank and then single healing the rest of the group.

[NorthernLadMSP]

Are you playing in Diurnal to ensure your HOTs are giving you better MP management? How often are you using Lumin Aether (you should not be waiting until you're already below 50% MP before using it)? Are you using Celestial Opposition to extend your MP refresh? Are you using Ewer cards on yourself?

[Filemina]

I've been playing in Dirunal because of the regens. I try to use my MP refresh at about 70% but hadn't thought to add Celestial Opposition to it. I'm definitely going to have to try that. As for the cards, they've not been my friends recently. I'm getting more Spire than anything else. Even when I shuffle, I get yet another Spire. I really wish they'd fix that but that's neither here nor there. I haven't tried the Spear cards on myself but I'll give that a shot too.

[Sidra]

The difficulty you are having is due to the 150 ivl, not the fact your job is AST. AST is fine for dungeons - the weakness compared to other healers isn't really relevant until savage level difficulty. With most players geared well over that now, tanks pull pretty aggressively in dungeons which can be hard on a 150 healer.

[Akyio]

never tried in nocturnal as much as i want to. but diurnal is just easy easy. well those dungeons are not difficult either way, though i miss the bane from scholar and shadow flare as well, everything is slower because i cant really dps that much.
your ilvl might have something to do with it, it depends on tank too(ilvl), everything will get better as you get better ilvl.

[Alahra]

The difficulty you are having is due to the 150 ivl, not the fact your job is AST. AST is fine for dungeons - the weakness compared to other healers isn't really relevant until savage level difficulty.

I don't know if I'd agree that it's not really relevant. I have a much easier time healing the Expert dungeons on my SCH than on my AST. AST can clear them and it's not going to hold a group back really, but it's still more difficult to do with AST than the other two. SCH and WHM have an easier time with larger pulls and an easier time DPSing as well, and the differences are noticeable.

That being said, item level is a big factor in this case either way. Upping that will help quite a bit.

[RichardButte]

The biggest factor in dungeon success will always be the competency of your party.

The game is designed so that ALL healers will go OoM if people are constantly standing in crap and getting hit all the time.

It just happens that AST goes OoM far sooner than SCH or WHM so it's more important that ASTs have good parties, which is one of the reasons they need to buff the class.

If we ASTs will be queuing as healers, then we need to be able to handle the occasional crappy party.

[Mclyde]

But there are as many bad astros as other dps/tank/healers in the game.

That's the first source of problem the Astrologian job know actually. Look how many players don't manage to correctly use a healing class as easy as the whm. Do you expect them to be able to carry a crappy party as an Astro ?

[FoxyAreku]

Actually prefer nocturnal in dungeons pretty heavily. Instant cast shield is just too good.