What makes WHM special? Nothing anymore.

[Coltvoyance]

EDIT: Thankfully this thread, through some constructive and not so constructive dialogue, has been able narrow down to the roots of why many WHM's, myself included, feel so uneasy about the new changes. We rejoice in our AST brethren's healing boost but we now feel a sense of loss even though nothing was done to us. I'm modifying this post to introduce this more constructive dialogue into the front of the thread, shifting the focus to WHM's instead of AST's. As such I will be stealing one of the more eloquently written posts describing this situation and putting it here. I am leaving my original Post below the quote for context. But I feel it is largely irrelevant now.

One of the core issue is what gave WHM it's identity was its HPS. It had a role as the backbone of a healing team, providing the heavy lifting of direct heals and it was and is very good at this. The identity was only strengthened in HW with the new spells WHM got combined with the watering down of what raid utility outside of healing it had.

As a result WHM defines itself as a Power healer and AoE damager. If another class matches it in raw healing and still brings more to the table suddenly WHM looks like the weak link. What defined it as a class becames the standard.

The problem here is a design one. Astro had to be able to step into the healing roles the other two healer provided and so they got the ability to do so. The problem is that to fill that role they have to be able to match the other healers in those roles. This stepped on SCH a little but SCH has a diverse enough skill set, identity and utility that it wasn't too bad. For a WHM its basically challenged the core aspect of what WHM defines itself as as a healer. WHM lack versatility or utility. They do one type of thing for support and they do it very well.

Simply put, if AST are going to match WHM as backbone healers, WHM identity shouldn't be focused on being a backbone healer otherwise they will feel inferior to the more versatile and utility rich AST. This doesn't mean AST should be weaker. As I said, this is a class design issue. It means WHM needs to have its identity not bound up in what has become a prerequisite of healer classes in the role they fill.

Original Post, now purely for context:


Before you judge, I did feel AST needed a buff and I'm happy the class is really useful now, but honestly, it goes too far.

I make this post not to complain about AST's buffs, but in the hopes that someone can prove me wrong about WHM's new uselessness.

Right now, I can only think of (now two) things that WHM can do better than an AST. And everything else, AST does it just as good or WAY better.

I thought I'd start by going down a list of desirable abilities and utilities that make Healers valuable to a party in Raid.
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Single Heals: AST's healing power is now equal to WHM. Yes, WHM Regen is 10 potency stronger, but now, when it comes to heals, the difference is negligible.

AoE Heals: See above, and replace Regen with Medica 2. Still negligible.

Power Heals: AST Synastry is now a better version of Divine Seal, albiet a 90 sec CD instead of 60 sec. We'll say it's comparable.

Fast Heals (Single and AoE): While WHM has PoM (20% speed, 15 sec, 150 sec CD), AST's Lightspeed is 25% MP reduction AND a FLAT 2.5 sec cast time reduction for 10 seconds (making most spells instant or near instant) and is ALSO on a 150 sec CD. This lets AST imitate a burst AoE heal combo like Medica+Assize by simply alternating Helios. ||| Through further discussion this aspect is more comparable/equal between the two, the tally is changed

Instant Heals: Perhaps the one thing WHM can do better. Tetragrammaton, Assize and Benediction can't be matched. But Essential Dignity does well enough in a pinch and is on a 40 second CD versus 60, 90 and 300. And lets not forget how fast Lightspeed makes things. WHM is much better, but AST can get by or defer to a SCH's Lustrates.

Party Buffs: Anything WHM had (like its more powerful Stoneskins or better Protect) was taken away in 3.0. Now EVERY healer, and a TANK can do these as well as a WHM. Meanwhile AST has the most extensive source of party buffs in the game.

DPS Contribution: Stance Dancing in Raid is messy and risky for the main healer. More than likely someone will get killed because of it. No worries for the AST though who can boost party DPS to massive levels, beyond what it could do itself, all without having to deal with the riskiness of Stance Dancing.

MP Management: You could say it's almost identical between the two but AST arguably has it better now with Ewer being changed to a regen and allowing card storing before battles in a previous patch. Plus they can extend Luminiferous Aether to get more MP from that spell as well. Making it's MP Regen abilities better than the SoS and Assize options that WHM has.
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Breakdown:

Single Heals: Equal
AoE Heals: Equal
Power Heals: Equal/Comparable
Fast Heals: Comparable
Instant Heals: WHM
Party Buffs: AST
DPS Contribution: AST
MP Management: AST

Final Tally: AST: 3 | WHM: 1

I really don't think I missed anything. But I could be wrong... What is it that makes WHM special now that it can no longer lay claim to "Super Powerful Heals"?

I hope someone can fill me in on why WHM can still compete. Until then, time to start my gear progression over on Monk...

Let the flaming begin.