Is AST recognized as a viable healer yet?

[Kassiekane]

I'm making this thread because I can not tell from either in game or on forums whether or not people are still blocking out AST from raid groups after it got buffed (I still see a lot of PFs recruiting WHMs on my server, have yet to see one for AST). Now that they're buffed I want to main AST for raiding, however, people have a tendency to be collectively closed-minded, and I just want to make sure that I'm not wasting my time.

[Delnoir]

I don't claim to know better, but last I knew most people were saying that AST is really good now. Some folks were even saying WHMs might need to start watching their asses, but this was right after the AST buffs, so I dunno where it's developed from there.

You might not be seeing many raiding ASTs because the ones that went to try to main AST saw it was a waste of time at launch and went back to maining SCH and WHM, meaning any AST who switched after the buffs were already weeks behind in getting their Esoteric gear. If we see a surge of new AST players I'm wagering it'll be in 3.2 when the next part of Alexander opens.

[zcrash970]

It's always been a viable healer. The problem is that WHM brings a lot of healing power and more dps while SCH has more reliable utility and more dps. The WHM/SCH combo is just too good.

[Ronyx]

It's always been a viable healer. The problem is that WHM brings a lot of healing power and more dps while SCH has more reliable utility and more dps. The WHM/SCH combo is just too good.

Well with the recent changes the Heal as much or more than a WHM now. Their spells potency are exactly the same as WHM. AST got synastry which makes him heal even a bit more. So the only AST could envy from WHM is Assize (as a healer), but they offer a lot more in a support way with the cards. So in terms of Healing (not dmg) they can be better and even be a sorta SCH wannabe with Nocturnal. AST regens dont have exact same regen tick as WHM but their initial heal is high. Its just that people like to overuse Medica 2 to be lazy at healing.

[zcrash970]

Well with the recent changes the Heal as much or more than a WHM now. Their spells potency are exactly the same as WHM. AST got synastry which makes him heal even a bit more. So the only AST could envy from WHM is Assize (as a healer), but they offer a lot more in a support way with the cards. So in terms of Healing (not dmg) they can be better and even be a sorta SCH wannabe with Nocturnal. AST regens dont have exact same regen tick as WHM but their initial heal is high. Its just that people like to overuse Medica 2 to be lazy at healing.

WHM is still the better healer. They have healing bomb with Cure 3 which AST has nothing to compare that with and the same can be said about Assize. Divine Seal's cd is 30s shorter than Synastry's. There aren't many opportunities to use Synastry to its fullest. The only time I can thinkof is during double prey in A1S and the hand spilt in A3S.
While Collective Unconscious is the better cd than Asylum, you have to be close to those affected and you are unable to act during it. Also while the cards are great, they aren't reliable enough to be taken seriously.
When comparing Lightspeed and PoM, PoM is better since it can be used as a dps buff.
MP management, WHM wins again
Burst healing, WHM...
AST only really has party support over WHM

This is coming someone who prefers healing as an AST over WHM too. I just refuse to be blind to the obvious

[Coatl]

Eh. Whm has the superior heals, superior DPS, and superior MP sustain if you don't draw ewer. It's definitely a good healer but I feel like the resources you have to perform as your healer job are still lacking. Cards are really not that big of a deal yet in sustained fights.

[Gamer3427]

While I can't speak as to whether your average player considers the class to be viable, I can can say for certain that it is. One of the members of my group, (which we are forming into a raid group), mains AST, and we've never had any trouble with her healing capabilities, or in her supporting DPS. The class may not have as much raw healing as WHM or DPS as SCH, but it does make for a good substitute for one or the other if you want to balance a group more towards DPSing or Healing. Again though, as to whether the average player sees it this way or not, I can't say for sure. We MCH are still in greatly short supply from all the damage the class took community wise at launch, and AST got it just as bad, but with even less players maining that role over all....

[Cupcakesu]

It's viable. I don't know if I'd say we really have a niche worth bringing over other Healers, but there's certainly nothing wrong with bringing an AST along now since our healing output is just as strong as the other two after our buffs.

We're up to par and fun, basically. Don't need to feel bad about playing one.

[Averax]

I don't know, but I feel like a White Mage would always be a better option.

Mostly because of the stun Holy has. (i realize that we also have a stun, but it cannot be used at will)

If Gravity stunned, that would be great.

Other than that, i feel like we also lack the variety healing utilities that other classes have. Like additional spells in general, it feels like we have a very basic healing toolkit.

Edit: It'd be wonderful if our Aspected Helios had the same radius of Medica 2

Edit 2: In general, it feels like we're not something to be considered for a static raid group, but instead as a temporary substitute in case something better is not available. Which isn't how it should be.

[OmegaFlare]

MCH and DRK were immediately viable for savage. People didn't even need much time to familiarize themselves with those classes. If AST were viable for savage, we'd see a lot of them in raiding by now. Since most if not all A4S clear groups still use WHM/SCH combo, I guess its safe to assume AST are still not quite viable yet. Lvl the class at your own risk but if I were you, I'd try to be on the safe side and level WHM instead.

I don't know exactly why raid groups are not using AST more. As someone who has played WHM and AST at lvl 60, I could say that WHM's divine seal is much better than synastry. WHM's medica II has a 5-yalm bigger range than aspected helios. WHM brings 30 MND buffs to both healers which translates to slightly more dps/healing.