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  1. #1
    Player
    Mimilu's Avatar
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    Nov 2013
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    3,981
    Character
    Mimiji Miji
    World
    Exodus
    Main Class
    Dancer Lv 100

    Astrologian: Mimi's Guide to the Stars

    I made this guide for my FC-mates and wanedt to share it with others to help them and to also get feedback. :-D

    Pros and Cons of AST
    Pros
    + Cards give them the most group/raid utility of the three healers
    + Nocturnal has the strongest vanilla shield multiplier at x1.3 (versus SCH's x2, when they crit).
    + With Nocturnal, your core healing spells (Benefic, Benefic II) are the strongest of the three's core healing spells (Cure, Cure II, and Physick)
    + With Diurnal, your gcd spells are the fastest of the three
    + Synastry provides the unique ability to heal two targets at once, with no additional MP cost
    + Lightspeed, Aspected Benefic, and Benefic II's healing proc allow you to be the more mobile and faster Healers of the three

    Cons
    - Cards are RNG to the max and are NOT dependable (even with Shuffle)
    - Only has ONE oGCD heal, Essential Dignity
    - Nocturnal can be extremely lackluster compared Diurnal, lacking the synergy Diurnal has with Time Dilation and Celestial Opposition, AND it is completely unusable with a SCH in the party.
    - Only has one DEPENDABLE means of MP recovery, Luminiferous Aether.
    - Their only means of increasing their heal potency are Nocturnal Sect (at only 5%) and Synastry (which requires a party member to use)

    And the Mehs *shrugs*
    ~ Again, cards. You could draw something that is nice but isn't needed or get a bunch of dead draws.
    ~ You're stuck with only one sect when in a fight.
    ~ Their DPS is about middle ground. They don't do as much DoT as SCH or as much Burst as WHM.
    ~ While Sects allow them to do WHM and SCH's jobs okay, WHM's HoTs are stronger then Diurnal's, and SCH's shields are stronger then Nocturnal's.
    ~ Disable can be harder to use due to only lasting 6s, versus Virus and Super-Virus's 10s.
    ~ Collective Unconscious can be harder to use then Asylum and Sacred Soil due to you not being allowed to move or act while it is up. However, you can increase the amount of time the buffs are up with Time Dilation and Celestial Opposition.
    ~ Learning curve due to Sect management, cards management, and only one oGCD heal.


    Cards
    Buffing is AST's bread and butter and learning how to use the cards is a must!
    Basics
    ~ Draw and use cards whenever possible! Even if you don't have a Royal Road up or Spread/Shuffle are on cooldown. Cards are always a bonus.
    ~ Having said that, there are times when you might want to wait to use a card. Like when there are gaps during phases/mechanics.
    ~ Spread and Shuffle are both on 60s cooldowns, so you can use them every-other Draw. Royal Road (RR) can be used and replaced every draw.
    ~ Generally, try to weave your card skills in between heals. Keeping people alive is priority over buffs. They are all oGCD, so this shouldn't be an issue.
    ~ Never use Time Dilation on an AoE card's effect. It is just too weak. Save them for single target cards.
    ~ Drawn cards that aren't used, Shuffled, or Spread will stay with you for 15 sec. You can click on the card to get rid of it quicker so Draw's cooldown can start sooner. This can also be done with Spread cards.

    The Actual Cards
    ~ Balance: Increases a target's damage dealt by 10% for 30s.
    This is generally the holy grail card and every DPS will love you for it. You should always try to hold it with Spread whenever you draw it, so you can use Royal Road's effect to amp it up.

    Who likes this card:
    (In no particular order)
    - EVERYONE
    - SMN, BRD, and MCH: These three love Balance the most when they are starting their rotations or their rotations restart. SMN also loves it during Dreadwyrm stance, so watch out.
    - Single-Targeting an Enemy: When dealing with only one enemy, give it to the DPS that is going to do the most damage to it. MNKs, DRGs, and NINs are generally good choices.
    - AoEs: When dealing with multiple enemies, give it to the DPS that is going to deal the most damage to them. BLMs, Dreadwyrm SMN, BRDs, and MCHs are good choices.

    ~ Arrow: Increases a target's attack speed by 10% for 30s.
    This is the next best but it can be a little tricky. With the increased attack speed, people can burn through MP/TP quicker, so be sure to look before using this. This card does NOT effect DoTs or HoTs.

    Who likes this card:
    (In no particular order)
    - Everyone, just not as much as Balance
    - Remember, this can make someone drain their MP/TP faster, so always be on the look out for low bars before using.
    - Also, Arrow can mess up timing on people's rotations, particularly those with strict cast-time based rotations.
    - Anyone about to use their opener
    - Melee in general love this card because it helps speed their combos along.
    - BLM love this card. It helps with their cast times and they don't have to worry about loosing MP. Be a little wary while they are doing AoEs, because this can mess up Flare and Conversion's timing.
    - MCH during Wildfire


    ~ Bole: Decrease the damage a target receives by 10% for 30s.
    Some ASTs like Bole because less damage means they'll have to heal less, while others think it's not strong enough and doesn't make a difference. Regardless of which party you're in, if you draw it during a tankbuster or a group-wide AoE, it could be helpful.

    Who Likes this card:
    (In no particular order)
    - TANKS
    - The party during an AoE
    - Anyone who is going to get majorly hurt during a fight mechanic

    ~ Ewer/Spire: Refreshes a target's MP/TP for 15s. Ewer has a potency of 30.

    Who likes Ewer:
    (In no particular order)
    - You
    - WHM
    - SCH and SMN without Aetherflow
    - BRDs & MCHs
    - DRKs who are outside of Darkside and need MP
    - Not BLMs or Melee DPS

    Who likes Spire:
    (In no particular order)
    - Melee (particularly NINs and MNKs)
    - BRDs & MCHs (particularly MCHs)
    - Tanks
    - Not You or other casters

    ~ Spear: Reduce a target's oGCD spells/skills' recast time by 20% for 20s.
    Spear is the most criticized card. It can be really hard to use as it only effects oGCDs that were used while under its effect.

    Who likes this card:
    (In no particular order)
    - Similar to Arrow, this card can mess up rotation timing, so be mindful when using it.
    - You (especially before using Luminiferous Aether. Essential Dignity, Lightspeed, and Synastry are also acceptable oGCDs to use this before).
    - Anyone about to use their Opener or restarting their rotation
    - NINs, BRDs, & MCHs because their rotations are oGCD heavy
    - DRGs right before they use Blood of the Dragon
    - SCH & SMN before using Aetherflow (and Dreadwyrm Stance for SMN)
    - Tanks before using their defensive cooldowns
    - Anyone, IF you have great communication

    Royal Road
    Bole + Balance: Enhance: Increases the potency of the next card used by x1.5. Shown as a plus on your buffs.
    Arrow + Spear: Extend: Doubles the duration of the next card used. Shown as a clock on your buffs.
    Ewer + Spire: Expand: Decrease the potency of the next card used by half but spreads it out to all party members with in 15 yalms of a target. Shown as a circle with bull's eye on your buffs.

    Royal Road Priorities
    - Balance & Arrow: Expand > Extend >= Enhance
    - Bole (General Single-Targetl): Enhance = Extend
    - Bole (Tankbuster/High damage Single-Target) : Enhance > Extend
    - Ewer: Extend > Enhance >>> Expand (rarely will you ever want to Expand an Ewer)
    - Spire: Extend >= Expand (If party has more TP users) > Enhance > Expand (If party has more MP users)
    - Spear: Extend = Enhance > Expand

    Quote Originally Posted by Lyrica_Ashtine View Post
    Rule of thumbs (that I use anyway):
    Enhanced has a CD value of 0.5
    Extended has a CD value of 1.0
    Expanded has a CD value of 1~1.5

    Enhanced adds 50% effect, but does not have the same effec tif you were to play two of the same cards
    Extender doubles the duration, so it's basically the same as two cards in a row
    Expanded has 200% efficiency (but takes 2 draws) if you hit all the DPS jobs with it. The rest would be a bonus (but not of the same value)

    As for practical value, depends on the use and situation
    Spread Priorities
    1. Balance
    2. Arrow
    3. Bole for High Damage situation
    4. Ewer for yourself or other Healer
    5. Spire for the melee (looking at you MNKs and NINs)
    6. Spear for yourself


    The Sects
    The other most important part of playing as an AST knowing how to use your two Sects, Diurnal and Nocturnal.
    General Rules
    - You cannot stack the same buff from the same sect, so if you are in a party with another AST, decide who will be in what sect.
    - You NEED to learn how to use both sects. I don't care, LEARN 'EM! D:<
    - Diurnal's regens can stack with WHM's.
    - Nocturnal's shields do NOT stack with SCH's and can even overwrite them! D-:
    - Out of the two, Diurnal is going to generate the most aggro.
    - You can switch Sects before a fight. A common method is to go into Nocturnal, place shields on everyone, then switch to Diurnal before the Tanks pulls the enemy.

    Diurnal Sect
    Increases attack speed by 5% while adding a Regen effect to certain skills.

    Out of the two sects, Diurnal is the Garuda to Nocturnal's Ifrit: While Nocturnal has its places where it is better and shines more, Diurnal is just overall more use-able. That 5% is great for DPSing and you can feel the difference in casting if you are in Nocturnal. This does NOT effect your DoTs (that is Spell Speed). Another important note, Diurnal's Regens can be lengthened by Time Dilation and Celestial Opposition.

    Aspected Benefic: Healing potency of 190, HoT potency of 140, last for 18s.
    You'll pretty much want this on the MT at all times ONCE THEY HAVE AGGRO. It functions exactly like Regen but with the added bonus of having a burst heal effect. There are times I will use this as a mini-oGCD heal on someone who needs to be capped, after I use a normal Benefic/Benefic II on someone who really needs it.

    Aspected Helios: Healing potency of 200, HoT potency of 40, last for 30s.
    Functions exactly like Medica II, it just has a shorter range (15 yalms to Medica II's 20 yalms). Throw it on the party after they take damage, then use the regular Helios to heal anymore group-wide damage until the HoT wears off. NEVER SPAM ASPECTED HELIOS. I will get you if you do.
    You can pull a WHM and place both Aspected spells on the MT so you can switch to Cleric-Stance and DPS BUT you lack Divine Seal and Asylum AND I would recommend you don't waste Synastry, due to its long recast.

    Nocturnal Sect
    Increases healing potency by 5% while adding damage nullifying shields to certain skills.

    Don't let what people say about Nocturnal Sect scare you, it is far from useless, it just has a few things that limit its usefulness:the shields lack any synergy with your other skills, like Time Dilation and Celestial Opposition and they are by no means going to replace SCH's. However, that doesn't mean Nocturnal Sect doesn't have it's uses. With a WHM or another AST (who is in Diurnal), it can act like a psuedo-SCH. It also boost all of your heals by 5%, which can be good in certain fights. Like SCHs, knowing a fight is going to bring the most out of Nocturnal Sect.

    An important note about Nocturnal Sect is about its shield multiplier: While SCH's shields are always x2 the amount healed when they are a crit, Nocturnal Sect's shields will always be x1.3 the amount healed, regardless of if they crit or not.

    Aspected Benefic: Healing Potency of 250.
    This functions like Adloquium, only it's instant cast. Use it to cap the tank or a person who is about to take a lot of damage to mitigate the damage, never spam it. You can use it like an oGCD heal to help cap someone if you have to use your main heals on someone else.

    Aspected Helios: Healing Potency of 150.
    Exactly like Succor. Use it before group-wide AoEs to mitigate damage, then use Helios as your main AoE heal. DO NOT SPAM THIS.


    Healing
    Core Healing Spells
    Single-Target
    Benefic: 400 Healing Potency
    Benefic II: 600 Healing Potency
    Proc: 15% chance when Benefic is used, your next Benefic II will be instant cast. Last for 15 seconds.

    These are your main healing tools. If a target is at 60% or higher, use Benefic. If they are lower, use Benefic II.
    While the proc might seem similar to CNJ/WHM's, using it too often for no reason will suck your MP dry. Only use the Benefic II's proc if a target needs a big heal.

    Group Heal
    Helios: 300 Healing Potency, 15 yalms

    If you need to spam an AoE heal, please spam this...Please... ;A;
    As opposed to Medica, it does not have a proc.

    oGCD Heal
    Essential Dignity: 400 Base Healing Potency but scales the lower the target's HP is. 60 second cooldown.

    Here is how the scaling works:
    100% HP = 400 Healing Potency
    75% HO = about 550 Healing Potency
    50% HP = about 700 Healing Potency
    25% HP = about 850 Healing Potency
    1% HP = about 1000 Healing Potency

    Use this when you need a heal a target that is below 50% in a hurry.


    Other Skills and Notes
    MP Management
    As stated above, you're only dependable way of restoring MP is Luminiferous Aether (LA). In terms of MP-recovery, it is exactly like CNJ/WHM's Shroud of Saints, having a Refresh Potency of 80, last from 15s, and has a cooldown of 120s. I would recommend that you use this whenever your MP hits 70-80%. I would also suggest Drawing and Shuffling your cards before using, just in case you get a Spear, so you can lower that cooldown.

    Enmity Control
    The only difference LA has to Shroud is how they deal with the user's aggro.
    Shroud just flat out reduces the user's aggro by half.
    LA acts more like ARC's Quelling Strike, reducing the amount of aggro your skills net you while under its effect.

    Ewer Card's Priorities
    1. Yourself, IF your MP is around 70-80% or lower AND LA's cooldown is at 60s or higher.
    2 WHM, IF their MP is around 75% or lower
    or
    2. SCH, IF their MP is around 75% or lower and don't have Aetherflow
    3. Royal Road
    4. Yourself, IF you're MP is at 70-80%, regardless of LA's cooldown.
    5. BRD/MCH who are using a buff OR used a buff and ran out of MP.
    6. SMN IF their MP is around 75% or lower and don't have Aetherflow
    7. DRK who's Darkside turned off due to lack of MP. Be nice. >w>

    Lightspeed
    Removes 2.5 seconds from all spell cast times and reduces MP cost by 25% for 10s. Also reduces the user's damage dealt by 25%.

    While the MP cost reduction is nice, Lightspeed should first-and-foremost be used as a speed and mobility tool.
    Boss going to use a party-wide AoE, multiple times? Use Lightspeed to Aspected Helios, IF you are in Nocturnal, use before the first hit, IF you are in Diurnal, use it after. Then regular Helios on the remaining hits.
    Need to move out of an AoE but also need to heal the MT before a tankbuster? Slap Lightspeed on. It will make Benefic/Benefic II instant cast.
    However, Lightspeed should NEVER be used as a replacement for Swiftcast when resurrecting someone. GET SWIFTCAST!
    An important note about Lightspeed, it does NOT effect recast times.

    Synastry
    Places an effect on a selected party member (excluding yourself) that heals them every time a single-targeting healing spell is used on an party member (including the targeted party member and yourself) up to 40% of the amount healed. Additionally, increases the Healing Potency of spells cast by the AST who used this skill by 20%. Lasts for 20s. 90s recast.

    Synastry can be a very useful tool that should be used:
    A) During a time you need to increase your heals.
    and/or
    B) During a time when two party member are receiving damage. This could be two members dealing with a mechanic, one dealing with the mechanic and the other is tanking, or the main tank and off tank both have to tank something.

    An important note about Synastry and its potency boost is that it only effects Spells, not abilities. So Essential Dignity and Collective Unconscious are not effected by it.
    Usually, you will use Synastry for the first reason simple because if two party members are getting hurt, the rest usually are too. :B
    An interesting note about this skill is that it includes single-target heals that are used on the one under Synastry's effect, so they will receive two heals, the main heal and a second one that is only 40% of that amount.
    Both of Synastry's effects can be lengthened by Celestial Opposition, while only the healing effect on another party member can be lengthened by Time Dilation.

    Disable
    Reduces the amount of Damage a selected enemy can do by 10% for 6s. 60s recast.

    In my opinion, this is much stronger then Virus and Super-Virus, in terms of lowering damage and can be re-applied whenever. However, it requires good timing to use because using too soon will result in it disappearing before the attack goes off. I pretty much only use this during party-wide AoEs that will do massive damage, like Primals' signature attacks and so on. Watch the cast bar (I recommend always focus targeting a boss) and use it when it is about 60-75% full, then throw up Collective Unconscious.

    Collective Unconscious
    Places a 6 yalm shield around the user that places a regen on all party members with in and reduces damage they receive by 10% for 15s. 150 HoT Potency. This will end if the user moves or acts (uses a skill/spell, interacts with something, etc). Auto-attack is disabled. 90s cooldown

    The buffs do last after the shield fades. Generally, you use this during party-wide AoEs that do massive damage, just like Disable. If the fight permits it, you can also use it before the fight.

    Lengthening your Buffs
    ASTs have two abilities that lengthen their buffs durations: Time Dilation (TD) and Celestial Opposition (CO)

    Time Dilation increases all buffs the AST placed on a target party member duration by 15s. This cannot be used on the AST themselves though. Generally, I use Time Dilation on whoever I place a single-target Balance, Arrow, or Bole on a party member. If I'm places Bole on a tank, I always try to place both Aspected Helios, then Benefic on the them first.

    Celestial Opposition increases all buffs the AST places on party members withing 10 yalms of them duration by 5s. This one DOES effect the AST. You'll generally use this after an AoE Balance/Arrow, but I might suggest places Aspected Helios on the whole party and Aspected Benefic on the MT first. Using this after Collective Unconscious is also great. :-D


    DPSing
    As a Healer, you're DPS should NEVER be required, just appreciated and valued (SE even states the DON'T factor in healer DPS while making fights). I do recommend that you learn how to DPS correctly as a healer though.
    Single-Target Burst Damage
    Malefic: 150 potency. You'll never use it once you get Malefic II.
    Malefic II: 200 potency Your go to burst, DPS spell.
    Stella: 100 potency, places a 40% heavy on the target for 20s. Looks cool but you don't need it outside of PvP.

    AoE Burst Damage
    Gravity: 200 potency to all enemies with in 5 yalms of a targeted enemy. Scales like Holy and Flare.
    Blizzard II (Cross-Class): 50 potency to all enemies with in 5 yalms of you. Also binds them for 8 s. Good for FATE-grinding before you get Gravity. Once you get Gravity, replace this for Aero.

    DoTs
    Combust: 40 potency for 18s (240 potency total). Instant cast.
    Combust II: 45 potency for 30s (450 potency total).
    Aero (Cross-Class): 50 burst potency, 25 DoT potency for 18s (150 potency total).

    You don't have any AoE DoTs. D;

    Your standard rotation
    Cleric Stance > Combust II > Combust > Malefic II > Aero > Spam Malefic II while re-applying your DoTs when they end. Be sure to slip out of Cleric Stance when you need to heal.

    When DPSing with a group, you can usually place CombustII > Combust (and maybe Aero) on a target before you have to switch out of Cleric Stance to heal someone (usually the tank).


    Stat Weight

    This is how I view the weight of Stats:
    Weapon Attack (Weapon Only) > Mind > Piety > Spell Speed > Determination >= Critical Hit

    Weapon Attack and Mind both effect your healing and DPS the most. However, you won't have to worry about these stats as much because the higher ileveled gear should give you ample amounts of it.

    With Piety you want enough so that you don't have to worry about MP but you also don't want too much, otherwise the other stats will suffer.

    Spell Speed will help make your GCD spells quicker, which for AST is big because we only have one oGCD spell. It also helps with Diurnal's Regens and your DoTs.

    Determination acts like a mini-version of the Mind stat, it will boost your heals and DPS but not as much as Mind does (or Intellect for DPS).

    Critical Hit will increase the likelihood of getting a crit from healing and DPS and increase the amount a crit does but it is an RNG stat. And like I said a few times already, Nocturnal's shields does not get the x2 multiplier SCH's does when crit. I would say we handle this stat better then WHM does but not as good as SCH.

    For those looking into raiding, Accuracy is another important Stat that I would put in between Mind and Piety. None of HW's healer gear give Accuracy, which can be bad for those who want to add DPS. Combust, Combust II, and your heals are NOT effected by Accuracy, with the two DoTs always landing on their target. Malefic II, Gravity, and Aero ARE effected by Accuracy and can miss an enemy. For casual content, don't worry about this stat.


    Cross- Class
    Must-Haves
    - Cleric Stance (CNJ level 6)
    - Swiftcast (THM level 26)
    - Protect (CNJ level 8 )
    - Stoneskin (CNJ level 34)

    Recommended
    - Aero (CNJ level 4)

    Useful While Leveling
    - Blizzard II (THM level 12)


    General Healer stuff
    - Always place yourself in the middle of the melee and ranged/casters. If the ranged/casters are too far away from your AoEs, tell them to get closer. If they don't listen, let them die a few times, that will learn them. :d
    - Always tell the BRD/MCH when you need MP. This is their main reason for living and don't let them tell you otherwise, you know better. :d
    - Prioritize your heals! Generally, the Main tank takes first priority, then the off tank (if they have something important to do. IF not, they can die with the DPS. :d ), then you and the other healer, then DPS that is needed/useful (BRD/MCHs using their buffs, BLM/SMN for AoE LB3s, MNK/DRG/NIN for LB3), then everyone else (including off tank).
    - Don't be scared of learning how to DPS as a healer. Also, don't be scared about NOT DPSing as a healer.
    (2)
    Last edited by Mimilu; 01-07-2016 at 03:44 AM.

  2. #2
    Player
    Mimilu's Avatar
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    Mimiji Miji
    World
    Exodus
    Main Class
    Dancer Lv 100
    There, posted everything. >w>
    If you have any feedback or want to point out something I missed/forgot/got wrong, please let me now. :-D
    (1)

  3. #3
    Player
    Lyrica_Ashtine's Avatar
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    Sadako Yamamura
    World
    Phoenix
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    Marauder Lv 1
    Quote Originally Posted by Mimilu View Post
    Royal Road Priorities
    - Balance & Arrow: Expand > Enhance > Extend
    - Bole (General): Enhance = Extend
    - Bole (Tankbuster/High damage) : Enhance > Extend
    - Ewer & Spire: Extend > Enhance > Expand
    - Spear: Extend = Enhance > Expand
    Haven't read it all yet, so I'll just drop a link on this part in particular for now:
    http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...more-effective
    (1)

  4. #4
    Player
    Kabzy's Avatar
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    Sep 2014
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    Kabz Il
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    Spriggan
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    Alchemist Lv 90
    Quote Originally Posted by Mimilu View Post
    ~ Disable can be harder to use due to only lasting 6s, versus Virus's 10s and Super-Virus's 12s.
    Super-Virus doesn't extend the time. It's still 10 seconds.

    Also given the current raid scene, maybe saying healer DPS should 'NEVER' be required needs to be changed. It quite obviously is in the current state of the game. If you're making a guide you don't want to discourage it in any way, it should very much be promoted.
    (5)

  5. #5
    Player
    Mimilu's Avatar
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    Mimiji Miji
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    Exodus
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    Dancer Lv 100
    Quote Originally Posted by Lyrica_Ashtine View Post
    Snip
    That's very interesting.
    I'm gonna add your comment about cds to the guide.

    Quote Originally Posted by Kabzy View Post
    Super-Virus doesn't extend the time. It's still 10 seconds.
    Hmmm, I don't know why I thought it did 12 seconds. >w>()

    Quote Originally Posted by Kabzy View Post
    Also given the current raid scene, maybe saying healer DPS should 'NEVER' be required needs to be changed. It quite obviously is in the current state of the game. If you're making a guide you don't want to discourage it in any way, it should very much be promoted.
    I'm not trying to discourage it, I'm just saying that Healer DPS is a luxury, while it is great if they can do it, their first priority should be keeping the group alive and they shouldn't be pressured into doing something they don't feel comfortable doing.
    (6)

  6. #6
    Player
    Rai_Takara's Avatar
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    Jan 2015
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    Rai Nagisei
    World
    Jenova
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    Dancer Lv 80
    Nice guide!

    I just have a couple questions, first question: In 4 man content is it generally better to use an Expanded Balance on the whole party or use an Enhanced/Extended balance on a single DPS? What about just a Balance on a DPS versus Expanded Balance on the whole party?

    Second question, this is more in terms of gear stats: I usually go for Crit over Det and I don't know if that should be the other way around. Am I prioritizing secondary stats wrong?
    (1)

  7. #7
    Player
    Mimilu's Avatar
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    Mimiji Miji
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    Exodus
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    Dancer Lv 100
    Quote Originally Posted by Rai_Takara View Post
    Nice guide!

    I just have a couple questions, first question: In 4 man content is it generally better to use an Expanded Balance on the whole party or use an Enhanced/Extended balance on a single DPS? What about just a Balance on a DPS versus Expanded Balance on the whole party?

    Second question, this is more in terms of gear stats: I usually go for Crit over Det and I don't know if that should be the other way around. Am I prioritizing secondary stats wrong?
    With 4 man content, you generally can get away with anything. That being said, with an Expanded Balance, you're give four people (yourself includes) a 5% damage increase, which I think is a bigger DPS increase IF everyone is DPSing optimally. Royal Road usefulness vary with the situation.

    As for the second question, Det is the safer of the two stats, giving you a constant boost to your heals and damage. Crit is still RNG and Nocturnal Sect's shields don't receive the x2 multiplier when Crit.
    However, in the grand-scheme of stat weights, their are more or less on equal grounds.
    If you felt the need to min-max, Diurnal is probably more Det > Crit, while Nocturnal is more Crit > Det.
    (0)

  8. #8
    Player
    LDR's Avatar
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    Sep 2015
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    Healing Idiots, DPS tanking, being more fashionable than you, touching your butt
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    Character
    Kessler Larael
    World
    Coeurl
    Main Class
    Astrologian Lv 70
    A few nit picks:

    Pros and Cons;
    + Synastry provides the unique ability to heal two targets at once, with no MP cost -a bit misleading especially to anyone new to the class, id personally add in "with no additional MP cost"
    - Their only means of increasing their heal potency are Diurnal Sect (at only 5%) -did you mean Noct instead?

    Cards;
    ~ Draw and use cards whenever possible! -I wouldn't say this is strictly true. for the most part sure, but there will be times you don't want to draw because it would be too early to do so. I'm mostly referring to when the current set of mobs is nearly dead or theres a bit of a gap till the next set and/or boss. (i feel at some point most of us have hit draw instinctively and seen that balance pop up, but spread is on cd and you already have the RR you want etc)
    not quite sure how you could word that in simply however, maybe just add something along the lines of "however with time and experience you will learn situations where it may be better to hold for a moment"

    Under spear you put "YOU" as top priority; i know you mention it later, but id suggest adding (especially before using Luminiferous Aether) just so people have a better idea as to why their top priority for spear

    also maybe a personal thing? id say bole and ewer are interchangeable for spread priority depending on what you doing; ill often hold a ewer before a bole especially if the party seems to be heal intensive or I'm doing mad deeps during bosses.

    Sects - general rules -
    - Nocturnal's shields do NOT stack with SCH's. -id add in that they overwrite them, which is typically bad, don't do it.

    under Nocturnal Sect part;
    "However, that doesn't Nocturnal Sect doesn't have it's uses." -think ya missed out the word Mean :P


    Enmity control;
    reducing the amount of aggro your skills net you. -id add "while it is active" for clarity

    [something I'm not actually sure about for once, under Ewer card priority, you may be 100% correct, I've never really tested if it works on a BRD who is using a song like Army or Mages, or even foes, i always thought that prevented them from receiving mp regen themselves when singing]

    under Lightspeed
    Use Lightspeed to Aspected Helios, Nocturnal before the first hit, Diurnal after, then regular Helios on the remaining hits. -preeeety sure you can't sect dance while in battle unless there was a ninja patch to make us OP

    Synastry - 2 things
    1. 95% sure you can cast on yourself and it will heal the person targeted by synastry, or am i delusional about that.
    2. unless it got fixed out without me noticing; worth mentioning that if you cast Synastry on say the tank, and then directly heal the tank, they will get 40% onto of the 100% from the direct heal; so 140% heals boosted by the 20% heal buff from Synastry this becomes mega potent direct healing if needed. [i hope that didn't get ninja fixed in my sleep]

    under lengthening and CO, just tack on it also extends LA

    otherwise everything looks good and should be helpful to those thinking of picking up the class.
    (3)
    Kessler Larael / Alesana Gardeneau / Sierra Alpha / Moko Tarou
    [Coeurl Army]

    Raeleighn Corinthian / Riley Renault
    [Balmung Hobos]

    6 characters, 1 massive idiot

  9. #9
    Player
    Mikoko_Miko's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Posts
    159
    Character
    Mikoko Miko
    World
    Ultima
    Main Class
    Culinarian Lv 100
    Synastry's trigger has changed since 3.07 patch. At first English text was wrong so I made a bug report. It has been fixed.

    Old:

    Each time you cast a healing spell on a party member not under the effect of Synastry

    New:

    Each time you cast a single-target healing spell on yourself or a party member
    (1)

  10. #10
    Player
    Aurelle_Delacroix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Ul'Dah
    Posts
    80
    Character
    Aurelle Delacroix
    World
    Lamia
    Main Class
    Thaumaturge Lv 60
    Just as a general message as someone who main's BLM....Arrow is great! I love it! When I'm doing single target. Don't ever give me an Arrow during AoE trash pulls. I find that Arrow/Leylines make me cast too fast to the point after I get my rotation going and I Flare, I need to wait an extra few seconds to use Tranpose and keep going. It's not TOO much longer of a wait but for a BLM? Ever second counts. So yeah....you get an Arrow? Don't give it to the BLM unless it's during a boss fight~
    (1)

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