Yet another SephEX question... Noct AST HPS?

[Miyha]

First of all: yes, I know HPS doesn't work the same way for healers as DPS does for, well... DPS. XP But I know there is an "average" that gives a good gauge as to whether or not you are pulling your own weight and healing appropriately.

Did SephEX with a new static the other day (and managed to get to Storm of Words or whatever it is, only my second time there!), and someone was parsing. After we were done, my WHM healing partner asked for his HPS, and I did too, because I'm not as used to Noct as I am Diurnal and the last time I did SephEX my WHM partner wanted me in Diurnal because it seemed like there weren't enough heals there. This time around though... healing was SHOCKINGLY easier. ._. I don't know if it was my shields or what, but the damage just seemed to either be greatly reduced or we managed to immediately get everyone up again after big hits with well-timed heals.

Yes, I know, it seems pretty logical that shields = less damage... but I still worry that perhaps I'm being carried along by the other healer. ;;;;

The WHM's HPS was around 3k, and mine was around 2k. We both had an overhealing rate of around 30% (which will be worked on, obviously). Coming in at around 2k seemed shockingly low to me, but then the person parsing mentioned that the parser doesn't take into account the amount of damage being shielded? I was shielding the party quite frequently (save for I think one spot where I spaced out and the WHM had to give me a poke, lol ;;;; ) from what I recall, and AoE healing just as much. I'd throw a few Combusts/Combust IIs out where it felt like I had a gap (and fully DPSing during the buff mechanics in Phase 3), and spot/focus heal as necessary.

If this number IS too low, anything I can do to improve it, aside from being a bit more proactive? ^^; My current ilvl is 216, and that is very steadily increasing as I get my Midas NM/Lore gear. I haven't melded yet (thought I don't think the WHM did either, since WHM wasn't his main), since I figured I'd get off my butt and level crafts so I can do that myself, but since that process seems to be excruciatingly slow, I might just cough up some money to have someone in Idyllshire do it for me. :|

On the other hand, if all is well and good... This thread has no purpose! \o/

[Kerrigen]

First of all, HPS isn't a particularly relevant metric as damage comes in predictable spikes in this game and the required HPS is set extremely low in most fights. Healing is a matter of timing more than anything.

2k for a Nocturnal AST seems about right in Sephirot Ex. You don't and can't heal as much as a WHM or Diurnal AST (or even a SCH and their faerie) because you're not relying on HoTs as much, with Collective being your only source of Healing over Time. Shields obviously aren't being accounted for when you're parsing, although you can still dig the parse to math out how much damage you've shielded.

It doesn't strike me as odd that it was easier than stacking regens. Regens are your friend in this fight, but shielding considerably lowers the panic levels. You're probably doing fine.

[CyrilLucifer]

I average around 2.2k with Noct AST; 2.5k was the highest I've hit with Noct, but when I hit that high I was carrying a scary PF WHM with slow reaction times. I usually hover around 2.6k on WHM when I'm not overhealing like crazy. You're fine.

[Ghishlain]

2K sounds about right. To answer your question about the parse, Shields are two components - the heal and the shield which is based on your heal. Even though it's technically a 300+5% potency AoE heal for Aspected Helios, the parse is actually only counting 150+5% due to the nature of shields (use similar math for Aspected Benefic).

Diurnal gives you more overall HPS because HoTs are awesome potency for their GCD and efficient for their MP cost and you generally want to keep it up 100% of the time to maximize that benefit. For example, Aspected Benefic Diurnal is 1,030 potency in a single GCD (over 18 seconds). Nothing in the AST (or any healer kit aside from Regen) can really compare to that kind of efficiency in a single GCD.

Overall 5K total HPS w/ 30% overheal sounds right for the fight and I don't feel you have anything to worry about. I was in Sephi EX a few nights ago and I was Diurnal AST with 2.9K HPS while my SCH partner was 2.3K HPS just to put that into perspective. I've also been in a Sephi EX with a really good Diurnal AST who was basically doing 3.4-4K HPS and I was sitting down at around 700-1K HPS while rocking 650 DPS by the time Phase 1 was up and our numbers eventually shrank to something like 3K for them and about 1.5K for me without too much of a hitch in P3.

TLDR: YOU'RE FINE! =D

[Miyha]

Yay, thanks for the answers guys! \o/ Makes me feel lots better about continuing this fight in Noct. (WHM was actually talking in our LS earlier saying how he liked having the Noct AST+WHM combo in that fight, so all the better.)

[tjw]

Noc AST is surprisingly very good at Sephy Ex due to the outgoing AoE damage that can be covered with Helios as well as the spike damage that can be covered with A. Benefic. In fact, I'd say Noc AST is better for Phase 3 than SCH purely because of instant shields and Lightspeed for the pillars. Although Deployed Tactics is the strongest AoE mitigation there is...watching Seph's ult do no more than 200 damage gives me healer orgasms when I manage to deploy a Crit Adlo.

[CyrilLucifer]

I do love me some Lightspeed on the wind phase. WHM feels so slow there in comparison. There's something intensely satisfying about being able to instant shield both people with Earthshaker marks too - but maybe that's just me.

[Ghishlain]

I feel like Noct AST can make a solid solo heal run of Sephi EX without too many issues due to the nature of the fight and how their toolkit interacts with the fight. I'd like to try it one day just to find out.

[GeekMatt]

I feel like Noct AST can make a solid solo heal run of Sephi EX without too many issues due to the nature of the fight and how their toolkit interacts with the fight. I'd like to try it one day just to find out.

I remember feeling this way about Rav EX. It worked! (once my static finally let me)

[Nekotee]

I approve Ghishlain
I start running it as SCH first but i notices that if my co-heal WHM had some trouble it was sometime hard to keep up with emergency spell or heavy healing spell

On the opposite doing it as noct AST I got Nice shield and a great healing output thansk to the sect
Plus since 3.2 mana management is far from being a problem XD