AST: Tips & Tricks!

[JazzofEtro]

So today. I just found out you can "Time Dilation" the Focalization buff... Amazing.

[Renault]

So today. I just found out you can "Time Dilation" the Focalization buff... Amazing.

Yep! And Celestial Opposition! I've been playing around with using CO more for buff extending than for the stun. Often I find that extended Lightspeed + LA + other buffs is better.

[NessaWyvern]

For 8v8 I think diurnal is better than noct. Sure noct has " increased heals" but their shields are so nerfed in PvP, that scholars tend to do more heals (now that the spell interrupts were changed.) Regens are also the heals that keep on healing when people LoS or go out of range.
My own tips for 8v8 as astro is to have your manadraw fully upgraded, use ewers on yourself when you can, and extend your luminiferous aether. (8v8 can be a huge mana sink)
Also, just before culling time, or early into culling time, spread aoe balance\ bole\ arrow on your team, aetherburst(? Er, the one that does the skill speed reduction), and use the aoe esuna move that also removes a buff on each person on the enemy team. If you are lucky enough to spot it, using that move can also be useful to remove an attunement from an almost- dead healer. Using celestial opposition to stun the entire enemy team during culling time can help give your team the upper hand.
Synastry is useful for when two people and being hurt at once and need large heals on both. This includes when you are being hit yourself and need to kite and heal yourself and another person(since the healing due to synastry ignores LoS).
I also tend to always use an aspected Helios during lightspeed, so the cast is short, and its mp cost is reduced.
I usually end up doing more heals than whms :3 sometimes by quite a lot, so I think it is by no means worse than whm. They just have different tools at their disposal. My current win ratio is 73% in 8v8

[NessaWyvern]

Personally I would rather just have a WHM. I can't see a scenario where I wouldn't want Repose and the other oGCD heals, also AST is very poor late game and has a very hard time keeping up with 6+ stacks of vulnerability. I think good Balances and Boles make or break a good AST.

You just haven't seen good astros they are excellent culling time healers.

[xxczx]

shields didn't get that nerfed, they still are good. i still prefer noct over diurnal for 4v4/8v8/SR. the way i heal with AST is all around noct stance and it's hard to change habit for diurnal. both stances are equal.

[Evilsyndicatemember]

I love my Ast for pve, it's really hard for me to use it for anything other than seal rock because I think my setup is screwy. Also being on a ps4 controller is also annoying because all the stuff you need to use might be on different tabs. I'm trying to find an efficient set up but going back and forth between tabs could be costly especially in 4v4

[JazzofEtro]

I love my Ast for pve, it's really hard for me to use it for anything other than seal rock because I think my setup is screwy. Also being on a ps4 controller is also annoying because all the stuff you need to use might be on different tabs. I'm trying to find an efficient set up but going back and forth between tabs could be costly especially in 4v4

I'll post a screen shot of my setup when i get home from work, and try to explain what's going on. Might help because I play on PS4 too. But i can't right now. I'll edit this post later with the stuff.

EDIT: Here is the screenshot

[JazzofEtro]

R2+Circle:
/micon "Benefic II"
/ac "Malefic II"
/ac "Benefic II"

R2+Cross:
/micon "Synastry"
/ac "Stella"
/ac "Synastry"

R2+Square:
/micon "Essential Dignity"
/ac "Essential Dignity"
/ac "Benefic"

R2+Right D-PAD:
/micon "Aspected Benefic"
/ac "Divine Breath"
/ac "Aspected Benefic"

L2+Cross:
/micon "Mana Draw"
/ac "Luminiferous Aether" (I really don't know how it's spelt off the top of my head but w/e)
/ac "Mana Draw"

L2+Down D-PAD:
/micon "Swiftcast"
/ac "Swiftcast"
/ac "Surecast"
/ac "Equanimity" (Again don't know how it's spelt ^^; )

L2+Up D-PAD:
/micon "Time Dilation"
/ac "Disable"
/ac "Time Dilation"

All of these work for me because of how I play. Also I use my arrow keys and num-pad on my keyboard too. So I have buttons everywhere. I also have ALL of my skills on my screen at all times on custom hotbars, in order of how they are listed in my macros. Such as the swiftcast one so I can see what I will get when I hit it. Macros have many flaws too but sometimes they can free up a heck of alot of space. Cherry pick whatever you want, or make your own. If it it works for you too... /thumbsup. If not... /grovel. You can always go back to what you had though.

[Evilsyndicatemember]

I don't have a keyboard though. >_>

[JazzofEtro]

I don't have a keyboard though. >_>

I was just explaining a little bit about what is going on in my setup as anyone might be curious. As for you I was just sharing the macros, as some of them might help you free up some extra space for your own setup. Not saying you should use them just sharing an idea. : )