First time playing Astrologian... need some advice/tips

[Ghishlain]

Here's the theorycraft behind Gravity versus Lightspeed + Gravity.

Gravity + Lightspeed

Gravity Normally
@00.00s - Begins to cast first Gravity
@03.00s - First Gravity resolves, begin to cast second (total potency - 200 X multi-enemy multiplier)
@06.00s - Second Gravity resolves, begin to cast third (total potency - 400 X multi-enemy multiplier)
@09.00s - Third Gravity resolves, begin to cast fourth (total potency - 600 X multi-enemy multiplier)
@12.00s - Fourth Gravity resolves, begin to cast fifth (total potency - 800 X multi-enemy multiplier)

Gravity w/ Lightspeed
@00.00s - Cast first Gravity (total potency - 150 X multi-enemy multiplier)
@02.50s - Cast second Gravity (total potency - 300 X multi-enemy multiplier)
@05.00s - Cast third Gravity (total potency - 450 X multi-enemy multiplier)
@07.50s - Cast fourth Gravity (total potency - 600 X multi-enemy multiplier)
@10.00s - Cast fifth Gravity (total potency - 750 X multi-enemy multiplier) [Assuming you get the Lightspeed in for easy math]
@12.50s - Begin casting sixth Gravity

Gravity Normally is 800 potency at the 12s mark for a total 66.67 potency per second (plus multipliers which is the same across the board)
Gravity w/ Lightspeed is 750 potency at 10s mark for a total of 75 potency per second (plus multipliers)
Gravity w/ Lightspeed is 750 potency at 12s mark for a total of 62.5 potency per second (plus multipliers)

In theory this looks better to do Gravity + Lightspeed when you consider number of casts within the 10s period of Lightspeed but since you can't begin to cast a sixth Gravity until the 12.5s mark and won't get it until the 15.5s mark, you might as well count Gravity w/ Lightspeed as 5 Gravity's over 12s, leading to the above. Therefore it's better not to use Lightspeed with Gravity.

750/800 = 93.75% aka a 6.25% DPS loss. It doesn't matter the number of targets you target since the same % reduction would apply to every additional mob past the first you'd hit.

If you consider Gravity as a DPS tool in the exact same scenarios where you may use Gravity + Lightspeed versus just Gravity by itself, Gravity will win in out right damage (and you'd still end up using the same MP anyway since you need five Gravity's instead of four just to keep up in damage).

Considering the context of the posts above indicated that using Lightspeed Gravity is a greater DPS increase versus just using Gravity by itself, I'm just stating that this particular idea is wrong (as per above quote)

If you're looking at a myriad of other scenarios listed above, I'd say it's up to the individual healer to understand their kit and use the appropiate toolkit for it and have no bearing to the actual context of "Lightspeed + Gravity DPS" > "Gravity DPS"

If you wish to front load a heal due to lightspeed that's your decision, but it's not how I would use Lightspeed in most trash-based scenarios.

Take into account that unlike Presence of Mind, Lightspeed doesn't reduce your recast so the only DPS spell that would gain any benefit from the cast time reduction would be Gravity. Any healer spell would be front loaded but you're still restricted to the same 2.5s recast.

[Cleftobismal]

It doesn't matter the number of targets you target since the same % reduction would apply to every additional mob past the first you'd hit.

If you consider Gravity as a DPS tool in the exact same scenarios where you may use Gravity + Lightspeed versus just Gravity by itself, Gravity will win in out right damage (and you'd still end up using the same MP anyway since you need five Gravity's instead of four just to keep up in damage).

Considering the context of the posts above indicated that using Lightspeed Gravity is a greater DPS increase versus just using Gravity by itself, I'm just stating that this particular idea is wrong (as per above quote)

Yup I can agree that gravity without light speed warrants more damage assuming you have the mana for it.

However, in most duties you aren't doing aoe damage alone, and it's best to contribute damage in between the downtime's you're casting without light speed. Which is the main reason why my light speed duration is still up after the trash mobs are cleared.

If you wish to front load a heal due to lightspeed that's your decision, but it's not how I would use Lightspeed in most trash-based scenarios.

Considering the lengths of expert dungeons, it's a high time worth it to use your cooldown's before reaching every boss. I'm able to atleast use two light speeds in a fast party before I get to a boss in Xelphatol. True, light speed is a wonderful tool to use for emergency healing and quick regens/shields. But this isn't the only thing in AST's kit to save a party. (Although I do agree this is the best to use for quickly aoe healing)

[technole]

If you are already using Lightspeed for some AoE heals, and then want to go into Gravity spam for some GCDs when you don't need anymore heals during its duration you really should just click-off lightspeed, or a create a /statusoff macro. That DPS loss isn't worth it.

[Cleftobismal]

If you are already using Lightspeed for some AoE heals, and then want to go into Gravity spam for some GCDs when you don't need anymore heals during its duration you really should just click-off lightspeed, or a create a /statusoff macro. That DPS loss isn't worth it.

Depends on the situation. I may feel more comfortable to quickly cast a few gravities at reduced mana because I know I'll be healing again after the fact.

At any rate, the difference in malefic II/Gravity with and without lightspeed in a raid setting is dismal. I'm not saying to always use it just to DPS but you mise will dps with it on after healing to save you the mana so you won't screw yourself when you start rezzing/burning more mana on heals. Our apparent 6.25% dps gap is not a big deal and is not worth the waste of resource when we are still fulfilling our job in adding bonus damage while healing. While it's nice to think about how a healer can dish out optimal DPS, it is not always worth the risk.

And I'd imagined that the light speed was used for on the run healing. I wouldn't see this as a bad reason to use it to DPS on the run either after you've topped everyone up. Clicking it off to stand still and cast for the full dps is not ideal for mechanics like Optical Sight.

Again it's situational. While I agree there are some DPS cases you shouldn't use lightspeed for. I disagree that it's overall a bad idea to use for our dps period. The class is flexible, we might as well be versatile in our thinking.