It has begun!

[shadowrell_d-_-b]

So I'm navigating the PF looking for potential farm groups for primals to try to get a new mount, and I noticed something I think many already seen coming. Numerous farm group with requirements for double AST! I mean seriously! Mind you I am a sch main and have successfully (and quite efficiently) cleared both SusanEX and lakishaEX with both a whm and ast partner multiple times! I guess when SE decided they wanted to balance the healers they literally only want ast BALANCE in fights (see what I did there) lmao.

No but in all seriousness is this truly balanced when one healer class clearly shines above the rest to the point it's the preferred healer for everything? You created a class that's does exactly what a whm and sch can do better than a whm and sch can do it? SE need to seriously consider its current healer situation and the games population need to stop feeding this mentality that whm and sch arn't effective before this gets further out of hand!

[Medicine]

It's 3.0 Warrior all over again.

[xNewbx]

The farm groups I go in only have 1 healer, and it's an Astro. The content out right now really doesn't require 2 healers if people know what they're doing. And most of the time I'd assume farm groups know what they're doing (not always though... >.>)

[Zojha]

SE's response:
"All healers can clear the content, therefore all healers are viable. It's fine, you need to calm down!"

[paoweeotter]

I've cleared Lakshmi Ex and Susano Ex with Double SCH. The AST-AST PF groups are nothing but sheeple. Following the meta-herd hoping that an overpowered class can carry them in "end-game" Sad.

[Starflake]

I've cleared Lakshmi Ex and Susano Ex with Double SCH. The AST-AST PF groups are nothing but sheeple. Following the meta-herd hoping that an overpowered class can carry them in "end-game" Sad.

Or, you know, picking classes which bring the most to a raid for faster clears and thus better productivity?

[Fernosaur]

Or, you know, picking classes which bring the most to a raid for faster clears and thus better productivity?

Tbf, double AST is a terrible combination due to the lack of passive healing from NoctAST, and only ends up making matters worse for both healers.

Yes, AST is ridiculously powerful, we all know that, but NoctAST continues and will continue to be crap and unable to bring what SCH can bring with the passive and literally free healing, both in AoE and single target, as nerfed as Embrace and Fey Illumination were.

This, however, is precisely the problem that WHM faces. AST+WHM will never be quite efficient so long as NoctAST cannot completely replace SCH's passive healing output. People who go around thinking double AST is the optimal meta are delusional and have no idea what efficient healing looks like. The problem here isn't that NoctAST is "weak," it's just that the design itself of Astrologian is flat out terrible from its conception, since it was made to replace either WHM or SCH in a party instead of allowing it to have its own identity.

[Starflake]

Tbf, double AST is a terrible combination due to the lack of passive healing from NoctAST, and only ends up making matters worse for both healers.

AST is ridiculously powerful, we all know that, but NoctAST continues and will continue to be crap and unable to bring what SCH can bring with the passive and literally free healing, both in AoE and single target, as nerfed as Embrace and Fey Illumination were.

This, however, is precisely the problem that WHM faces. AST+WHM will never be quite efficient so long as NoctAST cannot replace SCH's passive healing output. People who go around thinking double AST is the optimal meta are delusional and have no idea what efficient healing looks like. The problem here isn't that NoctAST is "weak," it's just that the design itself of Astrologian is flat out terrible from its conception, since it was made to replace either WHM or SCH in a party instead of allowing it to have its own identity.

As someone who mains a WHM now instead of SCH with a Noct Astro healer, I have no idea what you are talking about. Embrace isn't even that great. Noct AST has greater shields, single target and aoe (beats succor). The only thing that it does not have is a spreadlo, which is rarely required purely in itself. AST also has a better bubble to stand in. It has access to Bole and all sorts of party buffs. WHM raw healing is incredibly strong and so is its DPS. Its a perfectly fine combo and perhaps the strongest one out there at the moment.

[Furious]

Tbf, double AST is a terrible combination due to the lack of passive healing from NoctAST, and only ends up making matters worse for both healers.

Yes, AST is ridiculously powerful, we all know that, but NoctAST continues and will continue to be crap and unable to bring what SCH can bring with the passive and literally free healing, both in AoE and single target, as nerfed as Embrace and Fey Illumination were.

This, however, is precisely the problem that WHM faces. AST+WHM will never be quite efficient so long as NoctAST cannot completely replace SCH's passive healing output. People who go around thinking double AST is the optimal meta are delusional and have no idea what efficient healing looks like. The problem here isn't that NoctAST is "weak," it's just that the design itself of Astrologian is flat out terrible from its conception, since it was made to replace either WHM or SCH in a party instead of allowing it to have its own identity.

Um.. did you drink some kind of special coolaid?

Noct AST is stupidly strong, the benefit of "passive" healing is completely ameliorated by the strength of their active healing and significantly shorter phases thanks to card buffs. Efficient healing only matters when you are running out of mana, and passive healing only matters when it allows you to actually avoid actively healing (ie: when you're farming stuff, with the current strength of fairy).

[Maku]

Yes, AST is ridiculously powerful, we all know that, but NoctAST continues and will continue to be crap and unable to bring what SCH can bring with the passive and literally free healing, both in AoE and single target, as nerfed as Embrace and Fey Illumination were.

Going to go out on a limb and say, literally every AST would like to have a word with you. I was a SCH main all through HW. I am now a AST main and use Noct almost exclusively, unless paired with a SCH or another AST. I out shine my SCH in all ways.