If AST/WHM is a thing, it's not because WHM is stronger than SCH

[Exiled_Tonberry]

Getting very close to Omega now, and hearing a bunch of people talking about compositions.
I've seen tons of people suggest WHM/AST over SCH/AST.

I just wanted to say this now, because it's definitely going to be bought up when discussing if WHM needs to be looked at in terms of balance and identity.

The only reason people are even suggesting a WHM over SCH and chain Strategem is because it means having access to ASTs completely broken shields, which can damn near make AOE damage ignorable and tank busters and afterthought. I assume this was SE' intentions as well, since their attempt to push WHM/AST in Creator fell flat.

That's all I wanted to say really..
Once Omega hits, criticism on jobs will be taken a lot more seriously, so I just don't want misinformation that certain jobs no longer need to be looked at to get around just because they may be in the Meta comp.
WHMs usefulness is simply a result of Nocturnal AST being way to overtuned. It's why I haven't heard a peep of WHM/SCH comps being even considered.

[Starflake]

Being able to raise two people with no MP cost (Swiftcast and Presence of Mind) to me alone is already fantastic. WHM has better DPS and raw healing and fantastic OCG healing abilities with it. I'd say it's a much better raiding class.

[Odd2oul]

all of those things are just good for prog though. once people figure out how much healing/mitigation is needed, they're gonna go for more utility. That being said, WHM is still in a better spot than it was in HW.

[Ceasaria]

If AST/WHM is a thing, it's not because WHM is stronger than SCH (compare these two jobs is already a false analysis), it's because it's the compo who possess the most advantages (and the situation of SCH is even worse than I thought).
This was obvious for me already before the launch of Stormblood (when many WHM couldn't even analysed the 3 jobs and all the compo properly)
But yeah, we will be fixed with Omega Savage.

[Kabzy]

Eh, I kind of disagree with the WHM part. Yeah they still don't have utility, but outside of that they are looking very strong. SCH literally have one move keeping them viable at the moment, Chain Strategem. Otherwise they lose to both healers in pretty much every aspect, and quite badly.

I agree that AST needs nerfing, WHM maybe a little something, and SCH a rework of many abilities, but I still think WHMs are not in a bad place. Lets not elongate the pre-release nightmares that WHMs were having, it's clearly turned out to be a pretty decent job that only requires a few small tweaks at most. (PI if anything.)

[KDSilver]

I switch to WHM because SCH's changes made me sick and honestly
WHM feels really good with it's awesome pool of mana, which could result in better recovery during progress.

HOWEVER... what is good in WHM right now is the changes they made on the skill he already had (+ thin air and devine benision)
Lilies and plenary indulgence still suck.

But he can do the job very well and I'll feel more confortable raiding as WHM.
(but not saying it'll be optimal however)

[Katryn]

No matter what SE does, the fact that the community always wants to select two healers at the exclusion of a third, rather than figuring out how to make each viable and selecting composition based on available players, will remain a problem. There is always going to be someone who is 'last' unless SE redesigns the healing jobs to have identical toolkits with only cosmetic differences separating them. I don't think we want that, but much like how SE wants the game played a certain way and the meta goes another, that is a curveball we may be risking.

[Sebazy]

WHMs usefulness is simply a result of Nocturnal AST being way to overtuned. It's why I haven't heard a peep of WHM/SCH comps being even considered.

I'd say it was more because turning up to a progression raid without 20% balance is just daft as things stand.

WHM/AST is a well rounded and forgiving combo that's looking especially good now given the state Eos is in right now.

[Bourne_Endeavor]

No matter what SE does, the fact that the community always wants to select two healers at the exclusion of a third, rather than figuring out how to make each viable and selecting composition based on available players, will remain a problem. There is always going to be someone who is 'last' unless SE redesigns the healing jobs to have identical toolkits with only cosmetic differences separating them. I don't think we want that, but much like how SE wants the game played a certain way and the meta goes another, that is a curveball we may be risking.

This is only partially true. Some people are beholden to whatever is "meta," but the vast majority are flexible. Black Mage and Summoner frequently stepped into even hardcore groups during Creator despite Bard and Machinist being better. Why? They were both strong. The issue isn't one job being inevitably left behind, but whether it's too weak relative to its counterparts. Take Machinist currently. It's utterly worthless; inferior support and DPS alike, people are switching because it offers nothing. On the other hand, you won't see groups during away Dragoon.

All the devs need do is make each job strong enough it doesn't feel like a hindrance without one. Unfortunately, the healer meta is "Astro and the other one."

[RiisWolf]

Even if the devs make the jobs strong it doesn't matter. There will always be come cookie cutter set up for the objectively biggest numbers and to a lesser extent the systems that circumvent certain mechanics and checks easily especially if the raids in question are broke, horribly designed, or made with short sighted, foolish intentions. Take Gordias Savage for example, which is easy cause what happened there epitomizes this.