Sorry ASTs, Bahamut Prime ain't for you.

[IanFrench]

Edited.

Now AST has proved capable of clearing it, though with a sch.

So I have edited off the post. Thanks all.


(Rip Noct AST...)

[IanFrench]

AST is lack of 0GCD abilities and rely on GCD spells too much, which cause him slow in response to the unexpected situations which are often seen in new raids

[Sebazy]

IMHO it's a case of UCoil suiting SCHs kit better on multiple levels.

SCH can apply flat mitigation and galves at a distance, AST relies on point blank aoes to do the same on both counts. Not to mention SCH's cooldowns simply line up better.

I've had to pug it so far and I'm definitely finding that AST has a harder time getting mitigation in place in time, enough so that I've finally given in and got on with levelling SCH again =(

[Ayesafaile]

Last phase isn't the worst for Noct AST. You get 3 uses of Collective Unconscious for Morn Afah, and the other two can be taken with Largesse-buffed shields. Means you take 2 Morn Afahs without the 10% mitigation you'd get from Sacred Soil but there are other ways around this including Passage of Arms/Shake it Off. You are more reliant on the rest of the party, but it's not impossible.

Core issue for AST is that cards have little value in this fight. Individual phase DPS checks are lenient and can be beaten regardless of healer composition, and there is no permanence to any damage you deal before Golden Bahamut. The worst part facing AST is that the forced death to Teraflare means you cannot save cards for the last phase of the fight, and if your immediate Draw/Redraw/Sleeve on getting up is unsuccessful, you provide nothing to the group for the opener in a phase where DPS is important. Playing WHM/SCH for the consistency and higher personal DPS is just a more sensible option.

The balance between SCH and Noct AST is admittedly poor though. It seems like SE forgot about Sacred Soil when they buffed Succor's potency to match Aspected Helios. Aspected Helios also has the longer cast time, which makes Noct AST even more reliant on Swiftcast in high-movement scenarios to ensure shields are up in time.

[Risvertasashi]

The balance between SCH and Noct AST is admittedly poor though. It seems like SE forgot about Sacred Soil when they buffed Succor's potency to match Aspected Helios. Aspected Helios also has the longer cast time, which makes Noct AST even more reliant on Swiftcast in high-movement scenarios to ensure shields are up in time.

Yeah, I kind of thought the original reason noct AST got the shield buffs was to make up for all the other stuff it doesn't have in comparison to SCH. Not that the devs share their reasons, but it seemed the logical conclusion...

But on the other hand, SCH really wasn't doing so hot in deltascape savage, to the point where it's lagging behind in clears compared to the other two even now. So I kind of understand why the devs buffed SCH... but I can't help but wonder what kind of balancing issues we'll see in 4.2 now.

[Exiled_Tonberry]

I understand where you're coming from, but it is very dangerous to balance anything off of the absolute hardest content in the game that not even people who cleared O4s can reasonably clear.
It's not really an indication of anything, as healing ultimate will come down to skill rather than how good a job is (hince the DRK world first clear).

AST is a very good and consistent healer in all types of content, and I would even argue that Earthly Star is semi broken as it can completely trivialize most raid damage if timed correctly.
Healer balance is in a very good place right now, let's not screw it up.

[CreinCrein]

It's almost like AST wasn't apart of the world first deltascape clears, or a mandatory part of any speed clearing group :thonking:

[Exiled_Tonberry]

I understand where you're coming from too my dear, a whm.
Of course it is very dangerous to balance anything out(no one is happy to give away the crown)

Yes, I'm saying this because I'm a WHM main and afraid of being kicked out of Meta.
Even though AST cleared world first in all other content, is a locked healer slot in all decent farms, and is the bread and butter of every speedkill group. Let's just push all of ASTs relevance in 99.9% of content aside and pretend I'm just a butthurt WHM denying AST "much needed" buffs.

[MoroMurasaki]

I understand where you're coming from too my dear, a whm.
Of course it is very dangerous to balance anything out(no one is happy to give away the crown)

When I called for WHM to recieve a rDPS ability to put it on par with Diurnal AST I was told WHM had a guaranteed progression raiding spot so they didn't need a place in the speedfarm meta as well.

Now all of a sudden, first time AST has even been slightly left out of anything in more than a year, AST mains are suddenly salty about it.

You can't have it both ways guys. You have your place in the speedkill meta, ffs leave progression in one fight to someone else.

Selfish.

Entitled

[Miste]

is a locked healer slot in all decent farms

Please don't start this paranoia again about people locking WHMs out of groups in favour of AST. I farm on WHM and I never get blocked out or told to switch so your absolute that "AST is locked into -ALL- decent farms" is BS. You really need to stop talking in absolutes. You are just making stuff up.