SCH needs some nerfs

[Erakir]

Regarding Scholar's personal DPS... well. Because of the aforementioned opportunity cost of Indomitability, Scholar actually ends up doing less damage than both of the other healers when playing optimally. The damage calculations you are probably looking at are attacks on Striking Dummy, where Scholar can use all of their Aetherflow on Energy Drain. Along with the lack of Energy Drain, they lose Miasma II weaving opportunities. When they can't do this, their DPS takes a nosedive. In-content is much different for Scholar.

Eh? Doing less when playing optimally?

This whole thread has had examples of current savage content and healer damage numbers, both in highly optimized and sub-optimal play (Come join me down here, we just killed O11, woo!~). Are the 99% combined healer damage numbers suddenly sub-optimal play? Say whatever we want about kill times affecting DPS numbers so the healer DPS number isn't the only real factor, the end result is still a stronger raid group.

Don't get me wrong I completely agree that SCH loses out on striking dummy damage from not being able to ED 3x every 45s in a real raid environment, but from an extremely quick look at logs I'm seeing SCH right up there next to AST on combined healer damage rankings, flip flopping some per pull. As expected these scholars are using a LOT of ED and limiting their Indoms, excogs, etc, but if we're talking optimal play - well there's still a lot of EDs going out there so they're certainly able to use it a good bit.

As I'd go down the list I'd fully expect to see less EDs being used, but the numbers posted much earlier in the thread don't lie. Scholar pDPS is high across the board at all percentiles, despite losing EDs on sub optimal parses, which means that regardless of what SCH is losing in less optimal play, ASTs and WHMs are losing just as much if not more for whatever reasons in their groups. SCHs are certainly not doing less damage, else this thread wouldn't really exist. WHM loses far more of their DPS potential on the whole, because let's face it - WHM still has the highest single target solo damage on striking dummies. The reason why WHM loses so much of its potential has been discussed at length already.

Miasma 2's cost definitely gets less and less of an issue with refresh and double refresh - no other healer gets to take advantage of extra MP at all DPSwise like SCH gets to when it comes to damage. Miasma 2 damage is kind of a bonus since as far as I know, Square has not retuned the SSS dummy formulas since adding it back into the game, meaning SCH's potential DPS is higher than their calculations use...if they honestly use those numbers for tuning (The numbers on the SSS calculator online show SCH at 90% of WHM target DPS across the board for what's up there, though I don't see Alphascape). None of us can know the extent of which they use those numbers, though. I mean, we obviously factor them, but when it comes to who specifically is tuning the encounters with all their deadlines, honestly dunno.

I'm not trying to be facetious, I'm just really not sure what you're getting at with that comment. Happy to hear any clarification!

I'd also argue that what you say about Indom is precisely why it's so powerful. Mmmm I can certainly agree that other abilities have less opportunity cost (Aetherflow and all) and can be used for wonderful effects, but it's simply its availability and versatility that shoot it up there. It's a very powerful tool that - I mean, I can kinda call it "icing on the cake" given everything the fairy does. I don't think it's THE reason, so I very much agree with you; the fairy is a far bigger deal overall. Indom is just really dang good at what it does and is ridiculously useful, even if it's the first to go as we get more and more optimal due to that opportunity cost. The 45s AF change and potency buff just make it even better at what it was designed for, even though we have ES now and a 60s Assize as well.

The fact that it's such a generally powerful ability and is used infrequently at top levels of play simply gives more credence to what you say with the fairy. SCH is as strong as it is without constant Indom, yet if they need it it's still there - it's kinda like Scholar is an expensive sports car AND comes with amazing insurance. The good drivers aren't gonna get into a wreck, but the less skilled ones still have it as an ace in the hole, and they have a lot of it. I'm always gonna be salty at Indom's kneejerk buff in early in SB cause it just honestly didn't need it, but what can ya do.

Regardless, as I mentioned a long time ago though, I pretty much agree and would really like to see Noct modified to better compete with SCH at what SCH does, in particular with things like modifying Synastry's function in Noct as well as thoughts of CU to better match Whispering Dawn. Or, as Ghish says, get a 4th healer and just draw the hard line of WHM/AST and SCH/DNC-or-Whatever and striking trying to make AST fit two kinda roles.

Edit: Since I've been gone from this thread the past week or two, it's had a lot of discussion and more in-depth analysis by various players. It's insightful and I agree with a bunch of what's been pointed out. Just wanted to thank those of you contributing, has remained pretty civil and informative.