Thread: Scholar 5.0 Discussion

Agreed with the above, Fey Blessing is really weak.

Having SCH at 80 now, thought I would throw my thoughts into the mix. The class functions - there isn't a problem keeping people alive once you get used to the new changes. I can see what they were trying to do in giving us our own identity away from SMN and I think the new animations on Biolysis and Broil III are great, they mesh well with Chain Stratagem. That said, playing the class feels very clunky, so while you arguably can get the job done, it doesn't really feel that good to do it.

Some fix ideas the wouldn't change the way SCH currently functions, only streamline things and add some extras for those who want to do or are able to do more - without punishing those who would prefer to just heal:

1) Change the fairy back to a pet entity. It's fine if we can't target it or it's not in the party list but being unable to weave it's healing abilities during casts takes away what made SCH so fun to play before. It wasn't a necessity for beginner SCHs to do (now they are forced to anyway since the fairy cannot be on {sic} ) but it made optimizing your healing a challenging and interesting mechanic.

2) A way to dump extra Aether stacks. Energy Drain with Quickened Aetherflow was perfect for what it was - it wasn't enough to be game-breaking but it felt better to use it for the small damage increase and the ability to get your stacks back faster. It was infinitely better than standing around in lower level dungeons waiting for anything to happen. Weaving oGCDS and weighing opportunity cost is SCHs bread and butter, it feels rather neutered when we can't, or if doing so is pointless (i.e. holding stacks, or overwriting unused stacks of Aetherflow).

3) A smaller QoL change would be to make Aetherflow accessible out of combat, it's frustrating in dungeons and especially in the overworld as most of SCH healing abilites are tied to Aetherflow - if you accidentally fall, you are left to use Physick and your fairy to slowly heal yourself up whereas WHM and AST can both top up with a single button press.

4) DPS changes, IMO, are mostly fine. I'm okay if they don't give our single target dots back but perhaps adjusting the potency of Art of War to being a dot would be a better callback to SCHs roots, so it feels less like a WHM clone. Holy has Stun, it could be argued that Art of War and Gravity could have an interesting mechanic added to their moves. Please note that interesting mechanic does not mean better or more powerful than WHM.

4) Not really battle related, but when Seraph is summoned, I wish the buttons for Whispering Dawn and Fey Covenant changed to match her skills, even if they do the same thing. We have a new shiny pet, it would be nice to be able to see it reflected there as well.

I'm probably re-iterating a lot of what has already been said, but the class is important to me so if an extra voice can help, I'm happy to try.

Alright.... I've gotten SCH to 80.

Here is my feedback.

I feel like Energy Drain should be returned. If the issue was the dmg aspect then remove the ability to do dmg and just give us the mana regeneration back. I know it's possible to do considering BRD's repealing shot was also removed dmg at one point. At least it gives us something to dump Aether flow.

Also, fairy needs to show up in PT list again. Sometimes it gets lost in the crowd and I don't even know if it's actually in the boss room with me. It's really inconvenient. Especially when it's a boss with heavy mechanics and I want seraph buff to hit everyone. I always have to make sure I position her again before poping seraph because it doesn't land. so frustrating.

Another thing would be the fact that Aetherflow is no longer used outside of combat. It's again really frustrating. Why was this done again? As well as removing Eye for Eye?

What is the point of spreading Adlo when the crit doesn't spread? I feel like its quite pointless. IDK. I still spread it considering all the AOE spams for bosses but - ngh. It feels very lackluster.

Art of War?!
Incredibly useless. It wastes so much mana for little potency back. I mean its a downgrade compared to Holy and Gravity. /Sigh/

Sch feels very lackluster...

I do like what they did with dissipation. It's nice the fairy returns after it leaves now. I also really love the crit heal on hand when oh shit moments happen. I really do like some of the new heals - it was nice....However, the new aoe fairy heal doesn't really do much? Maybe if it had a Seraphim version that gave it more oomph but otherwise I don't really feel much difference with it.

MeH

I want my AoE cleanse back! I bloody loved that AoE cleanse, it always felt so good to remove an entire parties DoTs.

Also, what the guy above me said, WHY CAN'T I SPREAD MY CRITS.

One of the biggest concern I have is that they simply removed too much skills you can use during cooldown.
Bio and Aetherflow are pretty much the only two skills you can do on GCD. Everything else, even the fairy skills are now player skills.
You basically have to stand there during most of the GCDs and this is very frustrating and boring.
It's critical not to cancel casts unless if it's absolutely necessary but there are a lot of instances now where you'll have to give up on the Broil casting to prioritize casting the fairy skills quickly.
This really affects the DPS on savages(if it stays as is) where everyone's required to meet certain DPS. I hope SE have adjusted raids so that healer ain't part of the DPS checks as much.

Also MP management will be very challenging in raids with these changes. You'll have to memorize the timeline more thoroughly then ever to get the best out of your skill rotation.
But that could easily be broken if some in your PT makes mistakes and have to use the stacks for something extra in the middle. all because of this broken Aetherflow changes, SCH may not have a seat in some end contents(at least at the beginning).
Who wants to hear an excuse that you were out of the Aetherflow stacks or MPs? Your PT members simply need a healer who can heal in the right instances. No one wants to worry if the Scholar have their stacks or MP left to cast the big heals.

SE should at least consider bringing ED back in some way. Maybe remove the damage but for MP management or strictly to charge the fairy gauge.
And take the fairy skills out of player skill. Let us use the fairy skills on cooldowns.

One complaint I see that I absolutely don't agree with so far is MP management. Using Aetherflow and Lucid Dreaming every 60sec, I never had any MP issue.
I do hope they make some tweaks in the first patch. The Aetherflow out of combat is really not good for first pulls, feels very naked.
I am getting used with the pace but I still wish for one Aetherflow-consuming attack to use when we have nothing to use them on. Even low potency... just dont like wasting stacks.