Quote Originally Posted by ForsakenRoe View Post
See, these are especially interesting designwise, because the WHM and AST ones don't actually reduce the damage taken. If the WHM extends the party's Max HP by 10%, that extra 10% buffer has to come from a heal somewhere. If the AST staggers 20% of the damage taken to be dealt over the next 12s (5% per DOT tick), then that DOT still has to be healed through. Barrier healers, meanwhile, actively reduce the damage taken. That Sacred Soil or Kerachole reduces damage taken by 10%. That 10% is deleted from the game entirely. Also, AST staggering damage out would synergise with the, what is it, 3 different HOTs in their kit?
I would say that staggered damage also can synergize with delayed healing, since it gives you more time to allow that delay time to pass.

Also, I think it's interesting to assume how the stagger mechanic could work mechanically. I think the way that might be most FFXIV friendly would be that AST provides a buff that lasts for 10 seconds and reduces damage taken by 20%, storing that reduced value; then when the duration ends, that accumulated damage is taken over the next 12 seconds, and that would give you more time before you have to deal with the damage as well. That would prevent the effect from triggering a bunch of DOTs that bloat the buff/debuff limit on the party if they get hit a bunch of times during the effect duration. Could you imagine a tumult situation?