Where to go with the Lily Gauge

[ty_taurus]

I think most of us will agree that the changes we saw to the lily system for WHM were one of the few healer changes that improved something.

Right now, lilies generate themselves on a 30 second timer to a maximum of 3, and we get 3 spells on the GCD that are associated with the lilies: Afflatus Solace and Afflatus Rapture, which consume lilies and nourish the blood lily, and Afflatus Misery which can be used after the blood lily gets nourished 3 times.

It's a simple, yet effective system, but it's not perfect.
For one, you're not really using the entire system that the lilies have to offer until level 74 when Misery is learned. Until then, the idea of healing allies to nourish the blood lily is entirely foreign to a leveling WHM.
Another issue is that most content doesn't have enough damage to demanding lily usage, and WHMs who have at least a fair amount of experience healing just won't really use them, at least not the way they're intended to be used.
The way a lot of people are using Afflatus spells in most content is as a weave tool. Afflatus Rapture is instant cast, which means you can cast it immediately after a Glare when you need to move, and while it's a DPS loss, you would've had to move anyway. Since it nourishes the blood lily though, it's more efficient than overwriting Dia if Dia's still in effect. This is awkward to use and doesn't feel great even if it is often the best way to spend your lilies.

With all that in mind, here are a few examples of abilities that I'd love to see get added to WHM's tools between 80 and 90 that I think would help create more of that smoothness that we're looking for.

1. Afflatus Bliss
GCD action, 0 MP Cost
Instant Cast / 2.5 second recast
Grants target party member the effects of Afflatus Bliss
Duration: 15 seconds
Lily Gauge Cost: 1
When the effect expires, restores target party member's HP with a potency of 500
If target party member takes damage equal to or greater than 30% max HP, resolves the effect immediately and grants the WHM Gladiolus Ready
Nourishes the Blood Lily

2. Gladiolus
OGCD action
Instant Cast / 30 second recast
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 300
Can only be executed under the effects of Gladiolus Ready and consumes the buff.

3. Effloresce
GCD action, 1000 MP cost
Instant Cast, 30 second recast
Restores HP to target and all allies nearby them with a potency of 150
Deals unpasected damage with a potency of 150 to all enemies nearby target party member
If target party member's HP is 80% of max HP or higher after the heal, also Nourishes the Blood Lily.