Astrologian cheat sheet

[Local_Custard]

Greetings!

I come here with a big request. It is my understanding that the job is going to be changed soon. Regardless, I am focussed on now rather than the future.
I have been looking through multiple guides for this and none of them really go into depth and instead work at basic information and don't actually talk about when to place cards rather than how to (I looked at The Balance and the advanced guide was written in 2022 I think which means it is likely out of date). It is no secret that when optimizing, ASTs need to learn about each job and when is the best time to do things. I would go out of my way to learn every job intimately if it weren't for the fact I struggle to remember how to play 7 out of the 10 jobs I have picked up. Never mind when I am forced to be offline for any number of reasons. So it is really a no go for me to try learning 19 soon to be 21 jobs.

Does anyone have a cheat sheet on when to place cards on each jobs in terms of burst windows and when is the less than ideal times?

For reference, I have been operating under "place cards always and whenever possible in battle" since I play casual content. I do look at enmity tables but sometimes it can be a struggle. I am just now learning that that may be incorrect for learning how to optimize the job. I also will get to learning the optimal re-opener but for now, I want to work on my habits with placing cards. I am also trying to work on my healing habits. I have many bad habits there...

second question: I find myself co-healing quite often and struggle to find a good balance between how much healing I want to do. I do of course interact accordingly to mechanics. Sometimes, though, my co-healer is a sage or scholar and I find myself overhealing because of their shields. I am trying to GCD heal less unless needed (I often overuse asp helios out of habit and I am trying to trim that and use it purposefully instead). Not a bad thing, but it leaves me feeling uncertain sometimes. When I'm with a white mage it can be a similar story as we stack heals quickly. Or another astrologian in which case I sometimes feel like I'm playing chicken especially with seeing when they use divination so that I don't overwrite it on accident or too early (1 sec left on their divination isn't much of a loss). What are co-healing tips you would give to me as an astrologian? Especially when dealing with other astrologians or shield healers?

[AmiableApkallu]

If the focus is on "casual content", then my advice might be…

About the year 2022

That's current.

Endwalker released at the end of 2021. There's no special reason to assume that guides written after that are completely worthless.

How to work with your co-healer

Assume your co-healer doesn't exist. React to every mechanic as if it's all on you to heal through it. Adjust based on what you see them actually doing.

For example: If you have a Medica II or Succor spammer, maybe you can take it easy on the heals. If you have a "I only raise when Swiftcast is up and GCD heals are for losers", maybe you need to be a bit more active. In the absence of chatting and making a coordinated plan before the pull, you will need to adjust on the fly.

How to play cards

Yes.

It's casual content. You can't assume anyone's try to execute the optimal rotation for their job, and even they are, you can't assume that they aren't horribly drifting buffs and whatnot. And this is to say nothing of the differences that lack-of-level-sync and gearing might cause.

Either you have a third-party tool to tell you what your party mates are actually up to, or you don't. And whatever a guide tells you, you'll still have to adapt it to the party you actually have.

[Local_Custard]

If the focus is on "casual content", then my advice might be…

About the year 2022

That's current.

Endwalker released at the end of 2021. There's no special reason to assume that guides written after that are completely worthless.

How to work with your co-healer

Assume your co-healer doesn't exist. React to every mechanic as if it's all on you to heal through it. Adjust based on what you see them actually doing.

For example: If you have a Medica II or Succor spammer, maybe you can take it easy on the heals. If you have a "I only raise when Swiftcast is up and GCD heals are for losers", maybe you need to be a bit more active. In the absence of chatting and making a coordinated plan before the pull, you will need to adjust on the fly.

How to play cards

Yes.

It's casual content. You can't assume anyone's try to execute the optimal rotation for their job, and even they are, you can't assume that they aren't horribly drifting buffs and whatnot. And this is to say nothing of the differences that lack-of-level-sync and gearing might cause.

Either you have a third-party tool to tell you what your party mates are actually up to, or you don't. And whatever a guide tells you, you'll still have to adapt it to the party you actually have.

as it turns out the 2022 guide doesn't even exist! I checked it recently and it is entirely empty (literal. There is no text, links, images, or videos).

while it's good to know to adapt, I still want to be informed about what burst windows look like for each job without having to learn them intimately

[AmiableApkallu]

I still want to be informed about what burst windows look like for each job without having to learn them intimately

1. Go to The Balance.
2. Find the job's opener.
3. Identify the one buff or action that defines the burst window.
4. Double check that the buff or action you've identified is present at the level range you care about.

[Rehayem]

Generally what I do is lookup particular job's "burst", and usually it's on Balance discord because they have a visual guide. I use it to have a general idea what to do, and AST is one of those that can get overwhelming at first because there's so much going on.

Depending on the party or raid, I always use the first melee card on melees (DRK if there's one, lvl 90+ only) and build up the seals from there. Since I only do casual content, min-maxing is not really that necessary. As @AmiableApkallu said, you really have to adapt to each situation, each healer is different (and so are people) and there's really no need to stress yourself out with being "perfect". I've had plenty of AST co-healers who never used Divination or cards, plenty of WHM who only used Medica and Cure 1, plenty of SCH/SGE who never used shields. Best way to practice is to throw yourself into the content and later analyze what you could've done better.