One DoT, one single-target spell that's the only single-target non-DoT GCD, one AOE spell that's the only repeatable AOE GCD.
A heal bomb OGCD, a bad single target heal, the correct single-target heal, a regen effect, an AOE heal that sucks, an AOE heal that's good and has a regen attached, the same raise and esuna spells with the same lore and same flavor and same animation. An OGCD that increase your own healing, an OGCD that refunds mana, another one that refunds mana and is the same for every job and works the same for every job, and OGCD that heals and does damage in an enormous AOE (because god forbid it be possible to miss it).
The only difference between Astrologian and White Mage (and I would argue any healers at all, even if you say there's a meaningful difference between heal bombs and shields is there THAT much of one when you have the same number of spells used the same with the same properties and the ONLY difference is whether or not all the healing is up-front?) is the fact that the thing Astrologian does outside the exact same basic kit every healer has is give pitifully small buffs.
If the buff doesn't hit double digit percentages I don't care.
If the class whose entire gimmick is playing around the whims of fate and sometimes cheating them instead sticks to the exact same things in the exact same order with no room to ever have variation or surprise, I don't care.
I want either less effective heals that come with actual MP gauge management and require me to actually try to keep people alive, and less self-sustain for every job (especially tanks) so that my presence actually means anything at all whatsoever, OR I want more involved DPS rotations/supplemental mechanics. Victory holds no meaning if failure is impossible. This game has catered to people whining that it's too hard ever since Shadowbringers' launch, and every single role has suffered for this - but none as much as healing.
At least back in the day, you could argue that WHM being boring and one-note was fine because it was the Token Boring Healer and AST/SCH got to be fun and have complexity. I am so tired of healer being the same thing no matter what, every time, and each job being a choice of fashion and a minor mechanic that's less important than the same generic spells everyone has AND is so simple you cannot possibly screw it up. Every gauge just plays itself for you. Either hit the button whenever you can, or wait and do what you would have already done anyway and get rewarded for it. There's no decision-making ("when do I use each of the same 4 cards" is not a decision that means anything) and no surprise. No tension, no failure, so success means nothing.
Randomness and being a pseudo-gambler was the thing that made AST fun. Cards had impact and meaning, so getting the right one felt good and winning came because losing was possible. So what's the point now?
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A heal bomb OGCD, a bad single target heal, the correct single-target heal, a regen effect, an AOE heal that sucks, an AOE heal that's good and has a regen attached, the same raise and esuna spells with the same lore and same flavor and same animation. An OGCD that increase your own healing, an OGCD that refunds mana, another one that refunds mana and is the same for every job and works the same for every job, and OGCD that heals and does damage in an enormous AOE (because god forbid it be possible to miss it).
The only difference between Astrologian and White Mage (and I would argue any healers at all, even if you say there's a meaningful difference between heal bombs and shields is there THAT much of one when you have the same number of spells used the same with the same properties and the ONLY difference is whether or not all the healing is up-front?) is the fact that the thing Astrologian does outside the exact same basic kit every healer has is give pitifully small buffs.
If the buff doesn't hit double digit percentages I don't care.
If the class whose entire gimmick is playing around the whims of fate and sometimes cheating them instead sticks to the exact same things in the exact same order with no room to ever have variation or surprise, I don't care.
I want either less effective heals that come with actual MP gauge management and require me to actually try to keep people alive, and less self-sustain for every job (especially tanks) so that my presence actually means anything at all whatsoever, OR I want more involved DPS rotations/supplemental mechanics. Victory holds no meaning if failure is impossible. This game has catered to people whining that it's too hard ever since Shadowbringers' launch, and every single role has suffered for this - but none as much as healing.
At least back in the day, you could argue that WHM being boring and one-note was fine because it was the Token Boring Healer and AST/SCH got to be fun and have complexity. I am so tired of healer being the same thing no matter what, every time, and each job being a choice of fashion and a minor mechanic that's less important than the same generic spells everyone has AND is so simple you cannot possibly screw it up. Every gauge just plays itself for you. Either hit the button whenever you can, or wait and do what you would have already done anyway and get rewarded for it. There's no decision-making ("when do I use each of the same 4 cards" is not a decision that means anything) and no surprise. No tension, no failure, so success means nothing.
Randomness and being a pseudo-gambler was the thing that made AST fun. Cards had impact and meaning, so getting the right one felt good and winning came because losing was possible. So what's the point now?
Continue reading...