--- category: en type: paper hastr: false layout: paper tags: ffxiv, astrologian title: FFXIV Astrologian guide short: ffxiv-astrologian --- Astrologian is stance based healer, which can play-main healer role as well as off-healer one. This guide aims mostly to help new users which just got job crystal and have no idea how to play as astrologian. In other hand I hope some experienced users may find useful some tips as well. Please note I'm not going to describe each skill, so for descriptions and so on please follow [the link](http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/jobguide/astrologian/). # Disclamer As I said this guide does not explain _each_ skill, just does some core skills and their basic usage, so please read skills descriptions first. Also it is not the best guide, but it is just one of point-of-views by raiding healer. This guide does not teach you how to play in casual content (like usual 4-ppl dunges), it aims mostly how to play in end-game content. No pictures (yet?). Guide is actual for 4.05. Special thanks to Nan Talion (Odin) for reading this template and pointing out some shortcomings and vaguenesses. **NOTE** this guide is currently under development. # Stances Astrologian has two stances: * Diurnal Sect Your stance when you are going to play as HoT-based healer, boosts your healing potency by 10% and adds HoT effects to Aspected skills. * Nocturnal Sect Your stance when you are going to play as shielding healer. boosts your healing potency by 15% and adds shielding effect to Aspected skills. # Healing efficiency * `HPS = (Potency * Targets) / max(cast, recast)` * `Efficiency = HPS / MP` ## Main skills * Benefic * potency: 400 * base HPS (for all targets): 160 * efficiency: 0.33 * comment: main healing skill if targets HP is above 50-60% * Benefic II * potency: 650 * base HPS (for all targets): 260 * efficiency: 0.24 * comment: main skill if targets HP is below 60-70% * Helios * potency: 300 * base HPS (for all targets): 960 * efficiency: 0.67 * comment: main AoE healing skill You can see than Benefic - Benefic II window is 50-70%, it depends on several factors: for example, if you need to heal target as soon as possible you would prefer Benefic II. Just try to use Benefic II on as low HP as you (and tank) comfortable - for example, I found that during dancing on Susano Extreme Benefic is more than enough despite the fact that lightning deals damage which is more than 50% of DPS' HP. ## oGCD skills * Essential Dignity * potency: from 400 * comment: main oGCD healing skill; as soon as it is scales on target's HP should be never used if HP is above 50%. Obviously it should be never used _after_ Benefics (exceptions are healing WAR/DRK after their Holmgang/Living Dead in which I prefer Benefic->Essential Dignity->Benefic II combination). * Collective Unconscious * potency: 150 * (15 / 3) = 750 * comment: see notes below * Earthly Star * potency: 720 (fully charged) * comment: see notes below * Lady of Crowns * potency: 50 * comment: see notes below General rule - use them by CD. ## Stance based skills * Aspected Benefic/Nocturnal * potency: 200 (200 + 200 * 2.5 = 700 with shields) * base HPS (for all targets): 80 (280) * efficiency: 0.06 (0.19) * comment: should be used when you need to shield single target or when you need to heal someone as soon as possible * Aspected Benefic/Diurnal * potency: 200 + 140 * (18 / 3) = 1040 * base HPS (for all targets): 416 * efficiency: 0.29 * comment: should be used when you need to heal someone as soon as possible, you might wanna keep it up on tanks * Aspected Helios/Nocturnal * potency: 150 (150 + 150 * 1.5 = 375 with shields) * base HPS (for all targets): 400 (1000) * efficiency: 0.22 (0.56) * comment: should be only used to mitigate incoming party damage * Aspected Helios/Diurnal * potency: 200 + 40 * (30 / 3) = 600 * base HPS (for all targets): 1600 * efficiency: 0.89 * comment: in general you wanna keep it up for party members after incoming AoE damage leaving about 80% on each party member, for example it was my main skill during first phase of A10S and A11S. Avoid use it if party's HP is about full and no incoming AoE damage expected in 10-15 sec General rule - never spam any of it. ## Short notes * As far as you can see Diurnal sect is more powerfull for healing abilities than Nocturnal (but I'm not taking into account difference in healing power though). * Benefic is more efficient than Benefic II, but requires additional GCD, which can be used to pew-pew. * Helios is not such good as Aspected Helios/Diurnal is (unlike WHM, Cure III of which is the best). * Aspected Benefic/Diurnal is even better than Benefic II. # Core mechanics Actually astrologian is not only healer (I think it is even _not_ healer), but it is party buffer. Each buff can be improved by Royal Road. The following table represents basic card usage in my opinion. * Arrow * good choice in case if you don't have balance. Basically the best card for BLM, not bad for other casters (including healers). Please note that frequent usage on resource limited jobs (like physical DPS) may cause issues with these resources (TP for physical jobs, MP for casters). _Does not_ increase DoTs potency. May has some other usages, for example, my co-healer found it is useful if you need to ressurect several people in limited time with no Lightspeed and Swiftcast cooldown * enhanced: not the best combination, in my opinion the best usage is to buff BLM * expanded: alternative to AoE Balance * extended: same as non-improved version * Balance * your main buff, any DPS likes it, but better use it to the best one, because it scales on current DPS value. To be honest in my practice it may cause some agro issues as well * enhanced: the best choice for this improvement, should be always followed by Time Dilation if possible * expanded: the one of the best Astrologian buffs. Prefer to use it on pull. Should be extended by Celestial Opposition it if possible * extended: same as non-improved version * Bole * good for tanks especially when no CDs left * enhanced: good for incoming tank buster, you might wanna Time Dilation it as well * expanded: situational buff, I found it useful on savages tries in minimal item level to mitigate incoming large AoE damage, you might wanna extend MT buff as well, more likely should be never stacked with Celestial Opposition * extended: same as non-improved version * Ewer * can be used for SMN after ressurection or to healer, but better Royal Road it * enhanced: never use it * expanded: never use it. This one is really never * extended: never use it * Spear * any DPS is OK with this buff currently, but better use it to jobs which have crit-based traits - for example, BRD or MNK. Note that it still has less time than Balance or Arrow. * enhanced: mostly jobs with crit-based traits, not such good choice for Time Dilation as Enhanced Balance is. * expanded: alternative to AoE Balance * extended: same as non-improved version * Spire * can be used for physical DPS after ressurection or on TP issues, but better Royal Road it * enhanced: never use it * expanded: never use it. This one is really never * extended: never use it Short notes: * None of these rules (expect for Expanded Ewer/Spire) are mandatory. * Never use macros for cards. * Be sure that card is in CD or you have drawn a card and it is more than 15-20 sec left. If you have drawn one and you see no usages in more than 15 sec - try to convert or hold it (or withdrawal it if no choices). * Additional note to previous one: never let drawn card fade out. * In general Balance is still better than Arrow, because Arrow does not boost DoTs and oGCD skills. In other hand priority of Balance and Spear is questionable. ## Minor Arcana * Never hold it. Lady of Crowns is a good oGCD alternative to Benefic II. * If you don't see usage for current card in 10-15 sec, and can't or don't want to hold it or Royal Road it - convert to Minor Arcana. ## Lightspeed * Very useful when you need to heal and move in one time. * Very useful when you need to spam healing and want to safe some MP. * Should be _never_ used when you are DPSing. ## Synastry Situational skill which should be used when you need to heal several targets, usually the best target is tanking player (during add in A11S, while dancing on Susano EX and so on). Almost useless when you want to increase potency of healing to single target. ## Time Dilation Should be only used to prolong card buffs, but it would be cool if you will prolong other buffs (like Aspected spells) as well. Better usage is to prolong Enhanced card versions, but please note that prolonged buff will not be stacked with your Draw CD anymore. ## Collective Unconscious Should be used to mitigate incoming AoE damage basically by CD. The one of the best usages is on rephases (if there is incoming damage of course), because it can be extended by Celestial Opposition with damage buffs after (in this case be sure that you have already drawn card and ready to buff party). Please note that you need some time to buff being applied, so you need to stay for several seconds. ## Celestial Opposition The one of questionable astrologian skills. In my opinion the only one usage for it is to extend party Expanded buff (like Balance or Arrow). Never use it to extend your own buffs (e.g. Lucid Dreaming). Also I should note that it can be used to stun multiple enemies if it is required by fight mechanics (like A6S adds). ## Earthly Star In short - know fight. Teach your party to stay in circle (it is easy, trust me, just don't heal outsiders). Despite the fact that you basically want to use it by CD, it is better to hold it a bit to heal party during incoming AoE damage. The best usage should be in about 15 sec before incoming damage - so you can detonate sphere in any time and will get maximal healing and damaging effect. ## Sleeve Draw * Should be used by CD. * Should be never used if you have drawn card. * Should be never used if you have Minor Arcana. You _can_ use it if you have holded card or you already have additional effect. # Role skills ## Mandatory * Lucid Dreaming - should be used to restore MP and/or to reduce generated agro. Basically you want to use it by CD. * Swiftcast - must be used for target ressurection. In general it is used to cast skills with cast time more than GCD (Aspected Helios for example). In theory it can be used to cast damaging skills while moving. * Largesse - healing CD. ## Optional * Cleric Stance - damaging CD, should be used by CD mostly, but should be never used if you are going to spam heal. * Eye for an Eye - actually I never used it, but someone may find it useful. ## Situational * Break - the only one usage if you need to Heavy targets, for example, orbs in A6S. Mostly useless for DPS. * Protect - by the way, you can cast Protect and replace it by another skill. Usually one healer in party is enough to have it. * Esuna - has no application in savages and extremes, but sometimes may be useful in casual content. You should have it if there is Doom debuff (like Omega V4). Usually one healer in party is enough to have it. * Rescue - just move knockbacked target to you. The one of usage examples is Susano Extreme. ## Trash * Surecast # The best opener deck * Hold Balance * Royal Road Ewer or Spire * Lord of Crowns * Balance is drawn Never use Sleeve Draw for your opener, let party wait for your deck, trust me, they wanna have good numbers during opener. Expanded Balance should be followed by Celestial Opposition. Balance can be replaced by Arrow or Spear, but they are not so good as Balance is. # Potions and food Get some good HQ Ether potions and Mind ones. Ether can be used to restore your MP (it is probably not so actual with 4.0, but still useful sometimes, for example right after ressurection). Mind potions is a good alternative to Largesse. In other hand you can choose any food you like and comfortable. I would prefer to up crit and spell speed. # Healing and damaging Being a healer you must maximize your DPS and minimize your HPS. It also should be accompanied by 99% uptime (when you cast anything). General tips are: * Never heal to 100%. The only one possible exception is healing tanks before tank buster (I'm not talking about doing mechanics here - like Doom, or Living Dead). Good choice is Aspected Helios with HoT effect. You are good if your overheal is below 20-30% (some overheal is allowed because of HoT effects or if you are going to shield members with full HP). * Know fight and your cast time, try to heal tank right after tank buster. It means that you need to start casting Benefic (II) during tank buster cast, not after. Same for AoE healing. * Use Benefic for spamming. It is more efficient and has Benefic II proc. * If you are main healier - your goal is to heal party, don't hope and don't trust your co-healer, if someone died because of lack of healing - it is your fault. In other hand if someone got additional damage because of mechanics - teach them to heal themselves. * In other hand if you are off healer - healing is not your issue. Ask when your co-healer needs help, and cast some Helios. But shielding tank on tank buster is usually mandatory in this case. If someone dies you are responsible for ressurection. * As I said - know the fight. You don't need to heal party right after they got damage, usually you can wait several GCD (or use Aspected Helios/Diurnal). If they don't do mechanics they will die in this case of course, but it is not your issue ("dead DPS has zero DPS" ©). * Combust II should be always up. Good time to use it - while you are moving - you can't cast anything with castbar, whereas Combust II has insta-cast. * If you have more than 1.5 sec free - cast Malefic III. You probably don't wanna cast it too much having Lightspeed. * For adds in savage content (like A12S) you can use Gravity, it can be accompanied by Swiftcast by the way.