arcanis.me/_posts/2017-07-01-ffxiv-astrologian.md

category	type	hastr	layout	tags	title	short
en	paper	false	paper	ffxiv, astrologian	FFXIV Astrologian guide	ffxiv-astrologian

This is small paper describes how to play astrologian. Astrologian is stance based healer, which can play-main healer role as well as off-healer one. This guide aims to help mostly 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.

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. Have fun and leave comments under paper.

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. Currently (4.01) it busts 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. Currently (4.01) it busts 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

Skill	Potency	Base HPS (for all party members)	Efficiency	Comment
Benefic	400	160	0.33	Main healing skill if targets HP is above 50-60%
Benefic II	650	260	0.24	Main skill if targets HP is below 60-70%
Helios	300	960	0.67	Main AOE healing skill

oGCD skills

General rule - use them by CD.

Skill	Potency	Comment
Essential Dignity	from 400	Main oGCD healing skill, as soon as it is scales on target's HP should be never used if HP is above 50%
Collective Unconscious	150 * (15 / 3) = 750	See notes below
Earthly Star	720	See notes below
Lady of Crowns	500	See notes below

Stance based skills

General rule - never spam any of it.

Skill	Potency	Base HPS (for all party members)	Efficiency	Comment
Aspected Benefic/Nocturnal	200 (200 + 200 * 2.5 = 700)	80 (280)	0.06 (0.19)	Should be used when you need to shield single target or when you need to heal someone as soon as possible
Aspected Benefic/Diurnal	200 + 140 * (18 / 3) = 1040	416	0.29	Should be used when you need to heal someone as soon as possible, you might wanna keep up it on tanks
Aspected Helios/Nocturnal	150 (150 + 150 * 1.5 = 375)	400 (1000)	0.22 (0.56)	Should be only used to mitigate incoming party damage
Aspected Helios/Diurnal	200 + 40 * (30 / 3) = 600	1600	0.89	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

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).
• 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 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

Effect	Arrow	Balance	Bole	Ewer	Spear	Spire
None	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	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	Good for tanks especially when no CDs left	Can be used for SMN after ressurection or to healer, but better Royal Road it	Never use it, Royal Road or Arcana is your choice	Can be used for physical DPS after ressurection or on TP issues, but better Royal Road it
Enhanced	Bad combination, the only one good usage is BLM buff	The best choice for this improvement, should be always followed by Time Dilation if possible	Good for incoming tank buster, you might wanna Time Dilation it as well	Never use it	Never use it	Never use it
Expanded	A bit worse alternative to AOE Balance, use it if no other choices	The best buff from Astrologian. Should be always used on pull. Don't forget Celestial Opposition it if possible	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	The worst buff you can use	The worst buff you can use	The worst buff you can use
Extended	Same as non-improved version	Same as non-improved version	Same as non-improved version	Never use it	Never use it	Never use it

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/don't want hold it or Royal Road - convert it 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.

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).

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.

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.