Scholar Melding, Stat Priority, and Consumables — Dawntrail 7.1

This page covers general stat priority and melding information for Scholar. Critical Hit scales quadratically and synergizes with certain actions in Scholar's healing kit, namely Recitation and Adloquium. Determination and Direct Hit both provide linear damage gains, but Determination also provides an equal amount of healing gains. This healing gain is small enough to be ignorable in most cases, but the damage gain between the two is close enough that Determination can be preferable in progression raiding where the healing difference is most likely to matter.

Spell Speed reduces cast and recast time for GCD spells, and it provides linear scaling on DoTs and HoTs. In a vacuum, it provides a sizable amount of DPS, but alignment issues and increased mana expenditures mean that we usually do not want too much of it except for certain highly optimized max Item Level sets. A 2.40 GCD is often a good middle ground while progressing through raids and gearing up, as it allows for very clean GCD alignment on both Aetherflow and Chain Stratagem. Maintaining good GCD alignment for those abilities is preferred in order to prevent them from "drifting" (being unable to use them the exact moment they come off cooldown because they come up in the middle of a cast, causing them to drift farther out of alignment with raid buff/burst windows with each use).

As with all healers, balancing mana economy around your ability and situation is vital to being able to perform your role properly. Because of this, Piety is the most important substat in the game if it prevents you from running out of mana, but there is wasted potential damage if you have too much. If you find yourself running out of mana, be sure that you are using your mana tools wisely. Aetherflow and Lucid Dreaming should both be used on cooldown after the opener with rare exception. oGCD heals have no mana cost and should be used in place of GCD heals when possible. Recitation can also be used on a GCD heal to remove its mana cost. Following this advice will help you reduce the amount of Piety you need to take to heal comfortably.

Scholar endgame sets are located on our Scholar Best-in-Slot page. Some of the decisions in these lists will differ from the generalized information on this page due to stat tier optimization and alignment decisions.

The stat priority for Scholar is as follows:

1. Weapon Damage;
2. Mind;
3. Critical Hit;
4. Piety (to comfort);
5. Spell Speed (to desired tier);
6. Direct Hit;
7. Determination.

Weapon Damage and Mind increase with item level and have a far larger impact than substats. They should be prioritized in most situations. Critical Hit is our most powerful damage substat and should be melded in pieces that can hold more. Piety, as discussed above, is a substat you do not want too much of, and generally, you will not meld it unless you are having MP issues. Spell Speed can easily be avoided in most sets, but you may want to meld to around 2.40 GCD (1212 SpS) as you near max item level if you plan on running a 2.40 endgame set. Direct Hit and Determination provide similar amounts of DPS to us when melded, with Direct Hit slightly ahead, as our gear can not have Direct Hit naturally. Determination can be preferred in progression due to the small healing gain.

Note: Ensure that all consumables you buy and use are High Quality. Normal Quality consumables provide significantly less stats, and Normal Quality potions also have a 30s longer cooldown.

Scholar's preferred potions for DPS are the highest tier Mind potion available. Currently, this is the Grade 1 Gemdraught of Mind. However, it is also recommended that any Healer doing endgame raiding also carries Super-Ethers. Super-Ethers provide an emergency MP infusion that can help recover from a death or casting multiple Resurrections, in addition to allowing you to keep casting during an unoptimized healing check. These do share a cooldown with damage potions, so during progression you should avoid using damage potions until you are ready to push for a clear.

Scholar's preferred food typically gives Critical Hit and then either Direct Hit, Determination, or Spell Speed. Gear sets on our Scholar Best-in-Slot page will always specify what food is being used.