.Scholar was the first shield healer introduced in Final Fantasy XIV, way back in A Realm Reborn. It is the polar opposite of the White Mage's pure healing, and it makes use of more advanced planning and resource management.
Scholar shines as a Shield Healer by putting shields on their allies before the damage hits. While it heals their teammates after the damage has been dealt, because a Scholar's healing potency is inferior to that of a Pure Healer, the Shields that Scholars place on their teammates are absolutely necessary when healing alone.
Their shields can also be the deciding factor in whether or not the party will wipe due to a massive raidwide AoE. Scholars must also manage their resources carefully and not waste them, as using all of them prematurely can result in a disastrous run in which the Scholar is unable to cast their powerful Shields or Healers when they are most needed.
This article will highlight ten of the best Scholar's spells to demonstrate how a Scholar can still be effective as a Shield Healer and is an absolute necessity in higher-end content.
10. Fey Blessing
A video describing the strengths of each healers of FFXIV. Scholar's spells in action at 12:15.Fey Blessing is the first healing spell to be introduced in this article, and it is a level 76 healing spell.
Why Fey Blessing is Great:
- First, Fey Blessing can be cast instantly and has no delay in applying its effect. This makes this a good emergency spell for healing the Scholar's teammates.
- Fey Blessing will grant a large healing with a potency of 320 to all nearby party members. It also has a 60-second cooldown period.
- As of the Endwalker expansion, Fey Blessing no longer costs mana or Faerie Gauge, making it a completely free healing spell that can be used whenever it is needed.
Fey Blessing details.
9. Whispering Dawn
A video describing the characteristics of each Scholar's spells. See Whispering Dawn in action at 13:25.Whispering Dawn is the second healing spell to be introduced in this article. Unlike Fey Blessing, however, Whispering Dawn is learned at a low level of 20.
Why Whispering Dawn is Great:
- It can be learned at a low level of 20 and is extremely useful in early level dungeons. Not to mention that it has a short cooldown of 60 seconds and can thus be used frequently.
- This will command the Scholar's summoned faerie or Seraph to grant healing over time with a cure potency of 80 to all nearby party members for 21 seconds. It can also be cast instantly whenever the Scholar requires the regeneration it provides.
- Because this spell is cast by the summoned faerie or Seraph rather than the Scholar, it costs no mana or gauge to cast and is essentially a free healing over time every 60 seconds.
Whispering Dawn details.
8. Indomitability
A video describing what Scholar's spells are best used for and when. See Indomitability in action at 07:48.Indomitability is the third healing spell to be introduced in this article and is again, an instant healing spell. By this time, players may be aware that Scholars’ strengths lies in their instantly casted healing spells and abilities.
Why Indomitability is Great:
- Indomitability is one of the Scholar's most powerful healing spells, with 400 cure potency and the ability to heal all nearby party members.
- It can also be cast instantly, like the previous two spells, making it an excellent emergency healing spell for the Scholar to use. Not to mention that it has a 30-second cooldown.
- While casting it costs one Aetherflow gauge, it is still extremely useful because it increases the Faerie Gauge by 10, which can later be used to cast regen over time for the chosen party member.
Indomitability details.
7. Dissipation
A video describing how to best utilize Scholar's spells in a dungeon. See Dissipation in action at 08:30.Dissipation is the fourth ability to be introduced in this article and is again, can be instantly casted. However, this one has to be used with caution.
Why Dissipation is Great:
- Dissipation is extremely useful when the Scholar's resources are depleted and all healing abilities are on cooldown, as it restores all Aetherflow gauges to full and increases healing magic potency by 20% for 30 seconds.
- However, it must be used with caution because the Fairie cannot be used during the 30 second period, denying the Scholar access to their Fairie healing spells and abilities.
- As a result, Dissipation is a very powerful spell that should be used in conjunction with other healing spells that require Aetherflow gauge or are hardcast, as well as when the Faerie's healing abilities are all on cooldown or should be saved for a more difficult raidwide or Tankbuster.
Dissipation details.
6. Deployment Tactics
A video describing Scholar's healing spells. See Deployment Tactics in action at 08:30.
Deployment Tactics is more of a support ability rather than a healing one, although it directly affects the healing that the Scholar has done.
Why Deployment Tactics is Great:
- It will extend the Galvanize effect cast on yourself or a target to other members of your party. It is advantageous to spread a Scholar's shield.
- It is frequently combined with Adloquium's effect under Recitation, which provides a double shield for the Main Tank. Scholars can use Deployment Tactics to instantly spread the Galvanize shield to all party members without the need to cast Succor.
- It can also be instantly cast, allowing it to be used before or during battle to spread the effect of a Shield that has not been broken to other party members.
Deployment Tactics details.
5. Aetherflow
A video describing every Scholar's spells. See Aetherflow in action at 18:40.
Aetherflow, just like Deployment Tactics, is not an outright healing ability, but rather a support one, but is extremely useful and necessary to use everytime.
Why Aetherflow is Great:
- The Aetherflow Gauge is the primary source of Scholar's resources. This spell grants three gauges, which can be spent on healing spells like Indomitability and Excogitation, or offensive spells that can also restore mana like Energy Drain.
- As a result, using Aetherflow will grant Scholars a plethora of new abilities that can only be accessed and used with Aetherflow gauges provided with the Aetherflow ability.
- Using this ability will also restore 20% of the Scholar's MP and has a cooldown of 60 seconds. It is absolutely necessary to use Aetherflow whenever it comes off cooldown in order to gain access to new spells and regain MP.
Aetherflow details.
4. Chain Strategem
A video describing how to deal damage as a Scholar. See Chain Strategem in action at 12:05.
Chain Strategem is the first and last offensive spell to be introduced in this article, and is a really powerful and necessary ability for both the Scholars and their party members.
Why Chain Strategem is Great:
- Chain Strategem is the key point spell that transforms Scholar into a healer capable of providing party utility in addition to heals, shields, and damage.
- When Chain Strategem is cast on an enemy boss, it grants them a debuff that increases their chance of receiving critical hits by 10% for 15 seconds.
- This will allow the Scholar and their party members to deal more damage to the boss by increasing their chances of landing a critical hit. It is an extremely useful ability that can be used both during the opener and with potions.
Chain Strategem details.
3. Recitation
A video describing Recitation. See Dissipation in action at 00:05
Recitation is the bread and butter to a successful healing and shielding of the Scholar’s abilities to their party members.
Why Recitation is Great:
- It is a very useful ability that allows the Scholar to use Adloquium, Succor, Indomitability, or Excogitation without using any resources (Mana for Adloquium & Succor, and Aetherflow Gauge for Excogitation and Indomitability).
- It is a very useful spell that allows the Scholar to cast any of these useful spells for free, potentially saving the Scholar from running out of resources or even MP.
- Not to mention that it will ensure that critical HP is restored. Because Adloquium provides an additional shield when critical HP is restored, it is a very useful spell to cast on the Tank before spreading Galvanize with Deployment Tactics.
Recitation details.
2. Expedient
A video describing Expedient. See Dissipation in action at 00:01.
Expedient is the last spell that a Scholar can learn as of right now, with the spell itself which can only be unlocked once the Scholar hits level 90, the current maximum level of Endwalker expansion.
Why Expedient is Great:
- Expedience increases all party members' movement speed by 10 seconds. It may appear ineffective at first, but it is extremely useful in high-end raids where running to each member's assigned location is critical. Expedient will enable each party member to arrive at their destination quickly without using Sprint.
- It also grants the Desperate Measures buff, which reduces damage taken by 10% for 20 seconds. It will greatly benefit all party members because they will take less damage when hit by a raidwide or an AoE that they were meant to absorb.
- It is useful before a raid wide to allow players to quickly reach their assigned spots and to help reduce damage taken afterwards when all healers are separated or too busy to cast another spell.
Expedient details.
1. Summon Seraph + Consolation
A video describing Summon Seraph. See Summon Seraph in action at 00:01.
Summon Seraph and Consolation are inseparable since Consolation is only available to be used under the Summon Seraph spell.
Why Summon Seraph + Consolation is Great:
- Summon Seraph will summon the Scholar's ultimate pet, Seraph, on the field for 22 seconds, replacing any other Faerie summoned previously during the time limit.
- Consolation will command the Seraph to restore the HP of all party members with a cure potency of 250, as well as to provide a magical barrier that will nullify damage equal to the amount of HP restored.
- Summon Seraph and Consolation can both be cast instantly. Not to mention, Consolation has two stacks that can be used when Seraph is on the field, giving the Scholar free 500 cure potency and shield equaling HP restored when Seraph is on the field.
- This will undoubtedly be the Scholar's most powerful shield for their allies. It is extremely useful to be casted when facing hard-hitting AoEs, especially when movements are required, because Consolation can be casted instantly and thus can be used even while the Scholar is moving to solve mechanics.
Summon Seraph + Consolation details.
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