So buffs, buff manipulation, speed healing and unique mechanics people would come up with then. At least, that is what I feel sets AST apart and seems to be(I think?) widely considered actually fun about the job.
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Reraise:
Ability: 120s cooldown.
10s duration.
If the target's HP is reduced to 0, they will immediately be restored to 50% health and be afflicted with Weakness. They retain their current enmity, active effects, MP and TP.
This is probably the class to do this. It's both speed-healing and a buff (sorta).
Okay. Let's give this another go then, and to keep the thread alive 'n going.
Sextile
Create a field on target location using the currently drawn arcanum, consuming it. Anyone within the field will be granted the effect of the arcanum.
Radius: 8y.
Duration: 15s.
Cooldown: 60s.
Rather than incorporating this within CU, I feel they would be better kept apart. This way, the AST has more freedom and CU isn't overloaded as a 'be all end all' ability. Could optionally see this together with Royal Road, so it would be very strong with enhanced or extended RR (where as expanded seems to be the go-to right now by most ASTs).
Time Preservation
Manipulates time around the target, extending any beneficial effects by 3 seconds. Effect ends upon using another action or moving.
Range: 30y
Cooldown: 15 seconds.
Duration: 15 seconds.
To emphasize more of the time-manipulation aspect of AST. Instead of simply increasing mp regeneration through drawing Ewer over and over (more Draws/minute) or other methods, or make them deal more damage/do more healing passively, AST gets a CU-like channel that is a bit friendlier and user-centered in use and allow them to do something in their downtime without necessarily having to switch into Cleric Stance.. Given, would be a little complex to use properly and the area between OP and lackluster is a bit small. Basically a less fire-and-forget version of TD, but with bigger payoffs when used properly.
Fated Moment
Recast time and remaining recast time of Draw, Royal Road, Spread and Shuffle are lowered to 1 second. Effect disappears when a drawn or held card is used twice,
Cooldown: 2 minutes.
Duration: 20 seconds.
Basically, you get to go completely nuts with cards for the next 20 seconds but once you use Draw/Spread to buff more than once, the buff ends early. So do exactly that: go wild! Set your spread, set your desired Royal Road, put down an AoE card and prepare another one while it is ticking down! Also maybe no more insane long wait times to get your desired Spread + RR before a pull, maybe?
I agree that something like this would fit AST extremely well, but 120s for what is basically Holmgang on a stick? Yeah, no. 4-5 mins at the very least for this, this is OP even with the weakness debuff.
Anyway, here's my take with a similar concept (though it probably also requires tweaking to not be broken):
Turn Back Time
Ability | Recast: 150s | Range: 15y
Places Temporal Distortion on target party member and all party members around them (Duration: 5s). When Temporal Distortion runs out, and the affected player's HP is lower than their HP when they gained Temporal Distortion, they gain an amount of HP equal to the difference, up to a maximum of 50% of their maximum HP.
Just figured I'd fire a few more over here that would be interseting.
Celestial Congregation - Ability
Recast: 90s
Both Sects can be active at the same time. If Diurnal Sect is active, gain Nocturnal Sect. If Nocturnal Sect is active, gain Diurnal Sect
Duration: 15s
Kismit - Trait
Grants a 25% chance when the drawn arcanum is used with Draw, Spread, or Royal Road, it will reset the recast of Draw.
Tempting Fate - Ability
Recast: 1s
Discards the currently drawn arcanum and gain a stack of "Tempting Fate" up to a maximum of two. Reduces the recast of Draw by 10 seconds for each stack of "Tempting Fate" for a maximum of 20s reduction.
Arcanic Providence - Ability
Recast: 1s
Consumes the current card enhancing effect to augment the AST's healing.
Enhance Consumed: Increases healing potency by 15%.
Extend Consumed: Your next healing over time spell or ability has its duration increased by 9s (If an area of effect healing over time used, all healing over time effects will be extended)
Expand Consumed: Your next healing spell will heal all party members within 6y of the target party member at 50% potency (target of the spell will still receive 100% potency)
Duration: 15s
This thread is awesome.
Really love some of the ideas, not because they are all simply useful but because they capture the flavour of AST.
Ok so I will have a go.
Seventh Gate: Wild (Diurnal)
Seventh Gate: Abyss (Nocturnal)
Naturally ability changes style for each sect, but does the same thing.
Recast: 60s (during this recast time no cards can be added to the Seventh Gate.)
Each time you Cast or Royal Road a card a portion of its power is sealed within the Seventh Gate. (Only works in Combat)
Activate Seventh Gate to unleash all card effects upon a single target for half their original duration. These card effects overwrite all other cards and cannot be overwritten by any other card. Effected by Royal Road. (so can be expanded, extended etc)
So in Diurnal if it stored Spear and Balance, your target would get Wild Spear and Wild Balance. In Nocturnal they would get Abyss Spear and Abyss Balance.
Additional Effect: If all six card effects are stored within the Seventh Gate all cards unleashed by Seventh Gate are effected by Expanded, Extended and Enhanced Royal Road at the same time.
Basically another way to manipulate your buffs and the only way to stack card effects with each other.
I also envision the casting animations change depending on Sect to fit the mood of each ability.
Would it be overpowered as hell? Yes! fun though :D!