Your thoughts on Astrolgian so far?

[Krixus]

Here is a post from a much more positive forum on astro:

AST DPS is probably same as with WHM. Done some speed runs and works great.
You get a similar spell called Gravity (equals WHM Holy!!!)
Malefic II is probably similar damage as Stone III but I have not levelled WHM yet to compare those 2 jobs.
I have also no problem keeping parties full health but it is a VERY TINY BIT harder then with WHM.
It is imo however the most busy and challenging healing job (I was main WHM and SCH before) as I constantly use up to 28 abilities (card control itself are 4 and the 5 new ones are alone 9).
Best part is when you connect yourself to one tank and extend that by 15 sec and again by 5 with the AoE ability.
You can basically take care of 2 tanks a lone (i.e. Bismarck fight).
There is a lot of flexibility in this job.

[Krixus]

Disable -10% next move and 10% shield connected with some Virus and Co. is also powerfull imo (thinking about Primal AoEs or bigger single attacks coming in new Content.
Time Extension works for all buffs given and I suggest putting it at big pulls on a buffed damage reduction Card on tank for better speed pulls.
Lightcasting only on heals for now, since it takes away DPS from Gravity (and you are still limited on global cool down.
Instant Cure**** rocks when you are in DPS mode and let tank drop to low health for big cure up (= can longer DPS).
All Combos have their pro and con. Due to AST being able to buff People with Cards it is imo the better choice. In raids / endgame I can imagine not to DPS much and leave that to SCH or even WHM (depending on how well their new DPS attacks are) and Focus on Cards and healing.
We did some Speedruns with AST BRD BLM and AST MCH BLM and it is just crazy sick.
You definatly Need to do dungeons to get better at playing.

[jars]

at this point it's basically going to be let lowbies get to the actual content and finally realize the numerous problems it has rather than trying to argue with people who think "spear is totally awesome man!". I was planning on leveling my smn after ast anyway, so not going to bother me.

[Ambivalence]

edit: right now ast feels like a scholar without their pet. In fact sch, without their pet, may have some advantages because of aetherflow and damage mitigation skills.

^^^ This all the way - SCH is better at buffing/tank healing/AOE healing/ ect WITHOUT their pet...

[Lycinder]

AST is not a support class. Support class is not a thing. Stop with that. You can't be a support class if you don't even decide which buff you will give your friend.

...What?
Just because it is an RNG support class doesn't make it any less a support class, its a bloody support class plain and simple...I just don't actually get your logic at all there...A buff for party members every 30 seconds definitely a support class makes.
Also the "Lets simplify the cards"...Yeah no definitely don't want that, sure I will give on maybe lowering the cooldown of Draw even though I think its fine but to just crunch two cards with different effects together makes no sense (Especially the Arrow+Spear and the Balance+Bole, I mean thats just....Urghhh)

Ast is a healer based off fast reaction times though, it works faster pace then any of the other healers and that in itself brings a new layer into gameplay.

[Ambivalence]

Pretty sure part of being AST is learning to adapt and deal with the cards you draw. Don't sit there and rely on one popping up, use what you have and use what you get. I'm a bad and only level 48 right now, but I honestly don't have a problem with anything the AST does. I don't always get a card I want, but I don't fret and worry about not getting a specific one.

A self proclaimed "BAD" should keep opinions to themselves. What can you actually contribute to the conversation? You are making assumtions off of no actual experience...

[Lycinder]

A self proclaimed "BAD" should keep opinions to themselves. What can you actually contribute to the conversation? You are making assumtions off of no actual experience...

But she has got the right of it, being able to plan on the fly "Ohh a bole this early better put it on the spread for the tank crunch, Oh I don't need this card but it can be royal roaded to a good effect or even shuffle it for another card" (9 times out of 10 getting the same card though :I)

[Nague]

selene alone has on average better buffs than AST, how is AST a support class?

[Houston009]

Doesn't AST get moves that extends the duration of buffs? I'm unsure if people even leveled up high enough to learn these abilities before they judge their support capability.

[Seryl199]

selene alone has on average better buffs than AST, how is AST a support class?

What about sch/ast pairs where both can buff? I'm not a number cruncher but if ast and sch are both buffing a full party, it could be worth having a sch put in more supplementary heals and dps a bit less. I know, shocking to suggest that the healing role should heal, but fairly baseless speculation without knowledge of the raiding scenario to come.