Great idea for ASTRO!

[Eraqus]

Since I'm reading here and there all kind of idea for ASTRO to revamp or to fix or maybe to balance it I'll tell you mine, here and now! I'm sure that not everybody will Iike it but I have long thought on it and it seems very enjoyable and balanced.

I think 1 of the main mechanics of AST it's the Draw ability.
Now the point is this.
Each time you use the Draw ability you gain a Stack that we call it for example Astrological Affinity. Now you can have a maximum of 2 or 3.

Now the use of certain skills require 1 stack of these Astrological Affinity. You ask why. The draw can be used each 30 seconds so it means that you can have for example 2 stacks in 1 minute. Now if you look at our cool down they are for some weird unexplainable reason huge. For example celestial opposition. 150 seconds cool down its ridiculous. Same for collective unconscious (even if it's broke right now ). Synastry too. Our emergency heal, essential dignity. The cool down its ridiculous for a skill like this.
Now the point is this. Comparing it to another similar mechanic, the SCH 's aether flow they get 3 stack each minute. And allows them to use powerful skills with this mechanic. My suggestion is too add a similar mechanic to ast not because I want to' copy ' the SCH but to give it a chance.
I warn you all. Don't expect that square enix will just decrease these skills cool down. Or at least it's what I think but just notice it. With this method the skills will still have a cool down of a minimum of 30 seconds but if u save ur stacks for future moments well it's a lot better. You can cast for example 2 essential dignity in an emergency. And please don't say that if you get to the point to cast 2 essential dignity in a row, ESPECIALLY with AST, it's noobish.

What do u think?

[YuiSasaki]

If I get you right, you want to use a stack of this "Astrological Affinity" to eliminate a CD or rather not trigger one, in order to consume one (or more stacks), right?

I mean, I see where you are coming from, yet I doubt it would be that viable. Sure on ED it might be nice, but what's it good for at Collective Unconscious? In addition even if it would reduce the CD of Synastry I highly doubt that you can have two Synastry effects up at any one given time.

Don't get me wrong I highly recommend you for posting your thoughts and ideas, and especially for taking the time to create these, but.. I don't know..^^

Let's take synastry for example a much better buff to it (probably overkill, so it won't happen) would be to remove the duration of the spell (ppl might condemn me for the following, but: the same mechanic can be found in WoW, called Beacon of Light). Yet IF SqEx would change it that way they'd probably need to nurf it so the healing is not 50%, but rather <25%.

so far

[Eraqus]

I'm taking those skills just as example as I said. It could be everything, else I don't know... But I appreciate other ppl opinion!

[Krixus]

Essential Dignity is awesome for a 40 sec CD. When I had bene on whm i never wanted to use it unless it was last resort, and even then the animation took too long so it would go off after the guy died... So that doesnt need to be changed at all. Having two would be redunculous.

All I can say about the idea's is, they seem to be getting more and more "out there". I'm just happy the players dont balance the game.

[YuiSasaki]

When I had bene on whm i never wanted to use it unless it was last resort, and even then the animation took too long so it would go off after the guy died...

Ah, the good ol' days, have they changed it by now? Or still the same?

[Eraqus]

Essential Dignity is awesome for a 40 sec CD.

R u kidding me? XD

[Kietsu]

Astrologian has some really stupid cooldowns, but Essential Dignity isn't one of them. It's already a better skill than Tetragrammation.

[Kelya]

Astrologian has some really stupid cooldowns, but Essential Dignity isn't one of them. It's already a better skill than Tetragrammation.

This. Essential Dignity is basically a Benediction every 40s instead of the 5 mins of the WHM if used correctly. This spell is seriously more than fine, such as its animation time (do you want the comparison with Benediction for that too ? )

I agree with a lot of things about the AST being lacking, but please stop turning the few advantages of the AST into the "broken abilities" of the job.

[Krixus]

Ah, the good ol' days, have they changed it by now? Or still the same?

I had quit for 6 months, came back, someone told me they patched the problems with benedictions "instant" cast. I was so happy. Thennnn when I got around to using it, it was exactly the same. Has some weird half second delay that other insta's dont.

R u kidding me? XD

And no I'm not, I've healed close to 10k with it.

[Llethander]

I, honestly, would much rather see Benefic/Aspected Benefic have a % chance to refresh, or partially refresh, the cooldown of Essential Dignity. This could, potentially, resolve some of the mana-woes we have by way of a "freecure" thanks to the lack of mana cost on ED as well as give us somewhat more access to "emergency heals".