An idea for AST: "Gambler Stance"

[RichardButte]

The AST, as a healer, has an interesting design in that it trades emergency healing options for additional buffs and utility. The issue with that, however, is that we're seeing ASTs have problems when it comes to competing with SCH/WHM for raid spots as most players have concluded that AST just doesn't bring anything to the party that the other healers cannot do better.

This idea was somewhat suggested before (and iterated on a few times), but it was never given its own thread...

Gambler Stance (name completely open for change )

Much like how Noct/Diurn stances cannot be removed when in combat, ASTs would have an additional on/off stance called "Gambler Stance" (GS) that cannot be enabled OR disabled in combat.

When GS is OFF:
-AST would have increased healing potency
-The cooldown on emergency healing abilities (Essential Dignity, Lightspeed) would be reduced
-Maybe the CD on Luminiferous Aether would also be reduced or mana costs would be lower on all spells
-The card buffs would be where they are now or weaker, and maybe cards would have a HoT effect when you cast them

When GS is ON:
-Healing potencies would be where they are now or lower
-Emergency CDs would be where they are or higher
-Card buffs would be significantly stronger than they are now
-Maybe AST's damaging attacks would be MUCH stronger than they are now as well

The idea would be to allow AST players to choose their playstyle, based upon the group they're playing with. If they're going into content with their static, they might want to gamble a bit.

But if they're queuing up for duty finder with a group who may be awful and stand in everything, they're DEFINITELY going to want to play it safe and just focus on keeping people alive.

I hear what you're saying...
"But wouldn't ASTs be the best healers in the game, then?!"

Doubtful. They still don't have the same coverage as other healers, and even if they did, AST can't be made weaker because it's a "hybrid class". If there's anything developers should've noted from other MMOs and their attempts at hybrids, it's that hybrids being straight up weaker than their counterparts means they don't get used in progression content (ie Druids in vanilla WoW).

I'll leave the actual numbers and balancing up to SE (who have the internal damage and healing parsers and whatnot), but this could be a way for AST to retain its unique flavor while not suffering in its ability to perform the role of a healer as a result.

[GideonHighmourn]

I understand the concept you're going for; however, AST would essentially be two classes with very different effects/buffs tied to the various "stances". I'm not saying it wouldn't work, but it sounds like itd be a balancing nightmare. Even now, AST is hard to balance properly because it borrows so much of its healing toolkit (essentially all of it) from SCH/WHM. Which is also what makes it really disappointing, since it really lacks any sort of uniqueness; mashing SCH/WHM together really was a cop out, and kind of leaves AST in a very awkward place because it's not really sure WHAT it wants to be.

It's a neat concept, and I admire the thought you put into it; I'm just not sure adding another sect/stance is what AST really needs, since it already has three (Noct/Diurnal/Cleric) to choose from. Albeit Noct/Diurnal don't really effect much, it's still a lot of balancing between all the possible combinations if you add another two stances.

Again, I'm not trying to say it's a bad idea. I'm just not particularly creative when it comes to stuff like this, and tend to stay away from suggestions/changes for balance.

[RichardButte]

I understand the concept you're going for; however, AST would essentially be two classes with very different effects/buffs tied to the various "stances". I'm not saying it wouldn't work, but it sounds like itd be a balancing nightmare. Even now, AST is hard to balance properly because it borrows so much of its healing toolkit (essentially all of it) from SCH/WHM. Which is also what makes it really disappointing, since it really lacks any sort of uniqueness; mashing SCH/WHM together really was a cop out, and kind of leaves AST in a very awkward place because it's not really sure WHAT it wants to be.

Right, I understand where you're coming from.

I suggest it because the issue I see is that I'm not sure how AST is really going to be hybrid of any kind without some means of switching it on and off.

And like you said, the REAL issue is that AST is still a mashup of WHM and SCH and lacks anything truly unique to it except for the cards.

[Vlady]

5 new threads this day alone. Plus I hope the gambler job is not a healer oriented job if it ever comes to fruition in the future.

[RichardButte]

5 new threads this day alone. Plus I hope the gambler job is not a healer oriented job if it ever comes to fruition in the future.

Well, AST definitely has some gambling elements to it.

Though I don't imagine a full-blown gambler would be a healer, no.

[SuzakuCMX]

Why not just make Noct stance the Gambler stance?

[Ghishlain]

Why not just make Noct stance the Gambler stance?

Yeah, this feels like the best way to entertain this idea if they were going to implement it.

Instead of have so many stances an AST may use (Nocturnal Sect/Diurnal Sect & Gamblers Stance / Not Gambler Stance), might as well try to condense the idea and make the two sects completely different in that vein.

[NorthernLadMSP]

This is a great idea, but not a new one. It's almost identical to what a few other people (myself included) have suggested in other threads.

But, the detail you went into is awesome!