Astrologian - do you really want to rely on RNG in your group healer?

[Felis]

The cards are not random, the destiny give you the cards.
If bad cards or good cards, it is all destiny. But you can manipulate your destiny.

[NorthernLadMSP]

Apparently, OP knows nothing about AST because RNG plays absolutely NO part in their healing ability.

[FoxyAreku]

What part of an astrologian's healing kit relies on RNG?

[Felis]

What part of an astrologian's healing kit relies on RNG?

There is a proc

[FoxyAreku]

There is a proc

That isn't actually needed to accomplish anything. Lets not nitpick. :P

[Razard]

Hold on, crits are across all classes...

So not only do you not know how AST works, you don't know how SCH shields work.

Gg thanks for the party.

[Miste]

Absolutely - so the question begs: why go to all that rng messing about with the class if you don't really need it?

It just comes across as impractical in an intense full group scenario where you've got all kinds of aoe patterns, adds/boss mechanics, dynamic player movements - and in the middle of this, the card mechanic is to pull something out of the lucky dip bag for a small random effect? When your probably very hectic time could be spent doing far more effective actions for the group.

No, it's gimmicky.
Nothing against the idea of the six boons, but the call up mechanism needs looking at again by the devs.

After looking at your lodestone you don't currently even have AST (or any other job actually) at max level which is level 60.

So no offense but you haven't actually done enough with AST or other healers to really make a case for what you are trying to say here in all your posts.

Which "intense full group scenario" are you talking about here (you're not even level 60)?? As someone who raids savage on AST, which is the hardest content in the game right now, I don't see these issues with AST that you are trying to make here.

I feel like you haven't played AST long enough to make these claims. I suggest you keep playing AST (and WHM too if you want , they are both great healers and fun in their own ways; I mained WHM before AST came out) and then when you get to 60 and play the job more and in more content you might see AST in a different light and learn all the things it can bring.

Drawing cards might be "hectic" to you now, but its because you need more practice which time and experience will bring you (I can draw, hold, royal road, or use cards while dodging mechanics very easily now that I've played AST for so long). It took me some time too until it was second nature to use my cards. All card abilities are off global cooldown so you can weave them in between spells.

Anyway just keep playing and get to 60 instead of posting on the forums that AST is all wrong. If you get to 60 and play a lot and still see this as a problem then I respect your opinion but it seems most others don't share it.

[Miyha]

Since people have already taken thorough care of this subject matter, I'll just say this:

Wanna have a heal-off, OP? ;> Let's see who's better able to keep the party alive. Parse DPS too while you're at it, because WHM can't do shit to boost party DPS while AST can in several ways. A skilled AST is superior to a WHM by far, even with the "RNG" element. The trick is learning correct card/CD management. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have been the one to rescue a run over my WHM healing partner.

EDIT: This isn't to mention that, ya know, AST's healing power has NOTHING to do with RNG... That is purely about knowing how and when to use cooldowns and properly gauge a fight's required HPS. Do you actually heal, OP? Because if you think that an AST's power as a HEALER is dependent on RNG, I'm not sure I even want you as my off-healing WHM partner...

[AlphaFox]

I personally love AST and my cards, sure I may never get what I need when I need it but it can make recovery quite nice for some. Especially when your sitting on an Enhanced and your co-healer goes down and you draw a Ewer (or DPS with Spire). May not be the biggest but it surely helps in getting them back in the game quicker. Throw away the cards and I would still consider us a capable healer.

[Parodine]

I like Astrologian because like others have said, I feel like I fit nicely with another WHM, SCH, or even AST fairly easy in ways were often double WHM is over healing with regens or SCH shields not stacking.

The cards are a nice bonus thing to do in between healing and can sometimes offer substantial bonuses for a trial or dungeon. Or sometimes you get all spires. That's the really only RNG element. Now that they've changed shuffle's mechanics, it's much less likely. Although I've gone from Spire -> Ewer plenty of times.

Astrologian started in a poor place, no doubt. But right now I think it's in a great place personally and find it fun.