It’s also all but a given that the expansion will include at least two new jobs.

[Gemina]

You're already barking up the wrong tree if you're blaming AST for anything. AST is only the symptom of a bigger problem. Part of which I feel SCH is responsible for causing.

SCH was here long before AST. Please don't blame SCH for AST issues. I am more inclined to believe that if AST couldn't be designed in a way that has it stand on its own two feet, it should have been left out.

A healer being very powerful even with a limited skillset is actually pretty damn alarming from a design perspective.

It's not limited. The fairy and unlimited MP pool makes up for what the SCH himself lacks.

Leveling the playing field means you're not pressured to make new jobs to mimic existing jobs. AST came out the way it did because the playing field was not leveled. The devs should have revised how SCH and WHM were designed before even going into the expansion, much less before AST moved from the planning stage to the design stage. Had they done this, AST would then be judged by its own merits rather than by how well it can copy WHM and SCH.

Again, you don't fix what's already working and AST probably should have been left on the drawing board. Paying customers have demands though, and these demands put further constraints on time along with hastened decisions. Introducing new jobs is what rocks the boat, and that's where we are at, and they are about to bring in two more? It's crazy.

Also keep in mind that Yoshida has said they're working on balance across all jobs, not just SCH and WAR.

Funny thing about balance: For one group of people, it's all cheers and shots. For another group of people, it's the start of a long depression. Which end to you think Yoshida's balance will have current SCH and WAR mains land on?