Heyho Sage Kabzy,
The Spear changes came unexpectedly. [The old Spear (20%|30% CDreduc.) was great for Sleeve Draw,Lucid Dreaming and Celestial Opposition (NOT 120 sec -> 96|84 sec for 3 new Cards and Royal Road + extend from Celestial Opposition or more mana). (For utility in the dmg Astroaspect.)
Note from me: The AST get a nerf from 4.0. If you look at Luminiferous Aether with 24 Sec. duration and what Lucid Dreaming 21 Sec. You see that the Ast lose one thick and thats 12,5% less mana. But that Aspect can be out played with a better manamangement.
For healing its a bit harder. Collective Unconscious and Synastry (90 Sec -> 72|63 Sec) that hurts much for the Noctunal Astro. Both Talents conter high Burst dmg. If you are in Nocturnal you want want to avoid burst damage. The Problem is that one save CD is gone (RiP Disabel) and the other one (Collective Unconscious) has strict requirements and a high cooldown. (I heard you can not even guess in CU ^^)
The HoT is not important in Noctual for avoiding or nerf burst damage. (Maybe you save mana because less AoE heals, but that part from CU is better in Dirunal stacking HoT and extened with the other HoTs).
All of these aspects were under the shadow of the random factor and not great to see in the eyes from us all, but thats all Utility. Its like bole, nice to have, but tanks musst live without that card^^.
But what does the "new 4.05" Spear to give?? The most can not answer the question, or?! You lose 5% (AoE balance), 10% (normal balance), 15 % (150% balance) as save dmgup and utility (that the most Astro does not want) for what?!
You get a crit Card, wich has the power like an third balance or half arrow and is RNG-based.If you ask me, if that whole thing was a horse-trading. Yes that was it! But the most Astros are / were dazzled by euphoric bards, monks or warriors.
Ast cards changes 4.05 explanation
And I can understand the whole Raidleader from Ultimatestatics, who takes SCH over an Noc. AST after the 4.1 Patch. They don´t want have a "shild" healer, who have lost much Utility and lacking Option to reinforce his shild power.(The group has to adapt to YOU, as an astro, because YOU, as an astro, can not comfort the group, due to the lack of options.)
In addition, the alternative (SCH) has been strengthened. The SCH get cheaper shilds (Adloquium and Succor) and an reinforcement from the shild Succor to an 87% „Aspected Helios“ shild (befor it was only 58,1%). And have other cons (more personal DMG, Buffs (Chain Stratagem,Fey Wind with no RNG) and the Selene/Eos.
And I am already afraid what will happen with 4.2. Either nothing (But the Ultimate numbers are not consistent (like to A8S times)) or ....
Alternative ideas do not come from the community.