Why don't astro cards stack?

[HyoMinPark]

Oh and as it seems I can post again:

See my long post above. Diurnal AST HoTs do not stack.

Diurnal AST HoTs do not stack the same way WHM HoTs do. They never have. That's why you don't see two ASTs both in Diurnal Sect for things - one is always Diurnal and the other is always Nocturnal. And that's not because of a "shields are needed" thing either (shields aren't needed for anything other than high-tier Savage and Ultimate); it's because AST regens do not stack with one another. CU’s HoT also does not stack if you have two ASTs. None of their buffs stack, except for maybe Synastry (and I wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t).

I literally just tested this with a friend—we were both Diurnal AST in a party and our regens (both Aspected Helios and Aspected Benefic) overwrote one another’s. They do not stack.

If you think I'm wrong, feel free to test it as well.

[Seraphor]

Well then my memory is fucked.

I distinctly remember doing Chrysalis not too long ago as Diurnal AST. The fight started before I noticed the other AST was Diurnal, and I'm sure they stacked...

[Miminming]

With how limit break being designed you are not suppossed to go with anything that has two people of the same job anyway...

And IF you are saying you dont care about limit break you should care less about wasted ast card... since people can clear most things withouth ast buff anyway

[HyoMinPark]

I distinctly remember doing Chrysalis not too long ago as Diurnal AST. The fight started before I noticed the other AST was Diurnal, and I'm sure they stacked...

You're definitely misremembering. Two ASTs in the same sect have never been able to stack their shields or regens.

With how limit break being designed you are not suppossed to go with anything that has two people of the same job anyway...

And IF you are saying you dont care about limit break you should care less about wasted ast card... since people can clear most things withouth ast buff anyway

Most people can also clear things without LB. Melee LB3 in a party with i400/i405 weapons is only about 360,000~370,000 damage. AST cards are far more valuable. Fairly certain an AOE Balance in the opener alone gives you just as much as that LB3.

[Sunako]

It is same for every single job as well. If you have 2x sch you can not have double chain stratagem at same time or if you have two dragoons you can not stack 2x battle litany or can not stack 2x trick attacks etc.

[LazyTitan87]

You're definitely misremembering. Two ASTs in the same sect have never been able to stack their shields or regens.

I will also confirm. I keep my buffs and outside buffs on two separate frames. When I had another AST go Di after a fight started (so I couldn't switch), his hots would overwrite mine.

Which was really annoying. >.>

[LadyKairi]

Well then my memory is fucked.

I distinctly remember doing Chrysalis not too long ago as Diurnal AST. The fight started before I noticed the other AST was Diurnal, and I'm sure they stacked...

I have mained Ast since it was released, and I’ve raided seriously with it. Can confirm the regens from two diurnal asts do not stack and never did. Was really annoying to deal with when I only wanted to play in diurnal in pugs.

[Yuyuka3]

I can answer your question in one word, TC. It's 'balance'.

[Kaiten_kenbu]

So having 2 Medica II's and 2 Regens on the whole party isn't OP, but stacking astro card buffs is?

Sure, it may be OP for trash and overland mobs, but trials and bosses?

If you're doing .01% damage to a boss, at best with 2 +150% Balances, the damage buff is +30%.

And what is +30% to .01%? .013%. Which is insignificant in the grand scheme of things, not to mention its only for 1 party member.

Besides, even if running content as full party of 8 astros, the total buff to everyone in an optimum situation if Balance cards could stack is +40%, which increases everyone's damage to .014%.

Which again, is still insignificant overall.

Astro cards have never been game breaking or required in any content. They're just there to smoothen the ride to the end.

[ForteNightshade]

So having 2 Medica II's and 2 Regens on the whole party isn't OP, but stacking astro card buffs is?

Sure, it may be OP for trash and overland mobs, but trials and bosses?

If you're doing .01% damage to a boss, at best with 2 +150% Balances, the damage buff is +30%.

And what is +30% to .01%? .013%. Which is insignificant in the grand scheme of things, not to mention its only for 1 party member.

Besides, even if running content as full party of 8 astros, the total buff to everyone in an optimum situation if Balance cards could stack is +40%, which increases everyone's damage to .014%.

Which again, is still insignificant overall.

Astro cards have never been game breaking or required in any content. They're just there to smoothen the ride to the end.

Healing is finite. Two Regens are inconsequential since the tank can't go above their max HP. In most cases, it simply results in an overheal than actually being beneficial. Damage, on the other hand, is an infinite as it never loses value. 10% buff to the party (two balances stacked) is essentially 30s Trick Attacks, which is absurdly strong. Were you not playing back in 3.4 where one Astro could do precisely that? It was laughably broken, and made WHM all but obsolete.