Raid DPS Contribution is IMPORTANT

[Veis_Alveare]

Just because Chain and Cards exist doesn't mean they're going to be contributing the same amount of damage.

With the lack of emphasis on synergy I can't imagine you'll be able to get as much out of chain specifically.

I understand the pessimism that comes with how let down WHM mains have been in the past but let's not lose our minds until we see what the cards and chain do

[HyperiusUltima]

Just because Chain and Cards exist doesn't mean they're going to be contributing the same amount of damage.

With the lack of emphasis on synergy I can't imagine you'll be able to get as much out of chain specifically.

I understand the pessimism that comes with how let down WHM mains have been in the past but let's not lose our minds until we see what the cards and chain do

Chain is probably still going to stay meta, unless they SIGNIFICANTLY reduce its Crit %(I'm talking down to 5% instead of 15%). As for AST Cards, They said something about roles. We'll have to figure out the typology regarding which cards go where when drawn. With an even stronger emphasis on single buffing instead of AoE, we need to look at what WHM brings on the 29th when Press Releases happen. The big worry for everyone waiting is that SE didn't actually fix the problem, and instead overtuned AST/SCH comp again since SCH already has more than enough tools to handle just about anything right now.

Secretly, the only thing I hope for is that Shields are in fact a Max HP %(Like 10-15%) instead of a flat number that can mitigate Omega's Savage Delta Attack without Tank LB3 and significant party mitigation.

[Hustensaft]

Chain is probably still going to stay meta, unless they SIGNIFICANTLY reduce its Crit %(I'm talking down to 5% instead of 15%). As for AST Cards, They said something about roles. We'll have to figure out the typology regarding which cards go where when drawn. With an even stronger emphasis on single buffing instead of AoE, we need to look at what WHM brings on the 29th when Press Releases happen. The big worry for everyone waiting is that SE didn't actually fix the problem, and instead overtuned AST/SCH comp again since SCH already has more than enough tools to handle just about anything right now.

Chain Stratagem is numerical weak, that is an undeniable fact. It's around a 1-1.25% increase to raid DPS in 4.5 gear, in the earlier patches with lower crit damage multipliers, it's even less then that. In potency terms, you're looking at somewhere between 600-800 potency per minute to equal whatever gain Chain Statagem has. Black Lily seems to be very capable of doing that.

And just to do the math for you: Chain Stratagem at 5% would be a hideous 0.33-0.42% raid DPS gain in 4.5 gear. That's roughly 200 to 266 potency per minute...

[Veis_Alveare]

Chain is probably still going to stay meta, unless they SIGNIFICANTLY reduce its Crit %(I'm talking down to 5% instead of 15%). As for AST Cards, They said something about roles. We'll have to figure out the typology regarding which cards go where when drawn.

You have to consider Chain outside the context of well-coordinated synergy, though. If they're to be believed there won't be the same level of coordination available to us. We already know brd lost its own passive crit buff and also doesn't benefit from crit in nearly the same way that it once did.

If the meta becomes a few high damage jobs executing their bursts when available (likely with a DNC buffing one of them) Chain won't give best the same value that it does now even if they buffed it's actual numbers.

I agree, cards are a mystery.

[Fyce]

Chain is probably still going to stay meta, unless they SIGNIFICANTLY reduce its Crit %(I'm talking down to 5% instead of 15%). As for AST Cards, They said something about roles. We'll have to figure out the typology regarding which cards go where when drawn. With an even stronger emphasis on single buffing instead of AoE, we need to look at what WHM brings on the 29th when Press Releases happen. The big worry for everyone waiting is that SE didn't actually fix the problem, and instead overtuned AST/SCH comp again since SCH already has more than enough tools to handle just about anything right now.

Secretly, the only thing I hope for is that Shields are in fact a Max HP %(Like 10-15%) instead of a flat number that can mitigate Omega's Savage Delta Attack without Tank LB3 and significant party mitigation.

Don't forget that if crit behave the same way it did in Stormblood, it definitly won't be as good of a stat after Shadowbringer launches. Direct Hit was king at the start of SB for that very reason.
Plus, if we consider TP being gone, Chain and Litany being nerfed, and jobs like Bard not caring about crit anymore, you might very well see SkS/SpS become way better than they were before.

In short, it's quite likely that we might let crit on the side for a few months after ShB's release.

[HyoMinPark]

you might very well see SkS/SpS become way better than they were before.

I personally find this unlikely for any job that has a lot of oGCDs to handle. Purely because of risk of clipping with too much Skill Speed. With the way SkSpeed/SpSpeed work now, it’s likely it’ll remain the same going into ShB; jobs that can favor it will take it and jobs that don’t want it won’t (or they’ll take just enough to hit a certain threshold and then no more).