Astrologian Cards Can't Be a Coin Flip: A petition

[Anatha]

Yes, it should. Why on earth would you advocate for closed mindedness simply because something is different?

I think you ought to extend that logic to its conclusion. It's an unhealthy mindset.

[Cled-cat]

The new AST cards are incredibly lacklustre and boring by the sounds of it... why fix something that wasn’t broken? If people want to fish for AoE balance, then let them. I however always preferred the AST’s who use Boles on squishy tanks, Ewers on those who need MP etc. It adds so much more fun to the game. It really was the only thing that made AST unique imo, but now that’s been stripped down massively. Taking away all that choice is pretty bad...

[Melorie]

Yes, it should. Why on earth would you advocate for closed mindedness simply because something is different?

I think you ought to extend that logic to its conclusion. It's an unhealthy mindset.

No? I'm talking about a change in a game, and how a game plays, and it's completely normal to find a change bad. I shouldn't welcome it just because it's something different when it's a boring and bad different.

You want to apply this whole "oh it's new! maybe it's good!" in other aspects of life, fine. We're talking about a game though. Not all types of entertainment are good, you shouldn't welcome something that looks (and on this case, you have enough info to make that judgement) boring just because it's different.
Something different is just that: something different. That doesn't mean that it's good and I should try to like it.
I mean at this point I SHOULD because SE made it my only option. I already had the boring and bad option, which was WHM. Now I can't even choose to not accept this new thing, because if I want to play a heal role, I have to accept these changes and most likely pay a netflix subscription so I don't sleep while playing.

[Veis_Alveare]

The new AST cards are incredibly lacklustre and boring by the sounds of it... why fix something that wasn’t broken? If people want to fish for AoE balance, then let them. I however always preferred the AST’s who use Boles on squishy tanks, Ewers on those who need MP etc. It adds so much more fun to the game. It really was the only thing that made AST unique imo, but now that’s been stripped down massively. Taking away all that choice is pretty bad...

That's all well and good but you can't expect the game to be balanced around what is suboptimal play at the end of the day. It's kind of like saying you like SCHs who keep shields up on the party 100% of the time; will that occasionally result in saving someone from a death? Sure! Is it the best use of their time? Literally never.

The best thing for an AST to do was fish for a balance, preferably AoE. If you didn't get one Spear was really the only comperable option, Arrow was significantly less impactful and actually potentially a negative for classes like MCH, MNK, NIN and PLD. Bole, Ewer and Spire were basically RR or minor Arcana fodder.

Having this predetermined use of cards meant that there were few situations in which you drew something and didn't reflexively know what to do with it. It made cards in dungeons almost more interesting than cards in raids if only because you would sometimes have a use for one of the garbage cards even if things weren't going horribly.

The things that make AST unique now are increased mobility and weaving potential with Malefic III, consistent rDPS buffs to single targets, the entirety of Essential Dignity (which is one of the most interesting healing CDs in the game) and Earthly Star (which sits right behind ED in that same tier) sooo... it's still definitely unique and has its own signature kit, it's just that that kit doesn't revolve around Balance anymore.

Which is a good thing.

I have to accept these changes and most likely pay a netflix subscription so I don't sleep while playing.

Anyone who needs a Netflix sub to heal isn't a good healer.

[Nyvara]

ah man, they ruined my basketball gambler class. playing the card part was the most fun part of astrologian for me, and now its lame. A fantasy game isnt all about balance, simplicity and consistency. Its also about fun and engaging gameplay. Theme of astrologian is luck, time and fate. This is dumb

Of all the complaints this one made the most sense. I enjoy AST and yeah a lot of times you get really crap draws but hey that's what was in the stars for that run, oh well!

The changes aren't terrible Heck they seem pretty good. But there was more to the theme than just drawing cards.

[Averax]

While i don't really like what they've done to the card effects themselves, equalizing them is just a way for them to bring ast down off its utility pedestal

[MsQi]

Yes, it should. Why on earth would you advocate for closed mindedness simply because something is different?

I think you ought to extend that logic to its conclusion. It's an unhealthy mindset.

Why are you choosing close mindedness? You seem to be taking the noncritical stance that "change is good", as opposed to the equally noncritical stance that "change is bad". Further opposed to actually looking at a change and judging it on its merits. The OP has actually presented reasons for her stance and specifically stated why she feels this is a bad change. She is not just saying "change is bad", but looking at the change and evaluating it.

[Melorie]

Anyone who needs a Netflix sub to heal isn't a good healer.

Well, if pressing 211111211111121111 and throwing a heal here and there really grabs your attention and keeps you interested, I'm glad for you.

[Raikai]

I agree.

I understand the non-balance cards were (in an optimal playstyle) unwanted, but instead of making everything balance, why they couldn't come up with new interesting effects instead?

Okay, keep the damage buff, but at least add another flavor to the cards. Stuff like run speed increase, or spell interruption protection, or a regen effect... anything that is not related to +damage.

[Jijifli]

From all the discussion we can take away the following:
People who care mostly about party dps optimization are happy with all the changes to Astrologian, and players who like having situational support available(if card draw is being generous that is) are not. Before 5.0 it was the other way around, so really it's impossible to make everybody happy at this point.

I care a ton about dps optimization.

I hate this new system and I'm glad I commited towards BLM for ShB instead. If I wanted to play a boring job I would'a been playing WHM for the past 5 years (Yes, I find WHM boring, even the new changes make it look boring to me.)