Question from a new player - can AST change back to what it was before ?

[Seraphor]

Sorry but Bole was great for increasing DPS by reducing the need for GCD healing and Ewer was great for MP maintenance especially in 24 man or dungeon content allowing you to better withstand people going down or enabling you to DPS more. They were not detrimental at all but a straight boon.

You misunderstand me.
Of course their effects were beneficial, but relying on RNG to access them was not. We now have Celestial Intersection, and a more effective Lucid Dreaming.
Potencies could do with tweaking still, that's ASTs main problem now across the board, but the reliability of these skills is much better than hoping you draw a Bole or a Ewer.



There is really no effective difference to choosing between ranged/melee or crit/speed.

If you had a BRD/MNK/NIN, then you're giving them Crit.
If you had SAM/BLM, then you're giving them Speed.
The rest? Doesn't really matter, redraw for a chance at a Balance or just use Spear/Arrow on them anyway.
There's no superior decision making taking place. The effects of increase Crit/Speed might have 'felt' better, but for entirely irrational reasons, you weren't the one receiving the boost.

All of this "choosing between ranged/melee is trash" is utterly disingenuous, salty overdramatisation. It's just different targets, that's all.