5.0 AST is a failure

[KanameYuuki]

The more days that pass the more baffled I'm by this, even worse since I decided to level WHM and SCH to 80, I just don't get it.

You could ask any player what was the class that kit was perfectly made in SB and I'm sure AST would be the answer for many, how can anyone decide to ruin what they had accomplished, I know I sound super hyperbolic and that there is no way we will go back to SB's AST but this job was the reason I even decided to play this game, the first thing I did when reaching HW (Rushing ARR)was to unlock AST and play it exclusively for good knows how many months, I didn't even bother to play any DPS or Tank and here we are. If you don't like RNG go play something else, I don't go around asking for the removal of tools on other jobs.

And no just AST, I love playing coop games and hate how selfish they made every DPS, I loved Goad / Refresh / Mana shift, etc. Now if you play DPS you have absolutely no reason to look at your party list besides maybe for a buff that needs another player. What a f****ng bummer.

Patch can't come soon enough.

[Gestahl-Beoulve]

The more days that pass the more baffled I'm by this, even worse since I decided to level WHM and SCH to 80, I just don't get it.

You could ask any player what was the class that kit was perfectly made in SB and I'm sure AST would be the answer for many, how can anyone decide to ruin what they had accomplished, I know I sound super hyperbolic and that there is no way we will go back to SB's AST but this job was the reason I even decided to play this game, the first thing I did when reaching HW (Rushing ARR)was to unlock AST and play it exclusively for good knows how many months, I didn't even bother to play any DPS or Tank and here we are. If you don't like RNG go play something else, I don't go around asking for the removal of tools on other jobs.

And no just AST, I love playing coop games and hate how selfish they made every DPS, I loved Goad / Refresh / Mana shift, etc. Now if you play DPS you have absolutely no reason to look at your party list besides maybe for a buff that needs another player. What a f****ng bummer.

Patch can't come soon enough.

The AST card system design in SB was like SE catching lightning in a bottle. I, too, am confused why they would have shot themselves in the foot by throwing it out the window just to please a handful of intellectually handicapped player base.

[Jollyy5]

I'd say the old card system was far from perfect, but it was still more pleasant and sensible to use than the current mess, not to mention how under tuned the card buffs are now.

[Brarry]

I mained AST for 3 exp. (including current shb endgame). Ast as it is is no longer ast. The cards the skills and the lore have all been removed. I stopped playing AST because from my personal experience it is no longer Astrologian. And the current iteration is not fun to play. The only thing that makes it ast is the special effects. I've stopped my subscription until I see better healer changes

[Allegor]

In every dungeon I get 2 melee/ranged DPS I hate more and more that dumb division...heck, in raid roulette chances are the only melees around are the tanks and here I am [re]drawing nothing but Arrows and Balances. Enjoy your subpar buffs, casters!

[NorthernLadMSP]

Unpopular opinion, but AST isn't as bad as people make it out to be.

However, there are three changes I'd like to see.

Divination - Buff percentages to 4%, 6% and 8% and reduce CD to 120 seconds.

Celestial - Either buff the initial heal or reduce CD to 60 seconds. Personally, I'd rather see the CD at 60 seconds. Add in a 1,000 MP restore.

Horoscope - Make it act like Plenary Indulgence in that the extra heals are automatic.

[LukaRoselia]

My suggestions
The cards: Remove the annoying melee/range mess.
Arrow- 10% damage and 5% attack speed/recast
Bole- 10% damage and 10% damage mitigation
Spear- 10% damage and 5% critical hit
Spire- 10% damage and 5% direct hit
Ewer- 10% damage and mana regen
Balance- 10% damage and 5% increase to all main stats.
Lord: 10% damage and applies damage over time on enemy hit
Lady: 10% damage and applies regen for duration
Sleeve draw: Should not have a time duration.
Divination: Should not have a cool down. Once we have 3 seals it should be available to use.

Seals: We should have different combinations.
1 of each seal should stay the same. Gives damage buff.
3 celestial seals: attack speed buff
3 lunar seals: critical hit buff
3 solar seals: damage mitigation buff
2 solars and 1 lunar: direct hit buff
2 lunars and 1 solar: aoe regen
The combinations are endless. Square can totally milk this specific gameplay so well if they wanted too. Since we can’t aoe cards anymore. They should be more powerful on single targets.

Healing potencies are fine to me but nocturnal sect is so bad right now. Why don’t they just remove the sects and make neutral sect the standard. Just lower the potencies or the shield and regen and remove the 20% healing buff. Also the shields won’t stack when you have another ast but the regents will. Just my suggestions.

You've just given an absolutely perfect fix in my opinion because that sounds fantastic.