Fix AST's Accessibility Issue

[HyperiusUltima]

I'm just going to write it up here so that it's not going to be drowned in a thread like many other places have.

So, with the expansion the development team was supposed to focus on accessibility more than anything else; as they moved forward, they adjusted NIN, SAM, and SMN in different ways to make them more playable with only balance adjustments to AST.

The problem however is that AST is a bit of a mess in regards to the card system. As much as many healers have said this, there needs to be a fix to this due to how job flow works. They fixed the Job's flow in Stormblood despite it literally destroying WHM in the expansion because they were POORLY HANDLED, and I hope the development team considers the healer community as a whole when I bring this up.

AST is in need of something to break Sleeve Draw's disjointed flow. It heavily disrupts it since at high level play, you're looking at both cards weaved seamlessly to two people in a single Instant GCD. Given how they made Malefic, the argument can be made that you're supposed to use one card at a time per Malefic or healing GCD; I think that rather than put unneeded pressure and not implement old systems during this time it would be a good idea to enforce a 1.5s CD on the Play action.

At the very least it would bring the flow back to it, and not cause all this pressure that's brought on by constant Sleeve Draw with back-to-back card distribution.

The other issue I am wanting to bring up is Controller Accessibility. AST is one of the most difficult for people to play on Controller without Macros, and honestly is required to even macro for people to apply their cards appropriately given the current system used to select down the party list with the Cross Hotbar. I would be greatly pleased if the Development Team could dedicate resources into fixing this issue, since otherwise it can cause clunk in AST's gameplay when having to use Macros all the time.

The easy fix is just bring Royal Road back and its effects. This would solve all Controller issues with AST and also add depth to the job(since sometimes you need to get rid of that Ewer just to get a Spire, Play, then another Ewer) plus solve other issues as well.

[Maeka]

Eh, the problem with Royal Road is that it caused you to fish for certain cards, because some RR combinations were just way better than others. Combine that with the severe disparity between the usefulness of some cards over others and well. Very few cards ever got played, most were either thrown away or used for RR fodder.

At least in Shadowbringers, each card has a 100%, 66%, and 33% chance of being useful for each seal you get towards Divination, though that system isn't without its flaws too (I "love" going 6, 7, 8, 10+ draws without getting what I need).

[QooEr]

Eh, the problem with Royal Road is that it caused you to fish for certain cards, because some RR combinations were just way better than others. Combine that with the severe disparity between the usefulness of some cards over others and well. Very few cards ever got played, most were either thrown away or used for RR fodder.

At least in Shadowbringers, each card has a 100%, 66%, and 33% chance of being useful for each seal you get towards Divination, though that system isn't without its flaws too (I "love" going 6, 7, 8, 10+ draws without getting what I need).

fishing for spread royal road is a 2/3 chance. the current seal system makes you fish more than royal road ever did.

[Risvertasashi]

fishing for spread royal road is a 2/3 chance. the current seal system makes you fish more than royal road ever did.

Also worth pointing out: The current system is not all or nothing. You still get a DPS boost even if you don't get the cards you want.

The old system was all or nothing. RNG might just decide you get no boosts at all.

[MitsukiKimura]

Also worth pointing out: The current system is not all or nothing. You still get a DPS boost even if you don't get the cards you want.

The old system was all or nothing. RNG might just decide you get no boosts at all.

Also pointing out RNG decides if you draw a Melee card or a range card. Had multiple instances where I drew nothing but melee cards when I wanted range or vice versa. It brings out more frustration along with fishing for seals during your opener and during the next time you need to use Sleeve draw. Plain sight this card system is catered to end game minority of players. As in being current state you didn't have stacks of redraw back with the old card system, we have 3 now, chances are getting what you want are much better than what it was back then.

[Risvertasashi]

Also pointing out RNG decides if you draw a Melee card or a range card. Had multiple instances where I drew nothing but melee cards when I wanted range or vice versa. It brings out more frustration along with fishing for seals during your opener and during the next time you need to use Sleeve draw. Plain sight this card system is catered to end game minority of players. As in being current state you didn't have stacks of redraw back with the old card system, we have 3 now, chances are getting what you want are much better than what it was back then.

Yeah, but using a melee card on a ranged is still a DPS boost. And if you don't get the seals you want, you lose 1 or 2% on the aoe boost, but you still get to buff everyone.

On the old system if you kept drawing boles and ewers, you didn't get any DPS buffs at all.

I'm not saying the old system shouldn't return if that's what people want. It's just something to keep in mind. And there certainly was frustration in the old system about getting undesirable cards too.

[Marikya]

fishing for spread royal road is a 2/3 chance. the current seal system makes you fish more than royal road ever did.

I agree with this so much. AST's old card system was less fishing than now. It's so frustrating when you just can't get that last seal.

[Gemina]

I agree with this so much. AST's old card system was less fishing than now. It's so frustrating when you just can't get that last seal.

Why can't you get the last seal? Or do you mean you can't get three different seals? I'll mention two things here. The first is it is so rare for me to not get three different seals by the time divination is up. The second is in those rare instances I have to settle with two different seals, i just do it. The difference between two and three seal buffs are not significant enough to hold onto divination in the majority of content.

You're not really fishing for anything with the new system, or at the least it's been reduced as fishing for balance was something like a 17% chance, while the chance for your desired seal is 33%. My math is not the best all, but I'm pretty sure that speaks for itself about which system has you fishing more. The old system simply had more ways to eliminate the rng with spread, redraw, and royal road.

Both royal road and spread are very likely to never return. At least not the way they once were. They might come back with the same name different guise like how minor arcana was changed. Under the new system, I could see royal road doing something like playing the opposite of what's drawn so in the case you draw a melee or ranged card but that respective role is unavailable, the AST can still play the card without penalty.

Basically, they are more likely to nurture the new system before reverting back to the old based on current issues.

[Risvertasashi]

The second is in those rare instances I have to settle with two different seals, i just do it. The difference between two and three seal buffs are not significant enough to hold onto divination in the majority of content.

This is kind of what I was trying to say earlier in the thread.

If your fishing doesn't work out in the new system, you lose 1% on divination. Maybe 2% if you're phenomenally unlucky. You still get to buff people.

If your fishing didn't work out on the old system, you didn't get to play a card at all.

Now if people want the old system back because it's more interesting - OK. Understandable and relatable. But for those that want it back because they're annoyed at not getting the cards they want... The old system is much harsher when RNG doesn't play nice; going back isn't going to fix it like they want.