Ast cards 6.0 rework

[MitsukiKimura]

People like that are why we have the current card system, which most AST mains dislike very much compared to the old system with its variety that didn't always contribute directly to dps, but contributed more to our adaptability (which the class was really created for -- to be able to compliment WHM or SCH in a party setting), and more importantly contributed to our sense of being able to make any sort of group successful.

The other component of AST -- the time-related ones like buff extensions and AE stun -- were also important to the job's identity, and making us feel like we could contribute even if it wasn't through personal dps.

Folks who don't play the job, or who never played it enough to learn that "fishing for balance" wasn't as fun or productive as learning how to use the old card system, cannot fully appreciate how special AST used to be.

Exactly how I feel about it. If they honestly can't make up their minds, then why not give us the option to choose between what divining deck we want? It would allow the parsers to keep their balance deck and we could have our fun back with our old deck just with a few minor nerf changes to the balance card, shire to direct hit and etc? With the way classes are getting buffed with their DPS, its literally all about how fast you can kill it. I don't see how that's fun, I honestly don't.

[AdamFyi]

With the way classes are getting buffed with their DPS, its literally all about how fast you can kill it. I don't see how that's fun, I honestly don't.

From what I remember, fishing for Balance really only mattered at the highest levels of play — usually people speed running fights. Some people enjoy that aspect of the game, so who am I to judge what people find fun? Anyway, I’ll put that aside and won’t elaborate further on that.

I’d like the devs to at least look into the card system and do something about how annoying it is to target people for cards especially on controller. Its current iteration isn’t fun nor satisfying to play. The old system was miles better in this regard because you had to be a little more thoughtful with where and when to use certain cards and if the situation calls for it. Meaning it was slower paced compared that we ended up getting. The current opener and Sleeve Draw really sucks.

[Bobsmiaw]

Healing and Mitigation wise, I think AST is already balanced with WHM and SCH.
I mean we can survive without RNG mitigation/healing tools in our card because we have CU, CO, CI, and Neutral Sect.
Thus, I propose to change the card system like below.

Both Redraw and Seals are no longer available to prevent fishing.
AST now have a card rotation which forces us to play all 6 cards (someone already mentioned this idea). The card rotation finisher is Sleeve Draw.
How does it work? Check below:
- 1st draw: obtain Bole (you can obtain all card)
- 2nd draw: obtain Arrow (you can obtain all card except Bole)
- 3rd draw: obtain Balance (you can obtain all card except Bole and Arrow)
- All continue until the 6th draw which is one last card
- Sleeve Draw is unlocked upon using the last card
- Use Sleeve Draw for party buff and reset the rotation
Job gauge will be changed (showing cards symbol that already used).
The gauge keeps all used card lists even if we die, so we can continue the card rotation after getting revived.

Draw will focus more to Offensive Support:
- Balance: +10% Direct Hit
- Bole: +10% Determination
- Arrow: +10% Skill Speed
- Ewer : +10% Spell Speed
- Spear: +10% Critical Hit
- Spire : +10% Cooldown Reduction (still not sure for this one?)
All buff duration are 20 sec (the potency can be adjusted if it is too strong/weak)
CD: 20 sec (120 sec per rotation)

Sleeve Draw will reset the card rotation and grant Fortune Star buff to all party members.
Unlocked after using all 6 cards.
Fortune Star: 5% damage buff for all party member (15 sec)
No longer have a long CD or only 1 sec CD

Minor Arcana will no longer convert a drawn card but draw either Lord/Lady (separate gauge):
- Lord: 400 potency Damage to target and surrounding enemy
- Lady: 80 potency DoT to target and surrounding enemy (15 sec)
(The potency can be adjusted if it is too strong/weak)
Recover 10% MP upon drawing Lord/Lady
CD: 60 sec

Divination will be a time manipulation skill.
Increase Card and Fortune Star buff duration by 10 sec.
Reset CD of both Draw and Minor Arcana.
CD: 240 sec

With this change, the dev can easily balance AST while retain different effect on the card system.

[HyoMinPark]

If you fished for balance all the time, you were sub par at AST.

I would say that it’s less Rai is sub-par at AST—he was a 99 percentile AST prior to ShB, so his play isn’t sub-par at all. The issue is that he’s considering AST only from the speedkill mentality—which, as I have said numerous times before: more people clear Ultimate than people who competitively speedkill. Balance or Bust only mattered at the cut-throat, competitive speedkill level. It didn’t matter everywhere else, and plenty of people enjoyed the old card system for what it was (including myself). This new system? The fact that there are so many new proposals for it on a near-daily basis speaks for itself.

[YusiKha]

Any card system that has a card that increases all damage by a flat percent will always be flawed.

Damage increase is objectively the strongest buff you could grant and is useful to all jobs.

If you want to make adjustments to the card system start by removing that damage buff.

You can still have Crit buffs, Direct Hit buffs and Sp/Sk speed.

But, my dude, Crit and DHit increase damage by a flat perentage. It's 'random chance', but still damage increases.
Haste is job-dependent, but still just a damage increase.

[Rai_Takara]

If you fished for balance all the time, you were sub par at AST.

That tells me you don't understand how to play AST well. You fished for balance unless you needed an ewer or bole in some freak recovery scenario that happened 1/10 pulls at best. Otherwise yes, you fished for balance and tried to make it AoE balance or you put one on the highest dpsing player.

I would say that it’s less Rai is sub-par at AST—he was a 99 percentile AST prior to ShB, so his play isn’t sub-par at all. The issue is that he’s considering AST only from the speedkill mentality—which, as I have said numerous times before: more people clear Ultimate than people who competitively speedkill. Balance or Bust only mattered at the cut-throat, competitive speedkill level. It didn’t matter everywhere else, and plenty of people enjoyed the old card system for what it was (including myself). This new system? The fact that there are so many new proposals for it on a near-daily basis speaks for itself.

Correct wrt mentality but I'd describe it as efficiency rather than just speeds. However I played AST in prog and PFs too as well as dungeons and so forth. You always focused on balance until you needed something else. Really depends on the group you find yourself in (you either are trying to boost their damage or keep them alive). Really I only remember playing aoe boles and st ewer when recovering from healer deaths.

While the speedrunning community is small, it is still one SE cares about, so any changes to jobs keeps that in mind.

[MitsukiKimura]

That tells me you don't understand how to play AST well. You fished for balance unless you needed an ewer or bole in some freak recovery scenario that happened 1/10 pulls at best. Otherwise yes, you fished for balance and tried to make it AoE balance or you put one on the highest dpsing player.



Correct wrt mentality but I'd describe it as efficiency rather than just speeds. However I played AST in prog and PFs too as well as dungeons and so forth. You always focused on balance until you needed something else. Really depends on the group you find yourself in (you either are trying to boost their damage or keep them alive). Really I only remember playing aoe boles and st ewer when recovering from healer deaths.

While the speedrunning community is small, it is still one SE cares about, so any changes to jobs keeps that in mind.

That's your opinion then but maybe do some research first. Taking a speed runner focus on a healer class is about the most stupidest thing they could of ever done. Card system is at an all time low but I'm done talking about it. Time will tell if they do the right thing and fix this.

[Rai_Takara]

That's your opinion then but maybe do some research first. Taking a speed runner focus on a healer class is about the most stupidest thing they could of ever done. Card system is at an all time low but I'm done talking about it. Time will tell if they do the right thing and fix this.

Likewise that's just your opinion :3

I agree, time will tell, just don't be surprised if SE's vision for AST doesn't line up with yours.

[AdamFyi]

Technically, both of you aren’t wrong. Efficiency is king, but only at the highest levels of play — anywhere else is just a small bonus. Job satisfaction is also king, but it does not necessarily make it enjoyable to play.

The old Card system was more satisfying for the general playerbase, but the new Card system is much more efficient. If anything, take both designs and look into incorporating them together as a middle ground. They have the foundation of a satisfying card system (Old cards) and an efficient card system (Seals) to make a card system that tries to actively discourage and punish fishing for cards (Divination). Whichever way they go about it, I’d honestly just want them to acknowledge that they’ll look into it.

[Rai_Takara]

Technically, both of you aren’t wrong. Efficiency is king, but only at the highest levels of play — anywhere else is just a small bonus. Job satisfaction is also king, but it does not necessarily make it enjoyable to play.

The old Card system was more satisfying for the general playerbase, but the new Card system is much more efficient. If anything, take both designs and look into incorporating them together as a middle ground. They have the foundation of a satisfying card system (Old cards) and an efficient card system (Seals) to make a card system that tries to actively discourage and punish fishing for cards (Divination). Whichever way they go about it, I’d honestly just want them to acknowledge that they’ll look into it.

I agree. I'm all for making things more fun. I'm just heavily against going back to the old system where the "balance or bust" situation can occur.