Which jobs is at its prime?

[ForteNightshade]

If we want us ranged to do more damage, our jobs need to be more complex and we need positionals of some sort. Whether it be cast bars for certain skills or potency depending on distance to target, we need something to optimize around. Otherwise our role is just too simple to warrant more DPS than being there for the 1% buff.

While I agree Range lack in complexity to a certain degree. The whole justification around their low DPS has always been free mobility. Alas, the game simply does almost nothing to make use of that. This tier epitomizes it more than ever when despite being severely Melee unfriendly, all four dwarf the Range handily. There is little need for a mobility tax when fight design does not utilize one. If say, Light Rampant could be baited so Melee always get chains, you could use that mechanic as a launching point for their low DPS. But it doesn't. Furthermore, the rotational simplicity is not unique to Range. Red Mage is notoriously cited as one of the easiest jobs in the game. Dragoon isn't exactly screaming at complexity either, having the most straight forward rotation. Even Summoner, for all its complex, has nearly as much free mobility and laughably outperforms all three Range by a country mile.

Range mobility needs to be taken advantage of or the tax is simply arbitrary.

AST cards were definitely them finally listening to the top end raid community. As an AST back then, it was really due for a rework because of the nature of DPS buffs. While the method they choose isn't ideal or one I would have guessed, the current iteration is a lot better than the previous one for us.

Overall this expansion, I think they are definitely listening to us top end folks. Maybe they have a better source now? I've noticed a lot of JP top end raiders making an appearance so maybe they were able to setup some kind of communication with the devs. For example, LB cheesing existed since the game's inception and yet it was only fixed when JP speed runners pointed it out to the dev team.

Which isn't working in their favor, if true. Astro (and healers in general) have faced more complaints than ever before. Astro still remains the least played healer; only gaining some ground on Scholar due to the latter's lackluster rDPS. I suppose it's to each their own but I prefer the old system by far even if I acknowledge some of its flaws. Maybe by 6.0 they can iron things out but I can't say this iteration of Astro is a good one. If nothing else though, I'd at least like to see Sleeve Draw addressed before then.