AST 5.3 Sleeve Draw and Controller Complaints

[TheDao]

PLEASE stop saying that the change for Sleeve Draw is because of us controller players wanting it. I'm seeing many people say this, but I don't know anybody who made this complaint. This is something that a minority of players said or complained about with minimal AST controller players having issues.

I, as a controller player, did NOT ask for this change and this change on AST hurts me just as any keyboard player. I don't want to be unsympathetic to those who had issues with the previous AST players using controller, but did you consider practicing more?

This change is cruel and unusual punishment for AST players as we are the only healer to be critically punished to oblivion by losing all three seals on the rDPS side.

Unless you are a controller player with legitimate complaints about using a controller while playing AST, please stop using us controller players as your excuse for why SE, again, has made a critical error with class changes.

[bundythenoob]

I think the complaints might not be so harsh if the 3 stacks were spread out over the course of 180 seconds instead of being stacked at the same time.

A simple change to the cooldown of sleeve to be 60 seconds wouldn't be too bad. I think that would solve the problem while being a middle ground for people to come to. not sure though since my AST is only lv 63 so i never encountered that problem.

(controller player here too, its WAY too comfy to give up for mkb.)

[Brandedblade]

PLEASE stop saying that the change for Sleeve Draw is because of us controller players wanting it. I'm seeing many people say this, but I don't know anybody who made this complaint. This is something that a minority of players said or complained about with minimal AST controller players having issues.

I, as a controller player, did NOT ask for this change and this change on AST hurts me just as any keyboard player. I don't want to be unsympathetic to those who had issues with the previous AST players using controller, but did you consider practicing more?

This change is cruel and unusual punishment for AST players as we are the only healer to be critically punished to oblivion by losing all three seals on the rDPS side.

Unless you are a controller player with legitimate complaints about using a controller while playing AST, please stop using us controller players as your excuse for why SE, again, has made a critical error with class changes.

except that is exactly what was being complained about, even on this forums.

[TheDao]

Yeah, by a very vocal minority.

[Crushnight]

Yeah, by a very vocal minority.

If that vocal minority is the only one speaking then who does SE listen to when they want to up Ast numbers(which was the least played healer by a fairly high amount prior, yet have to wait and see if these changes actually change participation).

People should whether they like or hate something be vocal about it because just doing it when you hate leads to constant back and forth changes.

Personally I prefer this version rather than the prior one but it most definitely can be improved further.

Also controller player here did some savage with it, hated it, just because I can do workarounds does not mean I like the skill that forces it, i wanted Sleeve Draw improved, it did, but it came at a weird cost so I think it most definitely can be improved further though I won't support anything that tries to bring the old version or add charges it just creates the hassle it used to, CD reduction sure got my vote for that or a way to quicker refresh outside combat for Draw all ears.


It was an issue for many players at least enough for SE to do something, didn't help Ast was the least played healer by a fair amount. Your biggest bet is that enough people complain AND participation remains as low as it has been else they will consider the change a success and move on from there. Wish you luck with that especially since Ast is now staying strong while having next to no issues that would alienate people anymore.

Also gotta love that it was all 3 HW jobs that got a huge design reboot on their core mechanic and Ast was the one people least wanted changed outta the 3 and boy does it show with the complaints since before 5.0.

SE cannot win here, ever, they made a radical design shift and they are stuck getting dragged all over the place because of it, someone is taking the Ast bullet this time it is the group that liked old Sleeve Draw, bet next time it'll be the group that likes mp.

[Reyna_Balmore]

Just discard 5.0 Ast and revert it back to 4.0 Ast.....and while we're at it, let's get 4.0 Sch back and leave Whm as is

[ForteNightshade]

PLEASE stop saying that the change for Sleeve Draw is because of us controller players wanting it. I'm seeing many people say this, but I don't know anybody who made this complaint. This is something that a minority of players said or complained about with minimal AST controller players having issues.

I, as a controller player, did NOT ask for this change and this change on AST hurts me just as any keyboard player. I don't want to be unsympathetic to those who had issues with the previous AST players using controller, but did you consider practicing more?

This change is cruel and unusual punishment for AST players as we are the only healer to be critically punished to oblivion by losing all three seals on the rDPS side.

Unless you are a controller player with legitimate complaints about using a controller while playing AST, please stop using us controller players as your excuse for why SE, again, has made a critical error with class changes.

You not knowing anyone is merely subjective. I, on the other hand, know several who despised it. One of whom raids at an Ultimate level. So it wasn't merely "casual players complaining." This is why anecdotes aren't good basis for evaluation. They will differ depending on your social circle.

With that said, I do think they overshot the landing. Making Sleeve 120 seconds and giving it a charge would be a suitable compromise. But pretending like this change came out of nowhere just shows you aren't around the forums or reddit throughout early Shadowbringers. Sleeve Draw was a huge point of contention alongside the new card system as a whole (which people still hate), Astro's significantly weaker healing and abysmal MP economy.

[Sqwall]

Honestly when I heard that they were "looking into sleeve draw" and that it need a QoL to help assist in it's usage. I thought to myself huh...maybe it will just grant us 3 of each seal...BAM! And then lay down the Divination. But extend the cool down timer for sleeve draw to 240 sec. A Instant build + Divination, and then a forced build with redraw effects + Divination. Sprinkle some minor arcana in there and I call this fixed.


BUTTTT NO!! "You get ONE card...NEXT!!!!"

I like astro being the most complex healer in the game...but this is rough. I do like the idea of first draw is 100% the seal you need, use 2nd draw as my redraw phase to get the seal I need ( higher chance of getting seal I need), and 3rd phase is pop sleeve draw. Divination.

And I try to use 3 minor arcana after that now. If I play the cards it messes up sleeve draw lining up with the next build. I don't think the dev's meant for the skills to line up at all from what i'm gathering. This was intentional. Annoying.

[Limonia]

I am a controller player and complained about it.

Not because it was impossible to use Sleeve Draw properly, but I hated it, it was really annoying and clunky to use, and I detested every time it came off cooldown.

I'm not saying it's perfect now. But it IS less clunky, so it IS an improvement in that regard.

I'm also generally not against AST being more complex. But I am against it being more complex simply BY being tedious to use and weirdly designed.

Make us think which card to use when, optimizing DPS burst phases to the second, but make it not by having us press like 500 buttons in 30 seconds every 3 minutes.

Personally, I'm using AST again now. But I'm also hoping it'll get more fun again next expansion.

[Risvertasashi]

If that vocal minority is the only one speaking then who does SE listen to when they want to up Ast numbers(which was the least played healer by a fairly high amount prior, yet have to wait and see if these changes actually change participation).

Just if you're curious, currently AST is tied with SCH. Though it's still early in the patch and we can't be sure how the numbers will settle, it does seem to have increased the popularity of AST by at least a bit.