How is new AST feeling?

[Liam_Harper]

It's 56% chance to get a 3 Seal Astrodyne, but you're almost guaranteed a 2 seal. Both 2 and 3 seal are worth less than 100 potency each. At this point you could probably take Redraw off your bar entirely and the overall loss on a raid fight would be 0.5% or less and even Astrodyne itself is worth maybe a few % and is mainly there for mana economy. The whole system is just a waste of hotbar space.

[Gemina]

It's 56% chance to get a 3 Seal Astrodyne, but you're almost guaranteed a 2 seal. Both 2 and 3 seal are worth less than 100 potency each. At this point you could probably take Redraw off your bar entirely and the overall loss on a raid fight would be 0.5% or less and even Astrodyne itself is worth maybe a few % and is mainly there for mana economy. The whole system is just a waste of hotbar space.

I strongly disagree. This mechanic results in steady DPS increases for the party or yourself, conditional DPS increase to self, MP restoration, and a downtime tool. How this mechanic is not seen as anything but beneficial is entirely beyond me. The element of luck only affects the AST now, and is a matter of how much benefit they get from it. Not getting the best result should not be looked at as a 'loss'. Those who do will not enjoy this mech on AST.

[Vivix]

I strongly disagree. This mechanic results in steady DPS increases for the party or yourself, conditional DPS increase to self, MP restoration, and a downtime tool. How this mechanic is not seen as anything but beneficial is entirely beyond me. The element of luck only affects the AST now, and is a matter of how much benefit they get from it. Not getting the best result should not be looked at as a 'loss'. Those who do will not enjoy this mech on AST.

Divination barely required luck before when sleeve draw was a thing. It was also a fun mechanic to acquire three different seals which now feels kind of pointless and even selfish when it's probably better to just immediately use card buffs on dps over trying to get a 5% damage buff on a healer.

[Gemina]

Divination barely required luck before when sleeve draw was a thing. It was also a fun mechanic to acquire three different seals which now feels kind of pointless and even selfish when it's probably better to just immediately use card buffs on dps over trying to get a 5% damage buff on a healer.

Divination required Sleeve Draw because how effective AST's signature ability for the party would otherwise be based entirely on luck. They fixed this by making Divination a button you just press similar to SCH's Chain.

The card mech is vastly improved because only the AST is affected by the RNG of the seal system. As a result there is no longer a need for Sleeve Draw or any other skill to mitigate the RNG. It gives it the flexibility it needs to be entirely based on luck of the draw, which is how it should have always been. The other thing it does is keep Astrodyne independent of a CD, and only requires that the AST acquire 3 seals to use. Technically this result in basically a 90s CD, but at least Astrodyne will never drift while waiting for the AST to acquire 3 seals which was a HUGE problem with the previous Divination. Furthermore, under the current system, Sleeve Draw can be given back as a 120s CD that just gives the AST 3 random seals so they can use Astrodyne for openers and burst phases.

I honestly believe the seal system will function and feel so much better with the revisions I proposed. Three of the same seal is the true hardest configuration to get, and should be what the AST strives for. Right now having three of the same seal gives the least favorable effect despite the more difficult odds, which makes zero sense. They need to adjust the rewards and how they are given. Redraw also has to go. I know that sounds abrasive having absolutely no way to get more chances at the best result, but trust me. It has to go. Three draws; three seals; play the hand you're dealt. Done deal.

[Matt_Renard]

-snip-

You should never design a game.
"The card mech is vastly improved because only the AST is affected by the RNG of the seal system."
What? Then what's even the point? With the skills we had before, with redraws, sleeve draw, burn into minor arcana, you could reliably get divination and feel rewarded because you actually used your tools to achieve 3 seals, which is something you now can't do.
It is NOT fun to simply draw cards and play them as they are, no manipulation at all from the player is the opposite of fun and the card system is the worst it has ever been. You seem to suggest to remove redraw too! Why then bother have a card system at all! Let's just make Astrodyne a 120s CD that has a random effect, no cards involved at all!
"Redraw also has to go. I know that sounds abrasive having absolutely no way to get more chances at the best result, but trust me. It has to go. Three draws; three seals; play the hand you're dealt. Done deal."
LOL...

[QooEr]

new ast is super fun and theres a bunch of on-the-fly decisions for astrodyne. it also has a ton of stuff to weave which is nice because it distracts from the malefic spam

[Matt_Renard]

new ast is super fun and theres a bunch of on-the-fly decisions for astrodyne. it also has a ton of stuff to weave which is nice because it distracts from the malefic spam

I'm sorry, but I really do not understand what you mean with "bunch of on-the-fly decisions for astrodyne".
You factually have less decisions than before.
Draw->Like? Play. Don't like? Redraw-> Play anyway because you shouldn't waste cards.
That's literally it.