My thoughts as an AST main since Heavensward:

PROS
1. I’m glad that they’re bringing back different card effects - having a defensive utility card is actually really nice. I remember how powerful the Bole card w used to be in certain situations.

2. Aside from job lore, shuffle was just an excuse to make us push a button when we got unlucky. I don’t really mind that it’s going away. Does the RNG really improve the job? Also, for those salty about wanting a busy job, we still have to weave three cards during our DPS rotation every minute. Seems similar to what we have now minus shuffle RNG and seal fishing (which led to a negligible buff from Astrodyne anyway).

CONS
1. We lose a draw every minute. IF the new damage card carries a substantial enough damage buff, this might be ok. But it’s going to have to be better than some 6-8% nonsense, or last longer.

2. Guaranteed draws mean we can’t give out two damage buffs each minute.

Do I miss Royal Road? Every day. But I feel like the core mechanics of AST are still largely intact, and the job will feel less punishing for the sake of RNG. What would *actually* break our job? Anything happening to Earthly Star or Lightspeed.

I’m also betting they will remove CU and Synastry. Those new buttons had better be as useful as they are shiny.