After PAX and... C'mon Square, share a little

[Risvertasashi]

C'mon SE. In DRK's exposition we at least learned it's a tank that manages MP. Astrologian... we didn't learn a thing about what the job actually does.

Give us just a taste of what you have cooking.

And we have more info! Nevermind then.

This class has the capability to drastically change your current stance. This class has the ability to draw cards and depending on what card you get you can buff your allies or support your party members. It’s a very different mechanic compared to the Scholar or White Mage.

This job will require quick reflexes to determine which situation you’re in to execute moves. Once you’ve mastered that, the Astrologian would be a very effective and useful type of healer. When you draw a card you have to decide whether you want to immediately use the card or if you want to save it and draw another card to combine it with, that’s where the quick reflexes come in. That’s a big element to the Astrologian.

[Raminax]

That's not entirely true, though I'll admit much wasn't revealed. The only new thing was that Astrologians will switch between two stances. Perhaps one stance is required for casting healing spells, while the other one is required to utilize cards?

[Risvertasashi]

That's not entirely true, though I'll admit much wasn't revealed. The only new thing was that Astrologians will switch between two stances. Perhaps one stance is required for casting healing spells, while the other one is required to utilize cards?

Well, yeah, but SCH and WHM "switch between two stances" too >.>

[Raminax]

Well, yeah, but SCH and WHM "switch between two stances" too >.>

Yes, stance dancing is what I'd call integral to an above average Healer, but stance dancing is also hardly what I'd call the main draw of playing a White Mage or Scholar. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but my assumption is that the Astrologian's stances will be doing a bit more than empowering your damage spells and weakening your healing spells. Assuming it's as boring as Cleric Stance, I'd be very disappointed in Squeenix, considering stance switching was apparently important enough to be the only new thing mentioned.

[Risvertasashi]

Yes, stance dancing is what I'd call integral to an above average Healer, but stance dancing is also hardly what I'd call the main draw of playing a White Mage or Scholar. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but my assumption is that the Astrologian's stances will be doing a bit more than empowering your damage spells and weakening your healing spells. Assuming it's as boring as Cleric Stance, I'd be very disappointed in Squeenix, considering stance switching was apparently important enough to be the only new thing mentioned.

I guess that's fair to say. Still. Doesn't actually tell us anything. DRK was also vague, but at least we know they're about managing MP, and that in managing this there will be trade offs between threat generation and mitigation and raw damage.

So to Square once more: Come on. You can share a tiny bit more with us. Please? ：）

[Raminax]

Heh, I'll admit I was disappointed too. Here's hoping they might say something more with the upcoming Live Letter.

[Ghishlain]

I, too, would've liked more information to have come out for AST, but I guess we'll just have to wait longer for it. We basically have 3 and a half months to wait, so we'll probably get a few trickles here or there to tide over our ravenous appetite for information, lol.

With that being said, I think we'll see something a bit more involved with this "stance change" that Yoshi-P spoke of. I don't feel it will be as simple as a "toggle on or off" like Cleric's stance is if it warranted it's own discussion point, so I am looking forward to hearing more. I somehow feel that using a certain combination of cards may activate a "stance" on the AST, giving them select bonuses and/or penalties to their kit for a period of time.

[DarkmoonVael]

It would have been nice to have more info on Astrologian. However, i am speculating the stance changing may have more to do with the cards. In tarot, the meaning of cards change wether they are the right way around or reversed, so i am guessing the stance may also change how the cards function. One stance they may buff allies and perhaps heal them, the other stance may debuff enemies and perhaps damage them. Hopfully the stance changes may end up doing something more as well.

However, what didnt help was that the spiel on AST has "2 stances" sounds a little too much like PR talk for "lol cleric stance".

[Cynfael]

I'm hoping that it's a true stance dance where the character's spells have different functions in each stance. To use a simple example, Hel from Smite works this way with her Light and Dark stances (e.g. PBAoE heal+speed buff in Light becomes PBAoE nuke in Dark).

Hopefully we'll get some real info soon.

[Risvertasashi]

Well, I'm going to echo Raminax and hope that the stances are more than just "heal in this one, DPS in that one". We've already got that on two healers.