Revamping Astrologian

[Shurrikhan]

Lately I've been wondering how AST might be if Spread was just removed entirely and we were given two card slots instead. Or rather, instead of being given a single ability, 'Draw', at level 30, which transforms into the card, they go ahead and give us the seemingly superfluous duo of both 'Draw' and 'Use Card' (blank until loaded via Draw). In this way, at least, the CD on Draw starts counting down immediately, rather than only after you've used the card. Moreover, the drawn card stays infinitely.

Prior to level 40 (Spread), when you draw another card with a card still in the second slot, that other card is simply replaced. But after level 40, the first slot (normally 'Draw') instead turns into a card slot, and you can both the new and/or old card at will, but your CD won't start cooling down until one is used (opening the 'Draw' slot again).

Shuffle (CD reduced to 40, 50, or 60s) and Royal Road when used with two cards would allow you to select the card(s) to replace or consume (much like a modifying cast such as Swiftcast - simply hit the first or second slot after; in Shuffle's case you can hit both within 3 seconds of using the card to replace both).

Right now the Draw system kind of reminds me of a single-stack 20s CD Aetherflow... that you can't recharge until you've used the stack, making it inflexible and nonintuitive.

:: Also, allow two cards out at once, though it'd be fine if you still can't use both on the same person.

Edit: I realize this would more or less allow Spread... heck, even a doubled Spread... out of combat, which isn't something I'm too fond of since I don't like the idea of fishing for the right save-card before the pull, but I figure it's worth it to smooth out Draw and make it as valuable as it first looks, rather than as valuable as it actually plays.

[Dyvid]

Okay, if I was going to make real changes they would be as follows:

-Changes to the Spear Card so it also reduces target's action recast time which have already been used.
-Add an effect to Royal Road that reduces the cast time of Draw to either 15s or 20s. This should encourage players to use Draw more often instead of waiting for the perfect combo. Also for increase Royal Road recast to 30s.
-Add an Addition Effect: Slow to Gravity that last for 10s.
-Allow Spread to be used when not in combat.
-Change Aspected Benefic to Lv. 30, yea it's actually 34 while Diurnal Sect is Lv. 30
-Possibly stack Nocturnal Sect Aspected Benefic and Aspected Helios

[Alexia89]

Okay, if I was going to make real changes they would be as follows:

-Changes to the Spear Card so it also reduces target's action recast time which have already been used. Maybe. Though I personally think the Spear card is just simply a card that is most effective in coordinated teams.
-Add an effect to Royal Road that reduces the cast time of Draw to either 15s or 20s. This should encourage players to use Draw more often instead of waiting for the perfect combo. Also for increase Royal Road recast to 30s. ...why?
-Add an Addition Effect: Slow to Gravity that last for 10s. Hmmm, maybe- but our benefit to Gravity over Holy is it's range. We don't need to be in the thick of it to cast.
-Allow Spread to be used when not in combat. Not really essential, and I can see why they made it so we can't.
-Change Aspected Benefic to Lv. 30, yea it's actually 34 while Diurnal Sect is Lv. 30 Really no need. Sect still increases your attack speed by 5%. You really don't have any issue healing those 4 levels either- if you do, healing's probably not for you.
-Possibly stack Nocturnal Sect Aspected Benefic and Aspected Helios Really? ...Why? Galvanize doesn't do this, why the heck should AST? This would in no way improve Noct stance, it would just encourage very MP inefficient gameplay.

Answers in bold.

[Ayer2015]

My current thoughts on the class:

Cooldown Skills
Celestial Opposition – 6sec stun, 150 regen (diurnal) / 10% mitigation (nocturnal) for 18 sec CD 90sec
Collective Unconsciousness – 15sec channel (able to move, not cast) self MP regen while channeled, and stops buff timer decay of those in the area of effect/ CD 3-4min
Lightspeed – reduces cast times by 2.5sec, and recast times by 50%

Card System
Maintain current potency of cards however target AOE effect is baseline.
Royal Road – store a card, double duration when used.
Spread – store a card, 150% potency when used.

[chumsy]

My current thoughts on the class:
Card System
Maintain current potency of cards however target AOE effect is baseline.
Royal Road – store a card, double duration when used.
Spread – store a card, 150% potency when used.

I agree with your card system; I wanna add, make Card buffs stack with other AST, so they wont be overwritten. In the case of the same buff overwrite rules are: enhanced potency has priority, then duration. Spread and royal road should share the same 90sec CD and able to be used outside combat (meaning 2 cards stored, 1 enhanced card used every 90 secs, for balance issues otherwise you would be able to keep Card buffs on almost indefinitely). Draw CD remains unchanged.

In this case, less random factors are in play, as you can always hold a card with a choice of added duration or added potency. SE has the right idea for AST, but just a little sloppy on the Card system implementation.

[RazeLandale]

Maintain current potency of cards however target AOE effect is baseline.

I think this might need done, or alternatively, removing aoe altogether. Either way you get a consistency you can balance around.

[Ayrie]

I'm starting to see more issues popping up with the whole class design. People keep saying draw is separate, should or should not be better.... should or should not be a part of the core class.

The fact is:
30-50 when whm was getting divine seal, presence of mind, holy, all those great skills...

And sch was getting sacred soil, lustrate, adloquiem...

Astrologian got Royal Road, Shuffle, Draw, Spread...

Stuff that should just be the core of Draw.

Then there's 50-60...

AST got things that STILL bolted onto the draw mechanic (Time Dialation and Celestial Opposition) or simply gave us things we lacked pre-50 (Gravity and Malefic II).

So much tied into draw. 4-6 job quests worth of stuff. That's why the problems with Warp Speed (whatever that terrible skill is called) and Collective Unconscious just leap off the paper and scream in your face. There isn't enough space left for bad buffs, everything must be overtuned to account for the Draw investments.

[HeavensSword]

-Add an Addition Effect: Slow to Gravity that last for 10s. Hmmm, maybe- but our benefit to Gravity over Holy is it's range. We don't need to be in the thick of it to cast.

Having extra range is meh. When you are DPSing as a healer, it's all about being able to do so safely. When you have a bunch of adds smacking the tank, that additional stun from Holy can afford a bit of breathing room. Slow sounds like a decent QoL improvement over what is there. Granted I have not leveled AST, only WHM.

...So much tied into draw. 4-6 job quests worth of stuff. That's why the problems with Warp Speed (whatever that terrible skill is called) and Collective Unconscious just leap off the paper and scream in your face. There isn't enough space left for bad buffs, everything must be overtuned to account for the Draw investments.

I agree that much of the card mechanics could have just been given together and allowed for some more useful spells or utilities.

[Wintersandman]

But Astrologian started off with a mana regen ability out the gate (level 8), WHM didn't get theirs until 38 which is also a 3 min cooldown vs a 2min cooldown on AST. People hoard this ability and in reality it should be used liberally. Maybe it comes from playing WHM but shroud early or during healing intensive times so it gets off cooldown when you need it again.

Let's also look at Esuna like spells. Astrologian again starts off with it at level 18 same with WHM but Scholar doesn't get theirs until 40.

As I discovered Royal Road can be somewhat of a hindrance but does have it's place. I caught myself skipping cards waiting for Arrow, Bole, or Balance especially when I was good on Mana. But with Dark Knights, Ewer comes in handy. Helps keep them using enmity/dps abilities without having to worry as much about mana regen.

While I am low level and can't speak to 60 fights. I don't feel like this class is lacking at all.

We have our own tools and just need to learn to use them appropriately. I for one am looking forward to Synastry.

[Rajeme]

Snip

It does lack a few things here and there, but overall here is what I knew till this point (lv56):
-Emergency cooldowns. We need this a lot because in case something screws up, we have no way to quickly recover except Essential Dignity. Gonna keep Lightspeed out of this because I feel like it doesn't actually help that much considering the 25% reduction is too huge a handicap.
-Slightly lower potency than other healers. This is pretty apparent. This results in the increase of MP usage. So you need to manage your MP pool quite a lot.
-Cards are quite insignificant right now to justify the RNG nature. It's fine if we keep drawing during trash mobs, but for boss fights it's kinda errrr.