Quote Originally Posted by Rewind View Post
The cards give the illusion of strategy. In theory I know what card I want to draw and when I want to utalise them but there are times I draw the wrong card at the wrong time and I feel like SE hasn't given me the opportunity to actually play effectively...
The strategy is in finding a way to use the card. You don't rely on RNG. You rely on knowing how to use a card you pulled through RNG. If you know you want a card at a certain time, shuffle the first card you get if it's not it, Spread it if you do get it.

A WHM doesn't need to buff per say but has the ability to 'save the raid' with strong heals through unpredictable damage and abilities.[/I]
Which AST can't do, because AST isn't as strong at healing as SCH or WHM and their cards don't currently compensate. Buffing the cards will not make you bring an AST over WHM/SCH since AST cannot keep a party alive through healing intensive fights due to weaker potencies, less tools, and worse MP management in most cases. AST is currently fine if you overgear the content, and is probably actually better than SCH/WHM if you don't need a lot of heals and just want to burn through a fight (Ex: old content) because of their card buffs. But on cutting edge content, you need to be able to save your party from the brink of death, which AST can't do currently.

Let me put it another way: AST is a healer that currently does not meet healing requirements. It'd be like if MCH/BRD couldn't meet DPS checks even though they take up a DPS slot. You don't buff their utility in that case, you buff their damage (which SE did).