When Astrologian made its first appearance I became in love with it. The animations, the cards, the stars. Now seeing how it's just a WHM/SCH Jr. makes me feel dissapointed. It is just a reskin of White Mage and Scholar with cards thrown in. It's not that I hate the cards, I love them, but I feel that they are underwhelming and not the core of the job. Right now the core of the job are Diurnal/Nocturnal stances. The concept seems good, the execution makes Astro be a WHM/SCH "quiero y no puedo".
In my opinion, those stances don't let Astrologian shine, that's why I want to get rid of them.
How I would got rid of those stances? Making cards the center of our job, manipulating the cards should give us different benefits that, in the end, help our party progress and complete the duty.
Ability Rework:
(I will talk about abilities after lvl 30 because I think those are the ones who need changes)
Level 30:
Draw: Draw a card from your deck and use it in 1 of your allies. (Only 1 Card can be in 1 target, if you use another card on a target that it has a card i will overwrite) Cooldown: 20 seconds.
The Balance: Gives a 2% damage potency to 1 ally. Duration: 100s
The Arrow: Gives a 2% auto attack speed/spell speed/skill speed buff to 1 ally. Duration: 100s
The Bole: Gives a 2% damage reduction buff to 1 ally. Duration: 100s
The Ewer: Gives a 2% MP reduction cost buff to 1 ally. Duration: 100s
The Spire: Gives a 2% TP reduction cost buff to 1 ally. Duration: 100s
The Spear: Gives a 2% healing potency buff to 1 ally. Duration: 100s
Diurnal Aspect
Unleash: Astrologian unleashes the power of the card and burns it in the process. The person who had that card gets a bonus depending on that card. Cooldown: 10 seconds.
The Balance: Increases target's damage dealt by 10%. Duration: 15s
The Arrow: Increases target's auto attack speed/spell speed/skill speed buff by 10%. Duration: 15s
The Bole: Reduces damage taken by 10%. Duration: 15s
The Ewer: Refreshes MP. Potency: 30. Duration: 15s
The Spire: Refreshes TP. Duration: 15s
The Spear: Increases target's healing potency by 10%. Duration: 15s
If we want to make the cards the center of our job we need them to last long, but with the power they give right now it would be absurdly overpowered, that's why they have little effect. With our abilities we should be able to enhance our cards capabilities.
Level 34:
Aspected Benefic
Selene: Astrologian gathers the power of the moons and summons a ball of light. The ball emits a pulse of light that heals all the allies near the ball. The further they are from the ball the less healing they receive. (If there is more than 1 Selenes they will not overlap their healings but there will be more healing area) Duration: 15s. Cooldown: 150s.
Level 35:
Royal Road: Astrologian unleashes the power of the card and burns it in the process.
The person who had that emits an aura depending on that card. Cooldown: 90s.
The Balance: Increases damage dealt by 5%. Duration: 15s
The Arrow: Increases auto attack speed/spell speed/skill speed buff by 5%. Duration: 15s
The Bole: Reduces damage taken by 5%. Duration: 15s
The Ewer: Refreshes MP. Potency: 15. Reduces 10% MP consumption. Duration: 15s
The Spire: Refreshes TP. Reduces 10% TP consumption Duration: 15s
The Spear: Healing Aura Potency: 100. Duration: 15s
With this ability now your allies become aura beacons. Because of our card set up, the randomness is reduced and you can choose which card becomes extended.
Level 38:
Disable (It doesn't affect auto attacks)
It's just a Quality of Life change
Level 40:
Spread
No changes, sometimes you want to save a card that you think it will be useful for later
Level 42:
Aspected Helios
Constelation: Every ally that holds a card releases a ray of light that converge on the Astrologian. Allies that hold a card, Astrologian and allies that are touched by that ray of light are healed. Potency: 400 Cooldown: 90 Seconds. It has MP cost.
It replaces Aspected Helios so it needed to be another heal. Sometimes it might not be useful because allies aren't align. But its just an emergency heal tool for youself and your card holders, because those ones are going to be healed for sure. Creates bonds with your allies (literally)
Level 45:
Shuffle: Cooldown: 40 seconds. The card that went to the deck again can't be drawn.
Sometimes drawing 7 Spires is not what your party needs...
Level 48:
Combust II
The same
Level 50:
Nocturnal Aspect
Quick Draw: You and a targeted ally receive to random cards. Astrologian card lasts 100 seconds. Ally card lasts 80 seconds. It can only be used Outside combat. 100 Second Cooldown. Not affected by Rewind.
Synastry It Is affected by Constellation healing
It's a great ability, and i think our bonds should be tighter, that's why Constellations affects Synastry.
Level 52
Gravity
Unchanged
Level 54
Malefic II
Unchanged
Level 56
Time Dilation
Unchanged (You might want to target Selene)
Level 58
Collective Unconscious Targets 1 ally and burns all your placed cards (Including the cards of not targeted people). All Party members are united by 1 bond with that ally. Depending on the card that the targeted ally had the bonus is different. The further you are from that targeted ally the bonus is less effective. Duration 15 seconds. Cooldown: 300 Seconds. You can't use Draw for 60 Seconds.
The Balance/The Arrow: +10% Damage Potency and +10% Attack Potency
The Bole/The Spear: All the allies get a 250 Potency Shield and 75 Potency regen
The Ewer/The Spire: Refreshes MP and TP. MP and TP consumption reduced to 50%.
Your first big cooldown. Will you use it in a burn phase? Maybe you want to mitigate that big hit you are about to receive. Or the fight is too long and you want some MP TP relieve.
Level 60
Celestial Opposition: Restores all Astrologian Cooldowns. Cooldown: 300 seconds.
Your second cooldown, be creative with this ability, hundreds of opportunities.
Of course everything I said can be tweaked. I feel that with those changes Astrologian won't be a bad copy of White Mage/Scholar and will be the healing job it can be on its own.