The Astrologian Wish List

[Alahra]

I'm not convinced the hybrid idea is completely unable to be salvaged yet, and in some regards, it's probably necessary if they want AST to work with both WHMs and SCHs (as it's pretty clear they tune raid content assuming a combination of regen healing and preventative shields). If they were to do away with the "hybrid" idea, AST would likely end up only working with one or the other healer optimally. While this happens in other class combinations too, they seem more wary of it when it comes to healers for whatever reason (they interestingly didn't really do the same thing with DRK--while it sort of "plays" like a hybrid of WAR and PLD, it doesn't offer the same utility as if it were a hybrid of them, it's got its own suite of stuff for that).

Diurnal Stance is fairly comparable to WHM already, though it lacks somewhat in potency and emergency healing options, and the card buffs don't quite make up for those losses. With the supposed changes tonight, Diurnal will probably work just fine in the "WHM role" in the party composition.

Nocturnal is in a tougher spot. They don't seem to have really gathered that a faster shield isn't really beneficial when you cast shields in a planned manner anyway, which means the lower potency of Aspected Benefic compared to Adloquium makes it rather lackluster. That's a matter of math, though, and they can probably adjust that pretty easily. Nocturnal needs specific changes to make it worthwhile, and they haven't mentioned anything at this point, but that doesn't mean we won't see changes to it tonight.

[Cupcakesu]

I have a feeling we're about to get some bare-bones changes that won't really fix anything. Perhaps potency buffs to be "on par" with WHM/SCH rather than 5% behind, and minor duration increases to cards. Here's to hoping SE surprises us~

[Tashim]

I'd love it if they'd address the toolkit problems, but I suspect they'll just make the cards longer, and increase the potency of the heals a little.
That will help, sure, but it will also show a lack of understanding of the core issue around a lack of emergency capabilities.

Granted, it is important that they don't overcompensate for it. But, I do hope that they give some indication that they understand the problems, rather than just trying to raise the average healing throughput and dps enhancements that an AST can provide. Those aren't really the problem of with the class.

If Nocturnal isn't comparable, if not superior to Durinal, then I'll just assume they haven't realized the issues yet.

The Benefic proc for Benefic2 needs to actually be useful, instead of simply shifting the heal to the start of the GCD. making it reduce cost, or auto-crit would be a good start.

Nocturnal's shields need to be more efficient than direct heals, or at least not significantly less throughput with almost the same mana as casting benefic2.
For Nocturnal, Aspected Benefic needs to have at least a potency of 300 to even justify the gcd, or make the shielding effect 150% of the healing done, a compromise for not having a crit bonus, and for being almost 40 potency behind a non-crit adlo from sch anyway.
Nocturnal's potency enhancement needs to apply to offensive skills too.
Nocturnal needs alot more mana (twice as much at least) to work with if they're going to keep up, although both Sects need better scaling mana recovery options. (Hard to say how much, as thats a big function of player skill, but Nocturnal needs alot more than Durinal regardless)

A pair of Astrologians in Durinel need to both be able to stack regens, like white mages do.
This isn't necessary for Nocturnal, but at the very least, the shields shouldn't replace superior Scholar ones, they should simply not affect the target.
This wont affect most groups, but the way it is currently is just an insult to players, and attempts to force them to play one way or another. Its equivalent to the game preventing you from making a group with two white mages, or two scholars.

All Cards should stack with other cards, not replace the buffs. If I spread an arrow, and draw a balance, I should be able to use them both on the same dps.
Also, cards from different AST should stack with cards from another AST. (double Enhanced Balance, for example)
Spear cards should affect all cooldowns that are currently on cooldown, affecting whatever currently remains of their cooldown, in addition to applying 100% to any cooldowns activated during the Spear buff.

Shuffle could be reduced to a 5 second cooldown, changing active Sect in combat at will, along with the above suggestions, and I'd still find AST inferior to SCH in any situation, but they'd at least be in the same ballpark as white mages.

But, regardless, we'll see how much SE realizes soon enough.

[Ayer2015]

While creative, the majority of suggestions here would leave the job in an over-tuned state.
Hoping tomorrow morning the AST debates will finally be put to rest…. wishful thinking possibly

[Tashim]

Perhaps they would, but I really doubt it. One thing I'd also like to see, is to change the cross class from thaumaturge to arcanist. Being the only caster without Eye for an Eye makes me feel naked.

I'm not expecting them to fix nocturnal, but I can always dream. Until then, at least I have Eos to comfort me in my despair.