Regarding AST

[basketofseals]

just managing cards is 6 OGCD, 9 with discards.

imo this is the absolute worst thing about AST. I mean even putting balance aside, seeing all the other jobs get tons of tools while you get more ways to wonkily juggle an RNG mechanic just feels bad. Not to mention currently, it's sort of not even worth the payoff.

[loreleidiangelo]

imo this is the absolute worst thing about AST. I mean even putting balance aside, seeing all the other jobs get tons of tools while you get more ways to wonkily juggle an RNG mechanic just feels bad. Not to mention currently, it's sort of not even worth the payoff.

I mentioned this in the "4.3 healer feedback thread" - there are basically zero buffs left we can get in the future (that won't be seen as "not DPS increase = worthless fodder", or something pedantic/redundant like En-spells or something), so no new cards, meaning our future abilities as ASTs are basically pigeonholed into more card fuss management or copycat WHM/SCH heal abilities/damage abilities. I really like the aspect of it being a buff job, but it also having to be a healer that can heal as well as the other two really limits how effective those buffs can be, which is a shame.

[Elamys]

I mentioned this in the "4.3 healer feedback thread" - there are basically zero buffs left we can get in the future (that won't be seen as "not DPS increase = worthless fodder", or something pedantic/redundant like En-spells or something), so no new cards, meaning our future abilities as ASTs are basically pigeonholed into more card fuss management or copycat WHM/SCH heal abilities/damage abilities. I really like the aspect of it being a buff job, but it also having to be a healer that can heal as well as the other two really limits how effective those buffs can be, which is a shame.

For a greater focus on cards they could maybe possibly look at using them more to support healing and damage a la minor arcana (without sacrificing buffs) maybe, instead of just making them do buff stuff.

[KDSilver]

Sorry then ! Since I was talking about AST
Np !

[Ametrine]

I feel Minor Arcana is a step in the right direction but I think perhaps converting held cards into an attack or heal without RNG or so much set up would be a beneficial balance and relieve a bit of the lack of the oGCD options.

You have a card in hand, you can use it to perform this attack, or you can use it to perform this heal. Instant cast.

It'd help when you keep pulling "bad" cards, too.

[Elamys]

I guess I personally feel that the only way forward for AST's identity to stand on its own is to focus more on the card system. It could mean an entire redesign of how it works, but it is their unique mechanic, and finding some way to make it work better to support their toolkit as a whole (not just to be buffs you toss out whenever you can) could seriously help their identity.

[Malkria]

Honestly aside from Spire being almost the go to trash card, I think the AST is in a good place. To me, the whole draw is how versatile it is compared to the other two and how you have options to adjust how you are playing. For example if you are going against slow bruisers you use noct, but if there is a section with a lot of swarming little mobs you can switch to diaural sect so you are being more healing and MP efficient, and then switch back later for the boss. All the while throwing out buffs or setting up buffs as needed for content. To me, it's kinda the real red mage of healing, in that while it may not be a master of any section it has more options then the two classes it's drawing from.

While it would be nice to see some cards maybe used to buff spells, such as maybe using a certain spell with a certain card drawn buffs or augments it....frankly I think AST is pretty much where it should be.

[KDSilver]

I guess I personally feel that the only way forward for AST's identity to stand on its own is to focus more on the card system. It could mean an entire redesign of how it works, but it is their unique mechanic, and finding some way to make it work better to support their toolkit as a whole (not just to be buffs you toss out whenever you can) could seriously help their identity.

That, but I think they could also go deeper with the time spells such as Time Dilatation and Celestial Opposition.
Those 2 are very unique and totally an Ast skill. It has a good synergy with his HoTs and every other buff he can provides.

[Ametrine]

Snip.

And absorbing skill that flings damage back sounds pretty amazing, but way too amazing. The issue with that kind of skill is teams would grow to rely on it and would inevitably work out ways to maximize it. Imagine returning tankbusters back with this skill. It would be a bit too OP.

[Ametrine]

....

While it would be nice to see some cards maybe used to buff spells, such as maybe using a certain spell with a certain card drawn buffs or augments it....frankly I think AST is pretty much where it should be.

I agree AST is fine, it's just kinda in a point of clunk. I think it's learning curve.

And, frankly, the whole deal with the cards is, yes, delegating them costs GCDs used to cast those Malefics, but proper party buffing is going to more than balance out (if not improve) overall damage verses my spamming pitily Malefics. That's the whole point.


As for the remaining garbage card, I would rather SE just consolidate Spire's TP refresh into Ewer (just make Ewer refresh both) and make Spire work like pre-SB Spear, where it chips seconds off OCGD skills.

The issue with old Spear was more that, since the bonus only worked on OGCD's used under it's affect, coordinating it was a mess in most scenarios as part of the RNG and the amount of extra communication needed. You'd end up with it being a dead card, or inadvertently encourage a player to blow important cooldowns under the guise of getting the back ASAP. When it worked, however, it was a game changer, it was simply a difficult card to maximize.

The thing is, the other two healers now have personal abilities that positively affect their OGCDs skills; the Lilies and Quickened Aetherflow. So, now we have a bit of a hole in our skill set by comparison. With Ewer treated as our secondary option for mana recover outside Lucid (Assize/Aetherflow and Absorb), the card modification to an OGCD buffer could work as well.

(That said, SE may consider Lightspeed our "mana return" alt since it cuts costs so much, but Thin Air and Dissipation can throw a wrench at that argument.)