Regarding AST

[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.