My biggest take away from this situation is that I would hate to run any kind of content with the AST I keep reading (not just here ofc), because apparently no balance = no card and just discarded them since it is the only good card there ever was, that they would rather see a bigger number on the corner of the screen go up for a few seconds than having a better and more fun / engaging (I know fun is subjective) minute to minute game play.

So baffled with the outcry of RNG when the class is literally based on it, it is like if someone would complain they hate using jumps on DRG or Muras on NIN, I just can't even, that's what made AST special, no encounter was the same because of that. Balance felt great when you finally got it, because when every card is rewarding no card really is.

Lots of comparisons to an Oracle but NU AST isn't even that, it is basically the post office, doing classification if your package (Card) is for a melee or range address and when you get the right stamps (seals) you can deliver a bonus package faster.

AST is what made me start playing this game and what keeps making me want to play it and while they didn't ruin it they completely gutted its cards and time buffs. But whatever, not like SE will change anything, just look at MNK: "We heard you loud and clear MNK players the class isn't fun to play" *proceeds to keep RoF / TK and adds yet another skill that slows down GCD*