Quote Originally Posted by CorbinDallas View Post
Cards aren't the only thing setting them apart from WHM, and to think so is foolish.

What sets it apart right now is the incredible off global toolkit combined with the 1.5s Malefic cast time, allowing it to heal and DPS within the same GCD with little to no drawbacks. The cards are just the icing on the cake at that point. If cards didn't exist AST would still outperform WHM thanks to the sheer versatility provided by their kit.
Without the cards, they are WHM's with just slightly different DPS skills. Which is essentially what they are in 5.0. A WHM with a food item they get to pass around every so many seconds depending on which face of the coin they now flip tells them to give it to.

The Card system is what set them apart from being just another WHM. Just as the Farie sets Scholars apart from the same.