The Problem with Astrologian

[DrMaverick]

Minor Arcana.

Yeah, that's it. That's the whole story. Minor Arcana. Why?

Well, here's why. Balancing the seals alongside more unique buffs certainly isn't impossible in the slightest. The buffs don't even have to be mirrored between the sets of cards- All that needs to be done is to discourage the idea of just hunting for the unique seals.

As it is now, the strat is basically just get the individual seals, and turn everything else you get into Crowns. There's no consequence- no shorter time on the damage boost, no longer recast time, it's extra damage for the same time for literally free, and it means that anything you don't want, you turn into Crowns. And that obliterates the idea of any sort of unique buffs on the cards. Minor Arcana causes the idea of unique buffs, and the seals, to counteract each other completely, making one or the other just... redundant entirely.

So, my solution? Kill off Minor Arcana, or revamp it into something much more necessary for the class. Like maybe something to do with Mana Management, god knows Astrologians need more of that. We have nothing except Lucid Dreaming at the moment, no Ewer, no nothing. The only thing good about 5.0 Astrologian is that it's taught me to really appreciate Lucid Dreaming.

As for the cards themselves, just bring back the Pre-Shadowbringers buffs, but change The Spire to a 20% Healing Dealt increase towards that person, that's the most fitting buff i can think of to fill the spot. Plus, it can't be any more useless than TP regen. That, or the cards can be revamped again. Either way would work- all that needs to be mirrored between the two sets is the Seals.

On top of that, put Redraw back to one stack. Having three different stacks encourages using them as much as possible to hunt for the right seals you need rather than taking what you're given, working with it, and planning out your plays and redraws to get the unique seals alongside the card buffs.

[Nhala_Levee]

Hmm. Not bad at all. I wanted back the old AST as it was before, cause i loved its style. Loved the RNG in it. Cause of the RNG its realy felt that way, the fate itself show my way. As an astrologian must be.

[Kuwago]

The need fore more ways to get MP is really needed especially after you get rezzed after some unfortunate "Healers Adjust" gone wrong. I do wish they kept the RNG for Minor Arcana tho or at least at this moment, combine Royal Road to Minor Arcana so that theres something of value towards MA Cards. Whats kind of dumb (IMO) is that when you MA a card it's still the same card, same duration and same effect just for an extra 2% of dps increase.

I do feel like the cards are ok right now, and some more fine tuning would make it great. Not saying that Old AST Cards shouldn't come back (cuz we all know it'll take a miracle for that to happen) but if bits and pieces of it comes back it should bring AST somewhat back to it's old glory.

Personally, the one I want the most is Old Celestial Opposition effect which was Stun and Duration increase, mostly because the card durations and buff durations we have were decreased, and Old CO would've been divine along side these changes. Who doesn't want extra duration on their favorite buffs? I know that's what solidified me into playing AST.

[Riko_Futatabi]

Loved the RNG in it. Cause of the RNG its realy felt that way, the fate itself show my way. As an astrologian must be.

The RNG would be fine if it was some sort of smart RNG. But when you have a party full of melee and you get cards that primarily buff ranged 3 or more times in a row. What is fate telling you then? Stop playing AST? Lol. I should not be allowed to draw cards so often that are of little use. I feel like people associate Astrologians with RNG way too much and that RNG has to be this great part of AST. But it's not and actually makes less sense that an Astrologian would pull cards they don't need.

Not to mention when you are trying to get the last seal for the 6% Divination buff and you use draw and then redraw 3 times and still don't get the last seal you'd like. Is FATE telling me to give my party members less of a damage boost? No! It's just the dumb RNG system. Too much RNG in AST. I like to play it and I don't mind a little RNG, but there needs to be less of it. Like I said before, the RNG needs to be smarter.

[Mahrze]

Minor Arcana.

Yeah, that's it. That's the whole story. Minor Arcana.

On top of that, put Redraw back to one stack. Having three different stacks encourages using them as much as possible to hunt for the right seals you need rather than taking what you're given, working with it, and planning out your plays and redraws to get the unique seals alongside the card buffs.

Minor Arcana should not have changed at all. Lord and Lady would've been better off as their own button each with a gimmick/mechanic that gives you access to them. The issue that they took away Lady as a OGCD heal and gave it to us back as a second charge for ED is amusing to a degree.

Not to mention when you are trying to get the last seal for the 6% Divination buff and you use draw and then redraw 3 times and still don't get the last seal you'd like. Is FATE telling me to give my party members less of a damage boost? No! It's just the dumb RNG system. Too much RNG in AST. I like to play it and I don't mind a little RNG, but there needs to be less of it. Like I said before, the RNG needs to be smarter.

I feel that the best way to achieve something like this would be to take the themes they are approaching and make them a better function


Solar,Lunar,Celestial runes summon 2 cards (maybe the same sets) with a shorter cool down and no direct effect. And when getting two halves of each seal, said seal does something.


Solar is some form of Aoe with no drop-downs
Lunar is a restorative/defensive Aoe.
Celestial is a party buff for damage and crits.

[BloodRubyXII]

Tfw now fishing for seals instead of balances.

[Corbeau]

As a new player I've actually been really enjoying AST overall, current card system included, but minor arcana definitely feels awkward and flat.

[Nhala_Levee]

The RNG would be fine if it was some sort of smart RNG. But when you have a party full of melee and you get cards that primarily buff ranged 3 or more times in a row. What is fate telling you then? Stop playing AST? Lol. I should not be allowed to draw cards so often that are of little use. I feel like people associate Astrologians with RNG way too much and that RNG has to be this great part of AST. But it's not and actually makes less sense that an Astrologian would pull cards they don't need.

Not to mention when you are trying to get the last seal for the 6% Divination buff and you use draw and then redraw 3 times and still don't get the last seal you'd like. Is FATE telling me to give my party members less of a damage boost? No! It's just the dumb RNG system. Too much RNG in AST. I like to play it and I don't mind a little RNG, but there needs to be less of it. Like I said before, the RNG needs to be smarter.

You misunderstands my words. Im talking about the Astrologian. The real one. Not this piece of crap that now called ast. So there is no any role resctricted card. RNG always was smart cause in the old deck was not any useless card. Maybe Balance, but that can be in some rare situation or for Royal Road to boost some of the useful ones.
And yes, AST main stat must be RNG, and it WAS good with normal cards.