What do you want in your AST?

[Hatstand]

A lot of people have been posting suggestions and complaints about AST lately (and rightly so). Reading all of this has made it clear that not everyone looks for the same thing in their AST.

This isn’t a suggestion thread. I just want to get a compilation of what it is people enjoy (or enjoyed) about AST. If we can get a solid idea of that, we can know what any fixes should be working towards.

Personally, what I loved in AST was having to respond to an unpredictable situation to make the most about it. I loved drawing a card and having split seconds to decide what to do with it. Should I deploy it? Is there someone in my team who will benefit a lot from it? How will it interact with my current royal road setup? Is there a time coming up soon when it could be needed more than now?

So, in short, I like the variety in buffs, and the unpredictability of getting them (both things I’ve seen people cite as problems with the job).

So, what about you? What makes or made you love AST? What do you want out of your AST?

Edit: For those who do like the new AST, I'd also like to hear why. I feel like AST needs change, and I hope the devs will listen to us, but the new AST isn't all bad and it would be good to know what's worth preserving.

[KanameYuuki]

I loved planing really cautious when and how to use CO, should I stun the enemies and give the party a breather? Is every member buffed with a card so I can prolong its duration? Am I running low of MP so I can CO Lucid? maybe it is all of these 3 and you get the best outcome, that one right there when it all aligned was peak AST gameplay and so rewarding, all of these minute to minute decisions now gone.

I had more satisfaction using Bole on a tank, MP on a fallen Caster or giving spear to a MNK / BRD and watch them go insane, that it ever was AoE 8 party balance, the first three you knew what you did had an impact and changed the outcome of the battle.

What's the highest high on current? you finally got all seals without that much trouble, whoop de doo, now AST is just like every other class, you do the same over and over and over, unlike the unpredictability that was 4X AST, no battle was the same.

[Mesarthim]

My stun back and a less clunky card system, to put it bluntly. Sleeve draw feels awful to use when before it was a one-and-done skill. Now we have to constantly target people for single target cards/or use macros (not exactly great on controllers when it was fine before).

[Wawachume]

I liked the old card system because it fit better with my concept of what an MMORPG healer should be. The challenge revolved around things like situational decision-making and adapting to circumstances. The new system's challenge is to quickly execute abilities in the proper sequence---in other words, AST cards are now a rotation, and that feels like a DPS mechanic to me.

Also, this isn't something where Stormblood really did any better, but I've always wanted nocturnal sect not to feel like a waste in dungeons.

[Boomsmash]

Simply put: Variety.

The varied toolkit we had to deal with situations. Buffing damage, refilling MP, reducing damage, stunning, manipulating durations.

We can still layer on shields and regen and such, but the other things we had to do were great for the effects, and the 'knowledge is power' element.

Knowing that putting a Crit boost on a BRD would make their stuff start proccing like crazy and seeing it pay off? Great.
With proper preparation and sequence, being able to solo-heal the Orbonne phase transition. It might seem a silly little thing, but being ready for it and holding that much pain at bay felt so much more awesome than having to just continually deal out a stack of short little +DMG cards.

[finnegandadaeon]

Theorycrafting

4.0 Ast was all about that, the capacity of making decisions to manage mechanics, heals and get your next draw as soon as possible.
I loved the old cards, but if they really can’t get it back at least plz I wish they’ll turn this one in something a little more complex than crazy slot machine

[MintnHoney]

To be honest, all I really demand from AST is stars (I'm a very simple person). From there, if they really want AST to be a luck-based job that provides a "random" benefit to the party, I wish they would just double-down on that and let them provide random benefits to the party (like they used to), irregardless of whether or not other players care for the effects.

Most of all, though, I wish they wouldn't design the job for all the other jobs' benefit.

[Brandedblade]

Most of all, though, I wish they wouldn't design the job for all the other jobs' benefit.

That's...that's the point of the cards, even in the old system, to BENEFIT other jobs.

Anyway. Stun on Celestial Opposition, making Minor Arcana automatically play the card on the target when activated, and adding additional healing on Collective Unconscious while in Nocturnal sect. Maybe have Diurnal sect increase CU's mitigation to 15% to balance them?

[MintnHoney]

That's...that's the point of the cards, even in the old system, to BENEFIT other jobs.

I know this is going to be difficult for you, specifically, to understand, but the mechanic wasn't previously designed specifically utilizing the voice of players of other jobs.
As it is right now, the cards are for the others to have, but not for the AST to play with. And that's wrong.

[Brandedblade]

I know this is going to be difficult for you, specifically, to understand, but the mechanic wasn't previously designed specifically utilizing the voice of players of other jobs.
As it is right now, the cards are for the others to have, but not for the AST to play with. And that's wrong.

I know this is going to be difficult for you, specifically, to understand, but any mechanic in any game that provides beneficial effects to other jobs is a mechanic that's built with other jobs in mind. Your aoe balance? Benefitted the groups dps. That precious bole everyone here seems to worship. Benefitted those supposedly squishy tanks.

Again I will repeat this. If it's a beneficial effect, its built for other jobs. That's the point of ast's cards, to enhance their group over themselves.