So 5.08 is coming tomorrow, do you expect any changes to AST?

[HyoMinPark]

Because the issue with AST is only becoming more obvious as the release of savage content. Nin and AST were bottom two least played jobs in savage contents...
For E4S, whm and sch were played nearly 10times compared to ASTs. That's something definitely needs a bit attention for the dev. So I still have hopes for 5.1

It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if AST’s reason for low uploads is contention regarding its new gameplay. I know a few ASTs that swapped off of the job because they don’t like the way it plays anymore. That’s not something a balance patch like 5.08 can rectify—5.1 is going to address the gameplay issues NIN, SAM, and possibly SMN have; 5.08 was just band-aid potency fixes for two to attempt to bring them in line with the rest of their role. Which may or may not work—we’ll know more after more data comes in—and unfortunately won’t work at all for SMN, as BLM is still destroying it and RDM.

[Billythepancake]

It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if AST’s reason for low uploads is contention regarding its new gameplay. I know a few ASTs that swapped off of the job because they don’t like the way it plays anymore. That’s not something a balance patch like 5.08 can rectify—5.1 is going to address the gameplay issues NIN, SAM, and possibly SMN have; 5.08 was just band-aid potency fixes for two to attempt to bring them in line with the rest of their role. Which may or may not work—we’ll know more after more data comes in—and unfortunately won’t work at all for SMN, as BLM is still destroying it and RDM.

Oh, for sure, its gameplay is its biggest issue. Let's not forget, MCH was really well balanced in SB, it was perfectly viable to have one over a bard, but it was still the least played class of the expansion because it played horribly. Doesn't matter how "strong and balanced" a class is, if it's not fun to play, nobody is going to play it. Anyone who says healers are fine because they're "strong and balanced" is the same to me as EA defending loot boxes because they "give a sense of pride and accomplishment"

[Mesarthim]

I just finished slowly getting AST to 80, mostly from alliance roulette and... sometimes leveling roulette, I didn't enjoy it that much. I just felt so apathetic about the cards, redrawing 3 times in a row and STILL not getting the last seal is just... no. I'm shelving the job which is disappointing after maining it for 3.4 until Shadowbringers started. Contention might be a good word for how I view it. It is "functional" but it lost what I liked about it.

I don't think patches are going to fix that.

[vtndll]

Anyone who says healers are fine because they're "strong and balanced" is the same to me as EA defending loot boxes because they "give a sense of pride and accomplishment"

They are not lootboxes anymore. They are suprise mechanics! ������

[Rivxkobe]

Doing it fast enough to have divination line up with party buffs, as well as shoot for that 6 percent. It takes some quick fingers to do that. For casual play, it's probably not a big deal, but if you're raiding and shooting for optimization,it's clunky as hell because you have 4 GCDs to do it.

Ah. That makes sense.

Not sure how they would address this though.

[Nhala_Levee]

Sadly its totaly true. AST useless without group now. And as was it my main, i did the storyline with it. But now im stucked cause of the new AST not able to do msq solo dutys cause nerfed to the groud without its cards and real mechanics. You have dmg, but well... small numbers % dmg buffed still small.... no logic in the new AST. Completly unplayable out of savage content. I hope the devs will realize this and make a rollback on the AST.

Yes, i changed off too, cause im not a hardcore progress championship player who grinding savage raids. But out of that, it is sadly totaly useless. I dare everyone avoid that class for out of raid content.

Edit: Oh i forgot to mention, im in full scaevan gear and trying to do a lvl 70 msq anyway.
(Before the comments like: you need to play better and shits like this, no, im a casual player, im playing for haveing fun with the game and with friends. Im not a professional gamer, dont even want to become one and dont even have time for that.)

[Arale]

Ah. That makes sense.

Not sure how they would address this though.

Realistically, removing the seal system woulds fix it. xD Old AST did not have this problem because there was nothing to match. You draw, either RR/spread, or MR and go about your day. Now you need to line everything up within 4 GCD's, heal, DPS, and mechanics.