Is AST bad?

[Mesarthim]

No AST isn't bad, but I hate the new AST with a passion. To avoid getting grilled by the New-Ast-Defender-Squad I'll just echo a previous post and say the only way you'll know you will like it is to play it.

It's not as bad as it was on 5.0 launch after their screen-long list of buffs when Savage dropped.

But also a few tidbits:

AST has no secondary source of MP regen, like aetherflow or assize, etc
New card system is controller unfriendly. If you use a keyboard and mouse it'll be less cumbersome
Collective Unconscious was badly nerfed with a potency drop. Skill is not worth channeling fully, cannot move while in use unlike SCH and has a longer cooldown than sacred soil.
Celestial Opposition lost its stun effect with the new expansion so you lost a crowd control option that synergized with your kit

But strictly speaking I feel the job is inferior to SCH and WHM, but can heal content fine.