should i even level ast?

[Saefinn]

Yeah, I say give it a go, you can only form your own opinion around it. As much as I am one of those people who moans about the current state of healers, it doesn't mean other people are going to have the same problems as me and might like them. My view very much is "judge for yourself" because how other people enjoy things isn't necessarily going to impact your own enjoyment, as sometimes, you might find you are in the percentage of people who like what they see.

That said, despite my complaints, AST is actually the one I'm liking the most at the moment, despite SCH being my baby since forever, but seeing the changes to each and why I was unhappy with SCH kinda drew me closer to AST. Out of the three healers it's the busiest and has more to do in its downtime versus the other two thanks to its cards. So there is an extra depth to playing it WHM & SCH lack. And you've got a little versatility between Diurnal and Nocturnal Sects.

It is not without its problems, hence a lot of AST are unhappy and whilst I am liking it more than the other 2 healers at the moment (and feeling like I am betraying my baby, SCH) there are things I think could be better (some of which affects all healer jobs).

But main things that attracted me:
- Busier, oGCD weaves can be nice
- Cards fill up your downtime somewhat
- Gravity feels more impactful than Art of War
- It retains some of its "planned" approach, coming as an old school SCH, skills for planning ahead appeal to me. I plan my Earthly Stars, my Horoscopes and my Neutral Sects
- It is versatile in-so-much as you can choose WHM mode or SCH mode whenever you're not in battle.
- MP feels a little more like a resource you have to manage, though 5.1 has reduced that effect.

Things that I don't like so much:
- The card system feels less impactful than it used to and there's more of an illusion of choice, rather than choice
- Some of the spells, for me at least, don't flow as well into each other, but this could be because I've played SCH for so long
- Healer downtime isn't so great ATM, but at least for AST that's mitigated versus other healers, so can be a positive or a negative.

On the notes of cards, whilst they feel less impactful and exist as an illusion of choice. It isn't quite as far in a abyss as just hitting play. Although everything is "the balance", which is where the illusion of choice comes in, where it has I guess 'variety' is that instead of fishing for cards for their bonuses, you're fishing them for their symbol to build you Divination, which is like a Balance with a Spread Royal Road where potency is affected by how many unique symbols you have built up. It's not terrible coming from a non-AST point of view, but compared to what there was before, I think many find the current system to be lackluster by comparison.

But I'm sure others, particularly career AST's, may probably have a more extensive explanation of likes/dislikes or can give a better explanation of the job itself, to give a feel/expectations.