A summary of healer issues

[ty_taurus]

Aside from feeling clunky, one major draw back I see to your idea of cards on the GCD is it being tied to increased Malefic potency.

Cards now, are useless to be placed on an AST in solo content. I would even say in the old SB system they're just as useless outside of maybe Spire/Ewer. But my point is, to me it feels like I would be doing a GCD version of Astrodyne in solo content, or NIN mudras, which, to me feel awful and I want nothing to do with.

I get that there is going to be no fix for AST being miserable in solo content no matter how you spin it, but this feels like it would be worse in some instances.

For group content which is what this is mostly more balanced around, again, I still don't want GCD cards. Part of why I like AST for all its faults is the weaving. With your GCD cards, you're removing it and instead replacing it with a system that seems to feel more unfun and more importantly - clunky.

With the concept of stars that generate passive damage, I envision that the damage still stems from your stats, not the person you put the stars on in order to keep it balanced. So during solo burst windows after stacking buffs on yourself, you're actually getting double the effects of your cards since each GCD is effectively 2 hits while active. I actually think something like this would make AST a lot stronger for solo content, like deep dungeon solo. You'd have cards set up while walking around, then be able to burst enemies down as you engage with them.

[ASkellington]

With the concept of stars that generate passive damage, I envision that the damage still stems from your stats, not the person you put the stars on in order to keep it balanced. So during solo burst windows after stacking buffs on yourself, you're actually getting double the effects of your cards since each GCD is effectively 2 hits while active. I actually think something like this would make AST a lot stronger for solo content, like deep dungeon solo. You'd have cards set up while walking around, then be able to burst enemies down as you engage with them.

Point I was trying to make is like Astrodyne is now, I would be placing cards on myself to make use of extra damage in solo content. And again, not all the cards are useful for AST because they're meant to be useful for the party and not necessarily the individual. Meaning I will be playing cards just to have an extra damage buff in solo content... which doesn't feel good but again nothing that can be done. So point is moot I suppose.

All with it being on the GCD and... with a gameplay loop I can't see myself liking at all if I'm reading this right.

[ty_taurus]

Point I was trying to make is like Astrodyne is now, I would be placing cards on myself to make use of extra damage in solo content. And again, not all the cards are useful for AST because they're meant to be useful for the party and not necessarily the individual. Meaning I will be playing cards just to have an extra damage buff in solo content... which doesn't feel good but again nothing that can be done. So point is moot I suppose.

All with it being on the GCD and... with a gameplay loop I can't see myself liking at all if I'm reading this right.

I'm not saying everyone has to like the way I've outlined it, or that I've even done a good job outlining it. But I think the design concept is way to broad for someone to say with certain objectivity that every possible way it can be interpreted is something they will or will not like. I suppose except if someone just does not like buffs at all and has 0 interest in any potential playstyle that involves utilizing them. Or may I'm just doing a terrible job at trying to describe it and I'll need a fully-concepted kit in order to communicate it better.

[ASkellington]

I'm not saying everyone has to like the way I've outlined it, or that I've even done a good job outlining it. But I think the design concept is way to broad for someone to say with certain objectivity that every possible way it can be interpreted is something they will or will not like. I suppose except if someone just does not like buffs at all and has 0 interest in any potential playstyle that involves utilizing them. Or may I'm just doing a terrible job at trying to describe it and I'll need a fully-concepted kit in order to communicate it better.

Its more towards you want to connect the cards to damage (Malefic and this new skill that replaces Combust). And like I said when you mentioned the cards doing that for say Horoscope, no. As much as I would like for the cards to affect something instead of being off on its own, so far it hasn't worked. RR was probably the "best" iteration but still had issues. Divination? A better Astrodyne. Astrodyne? Trash. Plus again, GCD. No. Breaks up the monotony of Malefic spam, yes, does not sound fun or smooth to play.

Most of my engagement would come down to the buffs themselves and applying them in the ways I can best use them. That is what initially drew me to AST and is what I want to see come back. Kit interconnectivity could be in other areas, such as Synastry as I mentioned in another thread or your idea of more things to proc Horoscope or just even bringing back Noct Stance and making AST a stance dancer.

AST is still a buffing healer regardless and most of its damage is going to come from buffs themselves. But I personally am not looking for a GCD buffing healer and I don't think AST should suddenly turn into one.