Quote Originally Posted by Sabrenn View Post
Absolutely AST is unpopular due to gameplay. They've destroyed the comfortable home that many many ASTs had built and gotten used to over the years and transformed it into a camping tent. Some people like the camping tent, and that's fine. But some of us want our home back.
Exactly correct. As usual, Squeenix is fixing a busted leaking pipe by installing new ceiling fans. They look pretty, but don't address the actual issue. MP is more of a challenge with AST than with other healers, but it can be worked around by being vigilant with Lucid (most people don't hit Lucid until they're low MP... instead of simply clicking it every time its cooldown is up).

The biggest issues with AST, which have haunted us since 5.0, are the loss of variety with card buffs, the loss of card dual purpose and buff extension via RR, and to lesser extent, the loss of "time mage" abilities like Time Dilution and Celestial Opposition. Until those issues are addressed, the job will not be as popular because most people care less about meta, and more about job satisfaction.