How could you do this to AST?

[ty_taurus]

Unfortunately, when every scoop of ice cream is basically the same flavor, the only way you can have any difference, even if subtle, is alter the way the ice cream is delivered.
Let's say AST is vanilla ice cream. For me, Nocturnal was the dark chocolate-dipped waffle cone to Diurnals churro bowl; both are good, though many would flock to the churro bowl for the way it adds that extra savory sweetness to the creamy confection and the time spent into making it presentable. But for as unexciting as it may be, I've always preferred that crispy waffle and sharp dark-chocolate to enhance that simple, refreshing vanilla.

It's just a shame that many healers lately have shown a tendency to break their cones and bowls when they don't even have to handle them that carefully. For efficiency and cost-effectiveness, I suppose it would only be a matter of time until all scoops are forced into styrofoam bowls and plastic spoons, so as not to ruin the the full course meal that is the rest of the team.

...All that being said, thank you for your explanation on the nuances that Nocturnal and Diurnal sects both bring.

In other words, even if Nocturnal Sect's impact on playstyle is minimal at best, you're starving for any amount of uniqueness. I can understand that, though for AST specifically, I'd argue the cards do a lot more to keep AST feeling very different to WHM even if they heal the same way (Not to say the current cards are anything to be happy about, but at least the structure is still there).

My perspective is that because Nocturnal Sect is not that impactful on playstyle, losing it doesn't feel like the loss of something structurally core to AST's identity. In fact, as someone who mained AST through HW and SB, I never really liked the Diurnal vs Nocturnal aspect to their healing and felt it was actually watering down AST from the very beginning. I always wanted it to do something other than just be the WHM 2.0 or SCH 2.0 healer.

Now, there are many reasons to be concerned about the future of the healers in general. They've yet to actively improve the healing experience or really say anything of substance about the ShB healer reception, but I personally believe there are more ways to make AST better from dropping Nocturnal Sect and Diurnal Sect than there are ways for it to get worse. I'm not saying it will magically be better than it ever has been before because I don't believe that for a second, but I feel like it will either get somewhat better, or it will remain in largely the same spot. I feel like you'd need to actively try to make it worse at this point.

In short, for me, this is something I've wanted since the beginning. It's all about what we do from this point moving forward that counts.