How is new AST feeling?

[Gemina]

Gemina, i just hate when abilities have rng mechanics. Crit chance is enough rng i think.

And it's understandable why you do. The AST card mech has been cumbersome since its inception. We're stuck with it though. This is why I feel it just has to be stripped down completely and akin to a scratch ticket. The more layers and RNG mitigation you add to it just serves to convolute the playstyle.

The thing is, if there is any role to give this mechanic to; it's a healer. Without question. Especially with FFXIV design and how adamant they are with the direction they have gone with healers. When placed in this context, the card mech becomes a lot more enjoyable. I'm not saying that is how everyone should look at it, but rather that is how it is looked at by those who do enjoy it.

[Liam_Harper]

It's 56% chance to get a 3 Seal Astrodyne, but you're almost guaranteed a 2 seal. Both 2 and 3 seal are worth less than 100 potency each. At this point you could probably take Redraw off your bar entirely and the overall loss on a raid fight would be 0.5% or less and even Astrodyne itself is worth maybe a few % and is mainly there for mana economy. The whole system is just a waste of hotbar space.

[Gemina]

It's 56% chance to get a 3 Seal Astrodyne, but you're almost guaranteed a 2 seal. Both 2 and 3 seal are worth less than 100 potency each. At this point you could probably take Redraw off your bar entirely and the overall loss on a raid fight would be 0.5% or less and even Astrodyne itself is worth maybe a few % and is mainly there for mana economy. The whole system is just a waste of hotbar space.

I strongly disagree. This mechanic results in steady DPS increases for the party or yourself, conditional DPS increase to self, MP restoration, and a downtime tool. How this mechanic is not seen as anything but beneficial is entirely beyond me. The element of luck only affects the AST now, and is a matter of how much benefit they get from it. Not getting the best result should not be looked at as a 'loss'. Those who do will not enjoy this mech on AST.

[Vivix]

I strongly disagree. This mechanic results in steady DPS increases for the party or yourself, conditional DPS increase to self, MP restoration, and a downtime tool. How this mechanic is not seen as anything but beneficial is entirely beyond me. The element of luck only affects the AST now, and is a matter of how much benefit they get from it. Not getting the best result should not be looked at as a 'loss'. Those who do will not enjoy this mech on AST.

Divination barely required luck before when sleeve draw was a thing. It was also a fun mechanic to acquire three different seals which now feels kind of pointless and even selfish when it's probably better to just immediately use card buffs on dps over trying to get a 5% damage buff on a healer.

[Gemina]

Divination barely required luck before when sleeve draw was a thing. It was also a fun mechanic to acquire three different seals which now feels kind of pointless and even selfish when it's probably better to just immediately use card buffs on dps over trying to get a 5% damage buff on a healer.

Divination required Sleeve Draw because how effective AST's signature ability for the party would otherwise be based entirely on luck. They fixed this by making Divination a button you just press similar to SCH's Chain.

The card mech is vastly improved because only the AST is affected by the RNG of the seal system. As a result there is no longer a need for Sleeve Draw or any other skill to mitigate the RNG. It gives it the flexibility it needs to be entirely based on luck of the draw, which is how it should have always been. The other thing it does is keep Astrodyne independent of a CD, and only requires that the AST acquire 3 seals to use. Technically this result in basically a 90s CD, but at least Astrodyne will never drift while waiting for the AST to acquire 3 seals which was a HUGE problem with the previous Divination. Furthermore, under the current system, Sleeve Draw can be given back as a 120s CD that just gives the AST 3 random seals so they can use Astrodyne for openers and burst phases.

I honestly believe the seal system will function and feel so much better with the revisions I proposed. Three of the same seal is the true hardest configuration to get, and should be what the AST strives for. Right now having three of the same seal gives the least favorable effect despite the more difficult odds, which makes zero sense. They need to adjust the rewards and how they are given. Redraw also has to go. I know that sounds abrasive having absolutely no way to get more chances at the best result, but trust me. It has to go. Three draws; three seals; play the hand you're dealt. Done deal.

[Matt_Renard]

-snip-

You should never design a game.
"The card mech is vastly improved because only the AST is affected by the RNG of the seal system."
What? Then what's even the point? With the skills we had before, with redraws, sleeve draw, burn into minor arcana, you could reliably get divination and feel rewarded because you actually used your tools to achieve 3 seals, which is something you now can't do.
It is NOT fun to simply draw cards and play them as they are, no manipulation at all from the player is the opposite of fun and the card system is the worst it has ever been. You seem to suggest to remove redraw too! Why then bother have a card system at all! Let's just make Astrodyne a 120s CD that has a random effect, no cards involved at all!
"Redraw also has to go. I know that sounds abrasive having absolutely no way to get more chances at the best result, but trust me. It has to go. Three draws; three seals; play the hand you're dealt. Done deal."
LOL...

[Gemina]

With just the changes up to lv80, I am enjoying most of them. I know the direction they are going with AST, and I am on board. It just needs some tweaks, and I will just fall in love with this healer for all time.

Minor Arcana/Crown Play just need to go away. They feel tacked on, and do not add anything to AST gameplay. I strongly dislike having to monitor another CD on AST right now, especially knowing that it might not translate to a heal I can use, or damage I can put into a burst window. SE, please just get rid of it.

Play should trigger the GCD. Draw is fine and needs to stay an the oGCD. I was thinking of upping it to three charges, but think it is fine at two for the time being. Redraw needs to be nuked to finally circumvent the long time core issue with this mechanic. As a result of this, Astrodyne needs to give a damage boost no matter what so they at least get the haste buff as consolation for a poor draw, and the configuration of the seals acquired need to reflect the true odds:
2:1 ratio of seals = Haste
1 of each seal = Damage up
3 of one type of seal = Haste + Damage up

Base MP should be given when using Astrodyne instead of the refresh effect given currently, and is not dependent on the type of seals acquired. Being able to only Redraw once per draw and the best result truly being a luck of the draw is a giant step in the right direction. SE just needs to put both feet in.

Everything else is good. I am wondering how to save more buttons. AST feels a bit bloated. MA/CP are two. These basically replace Diurnal and Nocturnal Sect as abilities you hotkey, but they were a set it, forget it. Now we are actively using these two hotkeys/buttons, and it doesn't feel good at all. Undraw is another possibility.

After messing around with SGE, I wonder if the augmenting style they have can also be used to change Benefect and Helios to Aspected Benefect and Aspected Helios. They can save another button by allowing the AST to augment those two skills with an oGCD ability.

Ultimately like I said, I believe they are heading in the right direction and are not quite there yet. They just need to keep heading in that direction.

[Ironthorne]

Hate it. The previous card system was nothing to write home about, but at least, I had more control over it. Now it's just an RNG fest, and crown play is just plain terrible. I'll probably just cap my AST and never touch it again, or I'll adapt to the new system somewhere along the way, but I doubt it.

[currentlemon]

AST will be my new healer since I'm getting bored of WHM. I haven't touched it yet, but I will level the job once I finish the MSQ. I don't mind RNG mechanics. I've played games where RNG mechanics matter before. I bring Guilty Gear up a lot, but that game has a character that relies heavily on RNG gameplay, and his mechanics can literally bring the match in his favor or cost him the round.

[S4M4EL]

Overall i love it, the new Earthly Star is fantastic, i love how they've kept Neutral sect...

There are some issues though, like the whole 1 draw=1 redraw instead of the old system
Minor Arcana should have a lower cooldown so it doesn't feel as weird to use...
I like Astrodyne but at the same time it feels kinda odd to use, buffing myself for some reason feels weird idk...