So when is AST getting nerfed in Frontline

[Scintilla]

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Hence why they will initially begin to run in alongside the DRK/WAR, then using the initial LB cast slightly before the WAR stun / DRK voke. Whether you want to believe it or not, they have the timing perfect. I do agree that many casual players won't even attempt to use Guard/Purify, which obviously doesn't help the matter. But even those who do don't fare much better. It may help you to get through the initial attacks (just...), but as soon as they reach BH5 (which obviously doesn't take long), there is very little anyone can do. Add in the WARs LB to remove Guard, and you're having the time of your life...

That said, the most common arguments for premades that I've seen so far have been these:
1. "Nothing's stopping them from doing it too. The combos are available for everyone"
2. "Having a premade team playing means nothing and gives no advantage. It's just that random players aren't good enough"

I personally play FL with friends (though rather than coordinate, we tend to compete with each other instead), but there are many who play solo. Having a large premade party should never be a pre-requisite to playing FLs without being repeatedly destroyed every game with ridiculous score differences. A reality of 'If you want to win, you have to have your own premade team, otherwise it's a guaranteed loss' is only going to push more players away from FLs. We aren't at that point at the moment (and I hope we never will be), but it's not a good outcome.

Practice will obviously give an advantage, there's nothing can be done about that. Players who play FLs a lot will likely do better than those who only play occasionally. In the rush of the moment, many casual players may overlook the skills available to them. That is the same vs premade parties or random ones and is ultimately irrelevant. The main argument here is the advantage that premade parties have and the issue they have become in FLs.

Random players manage perfectly fine vs random teams, hence why the win rates vs such teams are quite even. But when vs premades, random players suddenly 'don't have the skills'?
Which just confirms what we've been discussing: premade teams do have a big advantage over random teams.

The DRK can be silenced, stunned, polymorphed (even better) when you just see them running in. To add insult to injury, it can also be pushed away with various pushbacks.

Kind of depends on the premade. The DRK may be silenced, stunned etc., but I've also seen some premades which have prevented even this by having the DRK set off with Guard, a WAR/GNB jump ahead to stun the target group, immediately following which the DRK joins them to voke. The only way to stop this being to remove the DRKs Guard yourself - for example, using a MNK LB to stun and Enlightenment to push them away. If you're quick enough you may succeed, but chances are you'll die doing it - jumping out into no-mans-land to stop the DRK while a horde of enemy team are within range waiting to take advantage of the voke.