The changes to Astrologian are upsetting

[RodP]

This is my second post regarding the AST rework. On my previous one, I was wary, but not too negative, as we hadn't seen what the changes actually did to the class, and we could only speculate.

After reading the tooltips and seeing the new card's effects, I can only say I've never felt worse in regards to playing this game since I started.

I bought the game because AST piqued my interest back in Stormblood. The moment I unlocked it, I had never had so much fun in an MMO, the gameplay resonated so much with me, and the visuals only made it better. I've mained this class for about half a decade since then.

The speed, the BUFFS, the time-altering skills and the CARD MANIPULATION, were sooo fun to play with.

Fast forward to now, nothing remains of that class. The fast paced decision making is gone, the variety in its buffs is gone and its identity has been ripped apart, I feel like there's nothing left of the job I fell in love with.

We get cards with effects that we already have in the healing part of the kit. The cards have been pretty much turned into extra charges of actions that already exist.
We still have the job restriction on the damage cards even though seals are gone (to give the card to the same 2 DPS instead of one? Please).
We still have button bloat even though it was supposed to be a huge issue.

If you actively play this class, and you've played it throughout several expansions, you will know, that even though the last changes were bearable, this is where the class has reached a bad point. Whoever is making these changes doesn't play the class and is not listening to feedback of people who play it.

If someone at CBU3 is reading this, I ask that you reconsider and rework the class again as soon as possible, and if possible, add the elements that used to make it fun and used to make up the identity and lore of the class:

- A variety of buffs, unique to the job or rarely seen in others
- Randomness to make us make decisions on the fly
- The ability to manipulate cards to deal with that randomness

If you've read all of this, thank you, and I hope you share these feelings I have.

As a sidenote, if you find this overly dramatic, please spare me the comment. I've been loving this job for a long time and nothing of it remains, these are my legitimate feelings, and it might come across as heavy venting, but I don't care, this is how I feel and I should give feedback if I think something's getting out of hand.

[Zaytex]

It's nothing I already said, but the AST rework is a fundamental failure. 4/6 of the cards are boring, weaker OGCD tools we already have. If I have exaltation which grants 10% mitigation + 500p of healing, why would I press the card which only gives 10% mitigation first? Pressing both on the same target too is just overkill, when tanks are getting even stronger mitigations too. The 10% healing received buff card too is just worthless, can't think of a single use-case for it. The HoT card is fine, probably the one I would use the most (if I was to play the job, which I will not anymore), but it's still fundamentally boring.

Removing the skill expression, weaving-nature of the job which had elements of decision making into it, and the RNG of the (repeat with me) FORTUNE TELLER RNG JOB is just absolutely baffling to me. They have no idea what they're doing, and I pray to the Gods they look at all the negative feedback (because I've seen very little, if any, praising it) and put the brakes on it and keep AST as it is, but with the new skills.

Please, I'll play AST as it is right now for another entire expansion with just 2 new buttons every 2 minutes over DT AST. Don't turn it into another WHM but with a slightly different tool kit that does the same thing, with a different VFX.

Oh, and they clearly care so fucking little that the potency for macrocosmos and the MP loss of a draw every 30s + Astrodyne hasn't been replaced elsewhere, so the job will enter DT with a MP regeneration issue. So little care or effort goes into healers, it's amazing.

[Kissune]

It's nothing I already said, but the AST rework is a fundamental failure. 4/6 of the cards are boring, weaker OGCD tools we already have. If I have exaltation which grants 10% mitigation + 500p of healing, why would I press the card which only gives 10% mitigation first? Pressing both on the same target too is just overkill, when tanks are getting even stronger mitigations too. The 10% healing received buff card too is just worthless, can't think of a single use-case for it. The HoT card is fine, probably the one I would use the most (if I was to play the job, which I will not anymore), but it's still fundamentally boring.

Removing the skill expression, weaving-nature of the job which had elements of decision making into it, and the RNG of the (repeat with me) FORTUNE TELLER RNG JOB is just absolutely baffling to me. They have no idea what they're doing, and I pray to the Gods they look at all the negative feedback (because I've seen very little, if any, praising it) and put the brakes on it and keep AST as it is, but with the new skills.

Please, I'll play AST as it is right now for another entire expansion with just 2 new buttons every 2 minutes over DT AST. Don't turn it into another WHM but with a slightly different tool kit that does the same thing, with a different VFX.

Oh, and they clearly care so fucking little that the potency for macrocosmos and the MP loss of a draw every 30s + Astrodyne hasn't been replaced elsewhere, so the job will enter DT with a MP regeneration issue. So little care or effort goes into healers, it's amazing.

The heal amp is only useful with scholar for spreadlo, that's about it. I can't think of a real use for it other than that.

[Zaytex]

The heal amp is only useful with scholar for spreadlo, that's about it. I can't think of a real use for it other than that.

So basically worthless still since Scholar's don't need help to provide adequate shields and mitigations?

[Zolvolt]

Ast rework is a solid 7/10. Thanks SE. Sorry to anyone who is having feelings over it. Hopefully you get over it enough to enjoy the new version of astro

[RodP]

Please, I'll play AST as it is right now for another entire expansion with just 2 new buttons every 2 minutes over DT AST. Don't turn it into another WHM but with a slightly different tool kit that does the same thing, with a different VFX.

100% this. I am considering maining WHM in DT, it looks about the same, but I have to think less, I get a dash and my damage won't be reliant on the rest of the party, it's just so discouraging to see these changes after 5 years of playing the job man.

[Kissune]

Ast rework is a solid 7/10. Thanks SE. Sorry to anyone who is having feelings over it. Hopefully you get over it enough to enjoy the new version of astro

And I hope your mental gymnastics work properly when you tell yourself you're actually contributing by pressing your 60s 10% mit on the tank who is either solo healing a dungeon or overmitting a tankbuster and how that's definitely totally different than if you just got a second exaltation. How anyone can look forward to AST having their single target kit moved onto cards without anything to do with how cards actually worked is beyond me. This surface level perspective of seeing their effects feels to me like getting excited about the job design equivalent of dangling keys.

Look guys! Its stormblood cards! See the bole, you recognize the bole, right? That's definitely what you wanted, it's definitely a step towards stormblood! Bc that's all stormblood cards were, right? The unique effects? That was what made them interesting? Jfc I am still not convinced you're not a troll

[luca20]

Agree in every way. Whoever designed this new AST iteration doesn't seem to really play the game? ED IC and exaltation already don't seem that much use at 90, what are we doing with this 4 cards? they might be nice in UCoB and UWU but we have been doing more than fine without them. In exchange you take the RNG away from the job which literally is about doing the best with what fate gives you. This AST rework is all but a failure,the people who already played healer are getting a new WHM coat of pain, but people like me who ONLY liked AST are left with nothing. Worst of all this is doubling down on the healer problems and its not going to make anyone who didn't play healer already swap their minds. This AST is for no one.

I'm truly sadden by the fact I'm basically forced to swap to DPS, my static has now to find a new healer, if I want to play with my friends someone will have to be forced to heal. Heck, I won't even be able to go trought the DT story with my facorite glam because it's healer only.

I would give anything to have AST stay exactly as it is - minor arcana and no new buttons - just so I can still play the job that gives me the most joy

[Zolvolt]

Nah Endwalker astro is one of the most garbage healers the game has ever seen. It's only better than stormblood whitemage.

[PercibelTheren]

Ast rework is a solid 7/10. Thanks SE. Sorry to anyone who is having feelings over it. Hopefully you get over it enough to enjoy the new version of astro

Nope. What I enjoyed about the job is how busy it was. That's completely gone. I'm quitting healing altogether for DT and switching to DNC instead.