Astrologian can be a scary Final Fantasy 14 class due to its use of different cards to deal out buffs to party members. How does one memorize what card does what? What classes should get what card dealt to them?
The class especially threw players in for a loop when the Shadowbringers expansion came out because Astrologian was reworked and players had to re-learn their abilities and what the cards did.
To make matters even more complex, every Astrologian card has an arcana seal and the ability to be recycled to a Lady or Lord of Crowns (depending on their buffs). Once laid out and memorized though, the class can be simple.
Updated on May 12, 2021, by Allison Stalberg: There is more to Astrologian cards than just arcana seals and buffs. There are other useful things to know such as how long the buff actually lasts and how long it can take to draw another card from the deck. Of course, there are also fun details that connect the cards to Final Fantasy 14 lore.
Important Facts About How The Cards Work
- The recast timer to draw and redraw cards is 30 seconds.
- Buffs, including Divination, last for 15 seconds.
- Buffs can only be cast to a player 30 yalms away or less.
Arcana Seals
An important part of Astrologian cards is their arcana seals. Arcana Seals exist to be collected as cards are played. With every three of them, the player can execute their biggest party buff: Divination. What Arcana seal the player collects is kept track of in the Arcana Gauge where their drawn card is also shown.
There are three types of Arcana seals and each one is connected to two cards.
- Solar: Connected to the Balance and Bole cards.
- Lunar: Connected to the Arrow and Ewer cards.
- Celestial: Connected to the Spear and Spire cards.
There is a little trick to memorize this. The cards that start with B are for Solar. The cards that start with S are for Celestial. Cards that start with a vowel (A and E) are Lunar.
For the strongest Divination (a six percent damage increase for all within 30 yalms), the player will want to use one of each Arcana. Three different seals produce the strongest Divination buff. So as you draw cards, you will want to play one that starts with B, one that starts with S, and one that starts with a vowel in a row.
If the player doesn't draw a card that suits the arcana they need, they can use Minor Arcana to turn the cards into a Lord or Lady of Crowns. Those cards have no arcana seals but deal bigger buffs.
The Balance
Part of the Solar Arcana, the Balance Astrologian card deals out six percent extra damage to melee DPS and tanks. Any other job gets less of a buff.
A trick to memorize that the Balance buffs melee DPS and tanks is that the word "balance" has connotations to the Monk class (because they have an ability called "Perfect Balance), which is a melee DPS. Also, anything that buffs a melee DPS is also a good buff for tanks. So that is all the player really needs to remember.
Lore: The Balance depicts Azeyma, the keeper of the sun and goddess of inquiry. The miqo'te seekers of the sun tend to worship her. Azeyma is known as the Warden and is one of the Twelve deities worshiped in Eorzea.
The Bole
The second Astrologian card with a Solar Arcana seal, the Bole buffs healers and ranged DPS with six percent extra damage. Other jobs get a lesser buff.
Here is the memorization trick for this: "Bole" is actually another word for a tree trunk and it also has a picture of a tree. What class is associated with nature? White Mage! White Mage is a healing class, thus the Bole buffs are best for healers (and ranged DPS, as their buffs go hand-in-hand with the healers like melee DPS do with tanks).
Lore: The Bole is associated with the World Tree, a life-giving tree planted by the Matron herself: Nophica of the Twleve and patron of Gridania. The tree was then nurtured by Althyk, one of the Twelve and god of space and time.
The Arrow
Part of the Lunar Arcana, the Arrow card buffs melee and tank class damage by six percent. It does only three percent for other classes.
Unfortunately named, a lot of Astrologians may put the Arrow on bards since they have bow and arrows, but that is the path to a lesser buff. Try to remember that the Arrow name is tricky, and its buff is actually for the opposite of Bards. It is for melee DPS and tanks, who fight in at close range.
Lore: The Arrow is believed to be a constellation created by Oschon, the Wanderer of the Twelve. He himself is known to carry a bow. He created the constellation with the help of Llymlaen, the Navigator and patron of Limsa Lominsa.
The Ewer
The second part of the Astrologian's Lunar Arcana is the Ewer, which buffs healers and ranged DPS.
To remember this, know that the word "ewer" actually does mean something: it's a word for a type of jug. Since the Ewer buffs healers, think of a jug of medicine. That should be enough to remember it, as ranged DPS are always paired with healer buffs.
Lore: The Ewer is known to be used by the Scholar Thaliak of the Twelve. From the ewer, he pours knowledge and aether which is spun by Nymeia, one of the Twelve and goddess of celestial bodies and fate.
The Spear
The Spear is part of the Celestial Arcana and buffs tanks and melee DPS the most.
Memorizing this one is easy. The class that uses spear weapons is Dragoon. Dragoons are melee DPS. Tanks of course are included too since they are close-ranged attackers, as well.
Lore: The Spear's art depicts Halone: the Fury of the Twelve, patron of Ishgard and goddess of war. In the card background is Halone's domain, which was created by Menphina, the goddess of love. Menphina is who the miqo'te seekers of the moon tend to worship.
The Spire
Being the second part of the Celestial Arcana, the Spire card buffs healers and ranged DPS.
To memorize this one, know that a spire is a type of tower. A Final Fantasy 14 class that may use a tower a lot is an Astrologian (since they study the stars), which is a healer. Another way to memorize it is that a ranged DPS is able to throw their attacks at a distance, so they could (in theory) throw their attacks to the top of a spire.
Lore: The Spire is known to have been build by Byregot of the Twelve, god of the arts and commander of lightning. The tower is constantly under attack by Rhalgr, the god of destruction and guardian deity of Ala Mhigo. It is likely that the old man depicted on the card is either Rhalgr or Byregot.
Lord Of Crowns
The Lord of Crowns is not associated with any Astrologian Arcana. It is not naturally drawn from the deck either and only appears if the player uses Minor Arcana on a card they do not want to use.
While it does not have an Arcana seal, the card does deal an eight percent buff to tanks and melee DPS. The easiest way to remember this is to think of old and stuffy gender roles. Lord is the title of a man and men fight at close range with their manly fists.
Lady Of Crowns
Like the Lord of Crowns, the Lady of Crows is not associated with an Arcana seal. It is also only summoned to an Astrologian if they use Minor Arcana on a drawn card.
Unlike the Lord though, the Lady does an eight percent buff to healers and ranged DPS. In memorizing this one, old and stuffy gender roles help here as well. Women as healers and ranged fighters so they don't have to get their hands too dirty.
Other Thing To Keep In Mind
Even when knowing what class types are buffed, Astrologians may still struggle to decide which player to give their buffs to. For example, which healer? Which tank? Which melee DPS (if there is more than one)?
Veteran players advise buffing the strongest damage dealers, so typically a DPS. Classes most known for dealing damage include Samurai, Dragoon, Black Mage, Summoner, and Machinist. However, it could also be nice to spread the buffs in fairness to the players. It is whatever the Astrologian decides.