Job Adjustments: Summoner (03/10/2006)

[Faranim]

I can give everyone EnThunder for 35 seconds instead of 30. yay.

Won't know how good this really is until:

1. How much extra duration per skill point?
2. Can you still macro -BP and then +Skill, or do you need to wear the +Skill while activating the BP to get the extended duration?

I'm still like 40 points below the skill cap anyway so no point in spending cash on the Torque/Earring.

[Shuichi]

As a long time SMN, I'm looking forward to having split timers and revamping the way I play SMN. My summoning skill is capped and fully merited beyond 300 so it'll be interesting to see how my buffs perform after this adjustment. I see this change as a win for SMNs. It's one of the things we've been asking for. As for the MP drain, it's gonna be more MP intensive now, so we'll see how it goes.

[FFXIFlux]

Anyways....back to the original point. SMNs weren't anything special before this update, now they're useful in just about every situation.

Why? BLU will outdamage them, outheal them, outdebuff them, has better stoneskin. For the limited times agro is an issue they can sub THF and generate agro FOR the tanks helping the entire alliance. Only thing SMN has that BLU doesn't is aerial armor, but your WHM can do that.

[Eltia]

The dual BP timer addition would give more flexibility to SMN. If this flexibility leads to new use of (combination of) BP's, it seems likely it would cause more strain on MP pool.

The other thing SE is ambiguous about is how much enhancement summon skill would add to BPs. Would it be just a small amount or an amount comparable to merit point enhancement (like BP accuracy)? The effectiveness of enhancement would also depend on the type of enhancement. e.g. It would probably be more effective if Aerial Armor gets additional shadows than getting a duration increase.

Or.. these "enhancement" are just meant to buff/fix up the weaker supportive BPs, such as Frost Armor or Shining Ruby. GG SE.

[Dbill]

Maybe give Smn access to Cure IV, they would then get 10x more invites.

[Eltia]

But some people prefer Radioactive Squirrel over Davey Jones. >"<

I agree with a previous poster: this patch seems to be a "catch up" patch for SMN, just to bring them more up to par with the other jobs. It doesn't seem to be a ground breaking change unless the dual BP timer provides some killer BP combination that people find useful. e.g. Diabolo's Dream Shroud + Nether Blast, Fenrir's Ecliptic Howl + Ecliptic Bite.

[Aodh]

Beyond the summoning skill bonus, what this update means for summoners is that we don't have to focus on one behaviour in a party. Current day we took the role of healer through curing and buffer OR DD with Lv70 Blood Pacts. Generally if a SMN was keeping up a buff rotation then they couldn't DD.

After the update I see a SMN in exp parties doing things like Hastega > Preditor Claws, Ecliptic Howl/Growl > Eclipse Bite, Earthen Ward > Mountain Crusher or Dream Shroud > Neither Blast. Summoner now can not only be a support role, but also do damage at the same time.

I still don't see how this would encourage SMN to leave the avatars out, which has been what SE said they intended to encourage. Other than maybe recast time to resummon...

[Nirokun!]

For example, players can experience increased accuracy when using Blood Pact: Rage

I'm really itching to try Crimson Howl + Flaming Crush :3 Maybe the super-capped-meritted-geared smns can pull off the big flaming crushes x)))))))))

[Dbill]

Why do I have a feeling that Smns are going to get a new Toy to play with this update. ex. Odin ?? we can attack darkrider but we can't do a damn thing to him.

[Xavier]

Replace SMN with DRG or DRK and it's okay? LOL, seriously guys, SMN makes DRG look overpowered. DRG will outdamage SMN hands down and the wyvern can outheal a SMN too when it comes right down to it. Give me a break, if you can't see that SMN is underpowered you need to pull your head out of your ass.

Clearly TP for Dummies 101 wasn't a class you took.

[chiz]

Anyways....back to the original point. SMNs weren't anything special before this update, now they're useful in just about every situation.

Why? BLU will outdamage them, outheal them, outdebuff them, has better stoneskin. For the limited times agro is an issue they can sub THF and generate agro FOR the tanks helping the entire alliance. Only thing SMN has that BLU doesn't is aerial armor, but your WHM can do that.

Tbh, I don't know how effective BLU is and what subs/buffs/food etc. are needed. I know that Cannonball can put up some big numbers on Tiamat but until I actually saw its effectiveness over the course of an entire fight, its kinda hard to judge.

I can already think of plenty of ways SMN is more useful than it was in certain fights with this update, many of them mentioned already:

If Garuda Haste is substantially buffed based on skill, it'll save a ton of MP and possibly eliminate the need for a WHM or RDM in a melee DD party.

Leviathan's Spring Water would be perfect for fights like Ouryu or Cerberus. 1 minute DS Stona+Erasega or DS Paralyna would rock, along with the amount of HP healed.

Diabolos' MAB/MDB buff is supposedly substantial/worthwhile, though I don't know for sure since our SMNs would rather not sacrifice a BP to use it in the past. MDB would be great for tank parties, MAB for BLM parties.

Earthen Ward, pretty sure everyone knows how effective it can be in cutting down damage taken.

Carbuncle's Shining Ruby stacks with P5/S5 to give a little boost to defense/MDB.

Just a few that I can think of off the top of my head along with the ability to deal good/great damage and heal as needed. Again, how effective it is in reality depends on how MP regen/hMP holds up with the additional BPs.

[Eltia]

If Fenrir's perpectual cost could go down more and under the right moon phase, it could be a viable avatar tank with Ecliptic Howl.

[Miji]

Whether or not people use SMNs at HNMs, this should at least help the job get some experience points along the way. I see this as a more of a lower level helper than for the 75 SMN, though they might get some good use out of it as well.

[Eltia]

Here is an accomplishment story of SMN. There was one Dynamis-Windurst run we went to. We had a PT with BLM BLM BLM BLM SMN BRD to act as an offensive bunker. SMN is particularly helpful in this setup because it saves up the BLM's MP/time on stoneskin/blink and take care of recovery. The BLMs liked Dream Shroud. BRD was enjoying his time because he could just keep ballade on the whole PT and used the time to help other PTs with sleeping and ellegy, etc.

I think every job has its use. And not everyone likes Davey Jones for one thing.

[Plow]

And not everyone likes Davey Jones for one thing.

That's news to me!

[Tahngarthor]

This thread so needs a "holy fucking shit" in the title.

(let the lol crap flow forth!)

[epigram]

But wouldn't this change make relic staff more useless? Unless you still have magical mp absorbstion from the air powers.

[Lyramion]

OMG why did they have to NERF summoner.... SE doesnt understand the game....



someone had to write that

[Eltia]

But wouldn't this change make relic staff more useless? Unless you still have magical mp absorbstion from the air powers.

Let me guess... you are a Galka SMN, right?

I don't know, I farmed with Carbuncle Pole. It's free.

[Sixtail]

But wouldn't this change make relic staff more useless? Unless you still have magical mp absorbstion from the air powers.

Don't forget he already had a BP timer of -150 so he could BP whenever anyway.

lolgalkameleesmn.