Summoner ~ Updating Avatars & Elemental Spirits. Blood pacts, wards, and spell list.

[Covenant]

Yes, another thread.

I'd like to re-examine both summoner's avatars and spirits current play styles and possible update their future usefulness. I'd also like to examine what made Summoners uniquely great when compared to Blackmages, Redmages, and now scholars. More importantly, I'm going to gripe about how Summoners fell behind. Finally, I'll make suggestion on how I think SquareEnix can "fix" both avatars and spirits not only from lvl 90-99, but reexamine lvls 1-90.


Spirits unfortunately are a bad joke, used primarily for an "escpae" from danger or MP regen through, elemental siphon. Avatars, offer more control but are severly limited by bloodpact and ward delays. While party buffs are used, they're highmp cost and short durations(average player, not skill builds) are medic ore. With a few being used repeatedly, namely predator claws, healing ruby?, stoneskin etc. And other all but forgotten(individual strikes etc.)


As for what made Summoners great, avatars being "elemental" usually received specific spells and abilities before other jobs. For example, Summoners got ALL tier II spells at level 10, while a blackmages received theirs at lvl 26-46. At level 60 avatars all received their tier IV nukes, while blackmages began at 68-75. AnD when a spirit was able to actually cast a nuke, they too could potentially match tier skill level of a blackmages. Redmages, received unique spells at earlier level(I think) than WHM, however Ramuh and shiva matched both Enspell, spike, and hastaga.


While up to level 60 this seems like powerful aid, something went wrong. Maybe poor planning, or a simple wish to restrain a summoner twice over by first delay in pact and ward use, but by restricting magical strength. Summoners lost a lot of ground to blackmages. First with the introduction of ANcient magic and AMII. And the slide continued to present day Vanadiel. Not only, could avatars not bloodpact quickly matching a blackmages versatility(nukes tier III-AMII) of all elementals as long as mp and enimity held, we suddenly became "capped" at level 75 spell lists. Blackmages not only received Tier V's but the new -ra spells. A fully merited summoner blood acts could be useful but would hardly make up for the loss of AM or -ra spells. As for spirits, complete fail are spell list locking them to casting cycles with several completely useless spells(all debuffs and buffs) by at lvl75 also.


How do I see "fixing" both avatars and spirits? Well, SquareEnix would have to reexamine both in their entirety from lvl 1-99.

Avatars:
1/Create level 15 "enspellara" for each avatar, granting specific espell to party(scholars now have this via /RDM and accession.
2/create level 5 "bar spells" for each avatar, as with WHM, except without the /WHM.
3/create level 70 "enspellara II" for each avatar, granting the same effects as enspell2.
4/create lvl 50 "bar spells II's" granting not only greater resistance, but chance of elemental absorption.
5/ create a lvl X "Helix strike" which grants a moderate strike with "Helix 2" strength. (I don't know helix strength numbers, example maybe 100-200pts/tic duration 1minute?). This one tricky, do to multi-strike pacts. If placed lower than those should have lower output, if placed higher,in leu of tier V's they should be stronger than strikes or merit pacts.
6/ if NO, helix then all avatars should receive their -ra spells(the new nukes?) at lvl 80.
7/ with use of bloodwards, all avatars create a field of weather for short duration, matching a scholars storm spells.
8/ all avatars should have a natural appropriate Enspell on them when summoned. Can be overwritten by the Enspellara 2 versions while duration last.
9/ avatars if not given helix or -ra spells, should have bloodwards "spike-ara II's. These are pure elemental damage spikes as blaze, ice, and thunder. OR, increased potency to a tier II versions of blinkaga, stoneskinaga, hastega, blazespikeaga, etc.

One new summons I'd like to see is the big moogle, Kupofried from "A koopo d'état".
Imagine a summons that higher tier versions of Fi finder and treasure hunter. Also, unique moves and an astral flow that summoner 6 regular moogles to do a "dance of doom" as in The old FF series II or II(American version). The mob is already programmed in the game why not use the code?

Spirits:
1/ increase the spell cycle lists from 1-99.
2/ increase the physical damage down even greater then what's available to avatars even through blood pacts.
3/ either increase the rate of "nuke" casting by eliminating buff/debuff cycles, OR, keep casting the same but increase the spirits melee delay.
4/ all spirits should be summoned WITH appropriate enspells and spikes already in place to match skill level. (for example, a summoner lvl 50 earth elemental would have both enstone II and stoneskin up, if summoner only lvl 16, same spirit would only have enstone up but not stoneskin.)

2 new spirits could be added that match both the chaos elemental and magic sludge NM's look and certain casting tendencies. Lock a nuking behavior to these specific types, but eliminate their melee'n capabilities. I see the chaos elemental as the strong nuker and magic sludge as the strong debuffer. Each could have access to the newer nukes like helix, -ra, and higher II or III debuffs.

There are two major concerns I can see. First, none of my suggestions relate to the delay problems of pacts and words. Second, if SquareEnix were to adapt any changes this would require extensive changes to regular mobs behaviors, almost requiring a complete rewrite and balancing issue. I can boil down my "improvements" even further to just 2 phrase matched in many threads. First, avatars needs improved pact and wards list to include lvl 1-99. Second, spirits need a reason to be out nuking ONLY and/or "tanking".

Please feel free to add, change, or critic my suggestions. I'd also like to apologize for the length of them the thread.

[Malamasala]

Yes, another thread.

But this thread has a wall of text. I suggest cutting the initial part up a bit, the end of your post looks completely fine.

[RAIST]

nice ideas for SE to look at... but man.... thought I was bad about walls of text....

/signed in the hopes SE will consider working towards some of these ideas.

[Covenant]

I was wondering about adding a sorta "boost" /pet command for elemental spirits. This "boost" would create a 1min timer that creates an unstable spirit. Basically, causing the spirit to "rage" and increase stats and casting nukes more often. Perhaps doubling mp perp costs?

I was looking at the whole numbing argument of spirits and decided to be fair. If at best predator claw or merit Bloodpacts do is 1k(conservative set.). Why should a spirit go casting crazy and cast a tier III, IV, or AM(1 or two) in that same time frame as avatars. I'd still like to see spirits ability to "tank" and melee go up, rather than just be a nuker.

I don't know the casting time frame for an average BLM, what I mean what is the max spell and damage I BLM can get off in 1min? Let pretend it's 2k. A summon swinging a staff and as plus an avatar or spirit nuking should be equal. Meaning a summoner swing and hitting for, let say 200-400damage in a minute plus a bloodpact for 1.2k plus regular avatar melee swings should come close to 2k or more.

[Earwig]

Smn needs something, badly. I've actually stopped using mine because it just can't compete with other jobs in endgame. And the spirits - They need all the spells!

[Bubeeky]

maybe there could be an ultimate summon, like Odin, with Shiva as his wife, wearing carbuncle as a hat, and fenrir as his loyal pet puppy, Alexander his wife (shiva)'s steed, garuda as their living airplane, ifrit as their toaster, Levi as their drinking water, and ramuh as their entrance flair not sure what powers such a summon would possess, but it would be awesome to see such an entourage trailing behind a teeny taru that's like 1/100th of its size lol

[Covenant]

@bubeeky. Sounds like an awesome summons. To think you'd take all that time to hate when you can have done something constructive.

[Covenant]

Hmm came across these Abyssean elementals and thought to myself how nice here are Summoners tier 2 spirits.

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_Elemental

Each of these have 2 elements they can cast from. A bit of reworking to decrease casting times or at least eliminate non essential casting (buff/debuff).

[Malamasala]

Yea, the new elementals won't do a thing to help SMN, unless the original spirit issues are resolved first.

[Korpg]

There is an issue with spirits?