SMN - knowing the class (part 1)

[nimuniverse]

First of all, SMN is not like other classes. We are DoT class. I don't understand why people are comparing to other dps classes.
For Solo, it's very easy. Bio II, Miasma, Bio, Fester, Ruin II, Ruin I. Target dead (combined with pet's attack).
In dungeon, Bio II, Miasma, Bio, Miasma II, Virus, Fester (single mob), Bane (multiple mob), Tri-disaster (multiple mob), Shadow Flare (multiple mob) and Ruin II. Throw in Aetherflow, Rouse, Spur and Enkindle somewhere in there too. I also use Thunder cross skill DoT too.
In typical dungeon, there are easy adds, that died before all DoTs finish their course. But 95% of mobs last 2-3 times the length of DoTs. And it's always 2-3 mobs per fight. I don't target one mob, I target all with Bane. When first mob died, second mob is at 85% health from Bane's DoT spread. When second mob died, third mob is already at 65-70% health.

[nimuniverse]

Can you ask for anything better? Granted, I get hit once or twice due to agro from 2nd and 3rd mob. But tank gets the agro back.
Imagine when I get Miasma II AoE DoT, Tri-disaster to bind them, and Shadow Flare AoE DoT. That will easily take additional 5-10% health from second mob and 15-20% from third mob by the time party attack third mob. Basically adds already lost up to nearly half of his hp before party targets it. Isn’t that awesome? I am not even including pet’s damage yet.
So the question is, how are you playing your class? Are you attacking one target at a time like other dps in dungeons? Then clearly without fester, we can't compete them. SMN should be taking on all mobs at the same time? We do far more damage than any dps who can only do single target one at a time.

On side note, I hate this 1000 char limits.

[Jibril]

Nice post, I have been reading the other posts about SMN and I usually just shake my head seeing people compare SMN to DRG and BLM. Seems there are a few of us, who actually understand the strengths of the SMN class rather than not derping on the huge number factor.

[shinros]

You can say I don't understand the class but all what you said? I do in the dungeons and overall we do less damage than the other dps classes.

All the other classes outstrip them in terms of aoe damage and single target actually play a dragoon or even watch someone else watch their damage. Lets not forget the hard mode primals we spend time setting up dots on the adds which takes time while the other classes just burst them down. God help the summoner on feather duty on the garuda hard mode fight.

Well anyway I rerolled to thau and i am melting people in both aoe and single target.

[zx10r]

Next time you are in a dungeon with a Black Mage let me know how your DPS is compared to his on Bosses and Thrash mobs.

[mountaindew]

For Solo, it's very easy. Bio II, Miasma, Bio, Fester, Ruin II, Ruin I. Target dead (combined with pet's attack).
In dungeon, Bio II, Miasma, Bio, Miasma II, Virus, Fester (single mob), Bane (multiple mob), Tri-disaster (multiple mob), Shadow Flare (multiple mob) and Ruin II. Throw in Aetherflow, Rouse, Spur and Enkindle somewhere in there too.

That's pretty much the typical rotation we all use with a few minor differences.
I've realized however that our DoT's do not actually damage the enemies 'per second/per tick' as I would of assumed it would do.
There is a delay in when the DoT's tick and it is more than 1 second, it seems to deal damage over time quite slower than I would of expected, I guess that is why we are not dealing enough damage as suppose to.

[abesut]

Fact is we're a DPS class. We do dmg. That's our role, and fact is our dmg is pretty low compared to other classes like BLM, MNK.. etc. Made a thread about it, but to sum it up: We have to cast 5 dots (including thunder) just to hit ~260p/3sec (and that's including the pet) meanwhile we have BLM (for instance) that can faceroll Blizzard/fire-# with no problem and doing way more dmg than us. Even our Enkindle spell fades in the shadow of the almighty Flare, which btw, can be casted twice if used convert. And it feels really stupid if Fester is supposed to make up for it, since its a CD spell, used by using another CD in order to cast (inception O.o)

[nimuniverse]

To shinros and zx10r

I don't see BLM casting AOE in dungeons unless the adds are the weak one that can be killed in 2-3 aoe. But that's not the case in dungeons. Every class targets one at a time. BLM even sleeps the adds. Yes, if we compare other dps classes on single target mob then yes like I said we do less dmg. It seems you don't understand that we are DoT class. Are you telling me you do nothing but spam AoE on 2-3 mobs per fight in dungeons? Good luck, not even the mighty PLD spamming Flash can save you. Meanwhile, I am casting AoE DoTs so that the 2nd and 3rd add has less health when the party is ready to take them on. It's about utilizing your skills to help party. Not trying to compete in damage. At this point it's suffice to say that we are support class instead of DPS. I say we are support, if not why do we have Virus?

[shinros]

a dps class that is support(wut?)? Oh so you admit we do less damage than everyone else? A dps class that does rubbish damage? Well this class was not built well. Yup re rolling and staying a thaumturge for sure now.

A dps is not there for support thats the healers job and scholar? They do the support thing a lot better with all their buffs.

[nimuniverse]

It seems you really don't understand the class. If you are looking for straight up damage dealer, go other classes just like you did with THM/BLM. Like I mention, in dungeon, where we don't shine on single mob, we shined on multiple mobs. 95% of dungeons have 2-3 mobs for each fight. They take around 75-90secs to die (I timed it based on the Bio II DoT's, since it required me to cast more than 2 times). Your other classes are doing damage on single target based where we are dealing damage on multiple target with our DoTs (unless you are the type that just cast on one single target, then you don't understand the class). Like I said, by the time the party get to 3rd add, it already lost about 20-25% health. If you combine total number (including pet), we do more damage than other classes per dungeon. Once again we are DoT class. If you want, melting faces, then SMN is not the class for you.