Do Relic, Mythic, and Empyrean staves lack utility?

[Korpg]

Thing is, it's not a minimal addition, relative to what you could have done before. Mr. Spreadsheet said like 30 pages ago that the player is doing more damage than the summon (which, as an aside, is a serious indicator of a problem with the avatar's BP capabilities)

The risk of death is a problem that affects anyone else who melees. Of course, I do have the galka HP advantage, and it's much more dangerous for the taru SMN.

Inside Abyssea, the overall risk is limited by the increased player HP and overall damage (higher STR, higher DEX, higher DA rate, etc) plus, the avatar can use the atmas also.

Outside Abyssea, kindof can't melee anything worthwhile, will wiff too much and can't keep avatar out for long. Also, too many things do over 1k damage to players in AoE range.

[Alhanelem]

Outside Abyssea, kindof can't melee anything worthwhile, will wiff too much and can't keep avatar out for long

Not really true at all, but whatever. Even if you wiff 50% you can still keep avatar out forever- If you're not using a max TP set, you won't be losing as much MP. If you are using a max TP set, you're not going to wiff that much.

Anything you can't melee without a high risk of death (and the only risk is highly damaging AoEs- your avatar will always have hate if you're not stupid) you can still kill the old fashioned way. Which is why I treat this as an extension of SMN's capabilities, not a used-all-the-time continuous upgrade.

[Korpg]

Not really true at all, but whatever. Even if you wiff 50% you can still keep avatar out forever- If you're not using a max TP set, you won't be losing as much MP. If you are using a max TP set, you're not going to wiff that much.

I don't know, I'm not totally convinced. I mean, on anything important, it is kindof tough to cap accuracy for even for a DD,maybe not so much now since the level gap has lowered and people have more combat skills to compensate, but there is still a big difference between A+ skill and B skill.

The "ideal" TP set for SMN is still lower than an A- naked skill, and you still need accuracy with A- skill (including food).

[Alhanelem]

and you still need accuracy with A- skill

If you're fighting THF or NIN mobs, yes. Most other mobs, no you don't need much if any accuracy.

People thought the distance between each skill rank was going to widen, and SE ended up keeping them parallel.

I'll be blunt and honest; I don't care if you don't buy what I'm doing. I've been making use of it for a while now, meleeing when I feel I can do it without dying, and not meleeing when I don't. It helps me whenever I can take advantage of it. When I can't, its just normal SMN for the win. Why can't you just accept that and move on?

[Sparthos]

The Archon Cape would only work in Dynamis/weather support, Bellicose Mantle (att+6) outside?

[Alhanelem]

The Archon Cape would only work in Dynamis/weather support, Bellicose Mantle (att+6) outside?

I was thinking about that too. and before the relic armor came out for The New Jobs, bellicose was what PUP was stuck with

[Sparthos]

Funny the Zilant Ring would be the hardest thing to get in that ideal TP setup by a wide margin.

Byrth gave me a funny though, putting it down.

[Byrth]

Haste+22%
Acc+24
Att+28

Is that really the best TP set for SMN?

It's the best that I can find. The melee options SMN gets are pitiful.

Also, Subbing Dragoon isn't really an option. Hasso is 10% Haste, 5?STR, and 10 Acc, while /DRG is 5% Haste and 10 Acc. You end up with worse stats when you sub Dragoon, even if it lets you cap gear Haste.

I didn't notice the weather latent on the cape. You could switch it to Aesir Mantle, I guess. Also, Sword Strap is probably better than Pole for Summoner.

[Leonlionheart]

I think it's worth mentioning how difficult it is to get nashira/ninurta's sash now days.

The only people doing Ultima (which iirc takes minimum of 2 weeks to solo the popset) are doing it for atma probably, so very few.

Ninurta's Sash is AV, which is much more possible, but still hard to some extent (finding people who are actually interested in 1 piece of gear that's actually good and 2 pieces which are completely niche, not 100%, and needs new popsets everytime).

If you have Emp staff, you are probably a product of Abyssea (most of your gear anyways) so I don't see many players getting that setup ever. I'd put money on the fact that Dallas has nothing close to that.

Edit: Zilant ring is also next to impossible, but I assume that +6 DEX aug'd with attack+3~5 would suffice.

[Cream_Soda]

I already pointed out you could sub DRG and cap haste (and also get acc bonus trait). In fact, that earring gives enough haste that you could replace one of those 1% haste items with something else.

I'm thinking you might also be able to do better with some augmented items.

Why on earth would you sub drg?

Well, at least it shows how versed you are in the art of melee

Edit: Beaten