I honestly get the impression you've taken up the cause of spirits, precisely because they're useless as combat pets. A boost to them isn't needed at all, we need help with our main pets to be more accepted.
I like updates that give a lot of of effect.

Improved avatar melee won't change a thing, except parser results.
Improved BP:Rage damage won't change a thing, except parser results.
Reducing perpetuation would allow low level SMNs to play... but these days low levels are gone so less important.

Improved BP timer will make a difference, and SE are working on this. Hopefully it will be a big difference.

Improving ward potency would make a large difference, and allow us to put up for example phalanx with useful potency.
Improving spirits would make a large difference, and allow us to DD at greater distances, or assist whole alliances.
Improving favors so that it isn't just a negative with very little positive bonus would also go a long way.


I simply want updates that make people go "Oh, you can do that now?" rather than having to say "Did you see that? My avatar melee hit did 100 damage". I have a feeling that the job will be more popular if it visibly is updated, than if you have to go on a forum and post a parse to show the update difference.

Spirit update -> People ask why you use spirits -> They get amazed at the big change -> Spread word that SMN is much better now.
Avatar damage update -> Nobody notices because WAR still does highest damage -> You have to advertise the changes yourself.

I still think that even if you dislike my ideas, those benefit SMNs more in the long run. Assuming of course that they "Fix" things, and not just do a half-assed attempt and end up with something like favors, which is just not good enough to give a new role to SMN and impress people.