A Concise List of Current Well-known Balance Issues

[Arcon]

It is a balance issue, those "useless now" BP used to be very useful, back when level cap was 75 and when you do normal 6 people party - where you don't always get your optimal job combination. A lot of the SMN buffs were somewhat useful back then.

I think you've got it backwards. SMN got quite a few major increases with the updates. All wards that were useful back then (which are very, very few) are still useful now, plus there's quite a few new wards. Inferno Howl is also one of the new ones, and despite what Malamasala said, it is still very useful. I am not aware of any COR equivalent of that, as I know next to nothing about the job, can someone tell me what exactly they meant? COR has an Enfire that deals up to 90 damage per hit and lasts for over 40min? Either way, my point is it's still very useful. It can increase a party's damage output significantly on certain mobs (for example, it almost doubles the damage output on the LB10 taru, making it an extremely easy win).

Fleet Wind was also added, again very useful, as is Earthen Armor. Before Abyssea, all SMN had was Hastega and Dream Shroud, the rest was hardly worthwhile. I've seen Aerial Armor and Earthen Ward used because of the long duration, but even that wasn't too useful and people did it more because of a "why not" attitude.

Also, BPs themselves were adjusted for the level cap increase (constant duration with up to 3min20s bonus from skill, which makes even Inferno Howl last over 4min, Hastega even over 6min), as well as a general perpetuation cost adjustment (lowered at some point during level cap increases).

[Byrth]

I think he was talking about Ifrit's lolWarcry (Crimson Howl?) and comparing it to Chaos Roll.

But PS. SMN could (and does) have its own thread for all the things wrong with it.

PPS. No one cares about spirits but you, Mellowy.

[Kitkat]

Think he was referring to Inferno Howl actually. Even then it isn't 90 dmg at capped skill, unless he was referring to total enfire dmg per attack round of a h2h/dual wielder. Then he compared it to the lack of cor being able to give an enfire effect or similar that increases damage. Though that can be countered with other beneficial rolls cor can give to DD's increasing WS frequency and DoT by delay reduction. Hard to really compare the two when they aren't anything alike and the thing being compared is highly situational in use....further supporting the situational utility of Smn.

My smn isn't leveled so I can't really say much on its functional use, but of the things I do the only time I ever see smn in force is WoE. Pretty much everything else no one really cares to have one around.

[Sp1cyryan]

There really is just about nothing in the OP I found important to change.

[Alhanelem]

SMN is instrumental in the final LB fight. low melee damage makes inferno howl stand out, literally doubling (or more) people's damage, along with perfect defense.
PD makes anything easier. I'd like to be used for a lot more than that, but I'll take it.

[Sp1cyryan]

SMN is instrumental in the final LB fight. low melee damage makes inferno howl stand out, literally doubling (or more) people's damage, along with perfect defense.
PD makes anything easier. I'd like to be used for a lot more than that, but I'll take it.

I did G10 on my mule last week. SMN is only a hindrance now. The rarab tail lowers his defense and now leaves him terrorized for a minute. I did it as MNK THF (you know green pants, leaping boots at 95, etc) full perle DRG, a DRK, another DRG, and a BST. The fight was a joke we used one tail and killed him in exactly 1 minute so he never moved and possibly never even attacked. Two rarab tails and you can probably do this with a party of 3 decent DDs.

[Alhanelem]

SMN is only a hindrance now. The rarab tail lowers his defense and now leaves him terrorized for a minute.

SMN is NEVER, EVER a hinderance in that fight. SMN increases the damage output of your party by far more in that fight than adding a DD in its place.

Screw the rarab tail. It's a waste of time to obtain it when the fight is perfectly beatable without it. The first time we ran it, we considered getting them, but nobody wanted to wait for it.

[Sp1cyryan]

SMN is NEVER, EVER a hinderance in that fight. SMN increases the damage output of your party by far more in that fight than adding a DD in its place.

Screw the rarab tail. It's a waste of time to obtain it when the fight is perfectly beatable without it. The first time we ran it, we considered getting them, but nobody wanted to wait for it.

No, in the setting I just described SMN is a hindrance. Plain and simple, and the time factored into getting a rarab tail (easy anyway) is irrelevant.

[Alhanelem]

It's not irrelevant, because it's not needed and a waste. Why bother taking the extra time - however long or short you think it is - to collect an optional item when you really don't need it at all to win?

The setting you described is a setting that typically shouldnt exist. I don't even know anyone who used a rarab tail to win. The fight is easy enough without it.

[Zerich]

It's not irrelevant, because it's not needed and a waste. Why bother taking the extra time - however long or short you think it is - to collect an optional item when you really don't need it at all to win?

The setting you described is a setting that typically shouldnt exist. I don't even know anyone who used a rarab tail to win. The fight is easy enough without it.

Why bother factoring in the time it takes to progress with ToAU to get Alexander Prime?

It's just a (now out of date) strategy for the final limit break fight, unless you aren't strong enough to farm the rarab items.