Summoner Suggestions

[dasva]

I had always been under the impression that Cure 3 was much less enmity for Cure 4, but after reading through the enimty testing, it's only 5 and 6 that are different.

If you need to haste DDs, we have hastega. If you need to use a barspell, the SMN shouldn't be the one doing it. A WHM using barspell can get well over 200 resistance. We can barely get 100.

True but it's not as good. Slow overwriting, people out of range, dispels will kinda eat hastega. Plus I'd rather my smn put up other unique buffs instead of anything anyone /rdm or /whm can do. Barspells I'll buy if you need them it's more of a gravy.

I forgot stona.

Either way it's rather situational based on needs. Both subs have their purposes. Really need to evaluate the needs of the event and what others are bringing to the table

[Archades]

yes sch get erase but it takes light arts and addendum white and you cant be switching between it and dark constantly.
its just simpler to use on /whm. If im just gonna sit on light arts and mp not a big issue, better to just go /whm for lack of complication to use.

the aoe buffs are useful when in parties but i rarely party w/ people so i dont factor that as a major benefit.

For me /whm is default anywhere, but I /sch when i feel appropriate.

[Babekeke]

While we're at it, any of you ever use impact? I'm not sure what a fully unresisted damage/duration are like on SCH or BLM, but as smn/sch it seems 50/50 whether it lasts for 10 seconds or 1 minute.

[FaeQueenCory]

Never used impact, and I agree that /sch does offer more utility...

But the reason I prefer whm over it is partially cure4+divine seal.... and majorly teleports.
Seeing as how smn only recently got end-game love (WKR) I'm on it mostly solo or with a small group of friends.
So I be teleporting all day long lol

/rdm offers convert, refresh, and phalanx. /sch offers the ability to actually cast those black magic spells in your list as /rdm decently. and /whm offers mobility and more curing than /sch.

TBH, MP hasn't been an issue since 75 era... so none of these are any better or worse than the other at 99.
It's just personal taste.
And I like that personal taste matters to smns for their sub job.

EDIT2: Oh! also /whm gives you access to all the staff WSs. Less useful in no-one-does-abyssea-anymore today.... but it's a factor.

[Arciel]

i've kinda given up hope that the devs fix the speed of play for SMN who are slow as hell in the game that is increasingly fast. as others have mentioned, the BP timer was split ONCE, but since then we've been stuck on two timers, with a minimum of 45s per timer. The only new ability so far that has even involved the BP timer is Astral Conduit, which can be used once per hour.

Given the climate of the game now, it isn't enough. If we were to examine each ability as it is.. SMN isn't that bad off - it's pretty good really.. its just that it doesn't work with the BP system in place.

The most popular suggestion around appears to be reducing the BP timers to 30s, which is not a bad idea... but it won't change the fact that SMN is still slower than other jobs.. and will still keep us stuck to a very simple playstyle.

..the other real problem is this.
When ALL your abilities are tagged to the same timer, the obvious choice would be to use the most effective one.. which is why SMN playstyle has not changed like at all.

here's what I propose...

Keep the 45s "hard cap", but implement a bonus timer reduction based on what level the BP is relative to the SMNs current level. The lower level the BP, the more extra reduction it gets... to the point where a new hard cap is reached.

I'd probably do it something like this.

BP is learnt at 10-19 levels (ie, lv80-89 if you're lv99) below SMN current level = BP timer -10s bonus (so 50s, without gear)
BP is 20-29 lvs below SMN, BP timer -15s (at 99, BP lv 70-79) recast = 45s
BP is 30-39 lvs below SMN, BP timer -20s (at 99, BP lv 60-69) recast = 40s
BP is 40-49 lvs below SMN, BP timer -25s (at 99, BP lv 50-59) recast = 35s
BP is 50-59 lvs below SMN, BP timer -30s (at 99, BP lv 40-49) recast = 30s
BP is 60-69 lvs below SMN, BP timer -35s (at 99, BP lv 30-39) recast = 25s
BP is 70-79 lvs below SMN, BP timer -40s (at 99, BP lv 20-29) recast = 20s
BP is 80-89 lvs below SMN, BP timer -45s (at 99, BP lv 10-19) recast = 15s
BP is 90-98 lvs below SMN, BP timer -50s (at 99, BP lv 1-9) recast = 10s

this is before factoring in BP timer gear, so you can take 15s off that... but there will be a new hard cap.. probably 5s. so basically you can't reduce BP timer to anything less than 5s.. but with BP timer gear, your BPs from lv 1-29 should only have 5s recast. This way, people will have more reason to use lower level abilities because they're easier on the timer and may be more MP efficient - you can choose a faster or slower style of play. Astral Flow BPs are not affected so they're always 60s. (anyway not like you can spam without MP).

This would open up a variety of playstyles for SMN. You could spam Lv1 physical BPs every 5s, bearing in mind that even tho they're cheaper the mods are different. Or cheap tier 2 elemental nukes. Or AoE Thunderspark spam for reliable AoE damage. Cheap curespam with Healing Ruby 1 when its not urgent. Nightmare and Sleepga would actually be worth using when you keep the avatar out since it can be reused in a matter of 5-10s. A SMN could potentially put out alot more concurrent buffs than it currently can. Choice of avatar would become more relevant because you would have BPs ready for use even before you can summon another one.. so each one's arsenal might affect the one you choose. If you still prefer to high lv BPs, then there'd be more tactical choice between Fenrir/Diabolos and the Celestials cos Nether Blast/Eclipse Bite would be slightly faster...

things like that, which would make SMN play more interesting and require more thinking on the fly.

...and the funny thing is.. none of any of that is actually going to be overpowered. All the other jobs in the game are THAT much faster and better now.