new smn ability ideas

[Momotarotaru]

Well I really would like to see Spirit with better AI ,BP Ward zero timer and BP rage 30 sec.
Poor spirit... I only let them in for 1 sec for Element Siphon and I rarely use it in Abys.

And I would like to see BP ward buff party, Pet and Avatar ... not just PC this way we can cure our Avatar...(well not sure this way will make SMN to be overpowered or not )

Another idea is I would like to see Main duty of Avatar.
Example Titan use for tank ...mean a lot of HP and defend.
Shiva use like BLM ... INT and MAB but weak physical
Garuda .... Best DD in all Avatar.
Leviathan and or Carby for the best Healing avatar.
Fenrir more like Ninja type (in my idea)
Etc ....

So we can use Avatar and Spirit in different situation.
and maybe SMN can make small party by using different avatar to make party ....
Example 1st SMN use Titan for tank
2nd SMN use Shiva for Magic DMG.
3rd SMN use Garuda for physical DD
4th SMN use Leviathan for Curing
Do I dream too much ?

[Malamasala]

Do I dream too much ?

No, but I always felt these kinds of ideas were very restricting. Some of us certainly have favorite avatars, and we'd prefer not being stuck doing single roles with them just because someone thought it was good to give them classes.

Besides since avatars tank through damage, the stats low damage taken, high damage given, is the ideal tank stats, and ideal DD stats, making it the one and same thing.

[Sasaraixx]

Gonna copy here what I suggested in other topic (that was off topic actually cuz I didnt saw this thread)
edited a bit so it wont be a shameless copypasta.

A "casting" stance
Super Magical Avatar Stance of Happyness (name subject to change everyone names their suggested abilities to sound cool)
- Fuses the avatar with the elemental spirit of their corresponent element, giving the avatar the capacity to cast and behave like the elemental spirits while retaining the ability to command them and normal bloodpacts.
- Perp cost increases and the effect gets stronger as time passes till a cap like favor stance.
- As the effect gets stronger the avatar gets bonus in damage, reduces recast time on the elemental magic, AI and gives the avatar a "elemental seal" like bonus in accuracy of their bloodpacts.
- It will be required to posses the corresponding elemental spirit magic to activate said ability


a "melee" stance
Super Martial Avatar Stance of Joy
- Fuses the avatar with the player (not literally tho it would be cool)
- Perp cost increases and the effect gets stronger as time passes till a cap like favor stance.
- As the effect gets stronger the avatar gets bonus in their stats while draining the SMN stats, like attack, defense, str, acc, dex etc, diferent avatars would "drain" certain stats more than others
- It will give the avatar a special bonus like double attack, reduce delay, increase damage etc. depending on avatar.

just a couple of ideas, tunning would be the key.

Azjazo has an idea worth exploring. I think that SMN needs more tweaks to existing traits/JA than it does brand new abilities. However, His/her suggestion does address one of our areas of improvement and that is avatar DOT. . .

The hate free aspect of our damage is great but aside from that uniqueness, our DOT is not great. Now that BLM has Mana Wall and Enmity Douse, i.e. allowing them to nuke more with less hate/danger of dying, I don't think it would be too overpowering to increase our avatars' overall DOT. In the physical stance avatar melee would be improved (and it is sorely lacking) and on the magical side additional nukes will also increase DOT. Also, the nuking stance concept is already in the game. This is how the Shiva VNM behaves in Abyssea. In the nuking stance, I would also have some variety between avatars as well to match the physical stance.

I think our ward side needs work as well. Avatar's favor is also too weak and should be our "enhancing stance." With the gear we have available, the reduction of perp cost isn't even much of a bonus. I would increase the range and potency for all the favors. I think the rate at which the favor is capped should be sped up both initially and after use of a blood pact. (As a side note, I don't think ward pacts should reset the favor. If this is supposed to be our enhancing stance, then we should be able to use ward pacts freely, without any penalty) I would also change some of the favors. (For example, Titan to straight -PDT% instead of +DEF).

As for the ward pacts themselves, aside from Hastega, they all need to have their duration and/or potency increased. You're limited to putting 1 up every 45 seconds and that includes debuffs and buffs. This limiting factor should be compensated for in the effectiveness of the wards. Perhaps some of the favors or wards could retain their current potency, but be able to push players past current caps.

The inclusion of Azjazo's idea would give SMN 3 workable stances - physical damage, magical damage and support. Given that WHM is already such a competent healer, and SCH & RDM are trying to catch up, I don't think our healing side needs a significant boost. The 3 healing pacts should scale a bit better but that's all.


The only things left I would like to see are a reworking of elemental spirits (casting time reduction, significantly increased nuking damage, better AI and more spells for the light spirit), more pet/avatar specific gear that SMN can equip (no more SMN & WHM on the same gear please!) and cleaning up of some issues such as auto-attack. These are additions/corrections I believe the job *needs*.

As far as things I would *like* but aren't at all necessary - a Cover or Collaborator type JA between the SMN and avatar and having each avatar be somewhat unique. I know many will disagree with the latter in particular but I like the idea of each of the avatars being particularly good at something other than resisting their native element. But again, that's just me.