Why is Summoner the most ignored, misunderstood and broken job?

[Ketaru]

And I see nothing that says BST, PUP or DRG should be up front meleeing since they have no stoneskin or self cures (well, they might have). As a melee SMN you are naturally expected to play under the same rules as a DRG, BST or PUP. You can't say some melee jobs need to heal themselves and others can be healed by white mages.

Just thought I'd chime in that this is not entirely accurate. BST, PUP, and DRG actually do have varying degrees of innate healing utility and survivability tools. They might not see much use in typical group dynamics, although they might if you feel your healing is not going to be sufficient for what you're about to do.

BST's Lucky Lulush has an Area Wild Carrot that heals everybody in range for approximately Cure IV amounts. They also have Snarl so, if they do become the target, they can quickly shrug it off to their pet that they themselves can heal (in Abyssea, my Rewards with Zeta heal approximately 1650 HP).

PUP has healing automaton frames that, while it leaves a lot to be desired compared to a living, breathing WHM, is still adequate supplemental healing on occasions. Not to mention PUP's reputation has a hate free nuker itself. That puppet is capable of some sick amounts of damage.

DRG needs to sub one of the mage jobs in the game, but once they do, their wyvern is capable of some of the most MP efficient heals in the game. If they are also feeling pressure from taking damage because they've grabbed hate, they have their jumps to shed it.

So, in a way, yes, they do each have self cures to varying degrees. They even have hate manipulation tools of their own to aid in their own survivability. To say they don't have survivability tools to justify their bid to be in the frontline is completely inaccurate.

SMN? You die if a mob so much as sneezes at you.

SMN is not broken. Definitely not outside of Abyssea. Inside, it's simply not popular, thats all.

SMN can solo things in Abyssea. People might not like that, but just take a walk down Port Jeuno and look at all the people that don't have the gear they want for their jobs. In Abyssea, your ability to get procs counts for a lot. But groups are not always available and, at such times, you would do well to have a job to fall back on if you need to solo. And, at the point of the game that it is now, being able to get loot one way or the other counts for a lot. All I have to say is, if you don't exploit that SMN can solo stuff, Danny DRK and Roger RNG still aren't going to feel sorry for you.

I've always wondered why SE gave only SMN a global spell timer.

BST pets have global recast timers. All of our pet's abilities are on the foul and wretched "charge" system so, even if our pet's have 100 TP, we still have to wait to have the appropriate number of "charges" to perform some of our abilities. Wild Carrot? Sheep Song? Acid Mist? Charged Whisker? Rage? All come from the same charge pool whether they're damage dealing, support, healing, or enfeebling. Calling pets? All on the same job ability timer. Healing HP or curing status effects? All on the Reward timer.

I'm not saying SMN has it good, but in a way, that's actually the price you pay for being a pet job.

[Dallas]

PUPs get a little snobby at times, but BSTs really are my best friends. I've never met a BST that said "meleeing alongside your pet is stupid."

[Malamasala]

All I have to say is, if you don't exploit that SMN can solo stuff, Danny DRK and Roger RNG still aren't going to feel sorry for you.

Soloing on SMN may be possible, but it is never worth it. It takes you about 30 minutes to kill a KI NM, and you have no triggers to get KI so it is like a 30% drop rate, meaning you need 1.5 hours to get one KI.

Sure, if you go to exp parties and get gold chest KIs, you'll later be able to go pop those item dropping NMs and solo those. But you are again looking at some 1 hour solo sessions, for 1 drop of the type you want.

Overall the fact that something can be done is far outweighed by the inefficiency of doing it. This is nothing different than saying that a SMN at level 50 could craft themselves their own penance robe. It isn't very time efficient, but it could be done. You can't see any level 50 WARs synthing kitty pants.

[Razushu]

PUPs get a little snobby at times, but BSTs really are my best friends. I've never met a BST that said "meleeing alongside your pet is stupid."

That's because BST was designed with that in mind

[Razushu]

Soloing on SMN may be possible, but it is never worth it. It takes you about 30 minutes to kill a KI NM, and you have no triggers to get KI so it is like a 30% drop rate, meaning you need 1.5 hours to get one KI.

Sure, if you go to exp parties and get gold chest KIs, you'll later be able to go pop those item dropping NMs and solo those. But you are again looking at some 1 hour solo sessions, for 1 drop of the type you want.

Overall the fact that something can be done is far outweighed by the inefficiency of doing it. This is nothing different than saying that a SMN at level 50 could craft themselves their own penance robe. It isn't very time efficient, but it could be done. You can't see any level 50 WARs synthing kitty pants.

The pop and proc system kinda smoothered SMN solo in it's sleep, we still have the ability to solo NMs but with craptastic drop rates.

[Dallas]

That's because BST was designed with that in mind

You need to be told that the single most popular staff WS (Spirit Taker) was used to design the most powerful staff WS (Myrkr). Design is an amazing topic, which I will gladly discuss with someone who has unlocked Spirit Taker.

[Razushu]

You need to be told that the single most popular staff WS (Spirit Taker) was used to design the most powerful staff WS (Myrkr). Design is an amazing topic, which I will gladly discuss with someone who has unlocked Spirit Taker.

You really don't read posts do you? I told you 2+ times my staff skill is.... 245 I stopped bothering to level it because I unlocked Spirit Taker to use when soloing EPs. Now MP is no problem I don't need to tickle mobs to death for EXP. A weak weapon skill more popular over more powerful ones? Hmmm. why is that, oh yeah because it's sole purpose is to regain MP. Myrkr is the weakest WS in the game it does 0 DMG. It has uses like MP regeneration(But MP isn't an issue really anymore) and removes debuffs which is nice but this can be done with items/subjobs spells. Myrkr = Weak but useful

[Dallas]

I told you how to fix your "tickle problem" and you haven't done it. I'll admit that I only skim your posts for some effort on your part.

Now, do you really want to discuss how Spirit Taker wasn't part of the design of this job? It's not there for MNK, WAR or PLD. Next in line is SMN.

[RAIST]

umm...I'd hardly call 1k+ Spirit Takers in abyssea that can fully refill your MP after Spamming Mana Cede and BP's and depleting your MP pool in large chunks a "weak WS" not worth using instead of Retribution or Cataclysm. Maybe if you had your staff capped, you might appreciate it's utility.

[Razushu]

I told you how to fix your "tickle problem" and you haven't done it. I'll admit that I only skim your posts for some effort on your part.

Now, do you really want to discuss how Spirit Taker wasn't part of the design of this job? It's not there for MNK, WAR or PLD. Next in line is SMN.

They can use it though. It's also there for BLM, BRD, WHM and SCH Should they be meleeing fulltime too? It wasn't put there to make backline jobs melee it's there to give them something to do if they find themselves meleeing.