Am I doing SMN wrong or is there just a LOT to do?

I don't believe the whole stance of "you'll get used to it", "you'll develop muscle memory" etc should obfuscate the fact that Summoner is considerably busier which for some players can and will be overwhelming. As much as I was a proponent for Obey Ifrit use for being more optimal, most players wanted to rely on Sic more because it was less intense for them, more comfortable. Too many inputs per unit time, be it over a minute or in smaller discrete chunks can get to be too much for players and it puts them off leading to playing jobs that are typically found less stressful (e.g. RDM).

SMN is not newMCH level bad for inputs, but we do have a higher amount of double weaves in our core rotation cycle this expansion than we had last. Yes we'll get used to it, adapt and write the guides to streamline it so that players will find it more accessible. But there is only so much we, as players and content creators can do when the rest falls on the core design problems within the job itself.

Well I picked summoner to level through the story and man is it busy. I felt like I needed a nap after running the first dungeon. There’s just so much to keep track of and so many buttons to push quickly, and as a result I have a hard time paying attention to all that while also being mindful of mechanics. I think I’m getting a bit more used to it and I definitely don’t dislike it, but I’m never going to be super amazing at it or have everything down to absolute perfect timing. It’s just a lot. I’ll be back to red mage soon enough. I like being able to breathe and not tunnel vision and also not get carpel tunnel haha.

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Originally Posted by Palladiamors

I see you haven't done a raid yet with summoner. Paying attention to every single minute detail we have to while dodging boss mechanics IS difficult and one or the other is going to suffer because of it. Yes, I know, so does everyone else, but not to THIS degree.

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This is my greatest worry as the one who usually does shot calling... :(

Honestly the burden would be way lighter if EA1/2 had sound effects for when they gain an available charge (one sound per skill). Something like your egi/carbuncle chirping/roaring/whatever to notify "master, my aetheric levels are restored offensive magicks are available!" That would be a really cool and immersive way to take the information load off my eyes and let me focus on my other timers

Welp...all my rotation studying before coming back just got throw into the shredder. Anyone know how to cast ruin 4 now? I see it building at the top of the screen, but how do I use it? It would just replace ruin 3 after using certain moves before right

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Originally Posted by Tenebrae_Strider

Welp...all my rotation studying before coming back just got throw into the shredder. Anyone know how to cast ruin 4 now? I see it building at the top of the screen, but how do I use it? It would just replace ruin 3 after using certain moves before right

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It replaces ruin II. It triggers when you use Egi Assault skills now (1 at 62, 2 at 74)

There's definitely a lot to do, but I personally enjoy "busy" jobs over simple ones.

my biggest issue so far is separating the aetherflow from dwt has totally screwed with my flow of the job, ill often completely forget dwt is there because ill look at my aetherflow and not see the little bahamuts lined up to wreck stuff, and i could nearly autopilot through sb dungeons because i knew exactly how long my rotation was and how to start a boss with full burst, that being said i like the options that this opens up and will probably just come down to me making an aoe flow and an st flow

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Originally Posted by Astarotha

my biggest issue so far is separating the aetherflow from dwt has totally screwed with my flow of the job, ill often completely forget dwt is there because ill look at my aetherflow and not see the little bahamuts lined up to wreck stuff, and i could nearly autopilot through sb dungeons because i knew exactly how long my rotation was and how to start a boss with full burst, that being said i like the options that this opens up and will probably just come down to me making an aoe flow and an st flow

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I SO completely agree. You said it all. No more logic in building your striking power, it's free style now

Basically 5.0 SMN feels like 4.0 BRD to me.

It's not completely overwhelming but whew boy, it takes a LOT of mental bandwidth and my worry is I, personally, will not be able to handle it long term in high pressure fights. That's a personal failing of mine, I'm getting older and just don't have the same ability to focus as I used to. It's not that it's super hard, but there are a LOT of balls you are juggling and it feels pretty easy for me to drop a ball or two, at least for a few seconds, so maximizing DPS is gonna be close to impossible for me.

We'll see I suppose. Familiarity tends to go a LONG way for these things so it may get easier as I play it more, but for now I may just have to stick to it casually and take a simpler rotation class for harder content.

(Unrelated, but I LOVE the changes to BRD for exactly this reason. They simplied BRD just a tad and it went from a bit overwhelming at time to just the right number of things to me. Maybe SMN in 6.0 will see the same thing)

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Originally Posted by SineNomine

Basically 5.0 SMN feels like 4.0 BRD to me.

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Yeah, with only a slight difference, BRD had full mobility and 100% instant casts. SMN does not unless you want your DPS to be comparable to the one of a white mage.