I'm really not sure what you mean by "Abyssea powerful". Do you mean SMN actually having gear that enhances its functionality (the pet), like every other single job? Because that only started to happen at about this time, and that was nothing to do with Abyssea as a concept - that was to do with developers finally discovering that pet jobs need "Pet: X" stats on gear. I also honestly don't feel that "grouping era" has any meaning in this context. I mean, I've been playing XI today in a party of 6 doing an event. Yesterday I was in a full alliance doing a linkshell event (in which we had two SMNs, both focusing on DD). I was in a capacity points party (functionally similar to exp) on Sunday with six people. I also feel obliged to point out that Abyssea was seven years ago. Fields of Valor was a thing in 2008.
They definitely got SMN wrong in XI for a while. It was fixed by giving them functional equipment and a few changes to potency, not by altering the fundamental premise of the job. That's why I take exception when people cite XI as a reason that XIV SMN can't be pet focused.
Will stop talking about XI now. Apologies for slight derailment, even if it was intended to be relevant to XIV SMN ideas...
