(Un)Official Arcanist/Summmoner Feedback Thread

as a 50 smn running ifrit/titan/garuda Hard Modes with my FC i can tell you this, SMNs are definitely not weak.... for those who dont realize pets have a command to only auto attack, you could be using that over sic to allow you to choose when you want what cds being used. BLMs are going to beat us in burst, its simply how their kit works but when it comes to sustained damage we basically are kings.. my rotation looks like thisobey -> spur -> rouse-> Bio II -> Miasma ->thunder -> Bio -> contagion(DoT extender) ->bane(multi targets)/fester(single targets) -> Ruin x 4 -> fester -> ruin x4 -> fester -> Aetherflow -> Bio II -> Miasma -> thunder -> bio... (ill shadow flare if the boss is slowable or multiple adds, will use after bane if thats the case)
etc etc using abilities of CD.. i find during long boss fights a SMN can easily contend for top dmg.

ill use enkindle as well usually timing it after my first rotation of DoTs but it depends on fight... sometimes ill save it for adds that spawn (I'm looking at you Garuda -_- annoying fight if not done well)this is without raging strikes from archer. keep in mind while our potency says 25-35 on our DoTs we have a flat 30%-40% potency boost from passives that we get leveling as arcanist (not sure if stacking or not have no way to check) for DoTs this is pretty massive because for even a 1 dmg bonus per tic its still a pretty big increase for a game using such small damage numbers... another thing people fail to realize about SMN is that we have a fun kit of debuffs + a battle rez that we can use to pick up people who die from improper fight awareness alleviating a rez that our healers would otherwise have had to waste mana on a rez.

at this point the only thing im really asking for SE to impliment for SMN is to remove our summons from the same GCD.... its annoying not being able to place pet while casting and not being able to cast while placing (time i could have spent using a ruin or something else in my rotation)while i know im not the most convincing SMN being new and not having the proper cross class bonuses its still something people should/could notice ;)

A few thoughts from a new level 50 SMN:

1) We should be able to command our summons 100% of the time. When we are casting, we should be able to tell the pet to do something. When I am riding my mount, I should be able to tell my pet "back off".
2) Turning SHOULD NOT interrupt a cast. Furthermore, SureCast, which stops you from being interupted (BLM spell), needs to be fixed. Either the wording, or the spell, because I get interrupted when I run with it on.
3) Pet's need to be quicker to respond to commands. I tell my pet to attack A, he hits B 2 times more before moving to A.
4) Tri-Disaster.... really? It's "Binding" the enemies which causes my pet to disengage. Why would it disengage on a root?
5) Ultimate spell, I think this really needs some help. Not huge damage, and the animations are quite low. Would love to see a pseudo/alpha image of the primal during the use.

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Originally Posted by nimuniverse

Because that way I can get 2 Fester and 4 Ruins II in with Raging Strike. If I do at the beginning, I don't get 2 Fester, only get one. But you have a point. There is the math question, which does more dmg (dots with raging strike or two festers + 2 ruins). For garuda, it's unrealiable on when she applies. Are you using obey and telling pet to use it yourself?

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if you tell your pet to obey it generally stays in that stance for the duration of the dungeon. it dying, you dying, you zoning will reset it.

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Originally Posted by Onimal

stuff

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1) That would be nice
2) Turning only sometimes interrupts casts, but sure it can be annoying. Not being interrupted and casting on the move are two different things. Surecast is a garbage ability because it only works on interruptions from damage, not cc, so I would be okay with it being more useful.
3) Cannot agree enough
4) Bind is broken by damage, so your pet stops attacking to not break your CC
5) Enkindle is a dumb lv50 ability. It's a perfectly fine spell, but it's pretty underwhelming as the final spell in our arsenal.

//EDIT\\
On the rotation posted above, Shadow Flare should be part of your core rotation. It does the most damage per cast out of any of your DoTs, even on single target.

I could hardly be more pleased with SMN. Regarding dmg, as others have said, rotation is key. This is true for every other DPS and it's true for us. I suspect that part of the disappointment is born from many XI players expecting something more similar to XI's Predator Claws spam. Meaning once per minute spike damage then staring at a cooldown timer until your next big number show and no rotation whatsoever. (I quit XI during WotG so I'm not up to date on newer styles/strategies). The merits (or demerits) of that design aside, that isn't XIV's SMN. XIV's SMN requires more focus and strategy...but it pays off.

Also, Raging Strikes....use it. Using it wrong's one thing, not using it while complaining about low DPS is another entirely. I'm not pointing anyone out but I suspect that some of the voices crying out against SMN damage belong to players not using this integral skill. The same applies to Rouse and Spur.
Basically, the class is great and capable of very competitive DPS but, for the love of the TWELVE, allow us to command our pets while performing other actions!

P.S. Does anyone know what the "Razed Earth" effect on Titan's enkindle ability even does???

Good question. I haven't the slightest idea. There's more needed to be learned about this class. ^__^

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Originally Posted by FreyjaMists

as a 50 smn running ifrit/titan/garuda Hard Modes with my FC i can tell you this, SMNs are definitely not weak.... for those who dont realize pets have a command to only auto attack, you could be using that over sic to allow you to choose when you want what cds being used. BLMs are going to beat us in burst, its simply how their kit works but when it comes to sustained damage we basically are kings

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All I gotta is. Thank you. So far your the only one that really understand the potential of SMN, I too have battle all H-Primals and slowly working on my gear towards Bahamut coil. These people who keep comparing SMN vs. BLM clearly are ignorant. Both class are viable and are good at certain things, SE did a good job at making each job "Unique" on its own way. I summoned Garuda-eggi vs H-garuda and for some reason Eggi doesn't take much dmg from her tornado/whirlwind (or w/e you call it), dunno if its lag, bug or what have you. It something I noticed.