Patch 2.35 Updates: Summoner

I admit to not being a particularly good Summoner, but... I'm not quite following the logic in this particular update. Why is a class being permitted to strip SMN of Aetherflow... isn't that basic functionality? Not playing a BLM, I'm not sure: are other classes able to dispel Astral Fires? As regards the use of Aetherflow, we usually need to lay down DoT's before we unload... that takes a long time to do in a fight. Oftentimes you don't survive long enough to get through the whole process.

So, I guess my question is, what was I doing wrong? Going on the assumption that something was unbalanced for them to put in a fix... what's the right way to play Summoner to take advantage of whatever it is they're fixing?

Summoners and Arcanists like got caught in the AoE of a change to a tag on Aetherflow to allow it to be stripped off Scholars. Any change to the Aetherflow buff was going to inadvertently hit both jobs.

Nah you're right, One Ilm Punch & Glory Slash should remove Astral Fire & Umbral Ice, guarantee it doesn't though. There is some serious discrimination going on in the Dev team right now.
There is no precedence for legitimacy. Consistency across the board is void at the moment. all buffs should be removed from a class that has that particular spell implemented.

Solely targeted a class that functionality is dependent on a key feature to be simple debuffed is comical, atleast make it's application for every class.
I Main SCH & I could careless about those changes, keep adloquium up and prevent MNK & PLD from utilizing those moves, But keep in mind you have a CC, we just have a Blizzard II, in which you need to be in Melee range.

to be fair... this change wasn't really meant to "hurt' smn's they just kind of got caught in the crossfire. you can however take solace in knowing glory slash/one lim punch will almost always be regulated to the sch unless the sch is dead/not there/ enough monks and gladiators to lock down the scholar and you.

I end up in enough scuffles with PLD and MNK's that I know it's gonna hurt. That said, when they're distracted from me, it would behoove me to take advantage of whatever it is these changes are meant to gimp (since its a done deal). Anybody with tips for SMN play?

My best advice at this point is to just not use aetherflow until your ready to blow all your stacks.

That was my first impulse, too, but I gave it more thought: if I'm between fights, I should use it so I both have stacks -and- possibly the spell to re-use for more (should they dispel it). Same play (as far as the spell itself) still seems appropriate, but I'm wondering how specifically to use (abuse?) stacks since SE is implying some measure of strength in excess by making the change.

I ask specifically because I personally haven't seen anything more than 50/50 wins against these classes; if I don't understand why they're gimping us, but they've done it anyway, I must be playing wrong. In the interest of squeezing every ilm (see what I did there? Ilm? Haha...? OK, no takers) of damage out of my play for my team, how do I go about abusing SMN? Anyone?

Again all i can really say is you got caught in the crossfire. I agree that without fester smn's are a lot less useful yet blm still get to keep their astral fire stacks.

If you decide to save aetherflow just before you blow all your stacks, a MNK or PLD can wait until you DoT them up to stun when you aetherflow. Since you just did aetherflow, it'd be next on the line to go from Glory Slash/One Ilm Punch. Best bet is to cover aetherflow up with other buffs may it be you or another party member.

People talk Bane potency... is that what caused the fuss? I'm actually afraid to (DoT -> Contagion ->) Bane because I break our BLMs' sleeps when I do it. Despite that it's a lot more damage (and harder for the healers to deal with), the crowd control is substantially more important (i.e. when our BLM caught their healer in the effect). If their BLM sleeps us at the same time, then I'm the jerk that breaks them out, giving them a short term numbers advantage that can eliminate our players for the long term. I'm generally afraid to go back to that. Anyhow, WHM's are often ripping off my starter DoT's with Esuna so I can't finish DoT + Contagion -> Bane before somebody decides I'm squishy and interferes.

For now, I'm going DoT -> Fester -> Energy Drain -> Ruin II -> Energy Drain -> Aether Flow -> Rouse/Spur -> Enkindle -> Fester (people usually die somewhere around here). Wrong play?