Rebuilding Summoner

When I started Final Fantasy 14 back in the beta for A Realm Reborn, Arcanist wasn't yet available, but was my most anticipated class of the expansion due to it's evolution into Summoner and it's access to Carbuncles.

When I got my hands on it at launch, I... didn't love it. I tried hard to love it, but the job just was not a Summoner at the time. That being said, it was my first level 50 job and one that I kept a very close eye on throughout the lifespan of the game thus far, making sure to level it and play it at least once in a while. By Stormblood, I gained a new wave of enthusiasm as Summon Bahamut gave me hope for what the Summoner would become, and it was the first time I enjoyed the job. It wasn't perfect, but it was light years ahead of where it was during the days of 2.X.

Now... I don't really love it again. Phoenix seems to take a step in the right direction, but the new kit seems to just feel bloated with so many different things, each wanting to be its own mechanic. Challenge can be a good thing, but this isn't really "challenge." It's more just "Clutter."

It kinda feels like someone just threw a ton of IKEA parts at you and told you to assemble them, but they're actually to build 4 different sets, and all the pieces are jumbled in one big mess.

You have the old DoTs, now with Ruin dependent on them.
You have Energy Drain/Siphon into Fester/Painflare.
You have your Egi attacks
You have your Trance -> Summon cycles, which, by the way, change anytime you sync to lower level content.

I wanted to take a moment to step back from this and reevaluate what the Summoner really means. In a game where the phrase "Job Fantasy" is a major deciding factor in a lot of decisions made, what is the "Job Fantasy" of the Summoner?

For me, the answer is: Someone who commands various classic Final Fantasy summons to do their bidding.

So I set out to recreate the Summoner with this fantasy in mind while also respecting the limitations of scope in the game's core design. I wanted to create something that captured this concept while retaining the natural complexity of the job we're familiar with, but in a way that's more cohesive. This is what I came up with:


ACTIONS


1. Ruin - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 200
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.


2. Summon - Spell
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s
Summons a minor pet to fight at your side.


2. Aether Command - Spell
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 200
Orders your pet to execute Aether Attack.
Action replaces Ruin when a pet is summoned.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


4. Physick - Spell
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 400
Restores target’s HP.
Cure Potency: 400


10. Bio - Spell
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 400
Deals unaspected damage over time.
Potency: 30
Duration: 30s


12. Resurrection - Spell
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: 8s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 2400
Resurrects target to a weakened state.


15. Diversion - Ability
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 15s
Orders your pet to execute Distract.


26. Miasma - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 500
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 20.
Additional Effect: Unaspected damage over time.
Potency: 20
Duration: 30s


30. Bane - Ability
Range: 30y Radius: 8y
Cast: Instant Recast: 10s
Spread a target’s Bio, Miasma, and Dark Mark effects to nearby enemies.
Potency is reduced by 20% for the second enemy, 40% for the third, 60% for the fourth, and 80% for all remaining enemies.
Duration: Time remaining on original effect
Additional Effect: 15% chance that Bio and Miasma duration resets if shorter than original effect duration.


30. Dark Mark - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 400
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.
Additional Effect: Increases the potency of Aether Attack, Aether Attack II, Grand Attack, Grand Attack II, Fountain of Fire, Brand of Purgatory, and Scarlet Flame used against target by 20.
Duration: 30s


35. Ruin Combo - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 40
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 100.
Combo Action: Aether Command, Aether Command II
Combo Potency: 300.


40. Outburst - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 5y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 400
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 70 to target and all enemies nearby it.


40. Aether Command II - Spell
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 400
Orders your pet to execute Aether Attack II.
Action replaces Outburst when a pet is summoned.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


45. Tri-Disaster - Ability
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 50s
Afflicts target with Bio, Miasma, and Dark Mark.


50. Enkindle - Ability
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 120s
Orders your pet to execute Deathblow.


54. Astral Flow - Ability
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 60s
Grants 3 Stacks of Astral Flow.
Additional Effect: Resets Tri-Disaster recast timer.


54. Bloody Fuller - Ability
Range: 25y Radius: 5y
Cast: Instant Recast: 5s
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 140 to target and all enemies nearby it.
**Additional Effect: 50% chance to grant you the effect of Firebird Aether.
Astral Flow Gauge Cost: 1


56. Physick II - Ability
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Charge: 60s
Heal target’s HP.
Cure Potency: 400
Additional Effect: 50% chance to grant 1 stack of Astral Flow to the user.
Healing increases with the Intelligence stat.
** Maximum Charges: 2


58. Breach Breath - Ability
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 5s
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 400.
**Additional Effect: 50% chance to grant you the effect of Firebird Aether.
Astral Flow Gauge Cost: 1


60. Primal Trance - Ability
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 60s
Reduces spell casting time by 2.5s.
Duration: 15s
Additional Effect: Resets Astral Flow recast timer.
Additional Effect: Grants 1 Stack of Grand Summoning when 1 stack of Astral Flow is consumed.
Duration: 15s
Can only be executed when a Demi-Primal is not summoned.


64. Ame-no-Murakumo - Ability
Range: 15y Radius: 5y
Cast: Instant Recast: 60s
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 200.
Additional Effect: Leaves behind a line on the ground, dealing damage to any enemies who enter.
Potency: 50
Duration: 15s
**Additional Effect: Grants you the effect of Firebird Aether.
Astral Flow Gauge Cost: 1


66. Bio II - Spell (Animation/Icon: Bio III)
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 400
Deals unaspected damage over time.
Potency: 40
Duration: 30s


66. Miasma II - Spell (Animation/Icon: Miasma III)
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 500
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 40.
Additional Effect: Unaspected damage over time.
Potency: 40
Duration: 30s


68. Alluring Embrace - Ability
Range: 0y Radius: 15y
Cast: Instant Recast: 120s
Increases damage dealt by all party member by 5%
Duration: 20s
**Additional Effect: Grants you the effect of Firebird Aether.
Astral Flow Gauge Cost: 1


70. Grand Summon - Ability
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 30s
Summons a Demi-Primal to fight by your side.
Duration: 20s
Grand Summoning Gauge Cost: 3
Cannot summon Demi-Primal unless a pet is already summoned. Current pet will leave the battlefield while Demi-Primal is present, and returns once gone.
Action replaces Summon while a pet is summoned.


70. Grand Command - Spell
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s
Orders your pet to execute Grand Attack.
Action replaces Ruin while a Demi-Primal is summoned.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.

70. Grand Command II - Spell
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s
Orders your pet to execute Grand Attack II.
Action replaces Outburst while a Demi-Primal is summoned.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


70. Grand Enkindle - Ability
Range: 30y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 10s
Orders your pet to execute Grand Deathblow.
Action replaces Enkindle while a Demi-Primal is summoned.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


72. Fountain of Fire - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 400
Deals fire damage with a potency of 380.
Additional Effect: Grants Hellish Conduit.
Duration: 10s.
Can only be executed while under the effect of Firebird Aether.
Action replaces Ruin Combo when under the effect of Firebird Aether.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


74. Brand of Purgatory - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 8y
Cast: Instant Recast: 2.5s
Deals fire damage to the target and all enemies nearby it with a potency of 430 for the first enemy, and 50% less for all remaining enemies.
Additional Effect: If Demi-Phoenix is not summoned, applies 1 Firebird Feather to the Grand Summoning Gauge (maximum of 5).
Can only be executed while under the effect of Hellish Conduit and consumes it.
Action replaces Outburst/Aether Command II when under the effect of Hellish Conduit.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


80. Summon Phoenix - Ability
Range: 0y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 30s
Summons Demi-Phoenix to fight by your side.
Duration: 20s
Can only be executed while under the effect of Phoenix Calling.
Action replaces Grand Summon while under the effect of Phoenix Calling.
Firebird Feather Cost: 5
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


80. Everlasting Flight - Ability
Range: 0y Radius: 15y
Cast: Instant
Gradually restores own HP and the HP of all nearby party members.
Cure Potency: 120
Duration: 20s
This action is used automatically when Demi-Phoenix is summoned.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


80. Command Phoenix - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: 2.5s Recast: 2.5s MP Cost: 200
Orders Demi-Phoenix to execute Scarlet Flame.
Additional Effect: Grants Firebird Aether.
Action replaces Ruin when Demi-Phoenix is summoned.
Cannot summon Demi-Phoenix unless a pet is already summoned. Current pet will leave the battlefield while Demi-Phoenix is present, and returns once gone.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


80. Enkindle Phoenix - Ability
Range:30y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant Recast: 10s
Orders Demi-Phoenix to execute Revelation.
Action replaces Enkindle when Demi-Phoenix is summoned.
Cannot be set to the hotbar.


PET ACTIONS

Aether Attack - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 315.


Distract - Ability
Range: 0y Radius: 15y
Cast: Instant
Pulls in all nearby enemies.
Additional Effect: Stun
Duration: 6s


Aether Attack II - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 5y
Cast: Instant
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 110 to target and all enemies nearby it.


Deathblow - Ability
Range: 25y Radius: 5y
Cast: Instant
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 350 to target and all enemies nearby it.


Grand Attack - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 340.
Can only be executed while a Demi-Primal is summoned.


Grand Attack II - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 5y
Cast: Instant
Deals unaspected damage with a potency of 140 to target and all enemies nearby it.
Can only be executed while a Demi-Primal is summoned.


Grand Deathblow - Ability
Range: 100y Radius: 5y
Cast: Instant
Deals unaspected damage to target and all enemies nearby it with a potency of 650 for the first enemy, and 50% less for all remaining enemies.
Can only be executed while a Demi-Primal is summoned.


Scarlet Flame - Spell
Range: 25y Radius: 0y
Cast: Instant
Deals fire damage with a potency of 340.
Can only be executed while Demi-Phoenix is summoned.


Revelation - Ability
Range: 100y Radius: 5y
Cast: Instant
Deals fire damage to target and all enemies nearby it with a potency of 650 for the first enemy, and 50% less for all remaining enemies.


TRAITS


20. Maim and Mend
Increases base action damage and HP restoration by 10%. Also increases base damage and HP restoration of your pet by 10%.


40. Maim and Mend II
Increases base action damage and HP restoration by 30%. Also increases base damage and HP restoration of your pet by 30%.


56. Physick Mastery
Upgrades Physick to Physick II.


66. Corruption Mastery
Upgrades Bio to Bio II and Miasma to Miasma II.


72. Firebird Aether
Abilities that consume Astral Flow now have the chance to grant you Firebird Aether.


76. Enhanced Physick II
Allows the accumulation of charges for consecutive uses of Physick II.
Maximum Charges: 2


80. Phoenix Calling
When there are 5 Firebird Feathers on the Grand Summoning Gauge when a Demi-Primal is dismissed, grants Phoenix Calling.
Duration: 20s

Total Buttons: 22 (18 Job + 4 Role)

There is a lot to unpack, so let me break a few major things down...

First, Summon and Grand Summon can change depending on which pet you'd like to summon which can be chosen through a more polished Egi-Glamour System which would allow you to select which pet you summon through each command via the "Actions & Traits" window much like Bard's Performances.

Summon Pet Options:
Emerald, Topaz, Ruby, Amethyst, Aquamarine Carbuncle (Level 2 When Summon is acquired)
Ifrit-Egi (Level 30 Job Quest)
Titan-Egi (Level 35 Job Quest)
Garuda-Egi (Level 45 Job Quest)
Ramuh-Egi, Shiva-Egi, Leviathan-Egi (Level 55 Extra Quest - Gridania)
Diamond Carbuncle (Level 60 Bonus Quest - Idyllshire)
Random Carbuncle
Random Egi
Random All

Grand Summon Pet Options:
Demi-Bahamut (Level 70 Job Quest)
Demi-Alexander (Level 70 Bonus Quest - Idyllshire)
Demi-Siren (Level 70 Bonus Quest - Limsa Lominsa)
Demi-Diabolos (Level 70 Bonus Quest - Sea of Clouds)
Demi-Quetzacoatl (Level 80 Bonus Quest - The Tempest)
Random

All the Bonus Quests would be a simple accept -> turn-it-in kinda deal provided you cleared the content the enemy came from with the exception of Ramuh's, Shiva's, and Leviathan's Egi. The "Random" option would just have you summon one of the options at random, needless to say.

More could be added in the future.

As for the actual kit...

Essentially, spamming Ruins would be replaced with an attack from your pets, and the damage is meant to be a combination of Current Ruin III's base damage and your pet's auto-attacks. Essentially, your Ruin III and Outburst are converted into respective Egi Assault attacks like we have now. This helps yank Summoner's design to fit the Job Fantasy more while eliminating pet auto-attacks which have been historically difficult to balance. I will repeat... Pets no longer auto attack.

You may also have noticed that Bloody Fuller, Breach Breath, Ame-no-Murakumo, and Alluring Embrace each reference Primals from Heavensward and Stormblood. These replace and expand on the Energy Drain/Fester/Painflare system. But I think it's very important to try and share what these attacks would look like visually. For that, I want to share this link...

Yuna in Dissidia 012

You'll notice here that Yuna isn't summoning her Aeons in their full glory, but as a portion of them emanating from a glyph. I want to adopt this concept and merge it with the symbol effects we see when commanding our current Demi-Bahamut and Demi-Phoenix to attack. What I'm trying to describe is essentially a glowing image of a portion of those Primals emanating from the glyphs you create to initiate an attack and not staying around in battle.

Lastly, I'd like to give some context to the new Demi-Phoenix system. Essentially, as you use your Astral Flow attacks whether in or out of your Primal Trance, you will occasionally get to use the Fountain of Fire -> Brand of Purgatory combo. Ame-no-Murakumo will always trigger this as will Alluring Embrace, while Bloody Fuller and Breach Breath will do so 50% of the time. Do this 5 times, and you will have the freedom to Summon Phoenix immediately after your Grand Summon has ended, essentially extending the duration of your Demi-Primal phase by another 20 seconds.

I believe this kit really does capture the summoner fantasy in a much stronger way. It's still complex, but now everything works together as one cohesive machine, all centered around your ability to Summon various entities. I know it's way too early to be thinking about this kinda stuff, but the more I thought about this, the more I felt compelled to write it all down.

I can definitely understand coming at this concept with the "well it's not going to happen so it's not worth talking about" mentality, but I believe thinking and theorizing about this kind of stuff can do a lot of good for all of us regardless. Do you agree?