SMN question

Any idea what the gap closer is for?
I haven't found a use for it yet. I can't do it on demand, and if I wanted to stand in melee range, wouldn't I be there already?

It's to give Ifrit four restricted but high power spells without making you stand immobile for 12s. Two of the casts cost standing still and two of the casts cost putting you in melee range. But if you take a particular fight's timeline into consideration when you choose what order to summon your gemstone primals in, you can take advantage of the gap closer instead of making it a cost.

While its mainly for restricting Ifrit arcanam and diversifying, i have found that it does have its use in fights but requires a bit of pre planning. In all honesty though, I mainly use it for movement purposes to shimmy around the boss. When paired with R4 and Swiftcast makes ifrit phase a lot more mobile. Ultimately though, Crimson Cyclone and Crimson Strike are a bit awkward because while you can make the charge useful with preplanning, more often than not it isnt bar a bit of movment around the boss when needed, and if you dont have time to use both together before needing to run away, you have to sacrifice a use of Crimson Strike.

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Originally Posted by Rongway

It's to give Ifrit four restricted but high power spells

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Not really that high powered, considering Titan is 580 (vs Ifrit's 430) potency per GCD, and Garuda's is 380-equivalent when you adjust for the shortened GCD time and then Slipstream helps make up the difference, though Ifrit maintains a slight lead.

But anyways, yes the gap closer and ifrit generally is mostly there to provide something that feels different and I've occasionally actually gotten use out of it. Just have to time it right.

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Originally Posted by Shironeko_Narunyan

Any idea what the gap closer is for?
I haven't found a use for it yet. I can't do it on demand, and if I wanted to stand in melee range, wouldn't I be there already?

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So far I've found uses for it in Hydaelyn EX, p2s (getting back to the boss for coherence or deluge), and p3s (getting back to the boss for dark fire or after Experimental Fireplume generally).

I would definitely call it highly situational, though.

IMO it's not a gap closer since SMN wants to be a melee caster for max DPS with book slaps.

I think Crimson Cyclone is primarily a tool to keep momentum after a mob pack dies and you can swiftly move to the next group.