Question about SMN pets

How big of an impact does not controlling your pet have on SMN DPS? I'm thinking about leveling a SMN, but tracking DoT's and CD's, and having to micro manage my pet, will be over whelming for me. I have a couple SMN friends who said that having their pet on auto-pilot is fine for them. But I figured I would come to the forums and ask around a bit.

I'm not looking to be able to clear savage content or endgame stuff, I mostly just do my DF dailies, and random stuff with my FC, so if not micro managing my pet means that I can't end game raid, but I'll be able to do normal stuff, that's fine for me!

So is controlling the pet really that much of an impact for the class?

I think that not controlling your pet is, to a point, fine, if you aren't planning on doing raids. There are some times when that'll end up badly, since pets love to cast abilities as soon as they come off of the cooldown. It won't wreck your DPS, but it definitely will have an impact - the most notable example I can think of is Garuda's Contagion, which adds 15s to your DoTs.

So I'd say that it hurts your DPS, but leaving them on auto should be fine, bar catching some shit from other players. Would definitely recommend trying to get use to it after you get used to the other aspects, though.

The only thing I know that may affect Normal DF things is that your tanks and melee DPS may hate you on trash pulls in dungeons. Garuda likes to do knockback very randomly which is really jarring for these classes.

Just put garuda on obey and use contagion manually. It's not too difficult.

Ifrit and Titan can be left on Sic (auto-pilot) without a massive impact to their performance.

Garuda, however, is the favorable Egi due to the ability Contagion. Contagion allows a Summoner you extend active DoTs' durations. So, you can set all of your buffer DoTs (Trance, Raging Strikes, etc) and then extend them for even more additional damage. If you don't have Garuda set to Obey so that you control her, she will then use Contagion whenever she feels like it rather than timing it to extend your DoTs at the ideal time. Additionally, Garuda's knockback can mess with a tank's ability to hold an enemy while also swiping the target out of melee team members' range. Lack of control over Garuda Egi will have a bigger impact than the other two.

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Originally Posted by Daemius

Just put garuda on obey and use contagion manually. It's not too difficult.

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So much this. This is literally all the micro management required. It's not as complicated as "micro managing" sounds. Just adds a button to your hotbar.

It actually depends a lot on your opening rotation, for instance I use a rotation where tri-disaster is near the start of the pull and even with Garuda on Sic Contagion lines up nicely with the next tri disaster during dreadwyrm trance. The other thing to consider is that Garuda, Ifrit and Titan egi all use their skills slightly faster if left to their own devices and not managed by you. Ideally if you could program Garuda not to be dumb as a rock this would be easier but hey ho.

Thank you for all the responses guys, I really appreciate it! I didn't realize that managing your pet was that simple, I thought you had to control every move on the pet bar and such, and so it would make playing a lot harder. I didn't think it was as simple as just picking up one extra button. At least now I know what I'm getting my self into, thanks again!

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Originally Posted by Jscagg

Thank you for all the responses guys, I really appreciate it! I didn't realize that managing your pet was that simple, I thought you had to control every move on the pet bar and such, and so it would make playing a lot harder. I didn't think it was as simple as just picking up one extra button.

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It's actually two: Contagion and Enkindle. Try not to get too overwhelmed. xD

In all seriousness, as said, you only need the two (+ Rouse and Spur to buff your egi) and they come in certain parts of your rotation so you'll get used to using them like any other abilities.

I just use Ifrit, cuz, is fun, and i'm pretty good at managing my DoT timers

easy as that... for beginning you can macro your pet skills to your own skills to "micro manage" them...
f.e Bio with Egi standard-atk, Bane with Egi aoe-atk, Trisaster with con/blaze shield.

in the end it's simple as others mentioned above - put them on obay to cancel auto-knockback and use there skills like they would be your own. you can (and should) place them into your normal hotbar - the extra petbar sucks... : /