Summoners useless in 24mans?

[Ryuko]

Ryuko I think your missing the point some people are making which is people will not want too many summoners in their group because of the limit.

My point is... You don't NEED that many summoners in your group. As I said, this could be a measure to prevent class stacking.

Let's look at a typical 8 person party. For argument's sake, we'll have an equal distribution of classes (leaving out the arguments/bickering of who is the better tank/healer/caster/melee).

2 tanks (paladin+warrior)
2 healers (white mage+scholar)
4 dps (four of the following: dragoon/monk/black mage/summoner/bard)

Keep in mind that a LOT of classes share certain 'additional effects' that overwrite each other and affect diminishing returns. One good example is blind. I bring this up because summoners have Ruin II which applies this. If other classes use an effect that blinds, you will notice the diminishing returns and you will also notice their effect 'replace' yours. It is also important to remember that not every class will be attacking the same mob at the same time. Main tanks and off tanks often 'split up', effectively splitting their effects. Healers don't often cast much on a mob outside of the occasional Virus.

If you don't class stack, summoners really have nothing to worry about. YES, the 30 debuff limit should be changed and/or lifted... but like I said, even if you have one summoner per party in the three party 'alliance', that's only 12 'constant' debuffs from the SMN (assuming you use thunder, which you should), give or take a few for situations (namely virus although plenty of other mages will throw this up as needed because of the large cooldown... such as on Titan for MB). We are the class with the MOST debuffs by far, only three of which actually affect our fester burst damage.

Still... it seems almost silly to speculate because we don't know what will happen in 24-man dungeons. I can understand why they put a 'cap' on FATE mobs... too many debuffs and the mobs would die even faster than they already do, and that's already way too fast... those fights are a joke.