Anyone tried i90 ACN?

[Pwnznewbz]

I had the crazy thought today to give ACN a try with i90 gear. I don't have the full Allagan casting set (as I went with SMN AF2 for BIS, etc), but has anyone given this a go? You lose 20 int, but gain a few tools (aero, blood for blood, internal release). Even if you can't seriously do Bahamut's Coil or extremes, I thought it might be fun for 5 mans.

Anyone tried and have feedback?

[Sleigh]

I'm in NO way a SMN main, but I do dabble with it. I pull about 200-210 solo with SMN in a stand-alone training dummy fight (I'm bad, probably) sustained in i86, EMP weapon, and Garuda is closer to 70-80.

Testing now, with ACN in the exact same gear, using Aero, B4B, Internal Release, and having but not using Mercy Stroke, I pull about 170-180 solo and Carbuncle closer to the 60-70 range.

Take these numbers with a grain of salt, as I said, I'm not a SMN main, but it looks like even with Aero (which can be Contagioned) around, and B4B/IR, it can't make up for the lack of Spur, Fester, INT, and Garuda's higher Potency.

[T0rin]

For starters, the BiS for ACN would be something like this:

Allagan Grimoire of Casting
Allagan Circlet of Casting
Allagan Tunic of Casting
Allagan Gloves of Casting
Hero's Belt of Casting
Allagan Breeches of Casting
Allagan Boots of Casting
Hero's Necklace of Casting
Tremor Earring of Casting
Hero's Bracelet of Casting
Allagan Ring of Casting
Vortex Ring of Casting

Which gives you 449 accuracy. Compared to the SMN BiS, this is your pro/con list:

Pros-
* Gain 29 SS (GCD reduced by 0.03)
* Gain Aero
* Gain Blood for Blood
* Gain Internal Release

Cons-
* Lose 20 INT
* Lose 10 DTR
* Lose 16 CRT
* Lose Fester
* Lose Garuda (10 potency per attack, aka 10% of pet DPS)
* Lose Enkindle
* Lose Spur

I updated my SMN damage simulator to allow for an 'ACN Mode' which basically turns on Aero/B4B/IR, uses ED instead of Fester, does not Enkindle/Spur but is otherwise the same. I calculated that you lose 16.3% DPS by switching to ACN.

[Pwnznewbz]

Thanks T0rin. Pro: You gain carbuncle! But, definitely a major dps loss.

[Alcyon1]

I'm wondering if THM wouldn't be closer (or even better) than BLM

[Remn]

I'm wondering if THM wouldn't be closer (or even better) than BLM

u gain BfB, IR but you lose out on flare. you prolly gain dps on single target but lose out on AoE DPS.

[WiseWolfHolo]

I'm wondering if THM wouldn't be closer (or even better) than BLM

thm > blm before the bfb and cross class nerfs for dps, because groups would take thm to coil and melt mobs with insane fire3s which is also why arc lost lightning because topaz carbuncle would refresh all dots with its contagion, so again in t4 and t5 arc destroyed smn in terms of dps. Also not to mention all of the other uses such as e4e, ss, and so on.

[Sleigh]

I'm wondering if THM wouldn't be closer (or even better) than BLM

I can't test accurately until I get Allagan pants and shoes (using myth), but my tests have shown THM being quite a bit less than BLM. BLM's Convert is really good, as is Flare with Swiftcast. You also lose Piety (which HURTS) and Intelligence. The thing with B4B and IR is, they aren't that strong anymore without the trait, making classes more or less obsolete.

[Huntington]

I have actually, I tend to use Arcanist more than Summoner because after some checking, even with stat loses because of that Job boost, that my SMN did a little less than my ACN did. You lose some Pet Potency and Intelligence, but I still believe that it's possible for ACN to do a lot of things and do them well even if it's losing out on a few things because of the Job-specific actions. I like the class more than SMN though so maybe I'm biased.

[T0rin]

I have actually, I tend to use Arcanist more than Summoner because after some checking, even with stat loses because of that Job boost, that my SMN did a little less than my ACN did. You lose some Pet Potency and Intelligence, but I still believe that it's possible for ACN to do a lot of things and do them well even if it's losing out on a few things because of the Job-specific actions. I like the class more than SMN though so maybe I'm biased.

Yeah, you're biased. The loss of gear stats, fester, pet potency, intelligence, spur and enkindle... farrrrrrrrr outweigh the minor things you get from ACN.

ACN - 86080 damage
SMN - 102854 damage

That is with BiS sets for both SMN and ACN. It can't remotely keep up.