SMN - Why it is not a very interesting job and not a good upgrade from ACN

[Crevox]

Better than BLM. Which is just a Thaum with Flare. You start as a thaum end as a blm doing the same rotations since low lvl.

The thing is that Thaumaturge plays exactly like a Black Mage should, casting elemental magic to decimate enemies. Both Arcanist and Summoner do not match Summoner at all.

It's like no one in this thread is creative. Everyone just seems to think if Summoner is to be a pet class, it has to copy paste FFXI EXACTLY or be overpowered or something. There are TONS of ways to do a proper pet class in an MMORPG, and they copied the wrong class (Warlock) to fulfill the position for a pet class. Even past all of that, they could've come up with their own idea and done something unique, but they didn't.

[Exstal]

I saw you put Aion's Spiritmaster, but majority of SM's damage comes from the Master. There are skills you use through the pet so you don't run out of mana but it's still 75/25S master/spirit.

Which is better than the current SMN which is 90/10.

[Pooky_Pasha]

Which is better than the current SMN which is 90/10.

I'm not sure how you're playing SMN, but this is just a bit off. I always see splits more along the lines of 75/25-72/28 master/pet (sometimes closer to 78/22 if there is a lot of multi-dotting). If it was anywhere near 90/10, I'd be looking at 700-800 dps.

Most people I've seen play SMN so poorly, however, that I see splits like 60/40. I've even seen 50/50.

[Exstal]

I'm not sure how you're playing SMN, but this is just a bit off. I always see splits more along the lines of 75/25-72/28 master/pet (sometimes closer to 78/22 if there is a lot of multi-dotting). If it was anywhere near 90/10, I'd be looking at 700-800 dps.

Most people I've seen play SMN so poorly, however, that I see splits like 60/40. I've even seen 50/50.

Oh I meant involvement with your pet. SM plays more like Warlock from WoW but has ~6 or so low CD skills you have to cast through the pet for them to DPS other than auto attack which aren't worthless. SMN has 2 dps skills, if you can even call Contaigon a "dps skill".

[Pooky_Pasha]

Oh I meant involvement with your pet. SM plays more like Warlock from WoW but has ~6 or so low CD skills you have to cast through the pet for them to DPS other than auto attack which aren't worthless. SMN has 2 dps skills, if you can even call Contaigon a "dps skill".

Ahhhh, I gotcha. I misunderstood what you said. I can agree with this ^^

[Crevox]

I saw you put Aion's Spiritmaster, but majority of SM's damage comes from the Master. There are skills you use through the pet so you don't run out of mana but it's still 75/25S master/spirit.

Which is better than the current SMN which is 90/10.

That's simply because of number tunings within that game; I'm simply putting forth the spell concept, which could easily be implemented in this game (tuned to be done better, of course).

[Akiza]

The main problem in this game with Summoner's is every class plays exactly like it's job but the Arcanist doesn't play like a pet class neither does the Summoner. If they want to do a proper pet class they should have all the attacks and heals on the pets and have the Arcanist, Summoner or Scholar provide pet buffs and support while commanding the pet to perform special abilities.

[Kirinichibon]

The main problem in this game with Summoner's is every class plays exactly like it's job but the Arcanist doesn't play like a pet class neither does the Summoner. If they want to do a proper pet class they should have all the attacks and heals on the pets and have the Arcanist, Summoner or Scholar provide pet buffs and support while commanding the pet to perform special abilities.

Except when it does play like a pet class and does buff and command the pet very regularly. Really, a good summoner is always considering what their pet is doing and puts their pet to good use. If you're just letting your pet attack in turret mode while you spam dots, you aren't a good summoner. The problem right now that IS going to be addressed soon is that summon3 is not useful compared to summon1. Period. The class playstyle will not change, and being so affective as it is now - I wouldn't waste time hoping this changes in the future.

You spam the forums every day for a complete overhaul of summoner because it doesn't feel enough like some mystical pet class of your imagination. You are fooling yourself. Complain/discuss encounters, strategies, and bugs in the class that exists, not the class you wish existed. That's for the suggestion forum.

[Crevox]

Really, a good summoner is always considering what their pet is doing and puts their pet to good use.

In most fights, this simply means:

-Set pet to attack boss
-Use rouse/spur/contagion whenever they are up
-done

...and you don't have to care about it anymore. For other fights with adds, it's simply a matter of occasionally pressing your favorite keybind to tell it to attack new targets. Like I said, it's basically a DoT you move between targets - there is no interesting gameplay here, let alone "pet gameplay." You do have to keep it alive as well, but only on some fights you have to care about this, and sometimes it's just a matter of one move command and it's good for the entire fight.

Anyways, we got some news from the niconico interview that they're looking to rebalance Ifrit/Titan before the new egis come out, so that's good news.

[Kirinichibon]

In most fights, this simply means:

-Set pet to attack boss
-Use rouse/spur/contagion whenever they are up
-done

...and you don't have to care about it anymore. For other fights with adds, it's simply a matter of occasionally pressing your favorite keybind to tell it to attack new targets. Like I said, it's basically a DoT you move between targets - there is no interesting gameplay here, let alone "pet gameplay." You do have to keep it alive as well, but only on some fights you have to care about this, and sometimes it's just a matter of one move command and it's good for the entire fight.

Anyways, we got some news from the niconico interview that they're looking to rebalance Ifrit/Titan before the new egis come out, so that's good news.

The pet is basically a dot like all melee attacks are the same. Go somewhere, hit a button, do some damage. Simply commanding a pet to do things and nothing more would be the most boring gameplay that I can imagine.