How is SMN overall dps?

[Cynfael]

A summoner who runs out of MP isn't playing the game right.

A SMN who doesn't run out of MP in FCOB probably isn't maximizing their DPS or is getting Ballad.

[Tharian]

A SMN who doesn't run out of MP in FCOB probably isn't maximizing their DPS or is getting Ballad.

I wouldn't know as I haven't played in Final Coil of Bahamut yet. However I do know that Summoner (and Scholar by extension) have the single best native MP regain abilities aside from Black Mage. And Black Mage only beats them out because of Umbral Ice III.

[Odowla]

A SMN that DOESNT run out of MP is doing it wrong. If you're not running out of MP, you're not pushing DPS as hard as you can. I mained SMN from release until 2.4, and Yeah, you pretty much have to drain your MP really quickly to even keep up with other classes. Aetherflow ain't shit when drain twice as much MP in half the time.

Especially so in FCoB, where all of the fights are, assuming a kill at enrage, 10-14 minutes long. A lot of this will need to be done without ballad, unless the healers require it, because 2 Melee + Bard + 2 Tanks > SMN in terms of resources, so you're more likely to get Paeon than ballad, unless the healers need it. You CAN gro for 11 minutes as a SMN, but you're going to be cutting so much damage to do it.

[Cynfael]

I wouldn't know as I haven't played in Final Coil of Bahamut yet. However I do know that Summoner (and Scholar by extension) have the single best native MP regain abilities aside from Black Mage. And Black Mage only beats them out because of Umbral Ice III.

SCH is in a different category than SMN in that healer gear naturally comes with PIE, and Energy Drain isn't a DPS loss for SCH. Prolonged fights with adds included will gradually drain SMN MP, especially since their MP Regen rate is slow due to very low PIE.