I like playing SMN and I like everything they put out in the last Live Letter

[Spellbinder]

What do you mean by delivery?

Here's my take on it. So, here's what we got.

1. An aoe attack that uses a stack of aetherflow.
2. Tri-Disaster (new one) that applies Bio, Bio II, and Miasma at the same time. (Note that Yoshi-P didn't say it costs aetherflow, that was a fumble of the interpreter)
3. A new single target attack.
4. Two new skills that significantly change our rotations (i.e. Dreadwyrm Trance and the Ahk Mor attack)

In the video they're shown in the order of Tri-Disaster, new Aoe, Dreadwyrm Trance, single target attack, and Ahk Mor.

Looking at 1, what if you could spend an aetherflow stack to have the Egi initiate the aoe attack shown in the video (graphics changing depending on the Egi used)?

Looking at 4, (I suggested this in a different thread) what if it was some sort of "Primal Trance" that activated a primal-based attack based on the Egi we had out at the moment?

Same results, different delivery. I personally think it was a missed opportunity to please multiple camps of people who wanted changes in Summoner.

[Zaft]

Here's my take on it. So, here's what we got.

1. An aoe attack that uses a stack of aetherflow.
2. Tri-Disaster (new one) that applies Bio, Bio II, and Miasma at the same time. (Note that Yoshi-P didn't say it costs aetherflow, that was a fumble of the interpreter)
3. A new single target attack.
4. Two new skills that significantly change our rotations (i.e. Dreadwyrm Trance and the Ahk Mor attack)

In the video they're shown in the order of Tri-Disaster, new Aoe, Dreadwyrm Trance, single target attack, and Ahk Mor.

Looking at 1, what if you could spend an aetherflow stack to have the Egi initiate the aoe attack shown in the video (graphics changing depending on the Egi used)?

Looking at 4, (I suggested this in a different thread) what if it was some sort of "Primal Trance" that activated a primal-based attack based on the Egi we had out at the moment?

Same results, different delivery. I personally think it was a missed opportunity to please multiple camps of people who wanted changes in Summoner.

It's likely for balance reasons. Think of it like this: Around 2/3 of your damage comes from you, and 1/3 from your pet. If your pet is busy doing an action (such as #1 or #4), your DPS will be higher, because you are able to continue DPSing. So they have two choices. One, make the damage from the attack high, but require the player to use it. Or two, make the damage from the attack lower, but have the pet use it. These two would balance out to the same number, but I would argue that it's cooler to see myself do awesome damage, than see my pet do moderate damage while I continue DOTing.

[Spellbinder]

snip

Well, considering summoner doesn't appear to be designed as a burst DPS class like black mage (although I'm not so sure anymore considering these changes), I see no reason why they couldn't have gone with the former.

At the end of the day, it boils down to a matter of opinion and the two options you pointed out. I'll be biding my time until 4.0 or some later 3.X patch when the Egi might finally get a little attention.

That's not to say I want more of them or giant skyscraper summons as people seem to constantly suggest people are asking for (and I'll admit some are). I'd just like to see a little more interaction than Contagion once a minute with Garuda or Sic and auto-pilot with Ifrit.

[Zaft]

Well, considering summoner doesn't appear to be designed as a burst DPS class like black mage (although I'm not so sure anymore considering these changes), I see no reason why they couldn't have gone with the former.

One of the major problems with SMN in raid environments (amongst others) is that they have very little burst, and I imagine they're trying to alleviate that issue with this change. Fester can only go so far, especially when the enemy doesn't spawn in a location where it can be Bane'd.

[Havenchild]

2. Tri-Disaster (new one) that applies Bio, Bio II, and Miasma at the same time. (Note that Yoshi-P didn't say it costs aetherflow, that was a fumble of the interpreter)

Didn't Bayohne say..

*The stream shows off a video demonstration of summoner actions. Please note that all action names are tentative.

We’ll be making various adjustments to summoner which includes an action that simultaneously applies Bio, Bio II, and Miasma effects in exchange for Aetherflow, an attack that deals magic-based damage, and two other new actions at level 60 that will largely change your current rotations.

The ability Tri-Disaster has had its name changed to Tri-Bind since the effect didn’t make sense with the original name. In exchange, the aforementioned ability action that applies all three DoTs will be known as Tri-Disaster.

[Spellbinder]

Didn't Bayohne say..

Listening to the video, this is how it was described.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZf7vBdsVu0 (Pleasenote I skipped the parts where the interpreter was speaking).

エーテルフローを消費する範囲攻撃、さらにバイオ、バイオラ、ミアズマの三つを全て同時にかけるアクションとか、新しい魔DDとかですね、ダイレクトダメージ魔法とか、あとは新しいその６０になってからローテーション、その今までのスキル回しに加えてくる二つのアクションなどが用意されます。
**Edit: I feel silly because I could've just looked at the JP QA Summary. Here's their's for comparison

エーテルフローを消費して放つ範囲攻撃、3つのDoT（バイオ／バイオラ／ミアズマ）が同時にかけられるアクション、
新しい魔法ダメージを与える攻撃、レベル60になってからのスキル回しに影響する新たな２つのアクションなど、さまざまな調整が加えられます。

Breaking this up we have:

エーテルフローを消費する範囲攻撃 - An area attack that uses aether flow.

さらにバイオ、バイオラ、ミアズマの三つを全て同時にかけるアクションとか - An action that casts Bio, Bio II, and Miasma at the same time.

新しい魔DDとかですね、ダイレクトダメージ魔法とか - A magic direct damage attack. (The single target one in the video)

あとは新しいその６０になってからローテーション、その今までのスキル回しに加えてくる二つのアクション - Two actions that will be added to (or rather affect) your rotation at level 60.