But what about Summoner???

[Khalithar]

The last 5 Final Fantasies have had summons as separate entities and most gave you control over behavior, so thats not really true.

FFXI is the best example of allowing you to do this. I actually would have preferred the FFXI model where you summon a large version of the summon which acts as a pet, but it's not there to supplement your dps. The summon was your dps, it was about commanding and controlling the powerful creature and having it do your bidding for you. I actually think that would have been the better implementation of the Summoner, but MMO's in general have tried to move away from combat pets being anything more than a glorified dot. That irritates me, I'd rather get a pet class where the focus was the pet doing the damage and fighting for you while you get to sit back and give it orders.

[silentwindfr]

FFXI is the best example of allowing you to do this. I actually would have preferred the FFXI model where you summon a large version of the summon which acts as a pet, but it's not there to supplement your dps. The summon was your dps, it was about commanding and controlling the powerful creature and having it do your bidding for you. I actually think that would have been the better implementation of the Summoner, but MMO's in general have tried to move away from combat pets being anything more than a glorified dot. That irritates me, I'd rather get a pet class where the focus was the pet doing the damage and fighting for you while you get to sit back and give it orders.

FF11 model is one of the worst exemple of pet class, since most of the time, people was calling the pet, doing one spell and send it away, since the pet was draining all your mana. other point if you was doing this, what will you do exept spend your time at virtually do nothing... you become not different than a minion.

ps: i think they have found a good balance between us and pet damage.

[Khalithar]

FF11 model is one of the worst exemple of pet class, since most of the time, people was calling the pet, doing one spell and send it away, since the pet was draining all your mana. other point if you was doing this, what will you do exept spend your time at virtually do nothing... you become not different than a minion.

It could be improved upon though. Take away the MP decay, give it more spells, and make the focus on commanding the pet to do different actions. It can have the same rotations and moves as a player character and your hotbar changes depending on the pet you have out. From there you hit the buttons and rather than your character casting spells, you'd see your character gesture while your summon does the actual attacks. I'm sorry if you don't see the appeal of summoning a large version of Titan and standing back while giving him the orders to smash things in various ways for you while you look on in glee knowing that powerful monster is your's to command. The thought of it sounds awesome to me.

Edit: I'll just go ahead and say it outright, I'd rather have Summoner be about summoning things and commanding them rather than the dot-based backloaded burst class where the "summons" (and I use that term very loosely) are just glorified dots. I know it will never happen, but I really don't like this incarnation of Summoner.

[skyfox]

FF11 model is one of the worst exemple of pet class, since most of the time, people was calling the pet, doing one spell and send it away, since the pet was draining all your mana. other point if you was doing this, what will you do exept spend your time at virtually do nothing... you become not different than a minion.

ps: i think they have found a good balance between us and pet damage.

actually i quite liked ff11 system. you can buff/deal damage and control pet depends on the battle requirement. in ff14, they are just extra DPS.

[Tagihi]

actually i quite liked ff11 system. you can buff/deal damage and control pet depends on the battle requirement. in ff14, they are just extra DPS.

Smn in FF11 where more a support then a dps.
Sure i had fenrir who was possible the best pet could had, but you who controlled the pet did nothing more then cast some heals now then.
"red mage was better dps then them"
Smn here are much better prolly one of the highest dps + they give buff to party as they did in 11.

[jomoru]

FFXI is the best example of allowing you to do this. I actually would have preferred the FFXI model where you summon a large version of the summon which acts as a pet, but it's not there to supplement your dps. The summon was your dps, it was about commanding and controlling the powerful creature and having it do your bidding for you. I actually think that would have been the better implementation of the Summoner, but MMO's in general have tried to move away from combat pets being anything more than a glorified dot. That irritates me, I'd rather get a pet class where the focus was the pet doing the damage and fighting for you while you get to sit back and give it orders.

I miss masterminds from COV...

[Spellbinder]

I miss masterminds from COV...

I don't think any game will top mastermind when it comes to pets.