Connecting the DoTs: A Summoner Guide

[T0rin]

I need a little help. Been stuck on AS3 for awhile and Id like to do a few things better if I can.
1. First off I've been using Sleighs opener, and I've seem to run into a problem. My fester during DWT just misses my pot half the time. Is this me just being bad at activating my skills. My spell speed has dropped quite a bit, so maybe I got lazy on activation.
2. I use Garuda the entire fight, contagion just lines up perfectly with everything. Then of course add phase. Is there anytime to use ifrit that's beneficial?
3. During adds I don't use any cds. I miasma everything I can, miasma 2 if a few are close, bio when I can, and just leave garuda on what ever mob gets the least attention. In the next phase we save cds until after polarities than pop everything. Is there a better way to do this? MNK,DRG,MCH,SMN is dps comp. PHD,WAR,WHM,SCH is the other.
4. Was told I'm consistently top dps until add phase, was thinking about switching to BLM for this fight. But would need to gear it up a little. Is it worth it? And is it worth it for AS4?
Sorry if these things have come up. I just don't have the time I used to to research and play.

1. I find that you need to delay the use of the pot a little... since the oGCD time you have available to pot is like ~2 seconds, you should wait like ~1 second before using it, I find that generally to be the difference between the Pot still being up for the last oGCD skill (in this case Fester) or not
2. IMO there is no reason to use Ifrit on any end game content, A3S included
3. I think saving the CDs until after the add phase is good (including Aetherflow), but I usually don't wait until after Ferrofluid to start my opener.. the Ferrofluid generally goes off before you would get to DWT, so you mostly just have to delay the last bit of the opener before DWT, which includes RS, so it shouldn't make a substantial hit to your DPS. IMO this is better than waiting until after that to start using Aetherflow.
4. BLM is better on A3S and A4S. I was one of those SMN who switches to BLM for A4S, and honestly, I wish I did it a month sooner. Not only do you need to gear up, but you need to learn the BLM playstyle. I think it is worth it... allowed my group to clear A4S when we didn't when I was SMN.

[OneWingedSora]

I think saving the CDs until after the add phase is good (including Aetherflow), but I usually don't wait until after Ferrofluid to start my opener.. the Ferrofluid generally goes off before you would get to DWT, so you mostly just have to delay the last bit of the opener before DWT, which includes RS, so it shouldn't make a substantial hit to your DPS. IMO this is better than waiting until after that to start using Aetherflow..

Now, I haven't done this fight on Summoner yet but, on my Blackmage, I had our Bard play BV'd foes right after Sluice/Digi which ensured that I hit a fully buffed Flare w/ convert on the Limb + Living Liquid as well as having zero mechanics to interrupt you during that part. I imagine it would even MORE effective on Summoner because you would have fully buffed DoTs ( RS + Pot + DWT ) bane'd onto the limb as well as buffed Deathflare & Painflare hitting both as well. I would personally just use a regular triple fester rotation and hold off your buffs until Sluice/Digi.

[Avia_Frost]

Now, I haven't done this fight on Summoner yet but, on my Blackmage, I had our Bard play BV'd foes right after Sluice/Digi which ensured that I hit a fully buffed Flare w/ convert on the Limb + Living Liquid as well as having zero mechanics to interrupt you during that part. I imagine it would even MORE effective on Summoner because you would have fully buffed DoTs ( RS + Pot + DWT ) bane'd onto the limb as well as buffed Deathflare & Painflare hitting both as well. I would personally just use a regular triple fester rotation and hold off your buffs until Sluice/Digi.

That's too long to hold. Also add doesn't last long especially the first one with LB. I usually get DWT right around the beginning of sluice protene, so I would wait for that then pop it. You get three stacks again just after you bane the dots on gaol, miasma, then lb. Add dies, then pop dwt and trisaster on boss like normal.

[Sleigh]

That's too long to hold. Also add doesn't last long especially the first one with LB. I usually get DWT right around the beginning of sluice protene, so I would wait for that then pop it. You get three stacks again just after you bane the dots on gaol, miasma, then lb. Add dies, then pop dwt and trisaster on boss like normal.

It's only too long if you'd lose your 2nd or 3rd Raging by doing that, you'd lose 2nd if you clear decently fast (sub 10m, though you might be able to fit it in close to the end in a DWT, not sure) or 3rd if it's very slow (enrage-ish).

I think it's pretty smart to save RS for the hand if you don't fall into either time limit, you can probably focus less DPS on the hand than ever with a RS Bane + Deathflare. Worst thing you can say about it is you'll miss Litany but lots of groups use Litany at a time when SMN doesn't exactly want to do DWT, which is the 20s before the Ferrofluid.