Summoner Demystified: A Guide for Beginners

[FeliAiko]

Snip.

In light of this thread, I've gone back and forth in my head over making a SMN Beginner's/Leveling Guide of sorts, divided into 4 parts (15-30, 30-50, 50-60, then 60 & Endgame) with sub-sections for each. In your case though (being a lvl 15 Arcanist according to your Lodestone), I'd say for now you can apply the majority of what OP mentioned here as you level up to 50 at least.

[Solarra]

In light of this thread, I've gone back and forth in my head over making a SMN Beginner's/Leveling Guide of sorts, divided into 4 parts (15-30, 30-50, 50-60, then 60 & Endgame) with sub-sections for each. In your case though (being a lvl 15 Arcanist according to your Lodestone), I'd say for now you can apply the majority of what OP mentioned here as you level up to 50 at least.

Thanks for the reply. My Arcanist is on hold at the moment as I'm concentrating on getting through the MSQ.

I do hope you go ahead and make your guide, I find a little hand-holding through the early stages can really make a difference to how comfortable I feel with a class. Even at low levels is nice to know you are using your abilities correctly and making a solid contribution.

[Havenchild]

In light of this thread, I've gone back and forth in my head over making a SMN Beginner's/Leveling Guide of sorts, divided into 4 parts (15-30, 30-50, 50-60, then 60 & Endgame) with sub-sections for each.

This was the way I was intending to go about it. You would then elaborate on the skills in these level increments and how they adjust your playstyle uptil this point. I was intending on getting it done but progression hit pretty hard in terms of time management. If OP could do it this way, I could link it in the other thread and give credit.

[FeliAiko]

In light of this thread, I've gone back and forth in my head over making a SMN Beginner's/Leveling Guide of sorts, divided into 4 parts (15-30, 30-50, 50-60, then 60 & Endgame) with sub-sections for each.

So after a considerable lull in activity concerning this project (despite the excerpt I put out a while back), I've wound up working on it again. I'd say it's about 80-90% complete now (although constant last minute additions and revisions to already complete sections doesn't help the cause), largely just the Level 60 segment to deal with now. Trouble at the moment is trying to present it in a way where it's not seen as infringing or outright repeating what other established, accomplished guides have mentioned but we'll see how it goes.

Rather than provide another excerpt like before, I'll post the Contents List so you can get an idea of what I've covered and what I aim to deal with accordingly:

*edit* Guide is more or less done now, barring any last minute revisions (story of this project's life really). Just need to fill in the Introduction section.

(Note: Titles subject to change)

Austerities of Magic
A Summoner Levelling Guide
by Feli Cilvia of Odin (EU)

Part I: Introduction
- Aim of Guide (Under Construction)

Part II: Summoner: An Overview
- How DoTs work
- The Pets
-> Pet Micromanagement
-> Pet Survival
- Aetherflow
- Utility: More than a DPS?

Part III: Level 15-30: Learning the Art
- The Starter Opener
-> The Starter Opener: AOE
- Level 30 - Bane: The Turning Point

Part IV: Level 30-40: Expanding the Art, Part 1
- Cross Class Checklist
- Three's A Crowd
- The Expanded Opener
-> DoTs and Buffs
- Level 35 - Fester: Another Turning Point
-> The issue with Bio and Fester
- Level 38 - Ruin vs Ruin II
- More Utility Skills

Part V: Level 40-49: Expanding the Art, Part 2
- Ifrit-Egi vs Garuda-Egi
-> Pet buffs
- Level 46 - The 4th DoT
- The Expanded Opener, Revised

Part VI: Level 50: The Evoker
- Enkindle: One Skill To Rule Them All
- How To: Shadowflare
- How To: Stutter Step
- The 2.x Opener

Part VII: Level 50-56: Sustaining the Art
- Level 52 - Bringing the Pain
-> Painflare vs Bane
- Level 54 - Ruin Comes in IIIs
- Level 56 - The Tri-Fecta

Part VIII: Level 58-60: Elevating the Art
- Level 58 - Enter the Dragon
- Maximising Dreadwyrm Trance
-> Maximising DWT: AoE
- Aethertrails in the Sky

Part IX: Level 60: The Dreadspawn
- Deathflare: The Exclamation Point
- Aethertrails in the Sky II
- The Level 60 Openers
-> Level 60 Opener: AoE
- How To: Expert Roulette
- How To: Trials and Raids (Under Construction)

Part X: References and Acknowledgements