Black Mage or Summoner, which is the easier Magic-based DPS class?

[Lilith_Merquise]

ya while people here are making the opener and rotation sound spooky there really isn't a whole lot to it and is easily learned by applying simple logic more so then most classes. I would say if you want easy, SMN is as easy as it gets. BLM actually takes a bit of skill from knowing when to put down leylines and when you can afford lengthy casts, as well as being much more rotation dependent. SMN is really just pop your opener, keep up DoT's (Miasma > Bio II > Bio), spam Ruin II like it's out of style (Ruin I if low MP... which is rarely ever), pop Fester>Pain>Fester (Single Target - Boss) / Bane > Fester >Pain (Trash Pack with 1 priority target) / Bane > Pain > Bane/Pain (Just Trash), Spam Ruin 3 til 5-4 secs left, pop a Tri-Disaster for maximum DoT potency, death flare, repeat. Miasma II is really the only real niche situational spell in your arsenal, if you ever use it. I like to use it on trash if I got the MP to throw away and want a lil more kill power; but for the most part you avoid using it because of the gross MP cost.

Sure you can probably get far more situational and crunch every casting second if you want to be server first SMN. But if you're looking to just clear stuff, you really don't need to learn much as much as it's managing DoT timers and trying to drop as many Ruin 3/Death Flares as you possibly can while keeping in mind of mechanics to dodge or eating a Trance by popping it at an untargetable time of the fight.

Oh and "Managing your pet" here is the lazy way to do it (assuming you're Garuda is out, because for most fights that are not PVP, Garuda is GOD) leave it on Sic (let it do the work and pop it's own abilities) and before Contagion comes up, put it on Obey, apply DoTs > Hit Contagion > Set back to Sic. Spur/Rouse when you can and try to coordinate them with popping Enkindle for a bit more damage. Your pet is seriously the least of your concern, and frankly only requires your attention if you're using Garuda/Contagion or really need a stun with Ifrit/Crimson Cyclone.... Or Garuda's Shockwave is pissing your party off, then ya Obey is a good thing to have on.