Quote Originally Posted by Stitches1974 View Post
Lets see.

Issues that I see with SMN.

1. Pet does not follow you close enough. Multiple times where my pet has been locked out of a boss fight because of this.
2. Pet abilities are slow when pet is on obey and a player manually activates them ( contagion ).
3. Pet obey system needs to be reworked. Pet should not attack until the SMN is hit or attacks a mob. Currently, when the tank attacks a mob, my pet starts to auto attack said mob even when not in the fighting area. See number 1.
4. Garuda needs to needs to maintain a set distance from the SMN and mob. Half the time when I use enkindle, the pet is out of range. When enkindle it activated, pet needs to move closer to the SMN, then move to mob and use said ability. If SMN is on 1 side of the room and pet is on the other, that's an issue, unless the pet is given the command to stay there. Pet needs to follow the SMN even when in combat. SMN should not have to chase their pet down or command it to stop attacking in the middle of a fight.
5. SE needs to fix specific instance bugs with SMN pets. Instances like Praetorium and Castrum, when you come out of a cutscene to kill the final boss, the SMN pet just poofs and now you have to re-summon it.
Not sure how any of those contest my point, if that was the purpose? They are all pet movement issues (problems in execution), and were they resolved, there would be no issues with the idea (the concept itself) of a pet-based SMN.

Consider, for instance, if:
1. Pet's used a stretch hitbox (not sure if XIV has any examples of this, but it's used for anti-lag in other MMOs), allowing them to burst-move into range for attacks without being able to "blink-dodge" out of enemy attack range.
2. Pets used an internal resource for added movement speed, effectiveness tapering as the resource falls from cap, which regenerates while standing still.
3. All specials have greater range than basic attacks.
4. When your pet disappears due to range, it is automatically resummoned at your position at no cost or delay.
5. Pets used mergeable animations for, or could simultaneously cast, abilities triggered during basic casts.
5b. Or simply, abilities could cancel basic attacks for instant use.
6. You could reliably trigger pet abilities during your own casts. (Intermittent for me...)

The sad thing is that with as little tactical variation as the pet's positioning actually creates, it'd still be there only for:
1. Tanking
2. Simultaneous casting
3. To increase SMN apm by having the SMN move it about to keep it safe.