observation of Phoenix from the job preview trailer for 5.0 smn

[Cabalabob]

It looked to me like Phoenix was essentially replacing dreadwyrm trance. Which I like, I hated DW trance cause it put the focus on the caster rather than the pet, if Phoenix is the new DW trance, even if it works exactly the same as DW trance, it’s better because it’s a pet, not the caster doing it.

[Zetsumei_Tsunarashi]

Here's what I gleaned from the live letter:

-Pet's are no longer actually pets but rather an animation effect that just appears near your character. This results in a few major things:
-Pets are no longer targetable and can't be effected by mechanics or take damage.
-Pets no longer have actions. All pet actions are now normal actions which must be executed by the summoner. All pet AI actions were removed. (Sic, Obey, etc.)
-Pets no longer have a separate GCD, meaning all pet actions are now subject to the normal GCD. (No more auto-attacks or wyrmwaves)

As for Phoenix and bahamut, it seemed like what was going on to me was bahamut was replacing garuda, and phoenix was replacing ifrit but both essentially had the same function in rotation. Makes me wonder if there is also a third demi-primal that replaces Titan.

If each demi-primal is on a separate timer, then I could see the new rotation revolving around summoning all three egis in sequence in order to continuously bring out a demi-primal. Sort of like bards rotation of cycling through songs.

[Rhus]

Looks like Freeze now gives stack of 3 umbral ice from the railer if im not mistaken?

Flare-Flare-Freeze-Fire3-Fire4 x3-Bliz3-Bliz4- Thunder-Foul-Flare. Was the rotation used to show it off. Guessing there was a few new skills I missed but interesting if Freeze now has a use.

[Aomine1992]

I like the direction they are going, SMN should be relying on its Demi summons for damage rather then dishing it all out our selves. Now the class will be focused around Bahamut and Phoenix. In the future there will obviously be more Demi’s and a less reliance on egis since they are now diminished to one skill now.

[Daralii]

Here's what I gleaned from the live letter:

-Pet's are no longer actually pets but rather an animation effect that just appears near your character. This results in a few major things:
-Pets are no longer targetable and can't be effected by mechanics or take damage.
-Pets no longer have actions. All pet actions are now normal actions which must be executed by the summoner. All pet AI actions were removed. (Sic, Obey, etc.)
-Pets no longer have a separate GCD, meaning all pet actions are now subject to the normal GCD. (No more auto-attacks or wyrmwaves)

As for Phoenix and bahamut, it seemed like what was going on to me was bahamut was replacing garuda, and phoenix was replacing ifrit but both essentially had the same function in rotation. Makes me wonder if there is also a third demi-primal that replaces Titan.

If each demi-primal is on a separate timer, then I could see the new rotation revolving around summoning all three egis in sequence in order to continuously bring out a demi-primal. Sort of like bards rotation of cycling through songs.

If they added Demi-Alexander or something as a Titan upgrade, I think they would've shown it. I imagine that his skill will just be the defensive that SMN hasn't had.

[Milea]

In the Benchmark trailer the Summoner uses trance but a phoenix head appears above the summoners head.

Yea, I noticed that too, interesting.

[ShariusTC]

Yea, I noticed that too, interesting.

yeah, i saw it too, that make a theory about phoenix replace DWT may turn out wrong, so i think about other theory, maybe DWT still in game, and we don't need 2 DWT to trigger demi summon anymore, also we might have a new trance, phoenix trance

so our rotation might turn into something like DWT > demi bahamut (trigger phoenix upon release) > phoenix trance > demi phoenix (also trigger bahamut upon release), also phoenix might be a way to apply a 3rd DoT for SMN

[Milea]

I hope phoenix trance has a cool other effect.

Dwt gives 10% more damage. I hope phoenix trance not the same thing but has a cool newish effect.

[Daralii]

I hope phoenix trance has a cool other effect.

Dwt gives 10% more damage. I hope phoenix trance not the same thing but has a cool newish effect.

There was something that looked like it could be Phoenix Trance(If the trances are named after the primal's title, Rebirth Trance?) in the benchmark trailer during the fight against Titania, where the SMN did the Deathflare animation and Phoenix appeared behind them for a second like Bahamut's head does for DWT.

[RissotoMissoto]

10:44 looks like a 1s cast Enkindle? With the Bahamut wing graphic normally seen with Ruin IV?

That's what commanding Ahk Morn always has looked like.

10:47 looks like the new Ruin spell by the power of TRIANGLES I smite you! (Interestingly, the corners of the Triangle are Red, Green and Blue. If this is supposed to represent the Egi we are able to use... Shiva-Egi replacing Titan-Egi?)

That's Tri-Bind.

10:51 seems to be a new Tri-Disaster animation. More Triangles! Also, green swirls.

Thats the same Tri-Disaster animation.

11:03 Summoning Ifrit seemed to make him slash the target when he was spawning.

Thats Ifrit's auto-attack animation, and it happens several times without commanding.

-Pet's are no longer actually pets but rather an animation effect that just appears near your character. This results in a few major things:
-Pets are no longer targetable and can't be effected by mechanics or take damage.
-Pets no longer have actions. All pet actions are now normal actions which must be executed by the summoner. All pet AI actions were removed. (Sic, Obey, etc.)
-Pets no longer have a separate GCD, meaning all pet actions are now subject to the normal GCD. (No more auto-attacks or wyrmwaves)

Pets still auto attack even if they don't use command skills on their own. Garuda Auto attacks before being replaced by Demi-Bahamut, and Ifrit attacks several times. Weather or not pets can be commanded to auto-attack different targets or if they will be auto-linked to whatever the summoner has targeted remains to be seen. Hopefully the pet command system will address the only real problem pets have ever had, which is the internal cool down on pet attacks interfering with said pet commands.

Demi Bahamut absolutly still uses Wyrmwave, but it does not seem to use it on OGDC moves like tri-disaster anymore, only on the SMN's GDC actions, so either Wyrmwave has a longer internal cool down, only activates on GDC actions, or it only activates when the SMN inflicts direct damage, which Tri-Bind and Ruin IV both do while Tri-Disaster does not.