Smn Rework Suggestions After LL

[Ailuron]

Where's the problem with its identity that hasn't been shown already in lore? Carbuncle is still the initial egi. Instead, the gems are our trances where we can focus our power of the egi - pretty much like crystals summoning a primal. Unlike a real primal, we just borrow their power - sorta like using Dreadwyrm trance and using Bahamut's Aether to channel Deathflare.

The initial summon is an AoE hit basically when channeling the aether to use the gem. Then, we use the crystal as the focus of our power to use their summoned skills - like in all FF series, but different in the sense that we're only borrowing a portion of their power instead of summoning them outright.

Aetherflow lorewise is initally gathering external aether into a gem/crystal and channeling that with a small portion of your aether to activate a stronger geometric spell (fester/plainflare). If you think about it, that's basically what we're doing with the summons in the new SMN except we're gathering a primal's specific aetheric aspect instead. So we're actually going back to our ACN roots, but expanding on its initial aetherflow mechanic. However, unlike the past ACN, the split is different since they're adopting the traditional FF SMN playstyle too - where you're the one who uses the power.

Our pets are still used for utility it seems - so they're support oriented while we're offense oriented. This follows in-line with the current SCH's pet. Maybe in the future we'll get more pet skills, but we'll have to see how the pet AI handles it, since ShB pet AI is still a bit janky.

I say they handled this very well by allowing pets to co-exist, SMN to have big summons, yet still retain the lore and importance of aetherflow gameplay via mini summon phases.

I think my biggest problem with it, is not sharing the same vision of what a summoner should be. In a more traditional FF sense, SMNs aren't actually casters that bring out an entity to fight by their side (a pet class) im guessing but rather a caster that channels the power of these entity.

That to me sounds like, a caster putting on a skin/style on their spells to make it lore appropriate, which many other games have already... Its kinda like flavour-text. It wouldn't make a difference if Ifrit/Titan/Garuda showed up for their glorious 2 whole seconds or not. I guess what im trying to say is, mechanics wise its a downgrade/condensing/dumbing down, its not unique, sure it has 3 mini "summon" phases (more like primal-themed casting modes) but in the end, they are shoved into a more traditional caster mold. Hell, it makes it much simpler to develop without the AI, but the AI is what makes it unique.. wish they could have just improved it.. instead of removing it altogether.

I only hope that the idea of a support-oriented pet is exactly that.. give carby/egi something more for us to do/manage instead of being mostly aesthetics.. or let the current existing egi have an interaction with the primal-themed casting modes. I'd be slightly happier with it that way.

mixed feelings, have to wait to see...