Stringent lore restrictions that negatively impact people's enjoyment =/= the thematic basis or structure of longstanding jobs. If you cannot understand this, there is little point in pressing the issue further because you are clearly grasping at anything and everything to justify the failed state of current SMN. After 8 years of warlocks telling me to go play another class or another game, I’m merely saying the same that was said to me for so long.

Indulging their requests for so long brought the class to its breaking point. So please go play bard and leave us real summoners in peace, unless your intent is to also destroy that class mechanically and aesthetically after it too was fixed for 6.0 by giving it more musical abilities. If you cannot find any satisfaction, then simply take a break until 7.0’s new dot class is released. You won’t have to wait nearly as long as I did for a real summoner in this game, that’s for sure.

Also, G'raha Tia essentially was sacrificed seeing as how in previous games, crystallization = death or passage into immortal life/heaven. Again, another recurring theme in the series. However, his survival will ultimately be for the better since he not only adds functionality as an all-rounder trust for EW but also adds more to the story as a new party member who gave so much in order to be a part of our journey.