We are the worst summoners of the whole franchise.

[Brandr]

Playable summons of every mainline game:

FF3

Chocobo
Shiva
Ramuh
Ifrit
Titan
Odin
Leviathan
Bahamut

FF4

Asura
Bahamut
Bomb
Chocobo
Cockatrice
Goblin (Imp)
Ifrit
Leviathan
Mindflayer
Dragon (Mist)
Odin
Ramuh
Shiva
Sylph
Titan
Whyt

FF5

Chocobo
Remora
Sylph
Ifrit
Ramuh
Shiva
Catoblepas
Golem
Titan
Carbuncle
Odin
Syldra
Bahamut
Leviathan
Phoenix
Eggman

FF6

Alexander
Bahamut
Bismarck
Cait Sith
Carbuncle
Catoblepas
Crusader
Fenrir
Golem
Ifrit
Kirin
Lakshmi
Maduin
Midgardsormr
Odin
Phantom
Phoenix
Quetzalli
Ragnarok
Raiden
Ramuh
Seraph
Siren
Shiva
Unicorn
Valigarmanda
Zona Seeker
Cactuar
Diabolos
Gilgamesh
Leviathan

FF7

Alexander
Bahamut
Neo Bahamut
Bahamut ZERO
Choco/Mog
Hades
Ifrit
Leviathan
Knights of the Round
Kujata
Odin
Phoenix
Ramuh
Shiva
Titan
Typhon

FF8

Alexander
Bahamut
Brothers
Cactuar
Carbuncle
Cerberus
Diablos
Doomtrain
Eden
Ifrit
Leviathan
Quezacotl
Shiva
Siren
Pandemona
Tonberry
Angelo (arguably)
Odin
Gilgamesh
Phoenix
Boko
Mini Mog
Moomba

FF9

Dagger\\'s summons
Ramuh
Ifrit
Shiva
Atomos
Odin
Leviathan
Bahamut
Ark

Eiko\\'s summons
Fenrir and Titan
Phoenix
Carbuncle
Madeen

FF10

Valefor
Ifrit
Ixion
Shiva
Bahamut
Anima
Yojimbo
The Magus Sisters

FF11


Carbuncle
Fenrir
Diabolos
Ifrit
Titan
Leviathan
Garuda
Shiva
Ramuh
Alexander
Odin
Atomos
Cait Sith
Siren

FF12

Belias
Mateus
Adrammelech
Zalera
Shemhazai
Hashmal
Cúchulainn
Zeromus
Exodus
Famfrit
Chaos
Ultima
Zodiark

FF13

Odin
Shiva
Hecatoncheir
Brynhildr
Alexander
Bahamut

Now, in contrast, in FF14, we have:

Carbuncle
Ifrit
Titan
Garuda
Bahamut
Phoenix
Solar Bahamut

[jrollins89]

While I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment, we cannot overlook the abomination that is FF15's "summoning", as much as I like to pretend it doesn't exist.
Though I would concur that FF16 doesn't count for having a Summoning system. Which is probably why the game in general plays most like FF14's (barely-Summoning) Summoner.

[Brandr]

Since FF13, summoners having been downgraded at each iteration.

[jrollins89]

Since FF13, summoners having been downgraded at each iteration.

Why put that on FF13? They have pretty interesting mechanics, unique designs, and are actually useful (especially for AOEing groups of enemies, toppling large-sized lategame enemies or when you need I-Frames or a heal/revive) and are used in the speed run.

Now FF12's summons, those are truly worthless. Practically 0 reason to ever Summon unless you just want to admire their design. If you want to argue that Summoners have seen nothing but downgrades, you'd have to start there (though I'd disagree; FF7 Remake + Rebirth handled Summons nicely IMO).

[Brandr]

Why put that on FF13? They have pretty interesting mechanics, unique designs, and are actually useful (especially for AOEing groups of enemies, toppling large-sized lategame enemies or when you need I-Frames or a heal/revive) and are used in the speed run.

Now FF12's summons, those are truly worthless. Practically 0 reason to ever Summon unless you just want to admire their design. If you want to argue that Summoners have seen nothing but downgrades, you'd have to start there (though I'd disagree; FF7 Remake + Rebirth handled Summons nicely IMO).

I'm saying it's a downgrading in quantity.

[jrollins89]

Ah, fair enough. I misunderstood and had to glaze FF13 a bit.

But yeah, FF14 could definitely do with more (non-Bahamut) summons. No shortage of candidates who already have models to choose from in this game.

[Azurarok]

not to say the job could use more summons since that seemed like the point of the EW rework, but rating the different incarnations of the job based on that alone seems a bit silly

[Reginald_Cain]

I want quality over quantity and more to do than spam gemshine most of the fight but if i had to pick quantity heres my wishlist.

In terms of more summons i want the gems to rotate like phoenix and bahamut.
Phoenix can grant us shiva, ramuh and leviathan gems.

Maybe solar bahamut can give us 3 gems that have 4 summons in a row each. Im thinking the 12 espers from the ivalice .

Lunar phoenix can do the same thing but give us 4 of THE twelve from the last 24 man for each gem.

That will be the only thing that makes me tolerate solar bahamut and the potential lUnAr PhEeNiks . I hate solar baha's design and lunar phoneix would make me so mad if thats all summoner gets

[Supersnow845]

How many of these games built half their lore around the fact that summoning is incredibly dangerous and summoning of simulacrum is a maths equation and not just vomitting out as much magic as possible

Seriously do people actually want consistent lore in this game or do they just want to cosplay their favourite characters from old FF games without actually going back and playing said games

Like if you are dying for how strong rydia is then FF4 is right there

[Brandr]

not to say the job could use more summons since that seemed like the point of the EW rework, but rating the different incarnations of the job based on that alone seems a bit silly

So you're satisfied with 7 summons?