SMN pet Strenth

[Renen]

The one thing that always worries me with pet classes in game is this: Are they going to be strong enough to do boss fights?
As an example, in the current version, would a SMN's pet be able to DPS Ifrit with the same effectiveness as a monk?
And by that, I dont mean actual attack power, but staying alive long enough to do it, while being up close.
If a summon has about 1000 health, and you cant control it as fine as your character (run out of cracks), chances are the summon will die in 1-2 hits from the boss (or will eat one AoE and die).
Anyone have any thoughts on this? How did it work out for SMN in FF11 with big bosses?

[KiriA500]

Well, like every fight in the game, they'd be able to do it, unless all the Speed Run videos on YouTube don't include them...then they're crap out of luck.

In all seriousness, I'm sure they'll be fine as far as damage. We don't know anything about them as of right now, so it's really hard to speculate how they'll play.

[yukikaze_yanagi]

Dot/debuffer, not tank or dps.

[Felis]

Anyone have any thoughts on this? How did it work out for SMN in FF11 with big bosses?

I heard they were in the backline to heal the party

[Blaize]

I heard they were in the backline to heal the party

Misinformed....that was EXP PT's (Grind PT's) not Bosses

How did it work out for SMN in FF11 with big bosses?

A lot of Bosses SMN was one of the best Damage outputs the game had, the only downfall was it was all Cooldown based, you'd Summon your Avatar, make it do its big attack, dismiss it, then wait anywhere from 40seconds to a minute depending on your gear to do it again...but it was still one of the more wanted jobs for a good few bosses, Especially Odin and Tiamat.***

I'm hoping 14's SMN is a true pet class allowing you to keep your pet out with 100% uptime, no silly costs like MP Drain. And obviously give the pets some form of an avoidance skill so it mitigates the majority of PvE AoE moves so a boss wouldnt be 1shotting your pet with a crit to the face cleave type move!

***Edit needed to say my perspective on SMN was played up until the 3rd mini add on, so it maybe be completely different after then/now

[Elexia]

I heard they were in the backline to heal the party

False. SMNs were solo/duo/trio NMs especially once they've completed their Magian staffs. Even in XP pts they weren't main healers after CoP era (2004) because most players realized WHM/RDM and eventually SCH (which worked as a nuker OR healer) were better suited for it.

In end-game, they're DD and buffers, a fully buffed Garuda (and even Diabolos) is a very good source of damage, especially DoT on enemies with insane defense.

A lot of Bosses SMN was one of the best Damage outputs the game had, the only downfall was it was all Cooldown based, you'd Summon your Avatar, make it do its big attack, dismiss it

This hasn't been true since 2007, not only are the buff/attack timers on a separate timer now, but you can negate all prep cost these days that you will rarely see a SMN dismiss an avatar outside of Voidwatch.

[KiriA500]

Misinformed....that was EXP PT's (Grind PT's) not Bosses

Even then...SMN were awful healers. Having a large MP pool doesn't make you a good healer.

[Blaize]

This hasn't been true since 2007, not only are the buff/attack timers on a separate timer now, but you can negate all prep cost these days that you will rarely see a SMN dismiss an avatar outside of Voidwatch.

Yea I was still playing when they split the Buff/Debuff and Attack Timers into 2, however on something like Tiamat or Odin (My main place playing SMN and maybe the odd Kirin) was Garuda > Predator Claws > Release no use for a Buff/Debuff since you was in a group full of 5SMN and a COR so not like you could stoneskin the melee with Titan

Even then...SMN were awful healers. Having a large MP pool doesn't make you a good healer.

Dunno I made it to 75 no problem as a Healer, same as with any job, decent players play it well, bad players give the entire job a bad name