I am getting irritated with Summoner in endgame content

[OmegaSinX]

Plus aoe scenarios like Garuda's Razor Plumes are giving me trouble because I don't seem to have much effective AOE ability unless I am missing something. I can dump three dots then Bane but that still leaves them alive and doing damage while the dots eat them. Can spam Blizzard 2 or Miasma 2 but they're not that strong damage wise.

Kind of feeling like I should have leveled Black Mage; no pet reliance, and stronger AOE. :\ Advice?

SMN can go toe to toe with blm AoE. I think the reason you think SMN AoE isnt that good is because your looking at BLM big numbers and ignoring SMN substained damage.

SMN dots are nothing to underwrite. With just Shadow Flare & your 3 main Dots alone are 120 Potency per tick total Guranteed. You can go grab a soda real quick and still be dpsing. Add Miasma II and Spam Blizzard II that will bring it up to 190 Pontency on each enemy. ( Spamming Blizzard II is not very MP effecient, but you could always get it back with Energy Drain)

You could also save Rouse + Spur + Aerial Blast (490 Potency Attack with both Spur and Rouse up) , and Aerial Slash (176 Potency with Both Rouse and Spur) . For when you know you will need AOE Burn targets quickly. Energy Drain is also a Very Good (Under Rated) single target burst move SMN has in there aresenal when there is not enough time to Dot + Fester.

Not to forget your dots can crit.

- Standing Still, SMN Does better single target DPS than BLM.
- While Moving SMN does better single target DPS than BLM (Dots tick while your moving and Garuda will attack if you have her on place)

Only advantage BLM has is that it is easy to play and outshines SMN when there are 5+ targets, and even then a good SMN will be on their heels.