DPS related questions, mostly SMN.

[ICEFANG13]

There is actually no class which is better without the job crystal equipped. The job benefits more from the gear's stats (has been proved by theorycrafters) and this is far better than keeping 3 cooldowns.
Furthermore in the case of SMN, the fester and contagion spell are powerfull, playing without them is a great loss, and you still have access to Raging strike and Swiftcast...

Just as a reminder, with keeping the same stuff, you'll earn between 5% and 10% dps from your gear only with job's equipped, and a Blood for Blood gives 10% for 20s every 80, same as constant 2.5%.

Could you explain what you mean, why does the job get more power from the same items? The current ilevel115 weapons and armoretc 110 stuff can be used on the ACN and the SMN equally and provide the same stats. Does the SMN get more?

I would agree with you 100% if Contagion was not usable, but you actually can use it, it just has the level requirement of 40 to use.