Can someone give me an in-depth explanation why Summoner is arguably the worst DPS?

[BlaiseArath]

NO, SMNs SHOULD NOT be doing as much damage as BLM in a stationary fight.

Mmmm, I don't know if I can agree(though I mention below an addendum to this). They're both caster jobs, and BLM has specialty in AoE damage where its uncontested champion... why should it have specialty in both AoE and Single target over SMN? Now, I actually like Eye for an Eye and Virus is nice when used right, but I rarely if ever have a situation where battle raise matters... If I'm raising on SMN we're already dead beyond hope, or I can say goodbye to my DPS forever because there goes so much MP, and bam, right back to our main problem, longevity and MP management.

I know you mention BLM suffers when it has to move a lot... and SMNs DoT's still tick if needing to move and they have Ruin II (at higher MP cost, back to MP issues...), so I kinda get where you're coming from, actually, so I don't think its without validity.

Agreed. I would accept party buffs based on pets.
I.e. ifrit increases melee damage by 5%

Like Avatar's Favor ? (from XI...)

I could get behind this, though it opens up a lot of problems. Such as being asked to use a certain pet that might not be as optimal as another... or being asked to switch a pet mid fight for certain buffs, further sh*tting on our MP conservation. But if they did give buffs...?

Ifrit: STR Bonus or Melee DPS Increase?
Garuda: INT Bonus or Magic DPS increase?
Titan: VIT Bonus or Defense increase?
(Ramuh): DEX bonus or Ranged DPS increase?
(Leviathan): MND Bonus or Healing Potency Increase?