The problem with Summoners

[AreeyaJaidee]

I explained that ifrit's radiant shield is a wasted spot. So logically he either needs a replacement attack or buff. I also said that a self dmg buff OR >a defense buff would be useful<

I agree Smn putting vit accessories on to increase titans hp isnt optimal. I've done this myself before and it ruins the smn total dps... Plus it's been tested and proven that the vit only increases titans hp not his physical or magical defense which is an important aspect of anything tank oriented... Unless it's an evasion tank. Titan needs better threat and defense. Not over the top stats, just "save the party if tank dies and is recouping" stats, heal able like a normal tank in other words. Side note; I've done all smn hard mode dungeon runs and it is hands down the funnest time I ever had in ffxiv. This is my opinion but I feel like if that's how I wanna play the game then SE shouldn't be objectionable to me using mechanics in an interesting manner since the game is about having fun in the first place. Buffing Titan makes more content than just hard dungeons open to ppl that wanna do this because they love smn.

Of course garuda is weak. That's why I said give her a self dmg buff or a buff that causes her dmg abilities to apply a dot...

Inb4 "this makes smn too OP" : smn is about versatility. If you give us a tank, melee, and ranged pet... Then don't half ass then. These are our bread and butter, they make the job shine.

[Sanguisio]

Im not gonna argue with you guys.

From personal experience I havent had issues with Titan holding hate on multiples.

For the SMN class in this game, the only thing that is our bread & butter is maintaining DOTs and ruin spamming, anything else on top is a bonus. As discussed in countless threads, this SMN is an ACN with a few added extras. The dps comes from maintain DOTs and making sure you get as many ruins + festers in as you can; unfortunate I know.

I dont what the issue is with Titan doing HM dungeons, Buffed AOE on pull, then keeping an eye on the threat levels of mobs rotate him around to make sure he maintains it.

The only way titan could save the day if tank dies is to have a provoke or entrust mechanic added to him which would be great. When you use titan you need to use sustain.

Anyway i'm done commenting on this.

[Nirokun]

I agree Smn putting vit accessories on to increase titans hp isnt optimal. I've done this myself before and it ruins the smn total dps...

While I agree that putting on vitality accessories isn't optimal, I find myself going back to a VIT accessory set for soloing peisteskin maps, because higher max HP means Sustain heals for much more, being that it is a % heal. I focus target him, keep sustain up, and nothing can kill him. The hardest has been the marlboros because of bad breath, but even they're beaten. It's a balance when you use vitality accessories, because titan lasts longer and you pull less hate. You just need to stay alive and beat the timer.

For right now, this works, but I'm totally up for changes come 3.0.

[Sayora]

I think Titan does his job well-enough right now though a Provoke on him would be kind of cool. As for the egi designs, I feel that Titan and Ifrit look fine, but Garuda just looks bad to me. She could use something to make her look a bit more like her Primal form. As for the class, it's fun but I just feel as if I get a bit more bang for my buck as a BLM. Enkindle CD reduction or Tri Disaster (I don't PvP so forgive me if it's useful there) change would be fantastic for AoE. I'm cool without doing as much damage as BLMs, I just want to do more than I do right now in those big pulls.

EDIT: Has there been any discussion on Spell Speed and the Arcanist class as a whole for 3.0?

[Akiza]

The Summoner needs to be split from the Arcanist to make an actual Summoner. The tradition Direct Damage Bursts and AoE Bursts Summoner fits much better in this game then the DoT Arcanists/Summoner since in almost ever encounter it requires DPS to burn enemies down as quickly as possible which the !Summoner! falls short in. The Summoner needs flashier and powerful spells just get rid of the DoT poisoning spells. Give the summons procs and AoE Bursts abilities. The Summoner itself should have an emphasis on summoning and pets with Geomancer spells which fits more within the theme of the Summoner since they are spirit tamers.

[Brianmj]

The problem with Summoners is that many of them are unappreciative of the current iteration's play style. Instead of realizing this isn't for me, I should try another job, the therapeutic method is to create threads and posts ad nauseam trashing someone's work of art, someone's creation.

[DarkmoonVael]

The problem with Summoners is that many of them are unappreciative of the current iteration's play style. Instead of realizing this isn't for me, I should try another job, the therapeutic method is to create threads and posts ad nauseam trashing someone's work of art, someone's creation.

Where as this is quite true, there are also some technical issues stemming from SCH/SMN sharing the same base class that do need addressing moving forward. If you look at the latest buffs the SMN got with ruin/ruin 2, the devs acknowledged that this is all they really could do as anything else may have made SCH too powerful.

[Akiza]

The problem with Summoners is that many of them are unappreciative of the current iteration's play style. Instead of realizing this isn't for me, I should try another job, the therapeutic method is to create threads and posts ad nauseam trashing someone's work of art, someone's creation.

There are a few ways to buff the Summoner without buffing Scholar. SE could have reduced the cool down on Enkindle to give the Summoner more reliable bursts. Buffed the the Egis damage so Summoner don't have to rely on deteriorating damage of DoTs.
SE should've put an emphasis and focus on Summoning Magic and Pets instead of Dots. The Summoner has both technical and them issues. From a technical stand point Summoners are a poorly optimized DPS because DoTs which are their main source of damage rapidly deteriorates and plateaus faster than any other DPS. Also from a technical stand point the Summoner as it is now doesn't have a place in groups because the game is designed around bursting enemies down as quickly as possible and putting out tons of Dps. The Black Mage procs and has Flare to bursts mobs down fast and efficiently. The Monk has blunt damage and high sustained dps. The Dragoon has blunt damage and some AoE. Ninja has madras, bursts and can evade. The Bard has songs to buff the group and can front load damage on demand which justifies its low DPS. The Summoner brings nothing to the group I would go as far to say the Summoner brings less than nothing to the group dynamic because it doesn't excel in any area damage is lackluster, Bursts is mediocre and they have poor sustain damage. The overall theme of the Summoner is in question as well because it was lazily designed and as a result it is simply an Arcanist with a few extra abilities since it emphasizes and focuses on DoT Poisoning Magic. This game is designed around high sustain damage, blunt and bursts damage because mobs are burned down before the Summoner can get their full rotation on it causing dps loss. Bosses are a massive DPS check and require high sustained damage, blunt and bursts damage to progress in Raids. SE should re focus the Summoner around an emphasis on Summoning Magic and Pets making the Summoner a bursts dps since that fits better with the way this game designed.

The Summoner is already extinct coming into 3.0 so at this point their is already a massive amount of people already pissed off with the way the Summoner has been handled. Almost everyone will be happy with a Summoner re design except for that one person on the server still playing Summoner.

[Lilyarel]

The problem with Summoners is that many of them are unappreciative of the current iteration's play style. Instead of realizing this isn't for me, I should try another job, the therapeutic method is to create threads and posts ad nauseam trashing someone's work of art, someone's creation.

So I should be happy with having no changes to my rotation when I get a job while other jobs get spells and skills that actually make a difference? Secondly, even artists are subject to criticism. If everyone just accepted what something is and ignored it, improvement or change would never happen.

[Akiza]

The problem with Summoners is that many of them are unappreciative of the current iteration's play style. Instead of realizing this isn't for me, I should try another job, the therapeutic method is to create threads and posts ad nauseam trashing someone's work of art, someone's creation.

A lot of players have already realized the current iteration play style of the Summoner isn't for them and have mass migrated to other jobs such as Black Mage, Ninja or Scholar resulting in the mass extinction of the Summoner or at the least put them on the endangered list.