Returning player new character

[Garotte14]

I agree with what is being said.

BLM has easiest rotation, but is a pretty difficult class to master as it requires you to think outside the box. Learning the fights, saving procs for movement when you know an attack is coming, using all the tools you are given to move as little as possible.

Monk is easiest Melee rotation, but one of the most difficult jobs due to positional attacks and having to maintain stacks. In fights where the boss never moves, jumps, teleports, or any break in the fight, Monk is top DPS.

Dragoon is hardest rotation With tons of abilities off the GCD, but very few positionals and no need to keep up any stacks. Good for fights with lots of phase changing and untargetable enemies.

Ninja is kinda in the middle of the two. Somewhat complex rotation, some OGCD abilities, 1 positional, and good raid utility.

Bard is easiest dps class in my opinion. Can move while attacking and rotation pretty straight forward. But a must have in 2.0 raid content due to utility.

SMN is weakest DPS currently. They have alright utility and decent numbers, but with the problems they have with MP, makes them not quite as effective in long fights. If they die at all, they are pretty useless the rest of the fight. They have a battle raise, but again it's a high MP cost so only used as a last resort. And to be clear, this is mostly in Final Coil. In normal content summoner is fine and any issues it has will be addressed in the xpac.

[FreeLancer4]

SMN is the current underdog. While it is possible to pull off respectable DPS, against others of equal skill you will fall a little short. Some would have you believe SMN has decent utility, but I would argue the opposite. SMN pets have no other Party utility other then being a damage soak for certain abilities, two of them do have stun, but its a dps loss and a interrupt at best. The Summoner itself has access to Super Virus, E4E, and In-Combat Resurrection. All mage classes have access to E4E, so besides having a shorter cooldown, isn't all to special. The Super Virus additionally reduces INT/MND, but the current endgame won't have you needing to use this all to often, and when it is needed, SCH has it readily available. You will be hard pressed to find endgame groups that do not run with a SCH. Lastly the In-Combat Resurrection, while it certainly isn't bad it isn't very noteworthy, as deaths are unforgiving in most of the endgame.

[FreeLancer4]

SMN continued...

Achieving exceptional DPS on SMN calls for a few things. DoTs. Keeping them up when appropriate and when to reapply. Keeping your pet alive and attacking, often times when things go invulnerable, the pet will derp and not attack anything until given a command to do so, as well as proper ability use, mostly Garuda and proper contagion use. Weaving oGCDs/Fester after either Bio or Ruin II. Melee. When applicable stand in melee range and smack the enemy. Casting. Like the blm, less movement more casting. Since the SMN can weave in Ruin II they have a little more freedom of movement and like the bard will likely handle more movement sensitive mechanics.