Why are summoners so neglected?

[BigRed5392]

I don't care about having any credibility with someone who can't see the difference between gameplay preferences and DPS numbers.



I can't say for sure since I didn't play back then yet, but judging by the mounts and pets, it seems to be a screenshot from Wrath. Warlocks don't even have Metamorphosis anymore :P

oh ok..........

i never like that skill anyway was weird.........

[Magic-Mal]

Just remove all the skills from smn, give it summon, and rouse, and spur. enkindle
and 18 summons that only have an auto attack and the enkindle ability.

There, you have summoner.

Sarcasm^

Sarcasm aside, that would be a step in the right direction, a clean slate if you will.

Phew!* It's a good thing Yoshida doesn't listen to you then or else we'd have AFKmner!

In fact, Yoshida should be getting a pat on the back for his splendid job on SMN. Based off of the numbers and statistics.



See that 20%? That's SMN.



See that 55%? That's the amount of DPS-users in the game. Seems to me Yoshi made the right choice when he decided to make SMN a class you can play instead of watch. Because SMN is the most popular class in the game.

FFXIV has its own SMN. If Yoshi said "We're making it like <game>'s SMN" then yeah he would've messed up. But he didn't say that. So the SMN is made the right way.

[Tsukino]

I don't think "neglected" is the right word, but it's certainly not designed around summoning. The job plays totally fine, it does amazing damage, it just never feels much like a Summoner.

Many of the ideas here (and other threads like it) would be welcome changes. More egis, more egi glamours, more emphasis on the egis, animations for the summoner abilities that include summoning (like Ultima does, or like Yuna in Dissidia), temporary transformation/replacement with a summon - any of these things would go a long way in making the job feel more like a Summoner and not a poison mage with one DoT that floats and glows off to the side.

[Rysir]

May not be neglected but from playing only summoner since I started till halfway through heavensward and see the summoner - summon interaction not change at all Im finally wearing down and considering permanently dropping it for red mage. The egis are extremely stale.

With the craptons of power the summoner itself holds Id almost expect 5.0 to introduce a trait or skill that sacrifices the ability to summon for more power.

[Reaperking386]

What would be the point of new pets? The majority of them would be strictly situational or unused. You will probably be using the same 2 Egi's for raiding and dungeons unless you are willingly allowing your self to lose dps for eye candy.

WoW is also a terrible example. Warlocks barely use pets that are not forcefully spec for them. Hunter pets are so pointless as a survival or marksman that they piratically removed them and even if you are a beast master your pet will be most likely be a spirit beast because they are the best.

[Nerisu]

Meanwhile I'm just sitting here hoping that the new egi glamours changes the attack animations to their respective elements--I wouldn't want to see a Ramuh-egi shooting wind attacks or Leviathan-egi leaving a mud puddle or Shiva-egi hitting things with a flaming sword. That is, if we're actually getting Primal themed glamours and not just more carbuncles (Though I would like an amethyst carbuncle myself).

[Exiled_Tonberry]

I'm really getting sick of SE turning the community outcrys around on us and saying "oh well we'll just never do this again".

The community is whining because SMN was boring and badly designed, especially in 2.0. That doesn't mean to regret ever making it, it means to improve.

With Diadem, it's not because we have this kneejerk reaction to cry at any and everything, it's incredibly boring content that is being incencitized by a weapon that completely trashes the rewards of savage raiding and anima weapons.

[Starkbeaumont]

ok, let's give SMN those huge AoE attacks, which cost a ton of mp and make the summon disappear after it's done.
also make WAR and DRK DPS, erase SCH and AST from the game as they make WHM look bad.
Introduce SAM as tank. Give DRG invulnerability during jumps. seperate NIN and ROG (aka thief). give MNK all the utility. and have sheltron block magic attacks.

Did I forget anything?

[Remus]

I like the current Summoner. Still feels like a Summoner to me.

Please don't change it SE. Keep going the direction you are.