ELI5 What is wrong with SMN?

[Len]

Off the top of my head:

Summoner requires much more effort than other jobs to produce lower results.

Death is extremely punishing to Summoner in ways other jobs don't have to deal with. Once dead, you lose every resource (Aetherflow, Dreadwyrm Aether, Aethertrail Attunement) you have to perform your actions effectively crippling us. God have mercy on your soul if both Aetherflow & Lucid Dreaming are both on CD after dying.

Our pet AI is still terrible, unresponsive and very fickle. If your egi moves at all while performing Enkindle, the CD is initiated but it doesn't go off. Demi Bahamut has a 100 yard range yet will trail behind us and glue themselves to our hip if we move just a little bit.

When you look at the damage Red Mage is able to do while also bringing utility, Summoner becomes an incredibly less attractive addition and more of a burden.