Shadowbringer: Summoner Changes Discussion

[Len]

Here are some of the core changes to Summoner coming in Shadowbringers. What are your thoughts on Summoner in Shadowbringers?

Note: If any of the information contained within this post is incorrect or there is a change I missed, feel free to post a correction.

Aetherflow

• Energy Drain grants us full Aetherflow charges and deals 100 potency, while Energy Siphon grants us the same effect while dealing 40 potency in an AoE.
• Energy Drain and Energy Siphon are on a 30s cooldown, down from our current 60s cooldown on Aetherflow.
• Down to 2 charges of Aetherflow, but we receive 4 Aetherflow charges in a minute versus previous expansions 3 charges every minute.

Firebird Trance

• Reduces cast time by 2.5 seconds, making many of our spells instant cast.
• Enhances Ruin III to become a 250 potency and Outburst into a 300 potency AoE Phoenix-based spells with higher potencies.
• At Lv.80, entering Firebird Trance automatically summons Demi-Phoenix.
• Entering Firebird Trance causes Dreadwyrm Trance to go on cooldown (60s).

Dreadwyrm Trance System

• Reduces cast time by 2.5 seconds, making many of our spells instant cast.
• At Lv.72, entering Dreadwyrm Trance a single time grants us the two stacks of Dreadwyrm Aether we need to summon Demi-Bahamut.
• 10% magic damage buff Dreadwyrm Trance previously gave us is removed, and instead our cast time is reduced by 2.5 seconds, making a number of our spells instant cast.

Demi-Bahamut & Demi Phoenix

• Demi Summons only cast Wyrmwave/Scarlet Flame on GCDs.
• Demi-Phoenix casts an AoE healing spell with regen around it upon being summoned.
• Revelation functions as Demi-Phoenix's Akh Morn, a 680 potency spell with damage falloff for multiple targets, usable twice while up.

Ruin Interactions

• Each Ruin's potency is increased when used on targets with both Bio III and Miasma III applied. +50 potency for each dot applied.
  
• Bane no longer consumes Aetherflow and is on a 10s cooldown, and our Ruination buff applied by Tri-disaster can be spread using Bane at Lv.78 with the Enhanced Bane trait.
  
• Ruination increased to 30 seconds at Lv.76 with the Enhanced Tri-disaster trait, and also boosts the potency of our new 70 potency AoE filler, Outburst.
  
• Multiple Further Ruin procs can be stored, with the media tour build capping at four stacks.

Egi Changes

• Summoning an egi is now instant cast and costs no MP.
• Egi special abilities have been consolidated into two abilities that change based on the current egi summoned and are used by the Summoner through Egi Assault I and Egi Assault II.
• Enkindle's recast time down from 180s → 120s. (Further Ruin procs no longer decrease the cast time of Enkindle.)
• Ifrit-egi deals higher ST damage, and all of Garuda-egi attacks, including auto-attacks, are AoE.
• Garuda-egi's ability Egi Assault II ability, Slipstream, places a small AoE effect on the ground for 30 seconds dealing 20 potency called an "Evergale"
• Titan-egi's ability Earthen Armor creates a shield on you for 20% of your maximum health.

Ability Removals/Reworks

• Summoner abilities: Aetherflow, Shadow Flare, Sustain, Rouse, Tri-bind
• New AoE filler spell: Outburst - 70 potency AoE
• Egi abilities: Contagion, Radiant Shield, Earthen Ward, and Shockwave

Thoughts
Overall, I'm happy that the core synergy of our abilities has been greatly improved.

Titan-egi is strange. It doesn't really excel in any one area and is only really useful for the shield it applies to us using Egi Assault I.

Demi-Phoenix’s “Everlasting Flight” AoE heal upon being summoned is absolutely pitiful. Even should the potency be increased, why do we have a heal?

Firebird Trance automatically summoning Demi-Phoenix at Lv.80 is strange considering that Demi-Bahamut has no such effect.

[ShariusTC]

all ruin getting buff, they become mini fester, all DOT being nerfed, you get a chance to summon demi bahamut after 1 DWT, DWT wont give you magic buff anymore but reduce spell cast time

[Kurando]

I notice SMN still has Physick, now big question is whether this is changing to be INT based or whether it's going to be yet another useless action throughout 5.0. The other changes seem pretty cool though, least it doesn't feel like 4.0 release.

[Len]

all ruin getting buff, they become mini fester, all DOT being nerfed, you get a chance to summon demi bahamut after 1 DWT, DWT wont give you magic buff anymore but reduce spell cast time

Dots being nerfed slightly is a fair trade for the increased synergy and ruin buffs.

I notice SMN still has Physick, now big question is whether this is changing to be INT based or whether it's going to be yet another useless action throughout 5.0. The other changes seem pretty cool though, least it doesn't feel like 4.0 release.

That's a head scratcher. Physick is something I suppose lower level players may need with the loss of Titan-egi as a "tank," I suppose.

[ChaoticCrimson]

Overall it seems more manageable to work with. I don't think "easier" is the right word, but "manageable" for sure. Of course, this means relearning the whole rotation...

[Len]

Here's a video of Larryzaur's interview with Yoshi-P with footage of him going through the Dohn Mheg dungeon as Summoner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IruBXFAzso

Overall it seems more manageable to work with. I don't think "easier" is the right word, but "manageable" for sure. Of course, this means relearning the whole rotation...

Relearning whole rotations, adjusting a good 50% of your hotbar. Yay.

[Kalise]

It's also worth noting that Energy Drain/Siphon only have 30s CD's instead of Aetherflow's prior 60s CD. Meaning 60 seconds per Bahamut phase (30s post level 72)

DWT also noteworthy, gives 2.5s reduced cast time. Meaning instant-cast Tri-Bind (Renamed Outburst) (With Ruination also buffing Outburst)

Devotion is changed and now simply increases party members damage by 5%

Phoenix can only be summoned after Bahamut and lasts for 15 seconds.

This means that Egi's are almost removed from the game. Given that per 30 seconds, you'll be able to get a Bahamut out from DWT. Bahamut lasts 20 seconds, Phoenix then lasts 15 seconds. That's 45 seconds of Demi uptime. So... Basically you just wait long enough to spam out Egi Assault I/II and Enkindle and then get rid of your Egi.

Also, at this point, it might actually end up that you might simply end DWT immediately via Deathflare given that you no longer get bonus damage from it and can get it back again to get a Bahamut so quickly.

[Jandor]

Phoenix can only be summoned after Bahamut and lasts for 15 seconds.

This means that Egi's are almost removed from the game. Given that per 30 seconds, you'll be able to get a Bahamut out from DWT. Bahamut lasts 20 seconds, Phoenix then lasts 15 seconds. That's 45 seconds of Demi uptime. So... Basically you just wait long enough to spam out Egi Assault I/II and Enkindle and then get rid of your Egi.

Also, at this point, it might actually end up that you might simply end DWT immediately via Deathflare given that you no longer get bonus damage from it and can get it back again to get a Bahamut so quickly.

Phoenix trance puts Dreadwyrm Trance on cooldown, you can just about catch it on Larryzaurs SMN video.
So after you've finished with Phoenix you've got 45s of filler before you can start your demi cycle back up again.

Roughly 45s on, 45s off?

--

Side note, anyone else disappointed it's phoenix? I'm kind of sick of the coil theme.

[Elenoe]

Roughly 45s on, 45s off?

they share CD, don't they? So it sounds more like

15s DWT -> 20s Bahamut -> 25s fillers -> 20s FBT+Phoenix -> 40s fillers

[Jandor]

they share CD, don't they? So it sounds more like

15s DWT -> 20s Bahamut -> 25s fillers -> 20s FBT+Phoenix -> 40s fillers

But it sounds like demis (Bahamut at least) are somewhat weaker now if "wyrmwaves" are on GCD (which may or may not be affected by FBT as it goes along with phoenix - not sure if FBT is 15s or 20s at that time).

15s DWT - 45s gap where you can slot 20s of Bahamut - 15s Phoenix - 45s gap where you can't slot 20s of Bahamut.

That 2nd gap might be a bit dull tbh. Don't mind me guys, just casting 18x ruins back to back.