What are your first impression of SMN?

[OmegaSinX]

I personally love the new SMN. My biggest gripes in 4.0 were the long set up for Bahamut and the lack of quick AoE options outside of Dreadwyrm and Ark Morn. They Fixed both and gave us Ark Morn 2.0 (Pheonix) .

I can't think of anything to complain about, it is very well done.

What are your thoughts

[Roda]

That they need to divvy up how they deliver information about our class's mechanics and timings.
I don't dislike the motions of the class, but I do dislike the fact that every interaction with the class's mechanics boils down to watching a bunch of timers tick down.

Also there's like a bunch of threads on this already.

[RyoXander]

I haven't tried it yet as I have been busy lvling DNC but now I'm excited to try it out.

[OmegaSinX]

That they need to divvy up how they deliver information about our class's mechanics and timings.
I don't dislike the motions of the class, but I do dislike the fact that every interaction with the class's mechanics boils down to watching a bunch of timers tick down.

Also there's like a bunch of threads on this already.

The only thing I specifically watch timers on is Dreadwyrm/Pheonix and Tri-Disater. The other things I mitigate with Macros so they are baked into my rotation.

[Roda]

The only thing I specifically watch timers on is Dreadwyrm/Pheonix and Tri-Disater. The other things I mitigate with Macros so they are baked into my rotation.

I do not find macros to be all that useful in combat situations, and I don't think it's very good design to require the players to program ways to make the class's information more digestible when it should be baked into the class by default.

[Gallus]

The only thing I specifically watch timers on is Dreadwyrm/Pheonix and Tri-Disater. The other things I mitigate with Macros so they are baked into my rotation.

I don't know if this was changed, but last time I checked adding macros in your GCDs gives you a spell queue delay (or however you want to call it...) that results in a pretty severe DPS loss, so you might not want to do that.

[ChaoticCrimson]

Honestly, I think the current incarnation of SMN has far less need of macros than the previous, and this is speaking as someone who plays with a controller. Previously, I used macros to let DWT and Summon Bahamut to share a button to save some room on my hotbars, as well as others to help for Shadow Flare/pet placement. Since we've lost so many buttons between job actions, pet actions, and role actions, I have room to spare on my hotbars, and the only macro I've kept is one that simply moves my pet to a target's position, and even then it's less necessary for me as before I usually only needed to bother positioning Garuda in trials/raids to make sure Aerial Blast was in range. With Ifrit going back to the primary single-target pet at melee range, he'll be sticking close to my target anyway, so it's more of a precaution to keep that macro. I'm not super fond of macros anyway, as they can be clunky and less responsive, so I'm glad I don't have to rely on them as much now.

[Eloah]

That they need to divvy up how they deliver information about our class's mechanics and timings.
I don't dislike the motions of the class, but I do dislike the fact that every interaction with the class's mechanics boils down to watching a bunch of timers tick down.

I like the new SMN. I'm leveling it since I'm scared of how I'll perceive SCH with all its changes, but at least this way I can still playtest SCH. Anyway, the new SMN feels a bit more fluid, and while the consolidated pet actions may not work for SCH they work well on SMN. They are basically, still weavable skill, just in your own kit not a separate one. All that being said though, I agree with this sentiment, there are a lot of CDs to monitor now. But with a decent set up it's manageable, if not only mildly confusing. At least now SMN has no awkward phases, single target and AoE are on equal footing now, yes!

Also I love how they implimented the Egi-assault skills and the new Enkindle. They actually switch depending on which Summon is used. That's the way it always should have been. Now you can use your favorite carbuncle all the time.

It's all Toby (Topaz Carbuncle) all the time.

My one gripe with the Egis would be Titan. Could his Earthen Armor skill get a regen effect. He's not bad for solo play, since he combines AoE and single target, but right now it best to just summon him cast the skill then swap to either Garuda or Ifrit. Plus Physick, need I say more.

[OmegaSinX]

I don't know if this was changed, but last time I checked adding macros in your GCDs gives you a spell queue delay (or however you want to call it...) that results in a pretty severe DPS loss, so you might not want to do that.

Thank you for the heads up, I'll have to look into this. If there is a delay, I have not noticed it. I set up my MACROs to play SMN like a fighting game; Even if there is a slight delay, I may still continue using them since that slight delay will be better than my reaction time when I have to deal with a bazillion buttons. Since the release of 5.0, I'm still topping DPS charts in parties.

[Barta]

https://youtu.be/umDr0mPuyQc