Ifrit is dead. What OTHER avatars would you like as Summoner?

[Duelle]

Btw, plenty of people enjoyed playing SMN, especially once the cap hit 99 and people maxed out their avatar staffs, so like or hate XI all you want you can't dictate if someone did or did not enjoy playing as a class, you can only exclude them (like it happens heavily in XIV.)

You seem to miss the point. SMN had wasted database spaces in the form of (nerfed) spirits, and for a good 4 years the job was neutered in such a way that it's subjob was more useful to a party. Even now after the changes the job is still a far cry from what it could be. Not to mention I'm not much of a fan of gear being the "fix" (Pet: Stat gear instead of native scaling, Perpetuation staves, for example).

PS: Exclusion will stop when DPS is on par between DPS classes, encounter mechanics don't favor or inconvenience melee and/or ranged, parity between WAR, PLD and any future tanking jobs exist and speed runs are abolished. Tall order, but I'm sure the devs can pull it off.