Feedback for Summoner

[Ggwppino]

The most simple fix to SMN that they can do right now is just slap 1.5 to 2 second cast times on all summons. It will mean all the summon's opening signature attack can hit way harder, and it will make SMN feel more like a caster again.

unfortunately, given how the summoning works in implementation, it is not feasible, unless we send all the times adrift. If we did that, it would mean that the summon would take 1.5/2 seconds longer to disappear, making the carbuncle even more useless by practically reducing its window to 0, unless we reduce the windows of the various summons. One way to make it more caster would be to introduce casts on titan at 1.5 and on Bahamut. However, introducing a resource management system that allows you to have mobility when needed, like the one present in shB. unfortunately for the new smn there is nothing that can be done to fix it, except reconsidering everything.

[Carighan]

Yeah but I mean that wouldn't be a big deal, as having carby out for 2s less just means 1 less GCD in which you can apple the shield to yourself, it's not like Carby does anything else for us any more.

But more importantly, while making us marginally less mobile it'd not actually change any damage or so since 2s < GCD-duration.

If we want to do such a "simple" fix, I propose:

* Reduce each minor summon by 1 charge.
* Make each minor summon a 2-stage cast: We cast for 2.5s (yes, full GCD!), at the end of this the summon appears, now a 3.5s (!) castbar starts that we can override with another spell, but if we don't we deal the superattack by that minor (their on-summon attack is now this) at the end of the 3.5s. We can also walk during the cast, Bard-PvP-style, slowed.
* Massively increase the damage of that on-summon attack to make up for all the lost time, all this potency will now by folded into it, so probably 1600-2000 potency each, but that'd actually feel really like an FF summon, no? Bonus points if they deal 100% AoE damage despite being balanced for single target. Extra bonus if they're mechanically distinct, like Ifrit dealing its damage as a 15s DoT or so.
* Total cycle time remains the same, as charges are removed to make space for these new walking casts + there's one Ruin III to drop at the end anyways (but again, all potency is retained, just folded into the on-summon attacks).

[Ggwppino]

Yeah but I mean that wouldn't be a big deal, as having carby out for 2s less just means 1 less GCD in which you can apple the shield to yourself, it's not like Carby does anything else for us any more.

Delaying the animations means that instead of ending 6.5 seconds from when you pressed the summon button, they end 8.5 seconds from pressing the summon button (clearly if we consider that the cast lasts 2 seconds)
practically a summoner could have a useful window to mitigate right with ifrit but only if you use all your casts first.

Well, if carbuncle lose its mitigation, and turn actually in a useless dummy (respecting the carbuncle fantasy, right?), then, there would be no harm in adding casts at the summons.

[chip793]

Cyclone's potency is a reward for planning when to use Ifrit in a fight's timeline. I haven't had issues with it beyond the times I'm just brain AFK in an EX where I just use it last, in actual content it's actually very rewarding to learn its best windows. Chaotic has a fun one with the hands debuff where if you have it up you can just ignore the memory part of the mechanic provided you still take it away from the alliance. My only real gripe with the job is the 2nd minute using the same three Lego summons. If they don't give us a second set for 8.0 I'll cry, it's the one thing I wanted for DT. Solar is cool and Lux IS useful, but there's a clear window for something new in the form of another triple summon set for regular Bahamut/Phoenix phase.

[unjourneyed]

I've been bothered by this for a while and have been a little hesitant to bring it up, but it feels like SMN really needs a way (an action, either reworked from a pre-existing one or completely new) to recharge arcanum (Summon Ruby Ifrit, Emerald Garuda, Topaz Titan) for situations where you don't want to go into your 2-minute demi-summon immediately.
Although casual gameplay doesn't have too much importance due to most instances' clear conditions are "get target(s) to 0% HP", I'll bring up the most recent alliance raid "Jeuno: The First Walk" as an example for this. How it goes is that you start off the instance with a trash pull. As a SMN, you do not have access to any of your arcanum at the start of the instance, but do have your Summon Solar Bahamut and your Ruin 3/Tri-Disaster. You don't want to use Solar Bahamut here as it'll push the weaker Bahamut/Phoenix into your 2-minute window for the upcoming boss fight (and if I remember correctly, it does re-align eventually somewhere in the instance but still). Once again, I understand that casual settings really do not matter at the end of the day but it does not feel great to have the majority of your job's action kit locked behind your demi-summons. I will admit that high-end players probably have more issues to be said with SMN than I do, but I really wish this to be considered at some point.

Also, I would also ask for consideration for SMN starting instances with full arcanum as well. I think it could possibly be helpful somewhere and wouldn't make the job feel so inflexible at times.

[Carighan]

There already exists Ruin III and Tri-Disaster for situations where you need to sit outside of your minors or major for a few GCDs.

[Khryseis_Astra]

There already exists Ruin III and Tri-Disaster for situations where you need to sit outside of your minors or major for a few GCDs.

Would be nice to have maybe one or two additions there just so it’s not endless Ruin/Tri-Disaster spam until burst though.

But all I really want is Levi, Shiva and Ramuh… please SE!!!