Summoner Info

[MinekoKoro]

I was really interested in summoner since I love the concept, but I always have concerns for pet classes in MMOs.

1. Pet survivability - do fight mechanics make my pet suddenly fall over dead?

2. Pet AI - are my pets dropping whatever they are doing to suddenly attack another group of monsters because the pet ai is brain dead? Are they getting stuck in the environment and become unable to attack because they are attempting to get behind a boss when they can't?

3. Pet micromanagement - a combination of the first two issues, in that in order to perform on the same level as the other dps jobs, an extra level of often clunky micromanagement for the pet is required because otherwise the pet would die, bug out, or pull unintended groups.

Hopefully they get it correct in this game!

[Kiakasha-Prime]

I can vouch for this as well. I had a run with a bad tank and switched to my lemon flavor and he held his.

lmao at the lemon flavor! lol I love it and will have to use it -

[Yenn]

Has anyone unlocked Summoner yet?

I'm 25k EXP away from 30, and I have THM and CNJ at 15, so I hope I'm set once maintenance completes.

[Xilrasis]

At 30, I was able to do both the SCH and SMN quests as ACN, with only CNJ/THM above 15 for other jobs (Started today with CNJ 20, THM 20, ACN 20, PUG 12, ARC 4).

SCH pulls abilities from THM and CNJ.

SMN pulls abilities from THM and ARC. (they DO NOT have access to aero, as a result)

The quests said nothing about requiring any particular classes at any level other than the obvious level 30 prerequisite for Arcanist, so draw conclusions as you will... but since I had both DoM jobs at 20, there isn't really anything conclusive to draw.

Both quests began in the ACN guild after you complete the level 30 class quest, and SCH sends you to the Marauder guild (Where your scholar contact will remain for later quests), and then subsequently elsewhere to complete 1 Duty quest.
Your contact for SMN is in Gridania, and is followed up similarly with a Duty quest.

*EDIT*

I suppose that the definitive piece of information you can pull from this is that there are at most 1 required classes for each job, and the second is definitely secondary simply for abilities.

[Belmore]

Sorry if I missed it, but is it correct that summoner will be available on official release?

[Lowgrin]

1. Pet survivability - do fight mechanics make my pet suddenly fall over dead?

You get your caster Carby at 4 and Super Saiyan Carby (tank) at 15. I never encountered either pet dying when soloing. In groups, caster carby just stood beside me and never grabbed aggro, but if I did because I DoTed an add too soon, he would push it back with his skill. Tank Carby had almost twice the HP has any tank I saw in phase 4 and with both the ACN's version of cure and their pet heal, it was never an issue. Even if a pet does die it's only a 5sec cast time to re-summon a new one with full hp.

2. Pet AI - are my pets dropping whatever they are doing to suddenly attack another group of monsters because the pet ai is brain dead? Are they getting stuck in the environment and become unable to attack because they are attempting to get behind a boss when they can't?

The only glaring issues I saw with pet AI was during the pirate boss in the 1st dungeon where he would run away, Carby would case after him and aggro mobs. In that case you need to tell him to heel or dismiss him. Another was with the stances where the Carby wouldn't stay in the follow orders stance or "passive" when I told him to attack. He would go back to his "defensive stance" after.

3. Pet micromanagement - a combination of the first two issues, in that in order to perform on the same level as the other dps jobs, an extra level of often clunky micromanagement for the pet is required because otherwise the pet would die, bug out, or pull unintended groups.

With caster carby out I could leave him alone and he would just cast on my targets. If you need tank carby out if because you have a bad tank, theres lots of adds, and etc, then you will need to micro him if you want him to tank/offtank more than one mob. Once he has hate he's pretty much golden.

[Lowgrin]

Sorry if I missed it, but is it correct that summoner will be available on official release?

yes it will

[stally]

I was able to accept both Scholar and Summoner Job quest. My only 2 subs are THM and CNJ. Both are level 20. Also be ready to bash your head to the wall a little bit for the Lv 30 ACN Quest (required to advance into jobs).

[ArmorKing]

After playing a bit today, I have to say Stoneskin on Topaz Carby is pretty sweet. His high base HP gives it a tad more oomph. I can only imagine it get's better when a CNJ with the upgrade casts it later.

Had a run earlier where we were rushing it a bit, trying to beat the maint downtime, and were doing that Slime/Bomb fight in copperbell. Tank died early so I busted out Topaz and had him keep the slimes busy while the 2nd DPS camped the fireman spriggan. Carby ate that Bomb's Self Destruct like it was candy and kept going. Good times.

[Koldhara]

Tobaz Carby can easily tank the ~15 dungeons. the slime fight was rather interesting since you have to bring it to the bomb so other people have to help with bring the bomb to the slime. i finished that fight with two people dead because they were slow in avoiding the explosions.