Summoner Subjob

[riceburner4540]

I think smn sub for blm is a good thing. You get more base INT, than rdm, or whm. So your blm spells do more dmg. Then you get Max MP boost which is great. I don't think you need whm sub, almost 99% of the time there will be a whm, AND a rdm in a party. So they can heal, as a blm you really shouldn't have to heal. Plus the Auto refresh from smn sub, along with dark staff, and rdm refresh you would hardly ever run out of mp.

doesn't seem like you read the thread...and don't use purple font, its kinda irritating.

yet, people say that hume and elvaan can be just as good of a black mage all the time.....

not just as good, but almost as good...it all depends on the player. stats of course, make quite a big difference but taru's superior int adds up to a mere 10-20 points more damage per spell, given a hume or elvaan of equal equipment. when a spell is hitting for 300-400, or even 500+, i don't think 10-20 damage will make much of a difference. having that crazy mp pool would be nice though, but like i said earlier, i make due with what i have quite easily so i see no reason to go taru.

[peacemaker]

A BLM/WHM or BLM/RDM, even without black cloak or dark staff, your MP should rarely fall below 30% in standard PT set up with at least 1 RDM or BRD chaining 4-5 monsters. With that I'm talking about doing at least 3 weaken spells, all MBs, help with healing, and casting a random attack spell here and there for finishing things off. This only refers to BLMs who play effectively. Others can sub BST or go "Battle Mage" and it wouldn't make any difference.

BLM/SMN is for when you are bored and would like a pet to follow you around and send it out to die - its more entertaining than interacting with most PCs. If you wear black or vermillion cloak, you can go AFK for hours and the MP won't run out, cute gimmick for bazaar outside of town :spin:

[sudo]

from a gander at the SMN abilities available to a blm/smn even at 75 that are potentially useful in a pt: (some skills are left out because it would be far more effective and MP efficient to just cast the spell yourself)

Carbuncle:

Healing Ruby: cure some HP, pretty weak
Shining Ruby: protect and shell that stacks with current protect and shell.

Ifrit:

none at current level cap

Titan:

none at current level cap

Leviathan:

Tail Whip: leviathan casts Gravity. I would suspect very high resists with this one though as smn skill is 1/2ed
Slowga: Area slow spell. Also very likely to be resisted and area will be very dangerous
Spring water is not available for current level cap

Garuda:

Vacuum Armor: blink everyone (great ability )
Whispering Wind: area heal spell (might be useful but only available at 72/36)
Hastega is not available under current level cap

Shiva:

Freeze armor: party Ice Spikes (kind of mp inefficient but could be useful)
Sleepga is not available under the lv cap

Ramuh:

Thunder Hand Drum: Increase defence to thunder (now I don't remember getting hit by too many lightning spells myself but could be semi useful - why not just barthundra though?)

Fenrir:

Crescent Fang: costs 19 MP to cast a paralyze doesn't seem worth it to me.
Lunar Cry: Enemy Accuracy and evasion down (great pt ability but I wonder about getting resisted again due to low summoning skill)
Lunar Roar: Area dispell. Slightly dangerous but can be useful. But only available at 74/32 and getting resisted will probably be resisted alot.

[Tikki]

Ramuh should also have Rolling Thunder, the group enthunder with current level cap. It can be useful.

[AtraposBLM]

it would be helpful if it lasted for more than 3-4 hits. As it is, it's a useless waste of mp.

[Tikki]

Duration 1 minute. Melee accuracy may vary. I'd list it as situational, depending on what kind of melee/weaponry you have going.

[AtraposBLM]

never actually lasted a minute that I ever saw...

[riceburner4540]

given that there's usually about 3 melee hitters, including the tank and that the group en-thunder ability adds maybe...5-7 damage per hit, thats not much, even if the melees land all their hits for 1 minute. you could probably do comparable damage sending 1 nuke with the 52 mp + perpetuation cost + summoning cost of ramuh at that level.

[FFXITsukasa]

Oh hell no. I have admitted in many threads before that I was Hume because I prefered how they looked over all races and I wanted to be Summoner because its uber cool. It just looks, in the words of Peter Griffon, "Freakin' Sweet!" and I don't mind admitting it. I just add that Summoner has the capability to help me do my job which is sorta just an added bonus to the coolness.

[aszid]

hmm....

please don't take too much offense....

but i try to avoid the "uber" people in this game. looking cool, and/or being unique does not make you an asset to your party. and unfortunately it's that same attitude that leads to people having crappy gear... because it "looks cool"

Something you may not realize yet, is that you're probably the only one that is in awe of your "uberness"

[FFXITsukasa]

I think most people forget. This is a game. Square Enix intended it to be just like that. you can be your favorite thing from any Final Fantasy game and wear armor you think looks good or is effective. The point of an MMORPG is that everything is under your control. The way you look the way you act the way you fight all decided by you. I am completly sure I will get parties being SMN/BLM, BLM/SMN, WHM/BLM or whatever. The point is if it is something a party is looking for or needs you have a good chance of getting invited. And who said I was in awe? If you are happy with what you chose to be in this game, is it not alright for me to be psyched about my job of choice, Summoner? The point I am making was made in another thread. You don't need 'uber' equipment or the ever so popular cookie cutter job combo to be a good player. All you need is the skill. I could be a SMN/BLM but because of the way I use my Avatar or something I could be a very popular mage. I hope you understand that some people play this game just to play it and that alot of people aren't quite as picky as alot of you on this forum are.

[Tikki]

The problem is it doesn't work and people do get as picky and even pickier in game than they do here. The best way to escape the cookie cutter is to play only with friends or make a reputation of being absolutely exceptional at what you do.

Aside, no way you use the avatar can make smn/blm work well. I've tried. You just run out of mp after largely resisted spells and avatar perpetuation cost.

[aszid]

well....

As you get further in this game (assuming you do), you'll learn, and change to be more like the others that are posting in this forum. you may doubt it now... but it will happen.

when you get to lvl 45+ and party invites start being slow (even as a blm), you will change your perspective. It is not fun LFP for hours or even days straight. yes, you could farm at the same time, or craft, or do any number of other things but all of those things end up being boring and repetative.

yes, it is a game, i play this game to have fun too. but i have fun by progressing in this game, and by pushing the limits of my job. I sub whm for that rare occasion when my whm skills are needed. sure in each party i'm in i only use whm a few times, but when i do it generally makes the difference between life and death. As a taru Blm, at my level, I am generally the only one with a decent amount of mp left at the end of chains, and being able to do a divine seal + curaga, or status heals, is something that makes me shine in the eyes of my party.

I am not trying to say that SMN is a totally useless sub for blackmage, it can be a very viable option in CERTAIN party setups, at CERTAIN levels. I am just questioning the motives of those that choose to sub smn, regardless of the situation. You have already said quite clearly you want to do it to be "uber cool" which happens to be the lamest possible reason.

you will find out as you progress, that your approach at this game will not be fun, at least for those around you.

[Icemage]

There's a not-so-fine line between being really good at what you do, and playing a sub-standard character.

Honestly speaking, sure, BLM/SMN is still a BLM, and yes, its better than BLM/nothing. At lower levels, I doubt you will have any problems finding a party no matter what you play (well, unless you do something incredibly bad like Galka SMN/DRG...).

Once you get into the upper levels (51+), things change a lot. There are a limited number of players each level, and so what you are and how you play makes a direct impact on how many/what type of party invitations you receive.

If you think players aren't picky at higher levels, you have a very, very rude awakening headed your way. Not being picky is the difference between getting the good players at your level and making 3.5K+ XP/hr, or getting the not-so-good players at your level who make 1.5K XP/hr ( I am sure other high level players will chime in here in agreement - I can't remember the last time I joined a party that was just "ok" at level 60+ ).


Icemage

[Nici]

I happen to like my purple font. Anyways you can sub what you want. I was just saying the pros you get from subbing summoner. Playing my 49 blm for the past week I have no had to heal the party at all. So whm does me personally no good. There is always a whm, and rdm in the group. I think it would benefit me for mp refresh, blinkga if needed, INT, and Max MP boost. But this is just my thoughts. And yes taru would have been a better race for a mage, but I did start playing as another class. And after all my work on missions, and quests I didnt' want to start all over just so I could be a taru blm.
Anyways this is a game have fun with it!