New Smn.....

[Sabia]

hello there!
I'm a new smn (lvl 11 right now) and really want to be good at this class, as I've allready had some really rude comments from other players about how useless they are which sort of makes me want to prove them wrong. I've been keeping my smn magic maxed with each new level I've gained but was wondering if you guys could point me towards a good guide on how to play a really good smn

So if you guys wouldn't mind just giving me a nudge in the right direction that would be great! Thanks =D

 

[Sindarkus]

I would point you to some online guides for smn, but I doubt you're going to find what you're looking for there; or perhaps, nothing you'd like to hear. I remember when I first started smn, I got nothing but crap from high lvl players about how I should wait until I had most of the smns before I started the class (of course, the latest update has changed that somewhat - praise be to SE for that).
The general stuff, like what you get at what lvl, can be found at http://www.gamefaqs.com, under FFXI. But you won't find much on tactical or strategical info out there.
One hint I can give you, though. Once you start grouping with others, and begin the whole party dynamic, start to think of your avatars in a more FFVII style, not FFX. Use them for their Blood Pacts (special attacks or abilities) and then dismiss them, and heal, or whatever you subbed. You'll always find exceptions to this rule, of course, but you'll learn how to more adequetly use your abilities as you lvl.
Good luck playing smn, it can be an awesome class if you know what you're doing. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

 

[java]

most people have 2 choices when doing this. If you don't have the avatars it would be helpful to have at least 2 sprits because they can cast some really hurtful spells at relativly low levels. but back to the point. most people sub /whm or /rdm. If you want to be a bit more independent as a summoner go /RDM because then yopu get a few nuking spells. Most summoners aimed at a party go /WHM. then as you level up you get a whole bunch of mana compared to other jobs. Use that mana to pump out them cure spells.

you will learn more later.

 

[Pupusa]

The standard for SMN subjob is WHM, the reason being is simple, from what I seen, most SMN are seen as being cure tanks, and at higher levels they have some group effects such as Garudas Blink and Titans Stoneskin that benefit the whole PT, your best option is to keep using SMN/WHM till level 20, then try the new avatar quests and get some more summons.

Other than that, SMN is not a bad job at all, but you need to have most of the summons to be effective, and they're not too strong from what I seen later on, best option is to bring them out, use their ability to benefit the PT, and dismiss them. Then using your WHM sub keep the PT healed. I'm only taking advice from my SMN friend, so if anyone else has any tips, jump in.

 

[Kyrial]

I have to agree with the SMN/WHM combo for PTs. A friend from my LS is a lvl 2x SMN, and I PTed with him once in Qufim. He was actually our main healer, and because the PT (which he had set up, btw) was so effective, that was all we needed. He also used Carbuncle to pull mobs, sending him out to attack one and letting the mob kill him, at which point the mob would come to us, already weakened. Then during the battle, he'd spam Cure, using Cure II only when absolutely necessary. It was very effective, so I wouldn't listen to anyone who says SMNs are useless (especially not since the last update).

 

[Akamu]

I only have smn at 11 as well.. and I did that all solo.. and it was really easy.

I'm not sure about how to best party as a smn... I've never seen it done really well, but that doesn't mean it can't be!

I have a friend who has smn in the 20's somewhere.. he's done a couple of the 20th lvl battles vs. avatars and won. He's done many more and lost though. He said he spends about $10k a fight vs. the avatars. You only get to use carbuncle in those fights.

Sorry that's all I really have. I wish you luck at good pt's with smn! I'm not sure what exactly their role is.. I suppose that depends on your subjob choice. Are they damage dealers with support magics? Is that your goal with sub whm? I suppose knowing your place in the party will help define what you need to do to accomplish that role effectively..

 

[Sabia]

Well me and my LS sort of made the switch to our advanced jobs all at once so we've kinda lost our whm and my smn has sort of filled the roll. I'm find it very difficult at lvl 11 to balance my mp between healing the party and leaving my carbuncle out since I don't have cure II yet with my subbed whm and won't have it until lvl 22 with my smn. I'm discovering it's an easy class to solo but hard to find exactly where you stand in the party environment. If my LS wasn't coposed of all my friends I'd think they'd be rather annoyed with the amount of down time I have with her recovering MP (I know later job abilities like Clear Mind will help this) but it's sort of like an akward teenage stage right now.

I'm just having a hard time figuring out what I should be doing with her to make her function better within a party with carbuncle and my 4 elemental spirits (which are draining too much mp to keep around). hehe RDM is a lot easier but I've wanted to be a smn since the beta and I love the challenge - but am open to criticism and direction.

PS: I sort of got the vibe the other day that you didn't have to fight the avatars with your smn but you just had to have the smn quest done and high enough fame to get the quest....I have a lvl 31 RDM and was wondering if you guys know if I could take them on with her? Then I could have more avatars to help lvl the smn and would be more necessary as a smn rather than a whm....

 

[java]

the level cap is 20....thats all i know about the smn fights. So if your RDM COULD get it he would be demoted to level 20.

also if that was the case. I believe PLD would work the best. They can hit fairly well have great defense and can heal themselves..a WHM sub wouldn't hurt.

 

[Sindarkus]

Well me and my LS sort of made the switch to our advanced jobs all at once so we've kinda lost our whm and my smn has sort of filled the roll. I'm find it very difficult at lvl 11 to balance my mp between healing the party and leaving my carbuncle out since I don't have cure II yet with my subbed whm and won't have it until lvl 22 with my smn. I'm discovering it's an easy class to solo but hard to find exactly where you stand in the party environment. If my LS wasn't coposed of all my friends I'd think they'd be rather annoyed with the amount of down time I have with her recovering MP (I know later job abilities like Clear Mind will help this) but it's sort of like an akward teenage stage right now.

[...]

PS: I sort of got the vibe the other day that you didn't have to fight the avatars with your smn but you just had to have the smn quest done and high enough fame to get the quest....I have a lvl 31 RDM and was wondering if you guys know if I could take them on with her? Then I could have more avatars to help lvl the smn and would be more necessary as a smn rather than a whm....

If you're the only whm there, it's best just to use a smns Blood Pact, and then release. It results in less downtime that way.

As far as the lvl 20 cap quests go... you're capped at lvl 20 smn, and can only summon carbuncle when you're in there. Fighting the smn on their weak day - Shiva on Firesday, for instance - really helps. High lvl character's magic, such as many bar spells, wears off really quickly, so it's not really important to have. Besides, if you do it right, you won't get hit anyway ^^

 

[Sabia]

If I do it right I won't get hit?! Jeeze man I'm allready so scared i think somebody put crap in my pants! Ahh well gotta do it I suppose....Gotta work a bit on my fame first...but thanks for the help! Anyone have reccomendations on what food I should use...I've bought 2 yaggy drinks so far....I'm kinda looking for the cheapest way to do this @_@

 

[java]

the cheapest way involves a cooker who is level 70+.

Most people say(this is for a subjob that has any type of healing powers RDM or WHM) a few yaggy drinks a little bit of pinapple juice. Grape juice helps alot. And you need a few ethers...also a vile elixer or 2. the more juice/ethers you have the better your chances of winning because you dont run out of mp.

if you dont have a healing subjob. The same rules apply but it would help to be safe and carry a few potions if things go the wrong way.

 

[Sindarkus]

If I do it right I won't get hit?! Jeeze man I'm allready so scared i think somebody put crap in my pants! Ahh well gotta do it I suppose....Gotta work a bit on my fame first...but thanks for the help! Anyone have reccomendations on what food I should use...I've bought 2 yaggy drinks so far....I'm kinda looking for the cheapest way to do this @_@

Yeah, the strategy I used was to use a Yagudo Drink, summon Carbuncle, run near the avatar, and have Car attack. Then, run back to the halfway point (you'll see what I mean when you get there), which should be just outside Carbuncle's hp meter range. When you see Carbuncle die, resummon immediatly, and he'll auto attack the avatar. Keep running back and forth using this tactic until the avatar gets down the the 'e' in PrimE, and then use Astral Flow. Have Carbuncle use Searing Light once, and then back off until the Blood Pact timer runs down so you can use it a second time. That should kill the avatar.

As for food, I took more than I needed, but typically used two Yagudo Drinks (best to take three just in case you run over 9 minutes), one Hi-Potion (you shouldn't get hit using the above strategy, but mistake happen ), and a few Mulsum. I recommend Mulsum over Ethers because they restore ten mp at a time, and are stackable, as Ethers are not.