Is SMN good/fun/interesting/etc.?

Reception is pretty mixed overall. Some really enjoy it, some do not. Overall it is much simpler and much more approachable than Summoner was in Shadowbringers. However, don’t trust the opinions of other people on the internet for how the job feels. Play it yourself and form your own opinions!

Okay, but how good is it compared to other DPS?

Short answer: It is totally fine. Unless you are a hardcore speedrunner or optimizer, Summoner is good enough for all content.

If you’re really interested in job balance, go to the #bot_spam channel on the Balance Discord and use the command !faq ewbalance.

How/when do I use Ruin IV?

Prioritize using it whenever you can make use of the cleave or need the mobility. Otherwise, use it wherever you wish, as long as it is not inside a Demi summon. Don’t waste it by letting Further Ruin drop.

I'm starting a fight with both a Demi summon up AND primal gems. What do I do?

It depends on the time you end the phase you’re fighting or your killtime. Here’s the general decision making flowchart:

Ask yourself: Will I lose a use of a Demi by delaying?
If yes -> do not delay Demi.
If no -> ok to use primals and delay Demi.
If I don’t know -> do not delay Demi.

What loot should I get from normal mode raids?

For a general use set that minimizes spell speed we recommend you follow this priority:\

Week One - Gloves, Feet, or Head
Week Two - Chest or Pants

My team is asking me to delay my burst and searing light for buffs. What do I do?

1. Always use Searing Light with your team’s buffs, no matter what. If they delay it, you delay it.
2. Hold Festers whenever possible to place as many in buffs. If you can afford to delay Energy Drain without losing a use to place four Festers in buffs, you should.
3. You should almost never delay your demi for your team’s buffs. It will require you to use extra Ruin IIIs, and each extra Ruin III is a significant potency loss. The cost of aligning your burst in buffs is higher than the potency you would gain by aligning with buffs. There is sometimes, very rarely, an argument to use one or two extra Ruin IIIs, at most. Any more than that quickly becomes mathematically impossible to gain enough potency from buffs to offset what you would lose.