Summoner Changes

[Scionith]

http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...06/detail.html

Job Adjustments: Summoner (10/03/2006)

The next version update will feature adjustments to several jobs. In this installment, we would like to describe the changes on the way for summoners.

Changes to the Summoner Job
Summoners use the Blood Pact pet command as their main way of doing battle. Both attacks and support/healing magic are included in this command and operate with a single recast time.

The development team has decided to split Blood Pact into two commands to allow players to select a strategy to fit the current situation once every minute.

[The New Blood Pacts]
The summoner pet command Blood Pact will be divided into two categories, each with its own recast time. "Blood Pact: Rage" will focus on direct damage and special attacks, while "Blood Pact: Ward" will center on support, enfeebling, and healing magic.

· Blood Pact: Rage (Recast time: 1 minute)
Orders the avatar to use special attacks.

· Blood Pact: Ward (Recast time: 1 minute)
Orders the avatar to use support abilities.

[Summoning Magic Skill]
- Effects on Blood Pact
Blood Pact will receive different effects when the value added by equipment or merit points exceeds the skill cap for that level.

For example, players can experience increased accuracy when using Blood Pact: Rage or lengthened effect durations when using Blood Pact: Ward. The length of the duration increased varies depending on which Blood Pact is used, but will not exceed 180 seconds.

A player whose summoning magic skill is lower than the skill cap will not experience any penalties, such as a decrease in accuracy or shortened effect durations.

- Skill Increases
The instances in which players can increase their skill will also be changed in accordance with the adjustments to summoning magic skill.

Originally, calling forth an avatar would sometimes improve a player's summoning magic skill. Soon players will also be able to experience increases in skill when using the Blood Pact: Rage and Blood Pact: Ward pet commands.

That wraps up the job-related changes coming in the next version update. More are scheduled for future updates, though, so keep checking the main page for the latest news!

So it's too different timers, and a potential for buffs like Hastega to last 3 minutes with high enough summoning magic maybe. I've said for ages, let Garuda's Hastega and Ifrit's Warcry last a few minutes, and SMN is good. Looks like SE might be doing just that and more. Maybe SMNs might be able to fit in well into merit parties now.

Btw, price gouging on all smn skill+ items already in effect lolz.

[Scytale]

nice to see additional ways to level up summoning skill. Now they just need to adjust Gaurd's level up.

Now am I confused on the way Rage and Ward works. The wording was vauge but will you be able to click "Rage" then get to access whatever attack? or does the avatar pick it.

The way it sounded was you get Rage and Ward, then the Avatar does w/e...hope not. SE's been known to do stupid shit with wording (ie Troubidor ><)

[Kagomea]

*Twitches* thank you SE, you have made me more powerful

Diabolos uses Dream shroud
Diabolos uses Nether Blast

^-^

[Scionith]

I just think it means two seperate BP timers and they'll split all the BPs between the two.

It'll be interesting to see just how much +skill helps though. People might actually merit summoning magic skill, and that Ix'DRG cape would be in higher demand as well.

[Lefiel]

guess ppl shouldnt have laughed at them folk with smn torques haha!

[Zumi]

I couldn't buy a smn torque for like 100k someone trying to over price them.

[Sykes]

One of the torques on AH right now is mine

[suji]

I couldn't buy a smn torque for like 100k someone trying to over price them.

I tried to bid 100k too ;p

[Scionith]

Well assuming they actually do make the skill useful, then a fair price for the torque would be around 1M gil. The enfeebling torque is around 1.7M. So people will probably panic and pay at least 2M for a summoning torque for a while, until a flood of people decide to go do BCNMs that drop it, and the market gets saturated. End result will be the torque evening out around 1M, and all the other torques will dip a fair amount for a while.

[Shiromori]

ehe i knew that having a torque in MH would come in handy someday.

i guess its available for use...