I held off giving my opinion in full of the current state of SMN since DT to truly give myself a chance to ensure I am not just saying this as a knee jerk reaction, or speaking without reason. So this is with as much thought as I can to express the main issues I have as a SMN.
For the most part the general flow of SMN is nice, the weaving the 6 Demi actions when one is called is tighter then I would like, like a third a second window, but not unreasonable.
My first issue is with the Ifirt Primal. Specifically "Crimson Cyclone" this fills the role of a gap closer, and part of the main rotation. but its only usable for a 12 second window every minute. It is not reliable as a gap closer. Many times I am standing in a tower to soak something and the DPS its offered 490 plus its follow up Strike of 490 is entirely unavailable, I need to replace them with ruin a 360 potency spell and abandon them in that rotation.
As a Gap closer, given its limited availability when we can use it, well, its a failure in that role. Given the general flow of SMN over all, sitting in a soak mechanic having a button light up that I cannot press or the raid wipes is very distressing.
I do not disagree that it is thematic given the Ifrit fight. I do feel its on point with the over all feel and lore, but as gameplay. I have to say that it feels... bad for a job that is already known to be weak in DPS to have to sacrifice more DPS just to not wipe the party by using a skill that the UI is telling them to use.
I think it would feel better if instead of the SMN charging forward they send a clone of Ifrit to do it. That would still be fully in theme, Ifrit does make clones of himself. And the follow up strike is just another clone. As to a gap closer a new skill, perhaps zero damage one as a pure gap closer would feel right for a SMN to have.
I do get that Red Mage has their own equivalent in Corps-a-corps, but a Red Mage has an entire melee combo in their rotation, for them its rush in do multiple skills and rush (Back flip) out.
Continue reading...
For the most part the general flow of SMN is nice, the weaving the 6 Demi actions when one is called is tighter then I would like, like a third a second window, but not unreasonable.
My first issue is with the Ifirt Primal. Specifically "Crimson Cyclone" this fills the role of a gap closer, and part of the main rotation. but its only usable for a 12 second window every minute. It is not reliable as a gap closer. Many times I am standing in a tower to soak something and the DPS its offered 490 plus its follow up Strike of 490 is entirely unavailable, I need to replace them with ruin a 360 potency spell and abandon them in that rotation.
As a Gap closer, given its limited availability when we can use it, well, its a failure in that role. Given the general flow of SMN over all, sitting in a soak mechanic having a button light up that I cannot press or the raid wipes is very distressing.
I do not disagree that it is thematic given the Ifrit fight. I do feel its on point with the over all feel and lore, but as gameplay. I have to say that it feels... bad for a job that is already known to be weak in DPS to have to sacrifice more DPS just to not wipe the party by using a skill that the UI is telling them to use.
I think it would feel better if instead of the SMN charging forward they send a clone of Ifrit to do it. That would still be fully in theme, Ifrit does make clones of himself. And the follow up strike is just another clone. As to a gap closer a new skill, perhaps zero damage one as a pure gap closer would feel right for a SMN to have.
I do get that Red Mage has their own equivalent in Corps-a-corps, but a Red Mage has an entire melee combo in their rotation, for them its rush in do multiple skills and rush (Back flip) out.
Continue reading...