Hey guys! Welcome to the ultimate guide on mastering the Summoner (SMN) job in Final Fantasy XIV at level 90! This guide is crafted to help you understand the SMN rotation, optimize your damage output, and become a true champion of summoning! We'll break down everything, from the basics to advanced strategies, ensuring you're ready to dominate raids, trials, and everything in between. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a fresh-faced sprout, this guide is your key to unlocking the full potential of the Summoner job. Let's dive in and learn how to make those primal summons do your bidding!

Understanding the Summoner at Level 90

First things first, let's get acquainted with the Summoner. At level 90, the Summoner is a powerful ranged magical DPS job that specializes in summoning primals to fight alongside them. The core gameplay revolves around managing your resources, executing your rotation, and optimizing your burst phases. The Summoner doesn't just deal damage, but also brings utility to the party in the form of resurrection and various buffs. This makes them a very welcome addition to any party. The Summoner rotation is all about weaving together your actions to maximize damage. You will be using a combination of spells, abilities, and summons. You'll need to pay close attention to the timers and cooldowns of your abilities. You'll also learn the best ways to execute both single-target and multi-target rotations. Remember that optimizing your rotation is key to maximizing your DPS and becoming a top-tier Summoner. Mastering the Summoner job can be a challenge, but with this guide, you will be well on your way to becoming a champion of summoning. Let's start with the basics.

Core Abilities and Resources

Before we dive into the rotation, it's essential to understand the Summoner's core abilities and resources. At level 90, the Summoner has access to a wide array of spells and abilities. Here's a quick rundown of the most important ones:

• Aetherflow: This is a crucial resource generator. You gain Aetherflow by using certain abilities, which in turn fuels your most powerful spells and summons.
• Energy Drain: Use this ability to gain aetherflow. It’s important to make use of this ability often.
• Summon Carbuncle: Your starting companion that will always be there to help you deal some extra damage.
• Summon Ruby, Topaz, and Emerald: These are your elemental summons. They're the backbone of your rotation, each with unique abilities and rotations.
• Summon Bahamut/Phoenix: The Summoner's big guns, these are your ultimate summons, capable of dealing massive damage.
• Dreadwyrm Trance and Firebird Trance: These are your burst phase enablers. They temporarily change your abilities and allow you to unleash devastating attacks.
• Fester and Painflare: These abilities consume Aetherflow to deal damage. Use these abilities when they are available.

Important Buffs and Debuffs

• Bio III: A DoT (Damage Over Time) effect that you apply to the enemy. It's important to keep this up.
• Miasma III: Another DoT effect. Make sure that you keep this up as well.
• Ruin IV: Your main filler spell to keep up your damage when you aren't casting other spells.

Understanding these abilities and how they interact is the foundation of a successful Summoner. Remember to check the tooltips for the most up-to-date information on each ability.

Level 90 Summoner Rotation: Step-by-Step Guide

Alright, now it's time to get into the Summoner rotation. This guide breaks it down into phases to make it easier to learn and execute. The basic idea is to build up resources (Aetherflow), then use those resources to unleash powerful summons and abilities. This rotation is primarily a single-target rotation. If you're going up against multiple enemies, your rotation will change to reflect the increase in AOE damage output.

Pre-Pull

Before the fight starts, you should apply your DoTs and buff up. This ensures you’re ready to deal maximum damage from the very beginning. Here's what you should do:

1. Apply Bio III and Miasma III: These damage over time abilities will start ticking before the pull, so they should be applied first to squeeze out every bit of damage possible.
2. Ensure you have all the buffs applied. You may be able to precast some of your buffs. This will depend on the fight and your ping.

The Opener

The opener is critical, as it sets the tone for your entire rotation. The following is a general guide, but you may have to adjust based on fight mechanics and your ping. Here's a sample opener:

1. Pre-cast Ruin IV: Cast your Ruin IV to be ready before the pull. It is important to begin with this, to ensure your cast is complete by the time the tank begins the pull.
2. Energy Drain: Make sure to use this before the tank pulls. This is to get your Aetherflow ready.
3. Summon Carbuncle: It's your pet, make sure to get this summoned early so it can begin doing damage. Summon your Ruby, Topaz, and Emerald to deal additional damage.
4. Dreadwyrm Trance: This is your burst phase enabler. Cast this when it is available to enhance your damage output.
5. Use all your abilities as they come available. You will mostly be using Ruby, Topaz, and Emerald. Make sure you don't overcap on your resources.
6. Summon Bahamut/Phoenix: This is the big finisher! Unleash your most powerful summon to deal massive damage. Make sure you get all your summons in a row.

During the Rotation

After the opener, the goal is to maintain your buffs, keep your DoTs applied, and weave in your abilities efficiently. Here’s a general flow:

1. Maintain your DoTs: Make sure you keep applying Bio III and Miasma III. These will do damage in the background without requiring your attention.
2. Use Ruin IV: Use this as your filler spell when you are not using any other abilities. This will ensure you don't lose any DPS.
3. Use Energy Drain: Use this whenever it is available to keep up your Aetherflow.
4. Execute the rest of the rotation: This will change on which summon you're using. Make sure you use all of your abilities as they come available.

Burst Phases

Your burst phases are crucial for maximizing your damage. These phases involve using your trances and summons to unleash a barrage of powerful attacks. During these phases, you'll be using your most powerful abilities, like Bahamut and Phoenix. These are where you will be able to do some serious damage to enemies. Make sure to align your burst phases with raid buffs (like Battle Litany or Trick Attack). Coordinate with your party to make sure you deal the most damage possible.

Maintaining and Adapting the Rotation

The most important thing about being a Summoner is that you need to be able to adapt to the fights. Some fights will have different phases. Others may have long gaps between enemies. Remember to adjust to the mechanics of the fight. With practice, you will understand how to optimize your damage output in any situation.

Advanced Strategies and Tips for Summoner

Alright, guys! Let's elevate your game! To truly excel as a Summoner, here are some advanced strategies and tips that can help you squeeze out every last drop of damage and utility. These tips are based on real-world situations, so you can perform at your best. From managing cooldowns to optimizing your gear, these will help you become a true champion of summoning.

Cooldown Management

• Optimize Cooldown Timings: Knowing when to use your cooldowns is critical. Coordinate your burst phases with raid buffs and boss vulnerability windows. Don't be afraid to delay a bit if it means aligning with buffs.
• Prioritize Aetherflow: Use Energy Drain and ensure you always have Aetherflow available. This resource fuels your strongest attacks. Keeping your Aetherflow high means you can unleash more Festers and Painflares.
• Balance Cooldowns: Don't blow all your cooldowns at once. Maintain a good balance to ensure you can continue to deal damage throughout the fight. Plan the use of your cooldowns to line up with different phases of the battle, if possible.

Gear Optimization

• Prioritize the Right Stats: Critical Hit, Determination, and Spell Speed are the key stats for Summoners. Aim for a balance, but generally, prioritizing Crit is a good start.
• Melding Materia: Use materia to fill your gear's stat slots. Optimize your melds to get the best stats for your gear. This can be the difference between a good Summoner and a great one!
• Keep Your Gear Up to Date: Keep your gear up to date by getting the best gear available. You want to make sure you are always at the top of your game.

Combat Techniques

• Use Ground Targeting: Learn to use ground targeting for AoE spells to maximize their effectiveness. This can make the difference between a wipe and a win!
• Weave Efficiently: Learn to weave your abilities in between casts without clipping your cast times. Every cast is important. Make sure that you are optimizing your output.
• Movement: Practice movement! Learn to move effectively without losing uptime. Use your movement abilities to avoid damage and stay in range.

Party Coordination and Communication

• Communicate with your Team: Tell your team when you're going to use your burst phases. This will help them to line up their buffs with yours and maximize the damage output.
• Know Your Team: Learn what buffs other players have. Learn to adjust your strategy to maximize your damage output.
• Don't Be Afraid to Adapt: If you are not doing as much damage as you would like, ask for help! Some of the best players will be willing to help you out.

Advanced Rotation Variations

• Single-Target vs. Multi-Target: Tailor your rotation based on whether you're fighting a single target or multiple enemies. Adjust your use of AoE abilities and summon selection accordingly.
• Fight-Specific Adjustments: Adapt your rotation to the specific mechanics of each fight. Some bosses might have phases where you need to change your priority and adjust your use of abilities.
• Practice and Experimentation: Try different variations and see what works best for you. Don't be afraid to experiment, especially when practicing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Summoner

Let's answer some of the most common questions about the Summoner job. These cover a wide variety of topics, from understanding the basics to advanced strategies.

What are the best races for a Summoner?

Race selection has a very minor impact on your stats. Choose whatever race you like best! Aesthetics are more important than marginal stat differences.

What food should I eat?

Eat food! It provides stats. The best food depends on your gear. Look for food that buffs your important stats (Crit, Determination, Spell Speed).

How important is Spell Speed for Summoner?

Spell Speed is important, but not the most important. It's a balance. Too much Spell Speed can make weaving difficult. Prioritize Crit and Determination first.

What's the best way to practice the rotation?

The best way to practice is on a training dummy! Get used to the rotation and get the timings down. Then, take it into dungeons or trials and practice in real combat.

Where can I find more information?

The best resources are online guides, forums, and communities. Check out the official FFXIV forums. Don't be afraid to ask for help!

Conclusion: Mastering the Summoner

Alright, guys! You now have the knowledge to become an FFXIV Summoner master! Remember, the key to success is practice, patience, and a willingness to learn. Use this guide, experiment with your rotation, and adapt to each fight. The Summoner job is challenging, but with the right effort, you can master it. So, go forth and summon! Good luck, have fun, and happy summoning!