The 6th Ministry's Secret: A Summoner's Guide

The one on BG Wiki is accurate but incomplete. Also 512 skill is the highest natural tier you can reach currently (577 would be the next) but the Caller's Horn +2 adds two tiers on top of that, which are missing on the BG Wiki page.

Actually, I think the perpetuation penalty from Avatar's Favor is a percentage of your current perpetuation.
If I'm naked, Garuda's perpetuation is 18 = 15 + (15 * 0.2)
If I only have Con. Pigaches +1, Garuda's perpetuation is 17 = 15 + (11 * 0.2)
If I only have Nirvana, Garuda's perpetuation is 16 = 15 + (7 * 0.2)
Which makes the penalty zero if you already have your perpetuation down to one. I'm not sure if that was SE's intention.

512 skill and Caller's Horn +2 :
Carbuncle : 24 HP/tick
Ifrit : 21~24 DA
Titan : 87 DEF
Garuda : 31 EVA
Shiva : 13 MAB
Ramuh : 21% Critical Hit Rate
Diabolos : 6 MP/tick
Caith Sith : 15 MDB

All these values have been verified by myself.

Which is why my perp cost never changes with favor, makes sense I guess.

Concerning Perpetuation, what would a noob SMN like me need?
Currently with avatar out I'm idling with the following set:

Gridarvor
Glyphic+1 Body
Evoker's Ring
Convoker's+1 feet

With the new favor how much more would I need?
Since I like to use Pet: options for hands (Regimen or Glyphic+1) my only option atm seems to be augmented Hagondes+1 legs with -perp in place of what I currently use (Nares).
How much -perp would I need on legs? I've been wasting over 5 stacks of stones but couldn't get more than perp-2 for the moment. I assume -2 is not enough and need at least -3, correct?



Also another question. Trying to save inventory space and get rid of items which produce minimal differences.
Wondering about Ifrit Ring vs Globidonta Ring.
+4 skill on the first, +5 on the second.
Fervor Ring also has that +mab for Ifrit which makes it nice for Meteor Strike and Flaming Crush.
Question is: do you think it's a valuable difference or a negligible one? Because if it's the latter I'd rather save 1 inventory slot since I'm not a career SMN.


Ah last question, I swear.
Anybody bothered to see if Glyphic+1 body is better than Convoker+1 for BPs like Predator Claws and the Ramuh crit one?

Gridarvor / Hagondes Body -5 perp / convoker boots is all you need to cap perp for both favor and non-favor (if you only have -4, go with evoker's ring too). Glyphic Body provides no refresh, thus it is a bad idle choice, even without hagondes. If you really desire the crit on the glyphic body, then you can go with that. Basically, you need -14 perp on your gear total (-5 staff, -5 body/legs, -4 feet = 14, or -4 body/legs -1 ring).

If you really need to get rid of one of those rings, it's your choice. Fervor Ring is +2MAB. It's +2MAB for Ifrit or +1 summoning skill. If you're already capped on duration for your wards (this ring shouldn't be the make or break for that), I'd probably go with the MAB.


I'd say it's pretty unlikely that Glyphic is better. I couldn't say for certain as I don't have the exact numbers on how much damage crit adds, but I don't think it's enough to beat Convoker.

You're good to go with that.
There aren't many pieces outside the standard ones which add something to Avatar melee and only the neck is a pain to get and gives up to 2 crit. hit rate.
ItemSet 323376
This puts you at:
22% pet haste, +17% crit hit rate, +72 pet acc, 3% pet double attack.

Ring question: you will not actually notice any difference in damage, I'ld value SMN skill more as it might be the one skill point to reach a new tier, or lets you live with a lesser augmented Kirin's pole. Additionally the +1MP on ES will be the most ntable thing you will experience.

I agree. With Convokers Doublet +1 adding BP damage +12 it's pretty safe to assume it will out-beat Glyphic almost all the time for all BPs.

Was looking to get the most efficient favor set, to hit 512 w/o costing too much in other stats. This will give you 520 skill (with merits), 16 perp, and 6 refresh. (Had to sacrifice Nares legs, for either Adapas +1 or Ngen seraweels.)

Cape has skill +4, and Hag. coat has perp -3.
ItemSet 329670
Any suggestions?

That looks good to me Noxzema. Just keep trying for that perp -5 on body. That allows you to use Marduk's Crackows +1 (more pet haste!) for feet and then you can change legs to whatever you want.

I wanted to post my current poor-man's Flaming Crush set and say what I'm working towards. Any and all advice appreciated:

ItemSet 329737
(Both Hagondes pieces have considerable Pet: MAB now)

I'd like to swap out eventually:

Tumafyrig for Nirvana
Gifted Earring for Esper Earring
Hagondes Cuffs +1 for Spurrina Gages

I personally use Caller's Sash for Flaming Crush. Naturally, an MAB Hagondes Hat would be better than the Glyphic Horn, if you rolled 24 or 25 MAB.

Besides that, looks good. Still kinda debateable on the Ngen Seraweels/Spurrina Gages for Flaming Crush over MAB Hagondes, but I don't think anyone has a super solid answer on that right now.

-14perp caps perp normally. (Just remember Nirvana -8, Glyphic Doublet+1 -5, and Evoker's Ring -1 = -14)
Favor increases base perp by a bit depending on your level, but iirc it's just +3 at 99. So that' the perp you need at 99 to add to your idle. (conveniently found in shoes)

2MAB is worthless.
At least it is when you're dealing with lots of MAB. (Hence why BLMs now favor Mdmg ammo and belts because those slots usually have only offered small -~3- MAB buffs.)
Globidonta is better for general off hand purposes (it's no Evoker's)... But outside of Alexander, neither of these two rings are really gonna push you ahead in any area... (Unless you've traded Vox grip for Oneiros and want to keep 500+ skill on at all times for less gear swapping.)

Neither.
Caller's Doublet +2 is infinitely better than either of them for all BPs.
Convoker's Doublet +1 gives you: +12%dmg
Caller's Doublet +2 give you: -4perp +10skil +10dmg
Meaning it's strictly better because:

• The perp keeps perp down, so that you don't suddenly start eating MP when you're doing a BP.

• The skill gives Acc/Macc making all your BPs more consistent in their hits or resists.

• 3%dmg is ~300dmg; so if you don't mind having resists all the time lowering your DPS but when your BPs aren't resisted or whiffing, then you'll have *slightly* more potent BPs when they land or not get resisted.

And when Caller's becomes iLv'd... then it's just gonna be stupidly better since it will have either the same or slightly more (think PLD's RF1vRF2 bodies) BPdmg than Convoker's.

A few posts up I go over the new Avatar's Favor penalty. Unless they change it later, you don't currently need any extra perpetuation gear.

• BPs take 3 seconds (one tick) to execute. So that's and extra 4 MP if you use Convoker's vs Caller's.

• The Summoning Skill +10 on Caller's gives you at most 10 accuracy/magic accuracy during BPs. My avatars have 1094 accuracy with NQ food and 63 skill over base, so that's about a 0.8% accuracy boost.

• You'll be trading 2% damage for 0.8% accuracy.

Not to say one is better then the other, that's up to you to decide. Of course the numbers will be slightly different depending on your gear, just giving some more perspective.

I'm guessing gear haste cap does not apply to pets? I've always assumed no, but if someone knows for certain...

Adding to the Callers/Convokers Doublet discussion, I thought having INT was also important to avatars strength in relating to attacks and BPs?

If true, doesn't this help push Convokers ahead even more for BPs?

I'm not sure but since Atma count toward equipment haste, it should be testable. With this set you can reach 24% avatar haste:
ItemSet 329777

No, your own attributes have zero effect on your avatar's attributes.

Yeah, right now I just got Marduk's Crackows +1 so I was wondering. I don't have Nirvana yet so running them in an avatar-engaged set is kinda sorta painful. I might augment some Hagondes Pants with avatar perp until then or something.

Yes, use Esper Stone +1 for Elemental Siphon but for everything else you want want to keep Seraphicaller equipped. The only thing that will effect your avatar's level is equipment that specifically says "Avatar: LvXXX." So you can use a level 2 weapon with Seraphicaller and your avatar will still be level 119.

Esper Stone+1 works fine for buffing wards, because of the Blood Boon bonus. Your avatar's level drops for a brief moment, but at worst, if it's at 100% HP, it will lose 3% of its HP.

If it's tanking mobs and pops a buff ward it might get hit a little harder, but this situation rarely comes up as a problem.

Since i recently got a frazil staff, im thinking of using this on magical bps and so to convert my path B tumafryg to a path A one for physical ones. What do u think?

Tumafyrig was a poor choice for magical BPs since Keraunos came out. Tumafyrig is the best physical BP staff outside of Nirvana (unless you need accuracy of course).

I just got my alchemy high enough to be T1 on Hexed Gages! If you're on Odin, bring me materials and I'll craft them for free :)

Unfortunately I still need about 20 levels in clothcraft to be able to make Velvet Cuffs though >.<

Can anyone confirm which type of stone gives the Elemental Siphon augment? The main post says Leafslit but BG-Wiki says Leafdim. I finally got a Keraunos and I used about 20 stones that I've collected but didn't get any Elemental Siphon so I just want to make sure before I commit to buying any stones.

Edit: just got Elemental Siphon +5 with a LeafDIM Stone +1

Tumafyrig or Balsam Staff for Flaming Crush?
Tumafyrig or Girdavor for regular BP:Physical?(ACC+ being reason)

What augments would you guys suggest? I'm thinking probably Path C would be best: ATK+15 MAB+15.

Balsam Staff for Flaming Crush. Tumafyrig could be a consideration on path C, it would be trading 5 MAB for 30 attack and a small bit of accuracy off the summoning skill. Hard to say if it would be better, the benefit of attack on Flaming Crush is still not entirely clear.

Tumafyrig Path C for physical BP: Rage. If you need accuracy, then you use Gridarvor. This will just depend on what content you're doing. The best way to do it, if you have enough gear/care enough about Summoner, is just to create a seperate physical BP set for accuracy when you are doing content where you need it, keeping in mind Shiromochi (pet acc food).

Why aren't you guys considering Frazil Staff?
(or a perfect augment Keraunos, but good luck with that)

Frazil Staff makes no difference on Flaming Crush; it has the same MAB as Balsam. It has some macc, but as far as I know, macc has no effect on Flaming Crush.

Best possible Keraunos is MAB+120, which, again, is the same. You do get the bonus of a leaf augment, but the best possible thing you could get is a DA/crit augment on it, which, while useful and is a damage boost (sometimes), is going to be expensive pending your luck.

So, yes, Keraunos would be better if you do manage to get a perfect MAB roll followed by some sort of DA or crit roll. Luck will decide how much that costs, but if you're going to start burning money trying to minmax that staff, there's usually better options for increasing your damage output at that rate (gages, esper earring, perfecting hagondes augments, Nirvana, etc) instead of topping off a Keraunos.

Not my case cause I have no luck and gave up, but pet mab can go beyond +20.

For the balsam thing yes, frazil doesn't offer anything more than balsam for flaming crush, but it's better for everything else (magic of course), so why should you get inventory +1 from balsam when you can just sell it and make some gil? That was kinda my point