The 6th Ministry's Secret: A Summoner's Guide (v2)

SMN/RDM usually. I like having the option to convert if I need to use astral conduit.

Yeah, I'm SMN/RDM 95% of the time also.

I find that /RDM is rarely needed with ideal gear unless you're spamming Volt Strike. So I tend to /RDM for Omen, sometimes for Ambuscade and a few other events.

Up until Omen came out, I'd say I was SMN/WHM about 95% of the time. Now Omen is 90% of what I do, so I'm in a similar boat to Avallon these days.

Ya you wouldn't want to include any gear bonus either like from camp cape or sancus for baseline stats.

Here's some initial sets for peer review, I think it's a good idea to list "the best" even if I don't know anyone with say this idle set, goals and all that, and I list alternatives as the current guide does. The feet can be herald's gaiter's for example. I use +MP in idle for keeping a healthy max mp that is about what I'd have in mid pact gear. Anything you guys wanna change just give me good reasoning for it. Trying to keep the alternatives list short too as there's a ton obviously.

Idle
ItemSet 349082
18 Refresh, 20 with Traits, 22 with latent refresh
13 Damage Taken, 3% MDT, 5% PDT

Augments: Merlinic Crackows and Griovalr +2 refresh (Dark Matter)

Alternatives:
Low MP Refresh: oneiros grip, fucho-no-obi
Damage Taken: defending ring, dark ring, gelatinous ring, genmei earring, mafic cudgel, genmei shield, Terra's staff
Movement: herald's gaiters or Shneddick ring
MP: Mephitas's ring +1 and NQ
Refresh: apogee dalmatica, beckoner's horn +1, convoker's horn +1, Bolelabunga, Woltaris ring

Perpetuation
ItemSet 342192
-15 Perpetuation Cost, 16 Refresh (17 with traits)
Avatar Regain +25
Avatar Level +3

Augments: Merlinic Crackows +2 Refresh (Dark Matter)

Alternatives:
Low MP Refresh: oneiros grip
Perpetuation: apogee pumps +1, apogee pumps, Gridarvor
Summoning Skill: evoker's ring, globidonta ring, andoaa earring
Refresh: apogee dalmatica, beckoner's horn +1, convoker's horn +1, Woltaris ring
MP: Mephitas's ring +1 and NQ

Next would be 2 favor sets, one for max favor and one for refresh with as much favor as you can afford. Trying to fit avatar perp costs for each avatar and explain how to cap it, but it just gets too messy. Maybe a brief table on what's needed to cap perp somewhere else in the guide?
Carbuncle/Cait: Require 10 Perp from gear to cap
Fenrir: 12 Perp to cap
Diabolos/Avatars: 14 Perp to cap
Elementals: 6 Perp to cap

Since you can't reduce below -1 perp cost.

If you guys like it I'll replace the text with image icons like in the guide and add them. I'm actually thinking of cutting out most the alternatives based on your guys feedback too.

Sorry I missed the memo. What's claustrum's use for SMN now? I thought it was a fancy toothpick.

DT + Refresh, lets smn make skillchains for apex parties etc.

Going through the guide, here's things I propose to change in order from top to bottom before gear sets:

Elemental Siphon
Add Augmented Keraunos and Zodiac Ring to the list.

Avatar's Favor
Add Gift and new favor tiers to list

Job Points
Add totals to each job point category

Gift
Add the rest of the gifts, and a summary of totals

Avatars
* Add two more columns fTP Carry, and TP Effect. TP Effect will list what the additional TP does for the pact. All magical is increase damage, healing it will depend and physical it will depend.
* Show stats for 122
* Fill in TP Effect Column
* Possibly link all abilities to the bg-wiki page for more indepth info if people desire

Carbuncle
* Adjust enmity to 25% reduction on pacifying ruby
* Add Based TP X for Poison Nails

Shiva
* Add Based TP X to all Rage pacts
* Rush fTP Carry

Garuda
* Add Based TP X to all Rage Pacts
* Predator Claws fTP Carry

Titan
* Add Based TP X to all Rage Pacts

Ramuh
* Add Based TP X to all Rage Pacts
* Volt Strike and Chaotic Strike fTP carry

Leviathan
* Add potency value to soothing current
* Add Based TP X to all Rage Pacts

Ifrit
* Add Based TP X to all Rage Pacts
* change conflag strike text fire elemental damage to fire elemental breath damage to distinguish it from magic damage

Cait Sith
* Add Based TP X to all Rage Pacts
* Change text of lowers tp to, resets tp on mewing lullaby

Fenrir
* Add Based TP X to all Rage Pacts
* Add Eclipse Bite to fTP carry

Diabolos
* Add Based TP X to all Rage Pacts but Nether Blast (I think...)
* Change Pavor to say the dispel effect cannot miss

Atomos
* Mention that the dispel effect cannot miss

Also, the X confuses me a bit idk about you guys, maybe change it to a checkmark since X can have double meaning.

One more, all purpose DT set:

ItemSet 349095
20 DT
32 PDT + 20 = 52
21 MDT + 20 = 41 + Shell V = 66
38 MDB
15 All Elements, 35 vs thunder
541 Meva
Flee Chance
3 Regen
338 HP

Alternatives:
dark ring, Vocane ring, slipor sash, mafic cudgel, genmei shield, Udug jacket, umbra cape, ethereal earring, Inyanga crackows +1

Pretty close to the dt set I use currently. I use umbra cape, vocane ring, ethereal earring (free mp), and the full inyanga set. I may farm up a pair of those feet though, they are very interesting.

ItemSet 347702
Alts:
Convoker's +2 and Tali'ah +1 are all good alternative since +3 take forever to get.
cessance earring, empath necklace

ItemSet 349097
Alts:
Grip:tzacab grip
Ear: mache earring, telos earring, dignitary's earring, zennaroi earring
Ring: cacoethic ring +1, cacoethic ring, varar ring +1, varar ring, Ramuh ring +1
Waist: klouskap sash

Cool thank you for the feedback I added those to the alternatives. any feed back on the other two sets? And ya those boots are really helpful the flee chance proc rate seems pretty decent and the flee status even refreshes itself if it procs again while it's on so you can enter an almost perma flee status as long as you're taking damage. They've even proc'd when I took zero dmg with stoneskin on so :)

I like your DD set and alternatives but I'd also add alternatives for high acc rings and maybe the highest acc earring too Zennaroi Earring, maybe Varar Ring also since one thing I like is building TP on pet and master at the same time. Too many options tho doesn't make things helpful so idk :(

Looks good. Maybe add the adoulin refresh rings as options, mainly the Woltaris ring

Ah ok good call

Hi.

I noticed, while cping, that sometimes my blood pact delay spikes to around 30 (normally its at 24). That happens mostly when i release and recast my avatar.

That have been breaking my cp chains, but i need to release and recall to recover hp.

Is there any way that i can mitigate this (like fixing those bp delay spikes or healing avatar hp steadly?).

Thanks in advance.

Are you using equipsets or gs? You could use dawn muslims or an avatar that has a healing pact or a pet regen set. You could also save apogee for when you resummon. You will get some recast loss since recast in part depends on favor. I go from 22 to 25-26 on a fresh avatar so you going from 24 to 30 seems something that could happen.

Edit: another trick is use a ward before you use a rage, if you care more about rage timer. Using pacts will affect favor and get you to max quicker.

Is this the set you're currently using pictured here? I didn't think Omen had been out long enough to collect that many +3's.

Very nice regardless.

Do you have feedback on the other sets too Avallon? Trying to decide what's ok to add.

And ya I like the DD set but I'd mention Varar Ringss, Ramuh +1 Rings/Cacoethic Rings, and Zennaroi Earring. The hard part is often actually hitting stuff :< I also think Flanged Grip is very nice.
(Just rings, earring and grip is 34.6 melee acc)

Nah, I only have the +2 atm. That would be the goal though

A set I've shared before, updated:
ItemSet 347697

Augments: Apogee+1 Path A, Grioavolr BP damage 8-10, Pet MAB/Magic Acc 25-30, Pet INT 0-10, Campestres's cape: Pet:Magic Acc/Magic Dmg, Merlinic (BP damage 8-10, Pet MAB/Magic Acc 25-30, Pet Int 0-10)

Alternatives:
TP Bonus Pacts: enticer's pants
Options: NQ Apogee, Helios (BP Damage 7, Pet MAB 30, Blood Boon 7), Merlinic, caller's sash, NQ Varar Rings, deino collar, esper earring
Accuracy: apogee mitts +1, Merlinic, Tali'ah, Convoker's +3, Helios Pet Macc and Summoning skill

Another set I've shared before, updated, Ward Duration Set:
ItemSet 338697
6% chance to apply duration bonus on Empyrean Armor (up to 2x).

Augments: Conveyance Cape Summoning Magic Skill +5, Espiritus Path B

Alternatives:
globidonta ring, apogee dalmatica, apogee pumps, exemplar
Max Summoning Magic Skill (Perfect Defense): apogee dalmatica +1, convoker's horn +3

Todo: List total smn skill

Physical Pact set, posted this before too but updated
ItemSet 342189

Augments: Apogee Path B, Legs Path D. Merlinic (Blood Pact Damage 8-10, Pet: Attack/Accuracy 25-30, STR or DEX 0-10) Campestres's cape Pet Accuracy/Attack

Alternatives:
Weapons: For fTP Carry Pacts Gridarvor, was and was +1, espiritus Path D, Keraunos Pet Double Attack and Crit Rate 6%, Attack 25, BP damage 10
Armor: NQ Apogee, Helios (Blood Pact Damage 7, Pet: 8% Double Attack, 30 Attack), Merlinic (Blood Pact Damage 8-10, Pet: Attack/Accuracy 25-30, STR or DEX 0-10), convoker's doublet +1
Damage Bonus from TP Pacts, low Pdif: enticer's pants
Accessories: mujin obi, empath necklace, Thurandaut ring, esper earring
Accuracy: apogee mitts +1, Convoker's Attire Set +3

Healing Ward Potency Set:

ItemSet 344454

Nothing to really update nor alternatives as not much in the game adds to avatar max HP.

Unless I'm just absurdly unlucky, I don't believe physical pet stats go any higher than 30 on Merlinic. I've seen a lot of 30+ MAB/macc augments, but not a single acc or atk above 30.

Grioavolr should also cap at 30 Macc/MAB with Pellucid and 25 with others. I've actually never once seen atk/acc on Grio, for that matter.


The guide over on BG suggests Enticer's over Apogee for fTP replicating pacts. How close do they come to Apogee +1 in general-use settings?

Also, how do Enticer's stack up for magical pacts, now? I'd assume they lose potency as TP gets higher, but I don't know where the cutoff would be.

Ok Oraen I'll change the caps, I believe you're right.

For a pdif capped situation the relevant stats for pred claws/volt strike/chaotic strike are
Enticer's: 3% DA, 12 BP damage, 15 acc
Apogee Slacks +1: 23 BP Damage, 4% DA, 20 STR

Apogee +1 is a clear winner for fTP replicating pacts in that situation. For a situation pdif isn't capped:
Enticer's: 3% DA, 12 BP damage, 15 acc, 5% crit, TP bonus unknown amount of crit
Apogee Slacks +1: 23 BP Damage, 4% DA, 20 STR, 35 attack

There may be a case where enticer's could win if pdif is low enough. Avatar crits unlike other crits in the game don't break their pdif cap.

For non replicating pacts, they are sometimes better if you are low tp like mountain buster.

This is more complicated to answer as it depends both on the pact and how much tp you have. For merit pacts you figure in how many points you put into it for tp bonus too. I'll dig up the testing Frod, myself, jopa and pergatory did in the thread.

I did not realize that pets do not get an increase in pDif from crits like we do. Alright, that definitely puts them quite far behind then, thanks.

Any testing you happen to have would be very much appreciated, but no rush at all. Had to put it on hold for CPing other jobs, but Nirvana's about a week away, so I just want to make sure I keep my sets optimal, as well.

These are the same identical sets I use and would have suggested as well. I do have an avatar attack idle set that I use for things like Omen and Ambuscade where I idle in Shulmanu collar, Lugalbanda earring and Enmerkar earring. It's just something fun I like to do for my avatars when they're out.

I'll post more when I'm not using my iPad. Thus far though I like what you both have shown. I think 2x Stinkini rings might be out of reach for a lot of people but I do agree that the best of the best for each category should be shown.

yep it's weird! If you want to test it yourself you can go outside any starting city and witness critical hits and normal hits do exactly the same dmg :P

Early congrats :D


Thanks means a lot coming from you :) Look forward to your posts.

Finally finished afterglow :o


Titan sure is happy that I wasted 100 mil on staff skill

In other minor disappointing news, There doesn't appear to be a new favor tier at 640 skill. 640 is specific because the tiers appear to be roughly 63-65 skill each. If it's a little more than that, to test 642 and 644 i need +3 horn and stikini +1.

Debuff Ward/Rage, Shock Squall for example, or Somnolence. For focusing on the debuffs of Conflag Strike and Impact you'd want to use the full SMN Skill set instead.

ItemSet 349107

Augments: Grioavolr (Pet:Magic Acc 25-30, Int 0-20)
Campestres's cape Pet:Magic Acc/Magic Dmg, Apogee Mitts +1: Path B

Alternatives: Nirvana, espiritus Path B, Helios (Pet Magic Acc 30, Summoning Skill 8, Blood Boon 7), Merlinic (Pet:Magic Acc 25-30, Int 0-15), Tali'ah +1 Set, apogee mitts
Accessories: globidonta ring, andoaa earring, summoning earring, deino collar, lucidity sash, kobo obi, caller's pendant, incanter's torque, sancus sachet, seraphicaller

Frod you want to post an updated version of your smn fastcast set? Mine's much more outdated.

Favor Potency:
ItemSet 349109

108 Summoning Magic Skill
469 Summoning Magic Skill with base, gifts and merits
577 Total skill
-21 Perp
+2 Avatar Level
Avatar Regain +25
12 Refresh +1 from Trait

Augments: Apogee Path D, Conveyance 5 summoning magic skill
Alternatives: See Summoning Magic Skill sets. Keep Beckoner's Horn +1 and replace refresh pieces with summoning magic skill.

A 512+ skill set with max refresh is given in the idle set if you replace the convoker's horn +3 with beckoner's horn +1.


That last favor tier costs a lot of refresh basically. I need to word it better. Thinking of replacing nirvana with refresh or smn skill staff, feedback welcomed.