Part 22: Job Analysis: Summoner

The Summoner is the second offensive magic job you get. Calling upon the power of summoned beings, the Summoner focues on wide areas, with a handful of support options.

Stat Changes

Strength: -10
Agility: -1
Stamina: -1
Magic: +33

Magic is all the Summoner does but oh boy is it good at it. Possessing the second highest Magic in the game, its huge MP pool offsets the large MP costs of its summons.

Innate Skills

Summon: Allows the Summoner to cast all spells listed under Summon Magic.

Learned Skills

Summon 1: Allows any job to Summon Chocobo, Sylph, and Remora.
_{AP Cost: 15}

Summon 2: Allows any job to Summon Shiva, Ramuh, and Ifrit.
_{AP Cost: 30}

Summon 3: Allows any job to Summon Titan, Golem, and Catoblepas.
_{AP Cost: 40}

Summon 4: Allows any job to Summon Carbuncle, Syldra, and Odin.
_{AP Cost: 60}

Summon 5: Allows any job to Summon Phoenix, Leviathan, and Bahamut.
_{AP Cost: 100}

Call: Summons a random Summon for no MP cost.
_{AP Cost: 500}

Total AP to Master: 745

Summon Magic

Chocobo
_{MP Required: 4}

Choco Kick: Does light non-elemental damage to an enemy.
Fat Chocobo: Rarely, rather then cast Choco Kick, will instead do heavy non-elemental damage to an enemy.

Sylph
_{MP Required: 8}

Whisperwind: Does damage and divides the damage done to heal the party.

Remora
_{MP Required: 2}

Constrict: Paralyzes an enemy.

Shiva
_{MP Required: 10}

Diamond Dust: Does medium Ice elemental damage to all enemies.

Ramuh
_{MP Required: 12}

Judgement Bolt: Does medium Lighting elemental damage to all enemies.

Ifrit
_{MP Required: 11}

Hellfire: Does medium Fire elemental damage to all enemies.

Titan
_{MP Required: 25}

Gaia's Wrath: Does Earth elemental damage to all enemies.

Golem
_{MP Required: 18}

Earthen Wall: Blocks a set ammount of physical damage based off caster's level.

Catoblepas
_{MP Required: 33}

Demon Eye: Inflicts the Petrify status on one enemy.

Carbuncle
_{MP Required: 45}

Ruby Light: Grants the Reflect status to the entire party.

Syldra
_{MP Required: 32}

Thunderstorm: Does massive Wind elemental damage to all enemies.

Odin
_{MP Required: 48}

Zantetsuken: Instantly kills all possible enemies.
Gungnir: If Zantetsuken misses against all enemies, Odin will instead to heavy non-elemental damage to an enemy.

Phoenix
_{MP Required: 99}

Flames of Rebirth: Does heavy Fire elemntal damage to all enemies and revives all KO'd allies with full HP.

Leviathan
_{MP Required: 39}

Tsunami: Does heavy Water elemental damage to all enemies.

Bahamut
_{MP Required: 66}

Mega Flare: Does massive non-elemental damage to all enemies.

Normal Play Analysis

Do you like doing large ammounts of magic damage? Summoner is your best bet then. 2nd best magic and powerful spells hitting every enemy, a Summoner can easily wipe out random encounters. While a bit weaker against bosses, a Mega Flare is still going to hit hard. The handful of support summons the job gets aren't that bad either. Golem is a great defense against physical attacks, and Carcubuncle has its uses.

Low Level Play Analysis

Take the problems the Black Mage has and double them. Summons take up massive ammounts of MP. Even with the Gold Hairpin a casting of Bahamut is going to drain you, and I don't know if it's ever possible to cast Phoenix. Maybe with MP+30%, maybe. On the other hand, Golem is an invaluable spell. Avoiding damage is far more important, and Golem can help out a lot.