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

When our group did 2 KI Ongo kills it was SMN/PLD/NIN/RDM/DRK/WHM. Leaving SCH/BRD/GEO/COR/BLM/RUN for second KI.

The Nin was self SC Blade: Hi > Blade: Hi, and bursting along with the RDM and Diabolos Night Terror. The extra bursts weren't spectacular, but 3k bursts from the RDM and NIN might not seem like alot but it all adds up over 15 minutes.

When we got the kill we got to sforzo and timed out shortly after for the second KI to start immediately at aura/1hr.

Our group did phase 1 as Smn Pld Geo Blu Bst Rng

Leaving Phase 2 as Blm Run Sch Cor Brd Rdm

I tried to turn away(on PLD) whenever I had TP to reduce TP feed, but it sometimes results in a missed SC, when it uses the TP move that like halves your TP.

I could look into Subtle Blow stuff, but being in range and the mob's target, I have certain defensive requirements I need to maintain.

I had Baayami+1 on my shopping list when I last played seriously, but now I have come back and cannot remember why. It looks good for:
* Body - Elemental Siphon (+2 MP over telchine!!!)
* All - BP Ward duration
* All - Avatar's Favor testing

Is there something I am missing? I can't imagine I was lining up to spend 100mil on another 20 seconds worth of Inferno Howl duration.

Prior to master levels, it was one of the pieces you could use to get 670 summoning skill for 21 second recast.

Maybe that was why you had it on your shopping list?

The feet get an extra refresh so it was nice, and I have them for the extra skill that was needed pre-master levels

Do we know if there's a potential tier to get 20 seconds recast? There should be.

All tiers are separated by 65 skill points, except the last one which requires 95 skill for some reason.
There could be another tier at +65 skill i.e. 735+, or maybe 765+, neither of which are currently reachable I'm afraid, and won't be even after ML50's +50 skill.
Unless some new gear comes out of course.

There's a new favor tier at 735, and 736 "is" posssible.

But not worth it having to drop the Beckoner's Horn.

When we get the master level 40 increase in June we can do some testing then.

Edit. nevermind, with current gear even with master level 40 we'll be 7-8 short of the new tier while using the Beckoner's Horn +1.

738 will be possible at master level 50 with current gear (and beckoner's horn +1), but might not matter, we'll most likely have +2 or +3 Beckoner's horn by then, so may be able to reach it earlier depending on how much skill increase it gives.

I got an Udug from trove yesterday and have been trying to find sets to use it in for my SMN and am drawing a blank. I am trying to talk myself out of dropping since it seems worthless but was looking for feedback. Anyone use it for anything on SMN?

Beckoner's Horn is gonna be +3 soon (July?), but will likely still have less SMN skill than Bayaami +1.


Resist Sleep/DT10 for master? Engaged set for Master with decent amount of Acc and DT?
Ungh... but with Bunzi's Robe out there I'm not even sure it's worth it.

It's quite awesome (possibly BiS?) on PUP, for Automaton Nuking.
Not sure if it has any use in BST, for some Ready moves based on Macc/Mab maybe?

I hate to say a piece isn't of any use, because pretty much everything in game has a niche use at the least, but Udug for smn unfortunately does not.

Unless you got it before any of the other good smn body pieces.

Then I suppose you could use it till then.

There's better avatar MAB, magic acc bodies in the game, and things like nyame mail are better for dt sets and such.

As Sechs said above though, Udug is very good for PUP.

My PUP will forever stay at level 1. Wish I would've taken someone with me to sell it. Hindsight!

Very good for something that you very rarely do on PUP so it's kinda ironic... but if you're hot for automaton nuking on PUP I think that's still the best piece available in game, by far above any other option afaik.

I used to use it for PDT on smn but there are better options now.

Udug is a nice lockstyle, worth it for that.

Yes, there's the Windy Campaign body too, but that requires doing a lot of medal ranks.

I may be biased as it's the body my favorite Mithra uses, https://www.bg-wiki.com/ffxi/Mikhe_Aryohcha

SMN is lowest on the priority order in usefulness sadly, BST gets most use out of it since their next best is valorous which has trash pet augs when it comes to magic, then pup which has similar but slightly better(helps INT has a good impact on nukes for them too compared to bst) then smn where you have other high end alternatives to choose from

Elemental spirit casting!

I idle in Udug, the DT and resist is nice

What's the consensus on Sroda Earring? replace Gelos on DA builds? would it beat Gelos on single hit physicals and that don't benefit from DA?

I'm still curious whether the DA applies to the master or the pet. It's not really clear from the description.

The DA is for the player

Good to know. would the pet damage +10 still beat out +5 BP damage from Gelos?

Agreed with the priority of BST > PUP > SMN.

For BST, it's BiS for any magical ready moves (MAB for damage, and more importantly the Macc helps effects land). That includes some fairly commonly used moves too: Corrosive Ooze, Purulent Ooze, TP Drainkiss, Fireball, Molting Plumage, etc.

For PUP, it's easily BiS for automaton nukes. I just don't think that's nearly as important for the job as BST's ready moves are for that job.

For SMN, it's... nice lockstyle gear. Used to be amazing idle DT- gear too, but post-Odyssey I think it has been replaced for that purpose. I'd rather idle in Bunzi for the same DT-10% and higher Meva and MDB (giving up resist sleep).

But, like... don't drop an Omen body! You'd kick yourself getting rid of something THAT rare that still has BiS applications for BST or PUP if you ever decide to play those jobs.

Been away for awhile and I know while current sets are mostly the same, I'm seeing some pet oriented accessories and curious what upgrades to chase down. Outside of Nyame pet path, anyone mind posting their current bloodpact sets?

Like you said current sets are largely the same, both bunzi and nyame offer relatively little to smn outside of pet macc options as the dmg+% is too low to beat out the bpd, biggest gain smn has seen is through the all stats+ which primarily helps for sirens magic phalanx. Past that sroda earring was a small gain for phys BPs ands that's basically it.

for odyssey the only real drop is the sachet... if you can go for full augment on it.

after that there's the 2 refresh staff, the pet stats+ and augs on old gear, largely all... meh?

Empy+2 is pretty good for SMN - the Earring gives Lv.+1 for example.

Beckoner's Earring +2
Right ear: "Refresh"+1 Avatar: Lv.+1 "Blood Pact" damage +3

Beckoner's Horn +2
DEF:113 HP+51 MP+144 STR+19 DEX+20 VIT+21 AGI+20 INT+30 MND+30 CHR+30 Accuracy+51 Magic Accuracy+51 Evasion+76 Magic Evasion+120 "Magic Def. Bonus"+9 Summoning magic skill +18 "Avatar's Favor" effect +4 Haste+6% "Refresh"+3 Damage taken -9% Avatar: Accuracy+51 Ranged Accuracy+51 Magic Accuracy+51 Set: Augments "Blood Boon"

Beckoner's Doublet +2
DEF:143 HP+74 MP+161 STR+28 DEX+24 VIT+29 AGI+25 INT+39 MND+39 CHR+39 Acc.+54 Mag. Acc.+54 Eva.+84 Mag. Eva.+120 "Magic Def. Bonus"+9 Summoning magic skill +19 Avatar perpetuation cost -7 Haste+3% Damage taken -12% Avatar: Accuracy+54 Ranged Accuracy+54 Magic Accuracy+54 "Blood Pact" damage +12 Set: Augments "Blood Boon"

Beckoner's Bracers +2
DEF:102 HP+38 MP+104 STR+11 DEX+33 VIT+30 AGI+10 INT+29 MND+43 CHR+30 Acc.+52 Mag. Acc.+52 Eva.+62 Mag. Eva.+83 "M. Def. B."+6 Haste+3% "Mana Cede"+130 Depending on day or weather: Halves avatar perpetuation cost Avatar: Acc.+52 Rng. Acc.+52 Mag. Acc.+52 "Blood Pact" damage +8 Set: Augments "Blood Boon"

Beckoner's Spats +2
DEF:122 HP+61 MP+126 STR+29 VIT+18 AGI+22 INT+45 MND+33 CHR+30 Accuracy+53 Magic Accuracy+53 Evasion+73 Magic Evasion+147 "Magic Def. Bonus"+9 Summoning magic skill +25 Haste+5% "Blood Boon"+13 Damage taken -11% Avatar: Accuracy+53 Ranged Accuracy+53 Magic Accuracy+53 "TP Bonus"+650 Set: Augments "Blood Boon"

Beckoner's Pigaches +2
DEF:81 HP+29 MP+107 STR+16 DEX+16 VIT+17 AGI+35 INT+29 MND+29 CHR+45 Accuracy+50 Magic Accuracy+50 Evasion+95 Magic Evasion+158 "Magic Def. Bonus"+9 Haste+3% "Elemental Siphon"+70 Avatar perpetuation cost -8 Avatar: Accuracy+50 Ranged Accuracy+50 Magic Accuracy+50 "Blood Pact" damage +8 Set: Augments "Blood Boon"

I've been looking forward to the head for so long. also the -DT for head and body is gonna be great for things like DynaD and surviving those NIN 1hrs

Definitely happy that SMN finally got some good upgrades with the Empy +2 set since Odyssey was kinda lackluster for the job. With Bunzi and Nyame Path D not really having any majorly good stats for avatars that was any better than gear like Apogee +1, Merlinic gloves, Artifiact/Relic +3 etc. I really hope the Empy +3 makes the cut into SMN BiS gear in the future.

I would definitely say the Empy Horn +2 is top priority for the 5 main armors. The Favor +4 is a huge deal and not to mention the Refresh +3 and 9% damage taken. I'm assuming this will add another tier for avatar favor and maybe the long awaited 20 second blood pact timer?

The Empy Body +2 would prolly be 2nd highest priority. As it may not outdo the Artifact +3 body yet, the Empy Body +3 most likely will based on the +2's stats. So getting the +2 upgrade done while waiting for SE to add the Empy +3 upgrades later is a good idea.

Empy Hands +2 are good but I don't think they would beat a properly augmented merlinic hands. Same with Empy +2 feet are good but don't really think they would outdo the Artifact +3 or Apogee +1 feet.

Empy +2 legs are pretty good as well but definitely do not come close to Apogee +1 legs. Maybe comparable to Enticer's legs for magical blood pacts if you don't happen to already have them? Guess we'll have to see the Empy +3 legs to compare that.

The earring is great though especially the +2 version. Gelos earring is definitely dead with this one being added.

Gonna say Most likely the Empy +2/3 Horn will be what gets us the 20 second blood pact recast timer. Especially now with seeing the Empy +2 stats having the increase from +3 to +4 avatar favor. The Empy +3 horn might have +5 avatar favor.