It looks like everyone here is happy to see summoner class nerf as a cure for overpowered mage and archer parties.
This is probably the easiest way to compensate boost granted by runes, I agree. But with price of killing three classes?
Anyway, some of @San0 replicas didnt make it obvious how summoners are supposed to play after upcoming 2.0 update. So I just want to discuss some of them.
Could possibly be true, but you should consider that mass cubics are summoners class feature, that should not be treated like some weak other class replacement skill. It simply should be powerful, so parties would prefer summoner to be with them.
I wonder, how 3 moderate summoner buffs could be a replacement for SE/EE buff, MP and HP recharge? Probably a pony could do all that stuff (doubt it), but warlock or phantom replacing SE or WK buff in physical party is a stupidest thing ever imaginable. The only way summoner buffs were useful - for mp management, so the SE/EE wont spent too much for rebuff.
Still, they all got summon buffs deleveled to lvl1 to "give away in a lower lvl not so perfect party". Lets see... summoner gets basic lvl1 buffs at lvl 56, which are equal or weaker than buffs granted by lvl 40 SE, EE or PP. I see the only chance for a summoner to get a party in this circumstances - kill every alive buffer on the server.
"Solo purposes" with lvl1 buffs at 56+ lvl is also far from imaginable.
True, cleanse is a SE/EE duty.
As I said before - killing party usefullness for summoner class to "keep some balance" is a more-than-weird way to compensate rune boost. Stacked with cubic and buff nerf - its a death for summoner as a party character. BTW, i didnt see how this explanes Nightshade mass curse skill deletion. Does it stacks with any runes or makes insane damage? Personally, i think you removed it without any objective reason, besides making all summoners feel "equal" in loosing something. If that is true, youre doing a big mistake in developing a game that is all about balance, and not about equality.
May i ask - how do you imagine that?
My version of "lower lvl exp" - Level 56 summoner comes to a lvl 47 party (cant go any lower, exp penalty), does less target damage than a DD, have no debuffs, and very weak aoe skills. Gets the worst exp he possibly can imagine, and probably get kicked after party finds any 40+ dd with box buffer.
Another version of "high lvl exp" - lvl 56+ Sum looking for exp with 55-60 lvl party, and finds none, because any simple DD does same or more damage output, and nobody needs lvl1 buffs or useless cubics. Objectively - summoner without mass support spells is no use for high lvl party, and it will never do enough damage to take an offensive role. In a chronicles where solo content is rather dead after lvl 20 - its a fail.
And the "solo" version of summoner exp.. well.. probably its the only thing that will be better after 2.0 update for this class. But trading communication, teamplay, and high-lvl party content for solo grind in MMO game? Looks trashy decision for me.
We had a lots of discussions about that within 3 CP of my friends here, and we all see summoners as a dead and useless class after 2.0 update. We have 2 pony and a PS players, and no one of them imagines what is to be "useful in lower lvls helping groups progressing with their smaller support", while everyone else is going to go farm new locations and level up fast.
Thats a major retrogression for a summoners. Its pretty funny, how Sums should be an only "priveleged" class that degrades on high lvl, and forced to play with weak-low-level-groups, instead of leveling with normal CPs. Not really great perspective, compared to all other professions, which are only getting stronger and more required as they level-up. If you're going to leave it this way, it would be fair to give all summoners a free class change opportunity, because a lots of them started as party-oriented characters, and they cant remain like this in 2.0 with current changes.
