FFXIV Endwalker: How to Play Summoner

Summoner has traditionally been one of the more complex jobs in Final Fantasy XIV, but its rework in FFXIV: Endwalker has made it more approachable for players of all skill levels. It’s easier to learn and handle thanks to the removal of DoTs and the new Egi system, but how to play Summoner may be intimidating at first if you’re used to how the class played in Shadowbringers.

What Hasn’t Changed for Summoner in Endwalker?

If you played Summoner in Shadowbringers, there are a few elements you’ll be familiar with.

Ruin I-IV still works mostly the same, but the potency of the spells have been increased. You also still have Energy Drain and Energy Siphon, which then allow for two uses of either Fester or Painflare.

The big difference is that you don’t have any status effect spells to use. Before Fester and Painflare were only useful against enemies you applies statuses to, but now you can use them at any time without worrying about that. 

Summoner Changes in Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

While there’s a whole list of changes to Summoner, the most important have to do with Garuda, Titan, and Ifrit, which are no longer summonable as pets.

Your Egis now work as as trances, much like Bahamut and Phoenix alone used to. Your bread and butter will now be Carbuncle, which you’ll want to have summoned at all times.

Here are the two new Carbuncle skills you need to know about

• Radiant Aegis (Learned at Level 2): Creates a barrier around yourself that absorbs up to 20% of maximum HP. Duration: 30 seconds
• Searing Light (Learned at Level 66): Increases damage dealt by self and nearby party members by 3%. Duration 30 sec

Radiant Aegis is useful if you’re being targeted or if a boss is using an AoE. Meanwhile, Searing Light is great to pop whenever it’s up.

Gemshine and Precious Brilliance are the two other major additions, which are tied to single and AoE attacks for your summons.

You’ll now get stacks of Elemental Attunement when you summon Garuda, Titan, or Ifrit, which will let you use moves that replace Gemshine and Precious Brilliance.

Here’s how those summons pan out, and do note that each summon will instantly use an attack when you call them. 

• Garuda: Four stacks, instant cast spells, fast recast timers, low potency.
• Titan: Four stacks, instant cast spells, regular recast timers, medium potency.
• Ifrit: Two stacks, regular cast spells, regular recast timers, high potency.

The other thing to note with your summons now, is that summoning either Bahamut or Phoenix will grant your Ruby Arcanum, Topaz Arcanum, and Emerald Arcanum. This essentially means you can summon another round of Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda. 

Another important change is that summoning Bahamut will change Ruin III to Astral Impulse and Tri-Disaster into Astral Flare.

Summoner Rotation in Endwalker

Now that we’ve covered most of the major changes, let’s go over what a typical rotation for Summoner should look like.

For this, we’re assuming that you’re using a level 80 Summoner. We should note that during this rotation you’ll want to be weaving in Energy Drain-Fester or Energy Siphon-Painflare whenever it’s available, to maximize your damage. 

• Summon Bahamut: Use Akh Morn when needed, then spam Astral Impulse (Ruin III) or Astral Flare (Tri-Disaster) based on if you’re up against a mob or a single enemy
• Finish Bahamut out by using Deathflare
• Summon Garuda, Titan, or Ifrit: These can be done in any order, but you’ll always want to use all three before you summon Phoenix. Spam Gemshine or Precious Brilliance for each summon, again based on the situation. 
• Summon Phoenix, once the timer has gone down: Spam Fountain of Fire (Ruin III) or Brand of Purgatory (Tri-Disaster). While Phoenix is summoned you can use Rekindle at any time to heal someone, just make sure to target a party member if you want to heal them. 
• Finish Phoenix by using Revelation
• Rinse and repeat the cycle with Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda, then use normal attacks until Bahamut is ready to summon again. 

As you can see, Summoner has been drastically simplified with Endwalker, and the biggest change is no damage-over-time spells to use. The new moves learned from levels 80 through 90 will strengthen your Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda, but the rotation will remain the same.

Summoner has quickly become one of the easiest DPS classes to learn in Final Fantasy XIV, so with a little practice, you shouldn’t have any problem. 

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For even more tips and help, make sure to check out our FFXIV guides hub.