Why "Fester" and "Energy Drain" Feel Out of Place for Summoner in FFXIV – A Call to Refocus on Summons

As someone who's played Final Fantasy XIV in the past back in 2020, with Paladin (PLD) and Summoner (SMN) already leveled, I’ve recently started a new journey as an Arcanist, now at level 21. While leveling, I’ve found myself reflecting on how the Summoner job has evolved—and not necessarily for the better. Abilities like Fester and Energy Drain seem to push the Summoner away from its core identity of summoning powerful primal forces, reducing the job to more of a caster with a pet rather than a true master of these legendary beings.

In this post, I want to explore why Fester and Energy Drain feel out of place and argue for a stronger focus on summons, as well as raise the question of why Carbuncle remains a passive bystander even though Summoners could benefit from making more active use of their avatars at earlier levels.

The Current State of "Fester" and "Energy Drain"

In FFXIV, Fester is an ability that deals unaspected damage with a potency of 340, consuming one Aetherflow Gauge point. It's primarily used to deal damage when your DoTs (damage-over-time spells) are active. On the other hand, Energy Drain deals unaspected damage with a potency of 200, and it restores Aetherflow stacks while granting buffs like Further Ruin, which increases the potency of certain abilities.

While both abilities are functional and useful for maximizing damage output, they don’t align with what a Summoner should feel like. The Summoner, traditionally, is a job about calling forth powerful creatures like Ifrit, Garuda, and Titan to dominate the battlefield. In FFXIV, these primal entities have been reduced to supporting roles, with Fester and Energy Drain taking center stage in the Summoner’s rotation. This shift in focus makes the job feel more like a generic spellcaster who happens to have a few pets, rather than a true master of powerful summons.

The Problem with Carbuncle's Passive Role

One of the most puzzling aspects of playing an Arcanist and eventually Summoner in FFXIV is the role of Carbuncle. Carbuncle is one of the most iconic summons in the Final Fantasy series, and yet in FFXIV, it feels like nothing more than a passive pet. Despite the ability Guard—which orders Carbuncle to refrain from attacking unless you or the pet are attacked—this summon remains largely inactive and doesn’t contribute much to the gameplay.

At lower levels, why not let Carbuncle become a more active participant in battle? Instead of standing idly by, Carbuncle could play a more central role, giving new players a true sense of what it means to be a Summoner. Let’s not forget that in other Final Fantasy games, summons like Carbuncle weren’t just decorative or supportive. In Final Fantasy VIII, Carbuncle was summoned to provide a useful Reflect spell for your party, making it a key strategic tool. By comparison, FFXIV’s Carbuncle doesn’t feel like it carries the same weight or impact.

Allowing Carbuncle to actively engage in combat from as early as level 2, rather than standing still most of the time, could significantly improve the experience for new Summoners. This would also align with the class's core fantasy of being a master of summons, rather than a caster who relies on personal spells like Fester and Energy Drain.

Summons Should Be the Focus

In previous Final Fantasy games, summons were the defining feature of the Summoner job. Whether it was Rydia in Final Fantasy IV calling forth Leviathan, or Yuna in Final Fantasy X summoning Bahamut to unleash massive damage, the summons themselves were central to the experience. You chose a Summoner for the thrill of commanding these powerful entities, not for managing a rotation of caster-like abilities.

In FFXIV, however, the summons have been reduced to secondary tools. They appear for a brief moment, perform a few attacks, and disappear, leaving the player to focus more on DoTs and cooldown management. Fester and Energy Drain are useful for damage, but they take away from the sense of being a true Summoner. The job feels more like a hybrid caster, where the summons are an afterthought rather than the main focus.

Comparisons to Previous Final Fantasy Summoners

In other Final Fantasy titles, Summoners were primarily about summoning powerful beings, and these summons were often the most impactful abilities in the game. In Final Fantasy VII, summoning Bahamut Zero was an unforgettable moment that could turn the tide of battle. In Final Fantasy VIII, GFs (Guardian Forces) like Ifrit and Shiva were pivotal to the Summoner’s strategy. Even in Final Fantasy IX, Garnet’s summons like Alexander and Ramuh weren’t just flashy spells; they were massive game-changers, each with unique effects that significantly impacted the flow of battle.

By contrast, in FFXIV, Ifrit, Garuda, and Titan feel like afterthoughts. They’re visually impressive but mechanically lacking, and they don’t provide the same sense of power or importance. The Summoner’s damage mostly comes from abilities like Fester, Ruin, and Energy Drain, while the summons themselves feel like little more than additional animations in the background.

Refocusing on Summons and Carbuncle

The Summoner job in FFXIV should shift its focus back to the primal beings that make the class unique. Abilities like Fester and Energy Drain, while useful, could be de-emphasized in favor of making the summons themselves more central to gameplay. This includes giving summons more meaningful interactions and letting Carbuncle play a more active role, particularly at earlier levels.

Why can’t Carbuncle, one of the most iconic summons in the series, be a more active and dynamic part of the Summoner’s toolkit right from level 2? Instead of just standing there with the Guard ability, Carbuncle should be engaging in combat, reflecting the power and utility that this summon has had in past Final Fantasy titles. This would provide a stronger sense of what it means to be a Summoner, especially for new players who are just starting the job.

Conclusion: Bringing Summoner Back to Its Roots

As I continue my journey as an Arcanist at level 21, I can’t help but feel that the Summoner job in FFXIV has strayed too far from its roots. The focus on abilities like Fester and Energy Drain takes away from the core fantasy of commanding powerful primal entities. Summons like Ifrit, Garuda, and Titan should play a much bigger role, and Carbuncle should be an active force from the very beginning, rather than a passive companion.

FFXIV’s Summoner needs to return to its origins, where the summons were the defining feature of the job. Let’s bring back the power and presence of the primal summons, and let Carbuncle be more than just a bystander. Summoners should feel like they’re commanding gods, not just managing a rotation of DoTs and cooldowns.

Feel free to join me on my journey as an Arcanist and future Summoner at Final Fantasy Online, where I continue to explore Eorzea and hope for a brighter future for this iconic job!