Few questions about summoner

[Canitoch]

Hello I'm a 71 smn (i think.. I don't remember ill explain) or 72..I quit in August of last year and I'm thinking of coming back really soon. So since I've been gone for a while I have some questions.

1. With the new (or old..it's new to me!) bp timers for offensive and defensive abilities, what is the timer for both of them?

2. Summoning skill. When I left, summoning skill helped as much as a grasshopper bringing down gas prices. Has anything been changed? Does it actually do something and what?

3. YYR. I was attempting to get this stupid piece of equipment (It's stupid trust me, people getting claim AND getting drops but when I got the claim..no drop. why am I coming back again?)

I'm hoping of getting into some endgame stuff, preferably dynamis and trying to get sea because of the CoP nerf lol.

Anywhoo, will I be seen as a gimped smn? I know for a long time summoners have been doing endgame well without the use of this piece of armor, but now it's so good everyone wants it. Is this something I need to be rushing to get before I even bother with endgame?

4. Diabolos, same thing with #3. Is this something I need to rush to get for endgame? I know Nether Blast is pretty good, but I also hear a lot on he's not much useful with anything else. Will I be seen gimped without him?

[Murphie]

Re: Few questions about summoner

I can't answer most of your questions, unfortunately. But re: the YYR, I think most LS's realize the amount of effort and pure, blind luck involved with getting this drop. Many endgame SMN that I have known haven't had this yet, but have been working at it. So while it may vary from LS to LS, I'm sure you could find one that wouldn't see you as a gimped SMN. They will be far more interested in how you play the job, vs whether or not you have a particular piece of gear.

At least, that's what I've seen.

[Shirai]

Re: Few questions about summoner

1. With the new (or old..it's new to me!) bp timers for offensive and defensive abilities, what is the timer for both of them?

Both are still one minute each which can be shortened by gear.
AFv2 and Austere/Penance gear shorten the Blood pact cooldown timers.

2. Summoning skill. When I left, summoning skill helped as much as a grasshopper bringing down gas prices. Has anything been changed? Does it actually do something and what?

Summoning magic skill definately helps on Blood pacts these days, however it has to be over cap to make a differense, if you don't have skill over cap you won't be gimped but over cap is certainly worth it.

On Blood pact: ward effects it lengthens the duration of effects that are shorter then 3 minutes.
Hastega for example lasts 3 seconds longer with every skill you get over cap with a maximum duration of 3 minutes.

On Blood pact: rage it adds extra accuracy on the physical attacks and it magical attacks are less likely to be resisted.
How much accuracy every skill point over cap gives has yet to be confirmed.

More info about summoning skill:
http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/Summoning

3. YYR. I was attempting to get this stupid piece of equipment (It's stupid trust me, people getting claim AND getting drops but when I got the claim..no drop. why am I coming back again?)

I'm hoping of getting into some endgame stuff, preferably dynamis and trying to get sea because of the CoP nerf lol.

Anywhoo, will I be seen as a gimped smn? I know for a long time summoners have been doing endgame well without the use of this piece of armor, but now it's so good everyone wants it. Is this something I need to be rushing to get before I even bother with endgame?

You can get around fine without this piece of equipment.
It's certainly handy to have but you won't be gimp without this piece either.

4. Diabolos, same thing with #3. Is this something I need to rush to get for endgame? I know Nether Blast is pretty good, but I also hear a lot on he's not much useful with anything else. Will I be seen gimped without him?

Same as the above, it's certainly handy to have diabolos especially with kited mobs.
However you can get by without having him for a while.
I would say try to get him though, as for certain situations he does come in very handy.