What Can Smn Solo That Bst Can't ?

I've been soloing for the past couple months. Came back to game post aby content and had to solo through it all. I've got a decently geared bst which I used to solo mostly everything with it, adding an almace pld in the process for other solos and KI farming.

I'd like to further extend my solo arsenal, seeing how all my friends quit ffxi, I have no choice but to be self-sufficient. Can SMN (Or pup if anyone is familiar) offer some additional soloing capabilities that BST cannot take care of ?

After reading posts, I learned that SMN is a gear swap heavy job, and I don't want to half-*** it. If it can indeed extend my range of soloing capabilities, then I will gear it properly, otherwise I won't bother.

Also, I'm limited as far as what I can do in adoulin at the moment, my pld does not own an ochain/aegis, my thief is limited to pulling in plasm runs, my rdm is ok for some content but not high end geared and BST (correct me if I'm wrong) is not a picked first type of job for pretty much any content and my blu is also decently geared but it's not a very popular choice in adoulin.

I know SMN got a decent niche in adoulin and am wondering if gearing SMN could help me in that and achieving better gear for this job and also others.

Thoughts ?

SMN probably does better in cooperative reives than BST does (though BST is likely a better solo-er). It is one of the best sources of damage for Wildskeeper Reives at low colonization rate (>20%).

However, SMN's primary niche is kind of gone at the moment because its kind of content (solo or otherwise) is not currently important. Like, Arch Ultima is a good monster to fight with summoners and BSTs probably can't put out pets fast enough to handle it. However, Arch Ultima's gear isn't very important anymore. etc.

When the new 2-hour is released, SMN may have slightly different roles. As it is, it's just a little bit too little of everything. I doubt there's any BST gear that you could get with SMN easier than BST.

Basic rule of thumb is that summoner can out-solo beastmaster on any mob that kills jug pets before Call Beast timer is ready. Puppetmaster can do solos that you'd ideally evasion-tank, and will beat BST on kill speed on mobs where you're doing pet-only.

But you're asking for specific solos and I don't have any here.

Arch Ultima can't kill bst or pup pets will normal dmg moves. It makes pretty short work of avatars though (least before ammo).

You got remember smn ammo/alternator and changes to bst levels have really changed what the 3 jobs can do and handle.

Arch Ultima has a single target death TP move.

Speaking as a BST who loves to solo, I have yet to find anything a SMN can solo that I can't but there's plenty of things I have watched SMNs get their butts handed to them on a platter that I kill with ease. I'm not saying this is 100% the case, just my personal experience.

Actually, I can think of one thing. One of the Walk of Echoes battle fields. I got my butt handed to me in there but the SMNs were able to constantly pull pets out fast enough to solo effectively. Can't remember which one though.

Bukhis.

Naa, check the BST forums. It may be difficult, but it's definitely doable as BST solo. As well as Apamadek/Dhorme Khimaira.

Best way to find out? Trial and error.

How much of a game changer is the new ilvl 106 and 113 for soloing smn now old content must be a breeze...

Wyrm KSNM, may cost you a few mulsims but it can be done on smn.

BST/SCH can solo it too, involves a good bit of luck but it is doable.

Hills are alive???

Lv. 20 Avatar battles.

Diabolos Heart.

there are 2 general areas where SMN fares better than BST solo.

1) when the mob kills jug pet faster than timer can keep up as Saffiyah said.

2) when the mob attacks strongly/frequently with a specific elemental alignment.

stuff like fulmination, thunder spear, gates of hades will do next to nothing given the appropriate avatar - they also become near immune to the relevant element's status effects (eg. Leviathan vs Amnesia) which can be particularly useful.
Many of these, when spammed may be too much for the BST to handle - and bst only has Yuly who can reliably block wind element and fargann or the other one (forgot his name) for water element.

alternatively
3) when the mob is highly resistant to melee and can only really be damaged by magic.

BST might still be able to do this one but SMN would do it much faster.

BST pet solos are generally safer as the BST has more control over the hate and the general flow of the battle than SMN. However, SMN is able to offer more in terms of precise damage when you need it (wait for timer, but no need for TP) and definitely magic damage.. also some enfeebling/buff options. also BST have better healing options for pet.

before convocaller/sash I'd say BST pets are far superior to avatars as far as taking dmg / survivability goes.. but now, in old world content, the gap is greatly bridge and SMN is in a much better position if simply because of that.

Well, I tried soloing Adze in Abyssea Tahrongi as BST, and failed miserably thanks to en-doom. Tried again on SMN, and it was cake.

Same with Tefenet + Mortal Ray. It probably is possible for BST to solo, but you've gotta be quick to pull your pet away before mortal ray goes off.

Also anything that may require sacrificial pulling (lots of links). My wife and I duo on SMN and BST a good bit. It's really great to have both to tackle almost any low-man situation.