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Can I Be Both Summoner and Scholar? A Comprehensive Guide

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Yes, you absolutely can be both a Summoner and a Scholar! In Final Fantasy XIV, the Arcanist class is the gateway to both of these powerful jobs. Leveling Arcanist unlocks the ability to become either a damage-dealing Summoner (SMN) or a healing-focused Scholar (SCH). You don’t have to choose one over the other permanently; you can level both jobs on the same character.

Understanding the Shared Foundation: Arcanist

Before diving into the specifics of each job, it’s crucial to understand the role of the Arcanist. As an Arcanist, you’ll learn the basics of both summoning and healing. The core mechanics, such as using Aetherflow and managing your pet, are essential for both Summoner and Scholar. Think of Arcanist as the foundation upon which you build either a house of healing (Scholar) or a fortress of damage (Summoner). The shared base allows for efficient leveling early on, as you progress through the Arcanist levels, you’re simultaneously laying the groundwork for both jobs.

Summoner: Mastering Primals for Devastating Offense

Summoner is a magical ranged DPS job focused on summoning and channeling the power of Primals. Through your journey, you’ll progress from summoning smaller versions of Primals like Ifrit-Egi, Titan-Egi, and Garuda-Egi to summoning the full Primals themselves: Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda. The current iteration of Summoner focuses heavily on weaving instant-cast spells between your Primal summons, creating a dynamic and engaging rotation. Key features of Summoner include:

Primal Summons: Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda are the core of the Summoner’s rotation. Each Primal has unique abilities and strengths.
Aethercharge: Used to empower your Primal summons and grant access to the Demi-Primals, Phoenix and Bahamut.
Instant-Cast Spells: Ruin IV and Gemshine spells are used to weave between summons, keeping your damage output high.
Mobility: Summoner has excellent mobility due to the many instant-cast abilities.

Summoner is a great choice for players who enjoy dealing high damage, having a flexible playstyle, and the visual spectacle of summoning powerful entities.

Scholar: Protecting Allies with Tactical Healing

Scholar is a barrier-based healer known for its proactive approach to healing. Instead of simply reacting to damage, Scholars focus on mitigating incoming damage with barriers and shields. They utilize their fairy, Eos or Selene, to provide supplemental healing and support. Managing your Aetherflow stacks and planning your mitigations are crucial for maximizing your effectiveness as a Scholar. Core aspects of Scholar include:

Fairy Gauge: Eos or Selene provides passive healing and can be used to cast additional healing spells.
Aetherflow: This resource is used for powerful healing and mitigation abilities like Lustrate and Sacred Soil.
Tactics: Scholars must predict incoming damage and use their barriers and shields accordingly to prevent damage.
Versatility: Scholars have a diverse toolkit of healing and mitigation abilities, making them adaptable to different situations.

Scholar is a good choice for players who enjoy strategic gameplay, planning ahead, and being a proactive force in their party’s survival.

Switching Between Summoner and Scholar

The best part about starting as an Arcanist is the ability to switch between Summoner and Scholar with ease. Gear sets allow you to quickly change your equipment and hotbars for each job. Once you’ve unlocked both Summoner and Scholar, you can switch between them simply by equipping the appropriate weapon: a grimoire for Scholar or a summoner’s book for Summoner. This flexibility is a significant advantage, allowing you to adapt to your party’s needs and experiment with different playstyles. Remember to keep separate gear sets for each job to maximize your stats.

FAQs: Your Questions Answered

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to provide further clarity on the relationship between Summoner and Scholar:

Do Summoner and Scholar share levels? Yes, they level together. Leveling Arcanist and then either Summoner or Scholar will automatically level the other job to the same level.
Do I need to level Arcanist to 90 to have both Summoner and Scholar at 90? Yes. You must level Arcanist to the highest level possible (currently 90) to unlock the full potential of both jobs.
What stats are important for Summoner? Primarily Intelligence (INT) and Critical Hit.
What stats are important for Scholar? Primarily Mind (MND) and Critical Hit.
Do Summoner and Scholar share gear? No, they have different primary stats (INT vs MND), so you need separate gear sets.
Can I use the same accessories for Summoner and Scholar? Yes, accessories can be shared between the two jobs if they don’t have class specific stats on them. This typically means accessories with Spell Speed, Determination and Critical Hit
Which job is easier to play: Summoner or Scholar? Currently, Summoner is considered easier to learn due to its streamlined rotation. Scholar requires more tactical awareness and planning.
Which job is more in demand: Summoner or Scholar? Both jobs are generally in demand, but healer roles (like Scholar) often have shorter queue times.
Can I play both Summoner and Scholar effectively in endgame content? Yes, both jobs are viable and valuable in endgame content.
Do Summoner and Scholar have the same role actions? They share some role actions available to all DPS or Healers, respectively, but their job-specific actions are distinct.
How do I unlock Summoner and Scholar? Complete the Arcanist class quests up to level 30 and then undertake the respective job quests: “So You Want to Be a Summoner” and “So You Want to Be a Scholar.”
Does leveling Summoner or Scholar affect the other’s performance? No, leveling one job doesn’t directly impact the other’s performance once they are both unlocked. Each job’s effectiveness depends on its own gear and skill usage.
Are there any disadvantages to playing both Summoner and Scholar? The main disadvantage is needing to gear up two separate jobs.
Should I level Summoner or Scholar first? It depends on your preference. Summoner is often recommended for beginners due to its simpler rotation, but Scholar can be a rewarding choice if you enjoy healing.
Are Summoner and Scholar considered “alt jobs”? Since they share a base class, many players consider one or both to be “alt jobs” that they play in addition to their main.

Conclusion: Embrace the Versatility of Arcanist

The ability to play both Summoner and Scholar on a single character is a fantastic feature of Final Fantasy XIV. It allows for unparalleled flexibility, diverse gameplay experiences, and the opportunity to master two distinct roles. Embrace the versatility of the Arcanist and explore the power of summoning and healing – you might be surprised at how much you enjoy both! With dedicated gear sets and a clear understanding of each job’s strengths, you can seamlessly switch between blasting enemies as a Summoner and protecting your allies as a Scholar, becoming a truly versatile and valuable asset to any party.