1st as somebody pointed out Obsidian armor just kinda exists and could be turned into a pre-boss summoner armor. something like +1 minion +10% minion damage
2nd make summoning staffs have an attack on primary fire and summoning secondary fire so you summon all your minions in with alt fire then start attacking with primary fire like it's a wand. For example the hornet staff would shoot bees and cost mana to do so, but be doing summon damage and tag enemies like whips do. Finch staff could I dunno shoot wand of sparking attacks, slime staff could use the squirt gun effect, something to give summoners actual range range and give them something unique to their class so that you're playing a summoner and not just a melee guy with a whip. Maybe tagging can cause another summon to show up to attack specifically that target and follow them for like 10 seconds. The reason for this is to give summoners the ability to summon above just any other class without summoning armor and give the class an active component to their offense that compliments how they're designed.
Whips do not work for range on summoners, not when positive speed modifiers decrease their range, and melee has access to the strongest armor and autoswing weapons that shoot projectiles making summoners the closest range class in the game.
3rd summoners need something to give their minions flying, just all of them. Even fighting Plantera you want a big wide open arena for that boss and if you're using the staff you got from that boss your summons will constantly fly up behind you, attack once, and drop back down to the floor, this puts their DPS below any other weapon in a comparable tier in the game short of a mage with 20 mana or a ranged without any ammo. I think the easiest solution would be just to make a set bonus on all the summoning sets. It could even be a little themed effect depending on the set like mini spooky wings, or bee wings.
4rth The finch staff is the worst weapon in the entire game. It's not even the damage, it's the targeting, it does 1 damage to standard crimson enemies, and it takes multiple seconds, sometimes over 5 just to turn back around and start hitting an enemy again even when they're literally standing still. It is out-damaged by even things like the umbrella and the breathing rod. This weapon just needs something to help it out, even if it's just to make it's damage consistent. I haven't tested but I'm pretty sure it's also outdamaged by the copper starting pickaxe and axe because of how badly it targets.
2nd make summoning staffs have an attack on primary fire and summoning secondary fire so you summon all your minions in with alt fire then start attacking with primary fire like it's a wand. For example the hornet staff would shoot bees and cost mana to do so, but be doing summon damage and tag enemies like whips do. Finch staff could I dunno shoot wand of sparking attacks, slime staff could use the squirt gun effect, something to give summoners actual range range and give them something unique to their class so that you're playing a summoner and not just a melee guy with a whip. Maybe tagging can cause another summon to show up to attack specifically that target and follow them for like 10 seconds. The reason for this is to give summoners the ability to summon above just any other class without summoning armor and give the class an active component to their offense that compliments how they're designed.
Whips do not work for range on summoners, not when positive speed modifiers decrease their range, and melee has access to the strongest armor and autoswing weapons that shoot projectiles making summoners the closest range class in the game.
3rd summoners need something to give their minions flying, just all of them. Even fighting Plantera you want a big wide open arena for that boss and if you're using the staff you got from that boss your summons will constantly fly up behind you, attack once, and drop back down to the floor, this puts their DPS below any other weapon in a comparable tier in the game short of a mage with 20 mana or a ranged without any ammo. I think the easiest solution would be just to make a set bonus on all the summoning sets. It could even be a little themed effect depending on the set like mini spooky wings, or bee wings.
4rth The finch staff is the worst weapon in the entire game. It's not even the damage, it's the targeting, it does 1 damage to standard crimson enemies, and it takes multiple seconds, sometimes over 5 just to turn back around and start hitting an enemy again even when they're literally standing still. It is out-damaged by even things like the umbrella and the breathing rod. This weapon just needs something to help it out, even if it's just to make it's damage consistent. I haven't tested but I'm pretty sure it's also outdamaged by the copper starting pickaxe and axe because of how badly it targets.
