SkyanUltra
Terrarian
I want to bring my ideas to the table for how we could make the summoner class more viable, but still limit it so that hybrid class builds using the summons aren't broken. Post yours below if you have any, or post any gripes you have with my current ideas if you'd like.
Whips
Whips are probably my favorite addition to the summoner class overall. They give the summoner more to do than just run and watch their somewhat-incompetent minions do the work for them, and I think that's great. The problem I have with them is that there's TOO LITTLE. Seriously, only 8 whips total are in the game, and the only 2 that are in pre-HM aren't even that far apart progression, or power wise.
My idea is to add some more whips. Skeletron has a low amount of drops as it stands, so how about some spine based whip of some sort? It would fit the skeleton theme of the boss, and would be a nice upgrade from the Snapthorn.
Not to mention, it would be nice if they took a note from the whips from the WeaponOut mod, and potentially made them crit on the tip. It would award players who are able to space themselves well with some extra damage from their whips, and would be a nice way to give whips a little bit more of a purpose other than spamming them on bosses to get your summons to do more damage.
Pre-Hardmode
Pre-Hardmode has always been a huge problem for the summoner, as they don't necessarily have very much to work with. The weapon variety is fine as is, although the balance does need to be shifted a bit. Buffing the slime summon would be a good idea considering the fact that finch is overall just better despite slime being difficult to obtain. Giving it a bit extra damage would be nice. Same thing should be done with the Vampire Frog, but to a lesser effect as its only a tad bit underpowered.
And now, Armor.
Finally, the huge topic every one gets in a twist about: Equipment. I know that summoner has an armor set, and thats fine. I don't think it matters nearly as much considering the fact that magic has 4 different sets, along with 2 of those sets being interchangable and having 6 different robes that can be used with them. Plus, as it stands its the least populated class in terms of armor sets. Ranged got a hand me down from the Thrower in the form of Fossil armor, and so now Ranged actually has a nice armor set to be used early in the game, leaving summoner with just one armor set. My idea is that you could add a similar thing to the gem robes + hat: a crown that drops from the Slime King. This can be mixed and matched with other armor and would grant a nice healthy +1 max minion, but only have 1 defense total. This is bad for hybrids, as it means they need to sacrifice their set bonus, and some defense to get this extra minion. Wouldn't you want to have the ability to spam space gun, or have super high regen, or have that sweet sweet 15% magic damage and mana increase?
Regardless, while a crown isn't too bad of an idea, you could also give a really bad pull from a pyramid a really nice buff of being a pre-boss summoner set. Pharaoh vanity could be given some stats (along with a possible extra item, would simply be some shoes or slippers of some sort) that could be really nice to get early in the game. It could grant about as much armor as Tin Armor does (without the set bonus) and could give the player a total of 12% increased minion damage, and the set bonus could grant an extra minion. Not only does this once again discourage hybrids a bit since you can't even gain bonuses to your other weapons, you also can't get the extra minion without equipping the full set. (Plus it actually make the pharaoh set not disappointing which is essentially a win-win in my book.
I know this is laid out more like a suggestion, but I don't mean for it to be. I'm just spitballing ideas that I think would work in Terraria for the summoner. Most of them are general anyways, such as the whips and short and sweet buffs. Equipment is just a difficult topic to discuss with summoner in general, since the only one they have is in such a weird place to begin with so it's hard to place a new set, but I feel the best place for one to be is probably pre-boss, since it far away and at a point where summoner needs it the most, which is all the time.
As I said before, please make fun of me for having such bad ideas and tell me yours or changes you'd make to mine since i'm not the greatest with this sort of stuff.
Whips
Whips are probably my favorite addition to the summoner class overall. They give the summoner more to do than just run and watch their somewhat-incompetent minions do the work for them, and I think that's great. The problem I have with them is that there's TOO LITTLE. Seriously, only 8 whips total are in the game, and the only 2 that are in pre-HM aren't even that far apart progression, or power wise.
My idea is to add some more whips. Skeletron has a low amount of drops as it stands, so how about some spine based whip of some sort? It would fit the skeleton theme of the boss, and would be a nice upgrade from the Snapthorn.
Not to mention, it would be nice if they took a note from the whips from the WeaponOut mod, and potentially made them crit on the tip. It would award players who are able to space themselves well with some extra damage from their whips, and would be a nice way to give whips a little bit more of a purpose other than spamming them on bosses to get your summons to do more damage.
Pre-Hardmode
Pre-Hardmode has always been a huge problem for the summoner, as they don't necessarily have very much to work with. The weapon variety is fine as is, although the balance does need to be shifted a bit. Buffing the slime summon would be a good idea considering the fact that finch is overall just better despite slime being difficult to obtain. Giving it a bit extra damage would be nice. Same thing should be done with the Vampire Frog, but to a lesser effect as its only a tad bit underpowered.
And now, Armor.
Finally, the huge topic every one gets in a twist about: Equipment. I know that summoner has an armor set, and thats fine. I don't think it matters nearly as much considering the fact that magic has 4 different sets, along with 2 of those sets being interchangable and having 6 different robes that can be used with them. Plus, as it stands its the least populated class in terms of armor sets. Ranged got a hand me down from the Thrower in the form of Fossil armor, and so now Ranged actually has a nice armor set to be used early in the game, leaving summoner with just one armor set. My idea is that you could add a similar thing to the gem robes + hat: a crown that drops from the Slime King. This can be mixed and matched with other armor and would grant a nice healthy +1 max minion, but only have 1 defense total. This is bad for hybrids, as it means they need to sacrifice their set bonus, and some defense to get this extra minion. Wouldn't you want to have the ability to spam space gun, or have super high regen, or have that sweet sweet 15% magic damage and mana increase?
Regardless, while a crown isn't too bad of an idea, you could also give a really bad pull from a pyramid a really nice buff of being a pre-boss summoner set. Pharaoh vanity could be given some stats (along with a possible extra item, would simply be some shoes or slippers of some sort) that could be really nice to get early in the game. It could grant about as much armor as Tin Armor does (without the set bonus) and could give the player a total of 12% increased minion damage, and the set bonus could grant an extra minion. Not only does this once again discourage hybrids a bit since you can't even gain bonuses to your other weapons, you also can't get the extra minion without equipping the full set. (Plus it actually make the pharaoh set not disappointing which is essentially a win-win in my book.
I know this is laid out more like a suggestion, but I don't mean for it to be. I'm just spitballing ideas that I think would work in Terraria for the summoner. Most of them are general anyways, such as the whips and short and sweet buffs. Equipment is just a difficult topic to discuss with summoner in general, since the only one they have is in such a weird place to begin with so it's hard to place a new set, but I feel the best place for one to be is probably pre-boss, since it far away and at a point where summoner needs it the most, which is all the time.
As I said before, please make fun of me for having such bad ideas and tell me yours or changes you'd make to mine since i'm not the greatest with this sort of stuff.