It’s such a fun class to play. I think part of it is because it’s so open to customization. You can add in bear+shockwave, or go with an elemental route, or opt for a bow and become a Hunter.
Yeah, it’s not the most powerful build, but you really don’t need to farm for high end gear to make it viable. Just stack as many +Skills as possible.
Plus, the items that would give you the plus to Summoning aren’t really in high demand, so now is the best time to grab what you can.