Guild Wars 2

Summoned weapons have, essentially, two purposes:

a) provide for a limited means of weapon swapping
b) support your team

If you run with a dagger/dagger build, you lack effective ranged options. Popping a frost bow gives you that. Similarly, there may be elements within the other summoned weapons that complement your build, in the manner of a weapon swap.

The summoned weapon utilities are unique in the game, in that they provide both you and an ally with those alternative weapon skills.

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I’m a staff elementalist. I have a lot of support and utility. I have less raw dps. I mostly stay at medium range in a group (I move between ranges to best spread blast effects through my combo fields). There are times when I can tank things, but mostly when I get into close range it’s either because I’m kiting, I’m trying to get the enemy to stand in a combo field, or I’m about to escape to a different range.

Fiery Greatsword is my constant Elite Utility Skill. It lets me switch into a high-dps weapon set that allows me to move into and through melee range. It drops another sword for an ally. It’s one of the few ways I can reliably score kills in WvW, though I have to be careful with it, because it will get me killed quickly if I use it improperly or get overconfident.

I drop it in fights in dungeons with high-HP foes. With me and an ally attacking the foe with a Fiery Greatsword, we can bring it down quicker.

It’s a complement to my staff.

Were I running with dagger/dagger, I’d consider using Frost Bow. I’ve spent less time testing the other summoned weapons and how I’d want to use them, but they all have a purpose.

They’re not meant to replace your 20 attunement skills. They’re meant as a form of weapon swap; grabbing different weapon skills than you currently have available to you.