I had that trouble too-_- for the longest time. It sucked so badly:P All my aeons kept dying.

But yes, dismissal is a very useful thing to have, not to mention boost and shield (seriously, I think I was at the calm lands before I knew they were even there)

Sometimes I like to just sit there boosting and shielding waiting for my overdrive bar to fill. Of course that's especially true when there's a boss awaiting, but still, it's fun to watch the enemies go 'wtp?' when you don't do anything.

and sometimes they kill you anyways and lose all the overdrive, but *shrugs* that's what the elemental aeons are for Blizzara, Shiva!