Author Topic: Summoning Handbook  (Read 8791 times)

Bullet06320

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Summoning Handbook
« on: June 15, 2017, 02:22:00 AM »
Ported over to Brilliant Gameologists from 339, by chaos_redefined on February 26, 2011 and now moved over to GitP
Summoning Handbook and also at enworld

Summoners Guide
 

This guide is designed to help people create a caster focused on summoning creatures to aid them both in combat and in social situations. I do appreciate that the best casters are generally good at lots of things, and focusing on one is suboptimal. However, focusing on one can be more enjoyable. Also, there are a large number of guides about which monster to summon. Because there are several different spells that can be used to summon, I will include links to some previous links, but will not be including them myself. This guide is intended to be useful regardless of your summonable creatures.

What has Come Before?

There have been several works on summoning done, but these have had most of the focus on the Summon Monster list. This guide focuses on other aspects, such as feats, prestige classes, tactics, etc

Ready to Summon Monsters - A list of all the Summon Monster creatures, and all their statistics.
The Comprehensive Summoning Thread - Rather good, but also thoroughly outdated.
the 3.5 summon monster list - a list of popular creatures on the Summon Monster list.
The Summoner's Desk Reference [D&D 3.5] - a comprehensive guide - a detailed listing of creatures that can be summoned with summon monster, and the reason that you may consider summoning them.
Best uses of Planar Ally/Binding? - As the title says, its a list of what can be summoned with planar ally and planar binding. Didnt get too far, unfortunately.
Druid Handbook Revived - The only link that I have found that examines anything from the Summon Natures Ally list.
Being Everything: Eggynack's Comprehensive Druid Handbook for Druid summoning and everything Druid related
Mastering the Malconvoker - Looks into the Malconvoker prestige class, which is a nice summoning prestige class.
The Conjurers Handbook - not specifically about summoning, but if conjurers are up there in the list of best summoners, and the occasional fog spell or what not can really help you out.
Legal 3.5 Summonable Monster List - List of all summonable creatures from MMIII, MMIV, MMV, and a bucket load of other books. 
Ways-to-boost-Summon-Elemental - A list of uses for the summon elemental reserve feat, covering both in-combat and out-of-combat use. This feat is a major boost to your versatility, and is definitely worth looking at.
Planar-Binding-and-You-(Bonus-Stories-Included)
Teach-me-how-to-summon-well
Which-is-better-Planar-Ally-or-Planar-Binding
Dictum Mortuums Wizard Handbook
The Logic Ninjas Guide to Being Batman

editors note: still working on all the links to makes sure they are correct

Well, the main reason you might consider summoning is because you think its cool. If this isn’t the case, then summoning isn’t the best option for you. But obviously, summoning has to offer some advantage over other spells, right? Well, here are some:
  • Summoned creatures almost always work. There is no concern about saving throws, spell resistance, hitting allies, etc… You summon, and the creature starts bashing. Or whatever else it wishes to do.
  • Summoned creatures can take the hits your allies would be taking instead.  This means that your healer is less strained; your tanks are less in danger, and so on.
  • Summoned creatures can die, and you won’t care that much. This means that you can send them to scout for traps and the like, and, if they die, you can summon another one.
  • Summoned creatures offer versatility. Depending on your opponent, different creatures might be helpful in different situations. For example, if your opponent flies, you would most likely summon an air elemental rather than an earth elemental, even though the air elemental is physically weaker. Also, there are a large number of spell-like abilities, even of the same level as the summon spell. The versatility available through this is very potent.
There are a variety of options available for where you pull your spell lists from. I probably haven’t touched upon all of them here. But, in no particular order, the most common options for summoning include:
  • Wizard PHB: The wizard has a large number of variant class features available to it, allowing it to summon as a standard action, gaining augment summoning for free, etc…
  • Cleric PHB: The cleric is physically stronger than the wizard, and can wear armor. Since summoning is a full-round action, the ability to avoid some hits is exceptionally useful.
  • Druid PHB: The druid has natural spell + wildshape to help avoid being hit, spontaneous casting of summoning spells, allowing the preparation of other spells, and better summons, due to the greenbound feat. The druid is often considered the best summoner available.
  • Psion XPH: The psion is often considered a rather good summoner, comparable to the druid. While I consider the druid to be better, the psion is still rather effective. Unless requested, I am omitting psion-based feats and prestige classes from this guide.
  • Sorcerer PHB: Spontaneous version of a wizard. Doesn’t get the substitute levels to make it viable, except for some at high levels, but at this point, you are better prestiging out.
  • Favoured Soul CD: Spontaneous version of a cleric. Doesn’t get domains or anything similar, but it does still get the ability to wear armor. Domains don’t make that big a difference at higher levels, so this is a viable option for those who like spontaneous casting. However, at level 1, a cleric can get +3 to CL, which means an extra 3 rounds.
  • Spirit Shaman CD: Spontaneous version of a druid. Druids already get spontaneous casting of the summoning spells, but the spirit shaman also gets the spirit guide, who can focus on the concentration-based spells while you cast more. There is some belief that spirit shamans are better summoners than druids, based on the larger amounts of spells that can be cast per day, and the spirit guide’s ability to concentrate on spells. At the very least, it is a better caster.
  • Archivist HoH: Archivists have the option of learning any divine spell. So they can make use of spells like summon monster, planar ally spells, summon natures ally spells, etc. They dont get any other class features, but SNA is good for the lower levels, and SM/planar ally is good at the higher levels.
  • Dread Necromancer HoH: Dread Necromancers make good summoners at the lower levels, due to the summon undead chain, however, since this chain stops at Summon Undead 5, they arent as effective at later levels.
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« Last Edit: June 15, 2017, 07:00:51 AM by Bullet06320 »

Bullet06320

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Re: Summoning Handbook
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2017, 02:24:14 AM »
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« Last Edit: June 15, 2017, 03:55:26 AM by Bullet06320 »

Bullet06320

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Re: Summoning Handbook
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2017, 02:24:39 AM »
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« Last Edit: June 15, 2017, 03:56:41 AM by Bullet06320 »

Bullet06320

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Re: Summoning Handbook
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2017, 02:25:22 AM »
Noteworthy Summons
I was originally avoiding talking about specific summons, since it begins to make the guide favor one style of caster over another. I already felt guilty about not giving psions any love. But, there seems to be some demand for it, so here goes.
For full lists see the following links
Legal 3.5 Summonable Monster List
The Summoner's Desk Reference [D&D 3.5]

Unicorn: This is a nice little mini-cleric, allowing you to cast a bunch of nice little healing spells when you need them. Appears on the Summon Natures Ally IV list, and is added to the Summon Monster IV list by the Wild Soul prestige class.

Earth Elementals: As stated earlier, these guys can ignore walls, allowing you to find out what is going on behind that door without going there yourself. Requires the ability to speak Terran, or some form of Telepathy, or Chain of Eyes. This can also be used to search for hidden passages, pit traps, and to act as a nice surprise for the enemy. (Summon some Earth elementals, get them to earth glide to underneath the enemy, and pop out at the beginning of the fight.) Earth Elementals appear on the Summon Natures Ally, and Summon Monster spell lists, at various levels. Thanks to Jason_Synder for the additional ideas on how to use them.

Creatures with large numbers of attacks: Jason_Synder suggests the use of these against Mirror Image using opponents. They make good summons anyway.

Fire Elementals: Allows you to attack wooden structures. Thanks to Jason_Synder for this idea. Fire Elementals appear on the Summon Natures Ally and Summon Monster lists.

Pixies: Repeated, although weak, dispel magics. Best used on an opponents items, or against low-level casters. Appears on the Summon Natures Ally VI list. Soltares puts forward the following advice: (Bold added by me)

Quote
Thoqqua particularly rock in any sort of underground adventure. Doors, walls, etc. become meaningless as your lava beasties burn a new tunnel straight to your objective. Want to modify terrain in a hurry (to make traps, escape chutes, prepare a massive cave-in?), theyre the ones for the job. Plus they do some nice damage for their level, if you want to just throw them at mobs.

The Thoqqua appears on the Summon Natures Ally III list. These guys speak common, so you dont need to worry about knowing their language. (Anything that doesnt have a language specified, and has an intelligence of 3 or greater knows common by default)

BenSan has been kind enough to go through all the books that list monsters, and provide this list. It is rather long, and he has mentioned that he will possibly go through and cut all the stuff out that is irrelevant at a later date
Quote
I gave all my sourcebooks a quick skim looking for monsters that are explicitly tagged as summonable with Summon Monster. Since I was looking mainly for things which bear further examination for spell-likes, I did not note animals which can be Fiendish/Celestialed (they only appear in PHB and Stormwrack, anyway) and since I was doing it for a binder I didnt take notes for Summon Natures Ally. So, here it is. [sblock] PHB: SM2: Lemure (devil) SM3: Small elemental, Hell hound, dretch (demon) SM4: Lantern archon, mephit (any), yeth hound, howler SM5: Hound archon, medium elemental, achaierai, bearded devil, shadow mastiff SM6: Bralani eladrin, large elemental, janni, chaos beast, chain devil, xill SM7: Avoral guardinal, djinni, huge elemental, invisible stalker, red slaad, bone devil, babau demon SM8: Lillend, greater elemental, blue slaad, hellcat, vrock SM9: Couatl, leonal, elder elemental, green slaad, barbed devil, night hag, bebilith (demon), hezrou (demon) BoED: SMIII: Bariaur, Coure Eladrin, Musteval Guardinal SMIV: Cervidal Guardinal, Rhek SMV: Leskylor SMVI: Equinal SMVII: Asura, three-headed leskylor SMVIII: Hollyphant, lupinal guardinal, warden archon SMIX: Firre eladrin, moon dog, owl archon, quesar, sword archon, ursinal guardinal MM3: SMIV: Small storm elemental SMVI: Medium storm elemental SMVII: Arrow demon (replaces babau), large storm elemental SMVIII: Huge storm elemental SMIX: Greater storm elemental MM4: SMII: Clockwork Mender, Howler Wasp SMIII: Windrazor SMIV: Wrackspawn, Voor (yugoloth) SMV: Dwarf Ancestor SMVI: Inferno Spider, Corruptor of Fate (yugoloth) SMVII: Justice Archon Complete Arcane: SMIV: Elemental grue Fiend Folio: SMII: Kaorti, varoot (nerra) SMIII: Bacchae SMIV: Aoa droplet, Skulvyn (demon), bloodbag imp, euphoric imp, filth imp, kalareem (nerra), skeroloth (yugoloth) SMVI: Winged warrior formian. sillit (nerra), mud slaad SMVII: Movanic deva, armadon formian, ferrumach (rilmani) SMVIII: Maelephant, piscoloth (yugoloth) SMIX: Farastu (demodand), Wastrilith (demon), monadic deva, observer formian, cuprilach (rilmani) Ghostwalk: SMVI: Artaaglith (demon) [5th-level cleric casting, spell-like Animate Dead] Magic of Incarnum: SMVII: Souleater (replaces huge fiendish scorpion) Planar Handbook SMI: Elysian thrush (replaces celestial owl or monkey) SMII: UrEpona (replaces celestial riding dog) SMIV: Lesser nightmare (replaces fiendish dire wolf or hoowler) SMV: Energon (replaces medium elemental) SMVI: Elementite swarm (replaces large elemental) SMVII: Pack fiend (replaces Huge fiendish scorpion) SMVIII: Elsewhale (replaces celestial cachalot whale), Gaspar (replaces celestial triceratops or Colossal fiendish centipede), Limbo stalker (replaces blue slaad) SMIX: Unraveler (replaces green slaad) Anarchic, axiomatic, entropic, vivacious can replace celestial/fiendish Sandstorm: None specifically named, see below regarding: SMIV: Glass mephit, sulfur mephit Stormwrack: Several new animals to template SMVIII: Caller from the deeps (replaces greater elemental), echinoloth (yugoloth) (replaces blue slaad) [/sblock] Two special notes bear mentioning. First is that the PHB lists "mephit (any)", so while there are no new summons explicitly granted in Sandstorm, the new mephits may be summonable depending on DM. The other is that formians and imps were summonable in 3.0 but were removed from the list in revision. The result is that technically the odd variant formians and imps in Fiend Folio are summonable (because they are marked as such in their entries and were never reprinted without it) but normal formians and imps are not (because the only tag for them as such was in now-superceded 3.0 text.) Individual DMs may reasonably feel differently about this. On a personal note, I miss having formians on the list; as a result of their removal there are no core summonable LN monsters. Its my intention to give these a more leisurely trawling and mark up unusual or valuable abilities on these creatures, but I cant promise when.

Treantmonklvl20 points out that summoning a fiendish centipedes generally have more HD than other creatures of the same level. This is exceptionally handy with polymorph, allowing you to get, for example, a Bebelith with a 6th level spell and a 4th level spell. If you want to do it in the same round, you will need either Quicken Spell and an 8th level slot, or the Master Specialists 10th level ability.


« Last Edit: June 15, 2017, 03:59:11 AM by Bullet06320 »

Bullet06320

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Re: Summoning Handbook
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2017, 02:25:48 AM »
Summoning Spells
There are many spells that can be used to summon creatures. This section will cover the noteworthy ones.
  • Summon Monster PHB: Summon Monster is the bread-and-butter spell for wizard/sorcerer/cleric summoners. With a nice range of versatility in what can be summoned, you will always be able to find something appropriate.
  • Summon Natures Ally PHB: The bread-and-butter spell for druids and spirit shamans. Once again, you will generally find something useful on it.
  • Summon Desert Ally Sandstorm: A replacement for Summon Natures Ally, these guys get nice little features such as a breath weapon, damage reduction, and all those nice construct traits. I personally prefer Summon Natures Ally.
  • Summon Undead Spell Compendium: Only usable through low levels, since it stops at level 5, there are some useful critters on this list.
  • Conjure Ice Beast Frostburn: Converts any of the creatures from the Summon Monster or Summon Natures Ally list into constructs. Has the annoying problem of being Conjuration(Creation), therefore not benefiting from all your nice feats, but still, a nice boost to have.
  • Summon Dire Hawk Races of the Wild: This doesnt have the versatility of other spells, however, it does have the nice feature of lasting for minutes/level. It is available to druids as a second level spell, and to clerics with the sky domain, as a second level domain spell.
  • Summon Swarm PHB: More powerful than most of the other 2nd level summon spells, but it does have duration concentration, so you expect it to be. Also, remember that you dont have direct control over the summon. However, it does have swarm traits, such as immunity to criticals, and being mindless, and immune to a fair few spells.
  • Summon Elemental Monolith Complete Arcane: Go look at the Elemental Monolith stats, then continue reading, because you would have already figured out why its good. If the concentration is worrying you, then cast Sonorous Hum or be a spirit shaman. If your DM allows it, use extraordinary concentration.
  • Summon Elementite Swarm Planar Handbook: Summon Swarm, but make the swarm better, and make it listen to you.
  • Gate SRD: Summons whatever you need, almost. A lot more research required than for the other options, since you have a lot more options.
  • Planar Binding SRD: A very potent summoning spell, but you will need to do your homework before using it. This includes the lesser and greater versions as well.
  • Planar Ally SRD: Divine version of above. Once again, includes the lesser and greater versions. I do want to look into what to summon with these spells, since very little has been examined on the matter.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2017, 04:00:11 AM by Bullet06320 »

Bullet06320

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Re: Summoning Handbook
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2017, 02:26:23 AM »
ok, everything is reposted, still working on formatting and getting the links to work properly
its my first handbook ported over here so bear with me as I get the hang of these boards
in the future Im going to be mirroring all my work here and at Gitp so we have backups some place incase of emergency
I do plan on updating will my own thoughts and anyone elses who wishes to share
thanks all, enjoy
« Last Edit: June 15, 2017, 04:05:01 AM by Bullet06320 »